By Nchimunya Miyoba
Four political parties vying the Kitwe Mayoral seat have successfully fielded in candidates for the August 12 general elections.
The five candidates who have successfully filed in nominations are Socialist Party who fielded 28 year old Juliet Chileshe while United Party for National Development (UPND) fielded Grace Sampa.
Democratic Party fielded in Samuel Chikopela who earlier came late after time allocated to him expired and People’s Alliance for Change PAC settled for Fredrick Kunda
And the Patriotic Front party fielded in outgoing Itimpi ward Councillor Mwaya Mpasa.
Mayoral Returning Officer Mbulo Seke said all four political parties successful presented the papers according to the Electoral Commission of Zambia requirements.
Meanwhile, UPND candidate says it is an embarrassment for Kitwe City Council to have a history of closure due to land illegalities.
Speaking shortly after filing in her nomination for the Kitwe Mayoral seat this morning, UPND Ms Sampa said restoring dignity and integrity in running the affairs of the local authority will be her priority once voted into office this year.
She said a land audit is needed to retain land to rightful owners which the local authority have grabbed through illegal demarcation of pieces of land adding that a lot of Kitwe residents have been disadvantage as they have been left with no land to use.
“A lot of people in Kitwe are crying because their land has been grabbed from them or demarcated by the local authority. When I come into officer after am voted in, I will make sure that we repossess land and give it back to rightful owners. Whoever grabbed land from innocent residents will have to face the law,” she said.
And Ms Sampa said she will follow up the issues of water reticulation in city and the K500 residents of Kwacha had paid to Kitwe city council in 2018 for the construction of decent toilets instead of pit latrines.