The argument over how Mandevu came to have a single candidate continued on Monday 2 November, when the UPND's Chairperson for Elections, Likando Mufalali, dismissed the Tonse Alliance's account of its candidate's withdrawal as malicious and unfounded. News Diggers reported that Mufalali said nobody had pursued, intimidated or forced the opposition candidate out, and that the party believes in peaceful elections and does not engage in criminal activity.
The claim he was answering was made on Friday 30 October by Tonse Alliance Secretary-General Muhabi Lungu. According to the Zambian Observer, Lungu said Daniel Chisenga, the Forum for Democracy and Development candidate standing for the alliance, had withdrawn partly because of threats, including a telephone call in which Lusaka Province Minister Obvious Mwaliteta allegedly warned him that he would be arrested on polling day and charged with non-bailable offences unless he stood down. Lungu said the threats extended to Chisenga's family, that Chisenga had asked to move temporarily into Lungu's home, and that the alliance would complain to the Inspector General of Police about officers' conduct. He played an audio recording at the briefing. The Observer's report carried no response from Mwaliteta; the UPND's denial came through Mufalali on Monday.
A declaration, not a poll
Whatever the cause, the effect is settled. Zambia Monitor reported on Friday 30 October that the Electoral Commission of Zambia had received letters dated Wednesday 28 October from all three of Adrian Banda's opponents, Ntazana Musukuma Mutungwa of the Leadership Movement, Chisenga, and the independent Daniel Daka, withdrawing with immediate effect. Chief Electoral Officer Brown Kasaro's notice said that, under Regulations 20(3) and 52(2) of the Electoral Process (General) Regulations of 2016, Banda, the UPND candidate, would be declared duly elected without a poll with effect from Thursday 5 November. The notice gave no reasons for the withdrawals and did not say whether the Commission had received complaints of intimidation. Lungu had asked the ECZ to halt the by-election so that the alliance could field a replacement.
Police had prepared for a contested vote. Inspector General Graphael Musamba said on Saturday 24 October, in a statement reported by Zambia Monitor, that Mandevu had been divided into three security zones, each under its own commander, with extra officers drawn from Lusaka Province, and that an alleged assault on members of a political party on Thursday 22 October was being investigated.
The vote that does go ahead
Ward by-elections are still held on Thursday. In Sioma, where the Mbeta ward seat is being filled, ECZ Commissioner McDonald Chipenzi closed the training of poll staff on Monday with advice that News Diggers reported on Tuesday 3 November: stay alert, professional and neutral, and do not assume the day will run smoothly. Democracy, he said, means being able to entertain a view without accepting it. The Mbeta seat was among eleven ward vacancies, together with the Mandevu parliamentary seat, for which the Commission set 5 November when it published the by-election timetable on Saturday 26 September; the vacancies arose from deaths of candidates, uncontested races at the August general election and nominations struck out by the Local Government Elections Tribunal.
Don't think that everything will be rosy in these polling stations.
— McDonald Chipenzi, ECZ Commissioner, to poll staff in Sioma on Monday 2 November, as reported by News Diggers
Sources: News Diggers, “No one forced Tonse candidate to withdraw from Mandevu race – UPND” (2 Nov 2026); News Diggers, “Democracy demands tolerance of opposing views – ECZ” (3 Nov 2026); Zambian Observer, “Mwaliteta Is Among Those Who Threatened Our Mandevu Candidate to Withdraw – Muhabi Lungu” (30 Oct 2026); Zambia Monitor, “Mandevu by-election called off. Here's why” (30 Oct 2026); Zambia Monitor, “Musamba warns against political violence ahead of Mandevu by-election” (24 Oct 2026); Zambia Monitor, “Electoral Commission of Zambia announces date for four key by-elections, 11 ward polls” (26 Sep 2026).