Former Diplomat Abraham Miti writes::::
LESSONS FROM CHAWAMA — AND WHAT A LESSON!
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The Chawama by-election has delivered one of the most fascinating political plot twists in recent memory. Beyond the memes and the drama, there are real takeaways worth paying attention to.
Let’s start from the top: the vacancy itself.
Many still feel the declaration by Speaker Nelly Mutti was ill-judged and unnecessarily cruel. The moral backlash didn’t just live online it followed the by-election all the way to the ballot.
But here’s where things got interesting…
1. Campaign Culture Shift
For once, Chawama wasn’t a battlefield. The UPND and its supporters campaigned peacefully. The Zambia Police Service managed the atmosphere professionally. No machetes. No cadres. No chaos. This alone is a milestone in Zambia’s political evolution.✅
2. ECZ’s Selective Blindness
Then came the famous “political symbols” saga. PF was told to keep its identity locked in the wardrobe. But when Dr. Nevers Mumba arrived in full regalia — the ECZ looked away like nothing happened. The public didn’t miss the double standard, and it fed into a growing perception that certain rules now exist mainly to erase PF from the political scene.❌
3. The Voter Is Always Ahead
There were nine candidates on the ballot and still, voters turned it into a two-horse race. The #ICHABAICHE,” #CitizensFirst and other splinter players had their day, but not their moment. The message was loud: unity matters and voters hate fragmentation even more than politicians think.✅
Meanwhile, the former SPV of the opposition Tonse alliance, the NCP was brutally reminded that relevance isn’t transferable once the mission is over.
4. Chawama’s Warning Shot
Chawama has now sent a memo to both sides:
• Opposition: unite or the electorate will unite for you.
• Ruling party: don’t get high on power voters are the real opposition and they’re watching with calculators, not emotions.
The Zambian voter is smart, shrewed, Cunning and increasingly RUTHLESS with politicians who take them for granted. They are the REFEREES , not CHEERLEADERS.
Finally….
August is coming.
If Chawama was just an appetizer, the 2026 General Election is shaping up to be an absolute BLOCKBUSTER .
Grab your popcorn. This is going to be epic.
The brightness on people’s faces in Zambia today…the happiness the people of Chawama have given Zambia is unimaginable!
Chawama has given Zambia hope…It’s like a people confined in a box without air, and then suddenly a hole emerges and air flows in!
Kitwe , Luanshya, Ndola, Chingola, it’s all Smiles…and the party will surely go into the night
Oh what a Happy Day!
It is a bitter lesson for the UPND.
It will do well to Reflect and learn from here.
UPND has done very well across the country and all they need is to sell the message properly.
It is also important for people to vote objectively and not with emotion.
Tasila was rightly expelled from parliament due to her long absence and this was expected. UPND should have explained this better but the Opposition took advantage of the massive ignorance of a people (which unfortunately is always the case).
No one stays away from work without permission and still expects to get paid no matter the circumstances.
It was sheer arrogance for Tasila and it cost her a seat.
My bet is that come August, 2026, UPND will carry the Day.
In the meantime, congratulations to Hon Nundwe