The other day, the much respected Afrobarometer, a pan-African, non-partisan survey research network that conducts public attitude surveys on democracy, governance, the economy, and society, headquartered in Ghana, put Hakainde Hichilema in pole position at an impressive 75% in a recent survey on best performing Presidents in Southern Africa.
As expected, some of our politicians did not take kindly to this result. Taking to Social media to vent his displeasure and frustrations; Matero Member of Parliament Miles Sampa had this to write, “Clearly, respondents were all foreigners and not local Zambians. The President’s approval ratings on the ground are it its lowest of all time and anyone that may be telling him the opposite, is not kind to him.”
Sampa goes on to claim that he’s constantly on the ground and listens to ordinary citizens on a daily basis.
“The entire province of Lusaka things are rather for him. There would have to be some huge miracle in delivery of expectations to change their opinion in the next 2 years,” he observes.
As political and social analysts, we are privileged to have an ear to the ground. Unlike the Matero lawmaker, our interactions with the masses aren’t limited to pitching-up in a restaurant teeming with eager customers at a busy market, once in a while, to enjoy nshima with our favourite dish of nshima with usi and chiny’onge; we are ever in the shanty compounds listening to people’s concerns and helping-out where ever necessary.
For instance, yesterday we found ourselves Solwezi’s energetic and vibrant Kiawama compound, where folks always seem to be in a hurry to get somewhere, to gauge the mood of the people regarding our political dispensation. Our visit actually coincided with Hichilema’s presence in the area; the President was in the province to officiate at the national “May Day” celebrations being commemorated in the area for the very first time since our independence.
Thousands of people had found their way to the Central Business District using whatever imaginable means of transport – ox carts, bicycles and motorbikes to just catch a glimpse of our beloved President as his motorcade made its way from the small airport to the venue of the occasion. Knowing the Kaondes, we wouldn’t be surprised to learn that some of them actually used broom sticks to get there!
“Oh my God!” exclaimed a middle aged woman in Kaonde. “There he’s…..in a black suit and red tie!”
“This is so nice….” said a septuagenarian bending over a walking stick. “I am so happy to see the man who has made it possible for my grandchildren to go to school so that they can be like him…”
The stadium where the event was being held was filled to its capacity; it was a carnival atmosphere! Boisterous college students benefitting school bursaries; enthusiastic pupils who no longer have to sit on the floor; senior citizens with lit faces rest assured no cabinet minister will ‘chew’ their social cash; recently deployed civil servants in their colourful uniforms and of course, upbeat contractors who’d just been awarded contracts under CDF had turned up in their numbers to offer solidarity to a President they’re proud to refer to as, “Bally!”
We may still be grappling with a few challenges here and there at the moment such as the intolerable price of our staple food (aka bwali) or fuel, but there’s absolutely no way anyone is beating Bally at the polls, including Mr. Alebwelelapo himself! Bally has already endeared himself to the electorate….. what’s remaining is just adding the icing on the cake by reducing the price of mealie meal and the cost of transport.
Moreover, Hichilema is inspiring! Many youths actually identify with Hichilema; they now believe that with just a bit of discipline and hardwok, a child of a peasant, house servant, security guard or street vendor can break the artificial ceiling and become the second largest cattle rancher in the country or indeed Republican president! Young people will therefore still give HH another mandate no matter the odds!
But if truth, and nothing but the truth be told, some of his MPs face a Herculean task of being given a fresh mandate by the frustrated electorates eager to punish them for being ‘AWOL’ from their constituencies; failing to implement massive CDF projects like Sunday Chanda is doing in Kanchibiya; not willing to come to the aid of those under the siege of bereavement or ailments in their families and retorting that they aren’t ATMs whenever asked for money!
If President Hichilema is too avoid the challenge of dealing with a hung parliament in 2026 like Levy Mwanawasa did in 2001, it’s high time he cracked the whip and scattered those MPs idling and enjoying the good life of Lusaka into the constituencies to spearhead CDF sponsored projects as well as making themselves available to bail-out the electorate in the shanty compounds from whatever challenges they may be facing.
This equally applies to those aspiring to contest as UPND parliamentary candidates in Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces. Do not restrict your intentions to Facebook! Elections are not won during the year of the elections whereby you concentrate on handing-out cheap T.shirts and chitenge materials, but rather now when the masses can easily identify you with a track record of community work!
Mulekutika?
Prince Bill M. Kaping’a
Political/Social Analyst
Promises, promises, promises.
1. If you trust graphs drawn by foreigners and fail to listen to the grass roots on the ground = You are on your own.
2. If you fail to reduce mealie meal to K50= you are on your own.
3. If you fail to reduce fuel to K12/l= you are on your own.
4. If you fail to reduce dollar to K10/1usd= you are on your own.
5. If you fail to reduce fertilizer to K250/50kg bag= you are on your own.
More money in “whose pockets” not “OUR” pockets has kasaka ka ndalama is not in my pocket….
Promises…and promisory notes aka Sinking fund and Eurobond
Is it the MP’s responsibility to take care of families and pay for funeral expenses? Where does this misplaced sense of dependence come from?
As for HH winning the 2026 elections, I very much would love to see him do so.
However, it would be naive to assume that it is a foregone conclusion. The UPND need to work very hard if they are to win the 2026 elections. Not every Zambian appreciates the extent of damage the PF wreaked on the nation. Critical thinking is largely absent even among the so called educated.