🇿🇲 CAMPAIGN WATCH | Hichilema Storms Luapula With Development Pitch in Kawambwa
President Hakainde Hichilema on Saturday took his re-election campaign to Luapula Province, drawing a large crowd in Kawambwa as he appealed for another five-year mandate on the promise of continued infrastructure development, free education and lower living costs.
Addressing supporters, Hichilema acknowledged longstanding concerns over the condition of both urban and rural roads, pledging that his administration would continue investing in transport infrastructure to unlock Kawambwa’s economic potential.
“The challenges around major roads, urban and rural roads are well noted. We will open up Kawambwa for even more development,” he said, presenting improved connectivity as central to the district’s future growth.
The President also defended his government’s flagship free education policy, arguing that its gains should be protected through continuity in office. While recognising that many households continue to grapple with the high cost of living, he said government was working “round the clock” to ease economic pressures while sustaining development programmes across the country.
“We have delivered but there’s more to be done,” Hichilema told the gathering as he urged voters to return the UPND to office in the August 13 general election. The message mirrors themes that have defined his recent campaign through Muchinga and Northern provinces, where economic recovery, job creation, infrastructure and social services have dominated his appeal to voters.
The Kawambwa rally marks the beginning of Hichilema’s push into Luapula, a province long regarded as one of the former Patriotic Front’s political bastions. The ruling party’s decision to invest significant campaign time in the region reflects a broader strategy of competing beyond its traditional support base as the presidential race enters its decisive phase.
© The People’s Brief | Goran Handya