Independent parliamentary candidate for Mazabuka Central, Gary
Nkombo, cast his ballot this afternoon at Ndeke Primary School
wearing the same black shirt that was torn during an attack on
him in May.
The right sleeve of the shirt was ripped. It is the same
garment Nkombo was wearing when he was confronted by United
Party for National Development (UPND) cadres while filing his
nomination papers at the Mazabuka Municipal Council offices
earlier this year.
Nkombo went to the polling station with his wife and other
family members.
The atmosphere at Ndeke Polling Station was peaceful on
Thursday morning. Voters arrived steadily, were verified, and
moved through the process without delays.
Speaking after he voted, Nkombo described the experience as
orderly.
“My family and I voted today in a calm, orderly atmosphere,” he
said. “This is what democracy should look like.”
He then turned to the next stage of the process. “Now we pray
that same peace carries through counting,” he said.
He closed his remarks with a call for national unity.
“Remember, we are One Zambia, One Nation. God bless Mother
Zambia,” he said.
After casting his ballot, Nkombo shook hands with Vincent
Lilanda, the UPND candidate contesting the same Mazabuka
Central seat.
The exchange was brief and took place at the polling station in
full view of voters, party agents and electoral officials.
Reflecting on the campaign
Earlier in the campaign, Nkombo thanked Mazabuka residents for
their support since he entered the race as an independent.
“From the day we filed our nomination papers, through every
gathering, every conversation, every challenge and every mile
travelled, this has been a journey we have travelled together,”
he said.
He referred to his campaign as the “Candlelight Movement” and
said its progress was due to the people.
“What an incredible journey this Candlelight Movement has been,
and it has been possible because of YOU,” he said.
“Thank you for showing up. Thank you for your courage, your
dedication and your unwavering commitment to the journey we
began together. Every handshake, every conversation, every
prayer and every word of encouragement has been part of this
story.”
Nkombo said the candle has come to represent something larger
for the constituency.
“The Mazabuka candle continues to burn bright; a symbol of
hope, resilience and the power of people coming together around
a shared vision,” he said.
Looking ahead
As voting day arrived, he urged residents to hold on to the
values that defined the campaign.
“As we pause to reflect on this journey, we look back with
gratitude and ahead with hope,” he said.
“Whatever tomorrow brings, may Mazabuka remain united. May we
continue to choose peace, respect, love and the spirit of
togetherness that makes our community stronger.”
He framed the election as a collective effort.
“This has been our journey. Thank you for walking it with us.
Tomorrow, we vote for a future that gives peace, unity, love
and progress a chance,” he said recently.
Context of the torn shirt
The ripped shirt drew attention in May when Nkombo was attacked
during the filing of nominations. Images of the damaged sleeve
circulated widely and supporters adopted it as a symbol of
resilience.
On Thursday, by wearing it again to vote, Nkombo signaled
continuity with that moment without making further comment
about the incident.
Election officials at Ndeke said voting materials arrived on
time and party agents were present with copies of the register.
Security personnel were deployed but did not interfere with the
process.
Zambians are voting today for the presidency, 220 parliamentary
seats and local government positions. More than 8 million
voters are registered nationwide.
Polling stations opened at 06:00 and will close at 18:00.
Counting will begin at each station thereafter in the presence
of agents and observers.
In Mazabuka Central, turnout appeared steady through the
afternoon. Voters at Ndeke and other centers in the district
were processed quickly, with minimal queues reported by
mid-day.
For Nkombo, the day marked both the end of a campaign and a
personal return to the ballot. The torn shirt, once a record of
confrontation, was on Thursday part of a quiet, routine act of
voting.
“Let us keep the peace,” he said as he left the school grounds.
“And let us keep Mazabuka united.”
You truly know how to maximize your advantage I can give that to you. So you kept that shirt , took it to the laundry pressed it and wore. Or did you leave the blood stains on it.
In Hollywood it is called acting and you today were the starring. Quite manipulative and a skillful implementation of imposing narratives.
The Oscar for best actor definitely goes to you for this amazing acting to capture an audience on a moment in History. Absolutely odd and unexpected.