MANDEVU ON BRINK OF HH STORM
…President Hichilema heads to Mutambe Grounds for explosive town hall
By DAVID KANDUZA
IN a high-stakes move following the recent unopposed by-election victory, the Head of State is stepping directly into the heart of one of Lusaka’s most vocal constituencies to answer tough questions on fuel, inflation and the local agenda.
President Hakainde Hichilema has issued a rallying cry to the residents of Mandevu: “We are coming to you.”
Tomorrow, Thursday, November 5, 2026, the dust will fly at the iconic Mutambe Community Grounds. .
This is not a sanitised, air-conditioned Press briefing at State House.
It is a raw, unscripted community engagement where the President intends to look his voters in the eye.
The timing could not be more electric.
Just days after the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) secured a psychological victory with its candidate going unopposed in the Mandevu by-election, President Hichilema is striking while the iron is hot.
But if the President expects a victory lap, Mandevu’s notoriously vocal street corner parliaments may have other ideas.
The backdrop to this visit was a nation wrestling with intense economic headwinds.
Only days ago, the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) announced a fresh hike in pump prices for November, sending a ripple of anxiety through Lusaka’s minibus conductors and marketeers.
Compounding the squeeze, Zambia’s annual inflation rate ticked up to 6.3 per cent in October, driven ruthlessly by a surge in non-food prices.
For the ordinary residents of Mandevu, Marrapodi, Matero, Matero East and Justine Kabwe Ward, tomorrow is not about political rhetoric—it is about survival.
Yet, President Hichilema is leaning into the storm.
By explicitly telling residents to “bring your neighbours, bring your questions and let us talk about what matters to you,” the President is daring the constituency to give him their worst.
It is a classic display of the retail politics that defined his recent historic re-election campaign—relying on his ability to break down complex fiscal policies into everyday language that resonates with the grassroots.
Local community mobilisers are already reporting frantic chatter in local WhatsApp groups and market stalls.
The expectations are a mile high.
Marketeers are looking for answers on empowerment loans, youths are demanding jobs and community activists are armed with questions regarding local service delivery.
When the presidential motorcade snakes into Mutambe Grounds tomorrow, the atmosphere will be thick with anticipation.
Will President Hichilema be able to soothe the economic anxieties of a squeezed middle class and working public, or will Mandevu’s fiery political spirit prove too hot to handle?
One thing is certain: tomorrow, Mutambe Grounds will be the epicentre of the Zambian political universe.
Bring your questions, Ba Mandevu—the President is listening.