Update: Kaingu and ECZ stay off the witness stand as Mwandi petition closes after three days

The Mwandi parliamentary election petition closed on its third day of trial in Mongu after Iris Kaingu and the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) both declined to testify. The decision came after Kaingu's lawyers asked for a 20-minute adjournment shortly before she was due to take the stand. When the court resumed, neither respondent called any witnesses, bringing the hearing to an early end. The petition was brought by Sibeso Sefulo, the UPND candidate who lost the seat on 13 August by 485 votes. Kaingu, standing as an independent, polled 6,595 votes to Sefulo's 6,110. Sefulo wants the result nullified and a fresh election held, alleging bribery, corruption and undue influence of voters by Kaingu's agents. She also accuses the ECZ of failing to follow procedure when counting and announcing the results. The case is being heard by Mazabuka High Court Judge Willie Sinyangwe, sitting in Mongu. The trial opened on 21 October. ## What the court heard Sefulo's side called witnesses who described money changing hands during the campaign, but their evidence did not land cleanly. Humphrey Sifali, 41, a former Mwandi Local Court magistrate, admitted under cross-examination that he had bribed voters during the campaign. He told the court he remains a Kaingu supporter, and said he had no evidence that Kaingu instructed him to do it. Kashweka Lisulo, 43, the Mwandi UPND youth chairperson, said he voted for Kaingu because she contributed K1,000 towards the wedding of a ward chairlady's son. Under questioning he told the court he could not read or write English, despite earlier testifying that he wrote his own witness statement. Sefulo herself, cross-examined by Kaingu's lawyers, said she was not sure who had won the election, pointing out that the result was announced by the ECZ. She denied claims that she lost because she spent her campaign attacking Kaingu's character instead of talking about issues. The petitioner's case was also trimmed before it finished. Judge Si