GET THEIR GIFTS, BUT YOUR VOTE IS SECRET, ARCHBISHOP CHAMA TIPS KASAMA RESIDENTS
KASAMA Archbishop Ignatius Chama has urged voters in Kasama to accept whatever they are being offered by contesting parties, but to keep their vote secret in today’s by-election.
The Kasama mayoral by-election is scheduled for today, Thursday, following the death of the incumbent mayor, Theresa Kolala of the Patriotic Front. Six candidates successfully filed their nominations, with the ruling UPND fielding Bywell Simposya, while the FDD has fielded Peter Yuda under the Tonse Alliance.
Addressing the media, Archbishop Chama advised registered voters to exercise their right to vote for a leader they felt would effectively conduct their duty as Kasama Mayor.
“Tomorrow, 29th January, 2026, Kasama District will be going to the polls to elect our mayor. I want to say one or two things. All registered voters, we have a duty to choose our mayor. Therefore we must all go and vote where we registered as voters. We must not forget that our vote is our secret.
No one will know that we have selected this one, only our hearts will know. Sometimes when confused children are given money, mealie meal, alcohol, chitenge materials, they tell us that we elect them or if we don’t choose their person, everything they’ve given us, they’ll follow us because they’ll know that we didn’t vote for their person. This is a lie, don’t listen to such. Get everything you’re given but choose a leader with your independent conscience of your heart on the position of mayor,” he said in Bemba.
Archbishop Chama further urged the electorate to maintain peace after the by-election.
“When you choose someone who gave you everything, it will be like that person bought your knowledge and conscience of choosing your mayor. That person would have bought the freedom that God gave you of which God doesn’t get when choosing right from wrong.
Therefore, when choosing just because you were given something, in your own consciousness, you’re convinced that that person will work effectively as Kasama Mayor. Your vote is secret. No one will know who you voted for.
It’s your duty to vote for the Mayor. Let’s all go as registered voters to elect our Mayor who will lead Kasama Municipal Council in line with our laws as a country. After elections, we must wait for the results peacefully and in unity,” said Archbishop Chama.
News Diggers
People already know that a vote is a secret, they don’t need to be told by anyone. And even if they don’t vote for UPND, there’s nothing Fr Chama and the opposition will give them. The wise know that working with the ruling party is the way to go and they will still vote for UPND. As at now, UPND makes sense more than any other party and Bally more than any opposition leader.