EVENING WIRE | Kasama Breaks New Ground as UPND Clinches Mayoral Seat
KASAMA — The United Party for National Development (UPND) has secured a landmark victory in the Kasama Mayoral by-election, capturing the Northern Province capital for the first time and redrawing the region’s political map ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Kasama District Electoral Officer Innocent Mutambo declared UPND candidate Bywell Simposya the duly elected Mayor at 17:33 hours, after he polled 17,647 votes.
Final results released by the Electoral Commission show:
– Bywell Simposya (UPND): 17,647
– Peter Yuda Chikweti (FDD): 14,303
– Aaron Zimba (Citizens First): 4,405
– Mukuka Kapambwe (UPPZ): 2,988
– Joseph Mubanga (Socialist Party): 2,211
– Mary Bukisa (New Focus Party): 472
A total of 42,929 votes were cast from 138,286 registered voters, underscoring low turnout, even as the outcome delivers high political impact.
A northern breakthrough
The win hands UPND a symbolic and strategic gain in a city long regarded as Patriotic Front terrain since the Michael Sata era. Party strategists attribute the result to strong rural margins, steady penetration in peri-urban wards, and voter fatigue with opposition infighting.
For the opposition, the result lands amid deep fragmentation. The Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) candidate, Peter Yuda Chikweti, was backed by the PF and factions of the Tonse Alliance, but that coalition entered the race split and distracted by leadership battles, court injunctions, and competing presidential ambitions.
Rejection of grievance politics
The campaign’s closing days featured sharp rhetoric from PF figures, including Chishimba Kambwili, who attempted to mobilise voters around claims of disrespect toward the Bemba Royal Establishment following the funeral of Paramount Chief Chitimukulu’s wife. The ballot box delivered a clear verdict: grievance-driven and ethnically coded appeals failed to translate into votes.
Analysts say the outcome mirrors the broader national trend since 2021, where voters have increasingly rejected identity politics in favour of performance and stability.
Disputed reactions
Despite the official declaration, PF information chair Emmanuel Mwamba and other opposition figures declined to congratulate UPND, alleging the vote was “stolen.” No formal complaint has been upheld by the Electoral Commission, and results were announced following standard verification procedures.
UPND officials urged calm, framing the win as a mandate to govern inclusively in a city with diverse political loyalties.
Why this matters
Kasama’s result is more than a local contest. It signals a shrinking PF stronghold in the Northern Circuit, exposes the cost of opposition disunity, and strengthens UPND’s narrative of steady regional expansion.
With Parliament dissolving in the coming months and campaigns set to intensify, Kasama now stands as a bellwether, a reminder that electoral arithmetic, not rhetoric, ultimately decides power.
More updates to follow as reactions continue to unfold across the political spectrum.
© The People’s Brief | Ollus R. Ndomu
Ba Indigo naba Nkuku man cungulopo mukwai! Nga baikala shani uko!
@EMC
The most Unpopular Party in the history of Zambia , struggling after a mere 4 years in power, the UPND, scrapped through this Election…24,000 people in Kasama do not want the UPND. Only 17,000 voted for the UPND..
And how did they get the 17,000 Votes? Ministers camped for more than three weeks in Kasama.. PF Councilors and the discredited Area member of Parliament all called in for reinforcement. A Case of PF fighting with PF.
These are not signs of a Strong Political Party going into an election in 6 months time.
In essence, the losing party won the Kasama Mayoral election.
If the Opposition Political Parties realize that a word called Unity exists, UPND is history.
Chicken boi, the Kasama and Chawama elections are just curtain risers. The main show with the staring is yet to come featuring Bally the Red Ninja Warrior. He will gallop around the country on a Red Bull with big Red Balls. Fred Nazala Kale ati baduma umuzulu ku Kasama.
…and ka faza kalya ka prophet of doom
Shame to the faith. Where is he?