🇿🇲 OPINION | Hichilema Seeks to Make Central Province an impregnable Bastion
President Hakainde Hichilema is today concluding his two-day campaign tour of Central Province, a visit aimed at consolidating the UPND’s support in districts that were not covered during his earlier campaign three weeks ago. The campaign reflects the party’s broader ambition of transforming a province where it has consistently secured about 60 per cent of the vote into an impregnable stronghold and strengthening one of its key pathways to victory in the 13 August General Election.
The President began the tour on 28 July, visiting Luano, Kapiri Mposhi and Ngabwe before addressing a mass rally at Chikonkomene Grounds. Today, he is scheduled to campaign in Katuba, Shibuyunji and Nangoma before concluding the programme with a rally at the Council Grounds.
President Hichilema’s overriding objective is to secure a decisive victory over his main challenger, Brian Mundubile of the Tonse Alliance. Throughout the campaign, he has consistently declared his ambition of obtaining more than five million votes from Zambia’s 8,786,300 registered voters.
A five-million-vote tally would comfortably exceed the constitutional requirement of 50 per cent plus one vote needed to win the presidency in the first round. It would also surpass the 51 per cent threshold required to validate a national referendum, which is calculated against the total number of registered voters rather than votes cast.
The political landscape in Katuba, Shibuyunji, Nangoma and Mumbwa has remained firmly favourable to President Hichilema. His campaign in these areas is designed not only to retain support but also to increase voter turnout across the southern part of Central Province. His message on agriculture continues to resonate strongly in this predominantly farming region.
The picture, however, has historically been different in Mkushi, Serenje, Chitambo and Luano.
For nearly three decades, the UPND devoted relatively little organisational attention to this corner of Central Province. Despite the Lala and Swaka communities sharing close cultural ties with the Lamba-speaking areas of the Copperbelt—long regarded as dependable UPND territory—the party failed to convert that affinity into meaningful electoral gains. It was a political blind spot that the ruling party can no longer afford.
President Hichilema’s earlier campaign through Mkushi, Serenje and Chitambo signalled a deliberate effort to correct that omission. His strategy has shifted from merely defending traditional strongholds to aggressively competing in every winnable constituency. His publicly stated target of five million votes reflects an approach focused on securing victory in the first round rather than risking a runoff.
The President has deployed a formidable campaign structure supported by parliamentary candidates, including several former Patriotic Front Members of Parliament who have since joined the UPND. The message remains clear: no competitive constituency will be conceded without a determined contest.
The large crowds that greeted President Hichilema in Chitambo and Serenje pointed to an energised campaign. While rallies alone do not determine election outcomes, they demonstrate that the UPND has established itself as a serious political force in areas it previously neglected.
The strategic importance of Chitambo, Serenje and Mkushi is further demonstrated by the attention they have attracted from rival political parties. The Socialist Party, led by Dr. Fred M’membe, has invested heavily in the region, describing it as its “11th Province” as part of its effort to deepen its grassroots presence. Whether that organisational investment translates into votes remains to be seen.
President Hichilema has also tailored his campaign message to the region’s economic realities. Addressing farming communities, he has promised increased access to fertiliser, seed and agricultural credit. In districts where agriculture is the principal source of livelihoods, such commitments carry significant political weight. The UPND is further encouraged by its clean sweep of parliamentary by-elections in Central Province since 2021.
The influence of Bemba-led political parties in districts such as Serenje and Mkushi is largely explained by the sizeable population of settlers from Zambia’s northern region. Although they do not constitute the majority, they have historically influenced the political character of these districts.
The UPND’s objective is unmistakable: to weaken the opposition’s influence in northern Central Province and transform Chitambo, Serenje, Mkushi and neighbouring districts into dependable electoral territory. If that strategy succeeds, President Hichilema will not only strengthen his bid for re-election but also establish another important pathway to electoral victory.
Editor’s Note: This article was written before the second day of President Hakainde Hichilema’s Central Province campaign programme and has been lightly edited for publication on 29 July 2026.
By Haggai Muzeya
Kitwe-based political historian.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The People’s Brief.
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