HH will be game changer in Malanji’s Kwacha by-election outcome – UPND
By Darious Kapembwa
WITH political dust rising again following the nullification of two seats on the Copperbelt, Joseph Malanji whose election as Kwacha PF member of parliament was nullified on account of not producing the grade 12 certificate during the filing in of nominations in the last general elections in August still appears to be holding out the popularity contest in the vast constituency.
However, the main challenger Charles Mulenga who petitioned Malanji’s election and is confident of being readopted by the ruling UPND to contest the seat, feels the ‘Bonanza’ as Malanji is popularly known has lost the steam to compete with him at the ballot.
Malanji beat Mulenga with a difference of 5,633 after polling 23,277 to Mulenga’s 17,644 in the 2021 general elections.
The constituency situated east of Kitwe is made up of six wards namely Riverside, Lubwa, Chantete, Bulangililo, Ipusukilo and Kwacha.
A sample by The Mast on the ground revealed that despite the many legal battles he is facing leading up to losing his seat, Malanji is still a popular figure among the electorate especially those that voted for him in the previous election especially in vulnerable communities of Ipusukilo, Musonda and Chantete where his material and cash donations have left people in the roosting for him.
And of course there are battlegrounds like Kwacha, Lubwa and Riverside cosmopolitan areas where Mulenga did well and still holds divided opinion between the two candidates with the Malanji’s footprints still holding out ahead of his likely rival once again, Mulenga.
From the views of ordinary people on the ground, the difference between Malanji regaining or losing ground in those battlegrounds or undecided voters will be President Hakainde Hichilema himself spending time in those areas.
“Of course honourable Malanji is still a known figure among the people here and if he stands, he still has a chance but all that can change depending on how much time President Hichilema spends on the ground because the Head of State is the most popular politician in the country at the moment and that can boost his candidate here. But you know that Malanji is most popular among poor communities so, there also, the ruling party has a lot to do because the people are used to handouts,” said a Copperbelt University professor who is a resident of Riverside but declined to be mentioned.
And it is the mindset change among voters in outlying areas that the UPND will be grappling to change with whoever the party adopts as its candidate in this by-election because these are areas where people are used to receive a bag of mealie-meal, sugar, cooking oil and money whenever a meeting is called and they are proud about it.
But there are areas apart from Lubwa, Kwacha and Riverside where Mulenga holds his own, areas like the densely populated Bulangililo where the two candidates would clash for numbers.
Meanwhile, the UPND Copperbelt provincial youth spokesperson Lazarous Sichamba says he is very confident of his party turning the tables but also acknowledges that there is need to change mindsets of voters in some areas who believe in politics of gifts.
“We are very much confident. We are looking at the numbers, looking at the margins and the things that were happening during the general elections. We gained a lot of ground, our candidate Mr Mulenga proved that he was popular in many areas where Malanji even made huge donations looking at the numbers he got,” he said. “But things have changed now. We know what we didn’t do right in areas where we failed to win. We are now in government and we will do everything legally possible to win the seat. And we are confident of that, no doubt. We will do a thorough job. We have assessed the situation and we know where we stand.” Sichamba also acknowledges that President Hichilema would be a game changer in the outcome of the by-election because he would have an opportunity to engange the voters directly having been barred from entering Kitwe by the PF regime during campaigns for the August 12, 2021 elections.
“Of course you know that he never campaigned in Kitwe. They stopped him, remember? But still managed to beat incumbent Edgar Lungu, so yes he will be the game changer because some people will see him physically for the first time and listen to his voice right there in the constituency. And the party itself, the UPND, is quite strong in Kwacha,” said Sichamba.
For the PF in the area, the very fact that Malanji managed to win his seat when then president Lungu lost the presidential vote is enough evidence that he can stand on his own.
“We have very huge chances of retaining the seat as long as honourable Malanji is the candidate. There is no doubt. Even the general population is saying they will vote for honourable Malanji this time because he has been unfairly treated. Even the UPND members they are telling us. They will vote for him because they have seen how he helps his people. So we will win without doubt. Even if another person stands but he is supported by honourable Malanji, that person will win but its Malanji all the way,” says PF Kwacha constituency chairperson Alex Chembo.
Meanwhile, there are five candidates who have expressed interest in contesting on the ruling party ticket but three strong contenders in Mulenga, Costantino Marianos and Chibilika Siang’andu appear to be running for the final adoption list.