THE United Party for National Development (UPND) has unveiled its candidates for Pambashe and Petauke Parliamentary by-elections slated for next month.

Speaking during a Press briefing in Lusaka today, UPND Chairperson for Elections, Gary Nkombo, announced that the party has settled for Justin Kapema for the Pambashe seat in Kawambwa District of Luapula Province and Sevariano Lungu for the Petauke seat of Eastern Province after a rigorous selection process.

He added that six people contested for adoption on the party ticket for the Pambashe seat while eight contested for adoption on the Petauke seat.

Mr Nkombo urged all interested parties to emulate the past violence free Kawambwa elections, as they present ideas on what they intend to do for the people.

“We aim to replicate our historic victory in Kawambwa,” said Mr Nkombo.

And UPND National Party Chairman, Batuke Imenda, said he is optimistic that the UPND will win the elections in both areas to be contested.

Meanwhile, Justin Kapema, candidate for the Pambashe seat, said he is grateful to the party and that he is committed to serving the people of Pambashe.

Petauke candidate Sevariano Lungu also expressed gratitude to the party for the trust vested in him.

Mr Nkombo called on the people to support its preferred candidates and rely on information from the party representatives.

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Nelly Mutti, declared the Pambashe Constituency seat vacant after the conviction of Patriotic Front (PF) Member of Parliament Ronald Chitotela, leading to the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) announcing a by-election.

The Petauke seat was also declared vacant by Ms Mutti following legal matters the former Parliamentarian Emmanuel Banda is facing.