🇿🇲 BRIEFING | President Engages 1,832 Councillors in Rare National Gathering

President Hakainde Hichilema has convened an unprecedented meeting with councillors from across Zambia, bringing together 1,832 out of the country’s 1,858 elected local representatives in what officials describe as a landmark engagement on governance and development coordination.

The high turnout signals renewed focus on local authorities as frontline drivers of service delivery. Councillors play a critical role in implementing projects funded through the Constituency Development Fund, overseeing ward-level infrastructure, and acting as the closest link between citizens and central government.

The President emphasised alignment of local development priorities with national economic objectives, particularly in infrastructure delivery, social services, and accountability in public resource management.

The engagement comes at a politically significant moment, with decentralisation and grassroots development expected to feature prominently in the 2026 general election discourse.

The gathering was aimed at strengthening coordination, improving oversight, and ensuring that public funds translate into visible community impact across all provinces.

© The People’s Brief | Goran Handya

GOVERNANCE ACTIVIST WARNS OF PATRIOTIC FRONT COLLAPSE.

Governance Activist Reuben Lifuka has expressed concern over the continued confusion rocking the former ruling Patriotic Front (PF), warning that the party has been left crippled by prolonged leadership and succession challenges.

Mr. Lifuka attributes the turmoil within the PF to poor leadership decisions, arguing that the party should have convened a convention well before the late former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu stepped down from active politics.

He says the failure to plan for succession early has gravely weakened the party.

He has further questioned why the PF failed to rebrand despite earlier indications that it would do so, noting that this has contributed to its diminishing relevance on the political landscape.

Mr. Lifuka has expressed doubt over the party’s survival in its current form, suggesting that what may eventually emerge is an entirely new political party.

He has argued that there may not be sufficient time for the PF to reorganize itself into a viable force ahead of future elections.

Speaking in an interview with PTV2 News, Mr. Lifuka said the situation is worrying for Zambia’s democracy, emphasizing that a functional multi-party system requires a strong and effective opposition to ensure competitive elections and meaningful choices for citizens.

He notes that signs of the PF’s decline became evident following its defeat in the 2021 general elections, attributing this to weak institutionalization of political parties in Zambia.

Mr. Lifuka has observed that many parties rely heavily on individual leaders rather than strong, sustainable systems.

He explains that once such individuals exit leadership, party structures often collapse.

According to him, when Mr. Lungu left office and relinquished the party presidency, there was no clear succession plan, creating uncertainty and leaving the PF vulnerable.

Mr. Lifuka has further suggested that the party has also been exposed to possible bureaucratic and legal challenges, including processes involving the Registrar of Societies, in what he described as internal party matters.

By Favourite Chisi

MAKEBI ZULU BLASTS UPND GOVT OVER TEACHER SHORTAGE IN WESTERN PROVINCE

By Current Zambia

Makebi Zulu has expressed disappointment over the continued shortage of teachers and what he described as government failure to build new schools in Western Province.

The PF presidential candidate raised these concerns when he featured on a programme hosted by Emmanuel Mwamba. Hon. Zulu said that during his recent visit to Western Province, he observed that many schools are overwhelmed with learners due to a critical shortage of teachers.

He alleged that the current administration has only completed projects that were initiated by the Patriotic Front, including selected school infrastructure and the road leading to the Limulunga Palace. According to him, no significant new projects have been initiated in the province.

Mr. Zulu further stated that poor conditions of service for workers, coupled with inadequate staffing levels, have negatively affected service delivery. He warned that the teacher shortage has resulted in overcrowded classrooms, placing immense pressure on the few available teachers and ultimately affecting academic performance in the province.

He has since called on the government to urgently recruit more teachers and invest in new school infrastructure to address the growing education crisis in Western Province.

President Hichilema condemns US–Iran conflict!

President HAKAINDE HICHILEMA has condemned the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Iran.

President HICHILEMA says Zambia does not support war and expressed hope that the hostilities will come to an end soon.

He says the major geopolitical crisis carries significant risks, warning that it could affect global fuel prices and, in turn, impact Zambia’s economy.

Speaking in Lusaka today when he addressed councillors from across the country, President HICHILEMA said the situation could influence fuel prices locally, which have recently been declining.

He, however, noted that Government is making every effort to ensure the economy remains on the right path.

-ZNBC

MAKEBI ZULU SHOWS WHY HE IS THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT

By Brian Matambo | Sandton, South Africa

2 March, 2026

Emmanuel Mwamba Verified (EMV) is no longer just another online programme fighting for relevance in a crowded digital arena. It is being recognised, within Zambia and beyond our borders, as a serious source of news and rigorous analysis. We are seeing interest not only from Lusaka and the provinces, but from South Africa and other corners of the region where people are actively searching for credible updates on Zambia’s political and social trajectory.

On Sunday night, Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba hosted Honourable Makebi Zulu, former Member of Parliament for Malambo, former Eastern Province Minister, constitutional lawyer, family spokesperson for the late President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, and leading Patriotic Front presidential aspirant. The show was not just explosive; it was a display of the rise of a real contender for the republican presidency.

Those who watched the show will tell you that Makebi Zulu did not speak with volume. He spoke with depth, clarity, and composure under pressure. He did not posture. He reasoned. Instead of shouting, he dissected. And in a political environment saturated with outrage, that restraint felt almost revolutionary.

One of the most revealing moments came when the conversation turned to persons living with disabilities. Makebi Zulu spoke about learning sign language at a young age because many of his friends at Lusaka Boys School and Munali were deaf and mute. This was not a rehearsed applause line. It was a reflection of lived experience. He expressed genuine concern that major public institutions remain inaccessible to citizens who cannot hear or speak. At the University Teaching Hospital, he observed, only a handful of staff can communicate in sign language. That reality, in his view, is unacceptable.

He proposed something both practical and transformative. Just as wheelchair access has become a non-negotiable feature of public infrastructure, sign language capacity should be mandatory in public institutions. Airports, courts, hospitals such as Maina Soko, passport offices, NRC centres and other government facilities must employ personnel trained in sign language. Disabled citizens are not marginal statistics. They are Zambians. They deserve equal access to state services, not sympathetic speeches.

Finally, Zambia has a rising leader who has genuine empathy.

Another issue worth noting was when Makebi Zulu pivoted to a matter that has defined Zambia’s political culture for decades: how we treat former presidents. In a country where power transitions have too often been followed by persecution and legal warfare, he made a deliberate departure. He committed that under his administration, President Hakainde Hichilema would be respected in retirement. He spoke of ending what he described as the politics of vengeance. He referenced the legal ordeals faced by former Presidents Frederick Chiluba, Rupiah Banda and Edgar Lungu, not to inflame divisions, but to argue that Zambia must mature beyond cycles of retribution.

In a striking declaration, he said he would consult President Hichilema in retirement, learning from his experiences and deploying him as a statesman where appropriate. That was not flattery. It was strategic maturity. It takes confidence to promise dignity to one’s political rival.

In contrast, President Hakainde Hichilema presided over one of the most embarrassing campaigns aimed at persecuting his predecessor. Zambians will recall how President Hichilema’s government prevented former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu from travelling to South Africa for routine medical care. On one occasion, former President Lungu was stopped from boarding his flight.

Another disturbing incident occurred when President Lungu’s residence in Ibex Hill was confronted by police officers who arrived with grinding machines to break down his gate in order to gain access to the property.

President Hichilema’s campaign against Edgar Lungu did not end with his passing in Pretoria. Even in death, the hostility persisted. The government initiated legal action against Edgar Lungu’s widow in a bid to secure control over the former president’s remains. Around the same period, the parliamentary seat of his daughter was declared vacant due to absenteeism, despite the obvious and painful reality that Honourable Tasila Lungu could not reasonably attend Parliament while her father lay in the mortuary.

Most recently, Edgar Lungu’s son, Dalitso, had property seized through the courts on grounds linked to questions about how it had been acquired. The uncomfortable truth is that the principal figure who could have clarified those matters was no longer alive to do so.

It is worth emphasising that Makebi Zulu serves as the spokesperson of the Lungu family. Yet on EMV, he rose above personal proximity and made a profoundly noble commitment: that when he assumes office in August 2026, he will not treat President Hichilema the way President Hichilema treated his predecessor.

That contrast was not accidental. It was deliberate. And it revealed something about the kind of presidency he is seeking to build.

Then the issue of opposition unity surfaced, particularly the question of working with Honourable Brian Mundubile. Makebi Zulu did not evade it. Nor did he surrender ground. He framed unity as reconciliation within the larger Patriotic Front structure rather than fragmentation into smaller formations. Using the analogy of the Prodigal Son, he argued that healing requires a return to the larger house, not the abandonment of it. Unity, in his words and tone, must be a process that heals, not a process that breaks.

As the phone lines opened, callers from Zambia and across the diaspora spoke with unusual conviction. Many described him as calm yet bold. Others praised his measured intellect and deep wisdom. Some spoke of hope in a way that suggested fatigue with the current climate. But Makebi Zulu did not allow the praise to inflate him. He redirected attention to institutions, to constitutional discipline, to widening democratic space.

Addressing his host Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba, Makebi Zulu said, “In the government that we are going to form, you are all going to be part of it, because we need to put ideas together.”

That is not the language of exclusion. That is not the language of vengeance. That is the language of a man who understands that governance is not a solo act; it is a collective responsibility. He may have been the last person to come on the scene, but clearly, God serves the best for last.

His call to Honourable Brian Mundubile to return to the Patriotic Front was genuine. You could see it in his eyes. You could sense it in his voice. That was not politics. That was sincerity. If there is a moment for unity, it is now. Honourable Brian Mundubile should immediately pack his bags and go back to PF so that the larger family moves together.

Makebi Zulu presented himself in such an assuring manner that when I called in, I felt compelled to say, “If there is anyone who can be trusted to work with others without insecurity, it is Makebi Zulu. If there is anyone who can look after the Lungu family with dignity, it is him. If there is anyone who can ensure that the remains of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu are handled with honour and that the family is respected, it is him. And if there is anyone who can guarantee that President Hakainde Hichilema will not be persecuted after leaving office, it is him.”

This is not about emotion. It is about character.

In his responses to callers, Makebi Zulu repeatedly returned to one theme: respect. Respect for citizens. Respect for institutions. Respect for the rule of law. Respect for former leaders. Respect for persons living with disabilities. Respect for unity within diversity. In a season where politics often feels like trench warfare, that insistence on dignity sets him apart.

Whether one is PF, UPND, independent, or undecided, Sunday’s EMV broadcast made one reality clear. Makebi Zulu is no longer merely participating in a race. He is defining the tone of it. He is positioning himself not only as a man chasing office, but as a leader seeking to restore constitutional order and national cohesion.

As August 2026 approaches, the Zambian electorate will have to decide what kind of leadership it desires. If the EMV appearance is any indication, Makebi Zulu has stepped onto the national stage with a message rooted in unity, institutional reform and a refusal to govern through vengeance.

And that, in this political season, may well be his greatest strength.

16 MPs IN EASTERN PROVINCE ENDORSE HH – SHOULD THE OPPOSITION BE CONCERNED?

By Kellys Kaunda

Endorsement of candidates are important indicators of available political fortunes.

If one is endorsed by MPs, it’s not a matter to be dismissed easily because they have constituencies and are participants in the political process.

They are MPs because they persuaded someone to vote for them.

They could therefore persuade someone to vote for a Presidential candidate they have endorsed.

And this must boost Hakainde Hichilema’s morale going into the August 13, 2026 elections.

This must be taken seriously by Hichilema’s opponents and factored into their campaign strategies.

However, the thinking of an MP and his/her preferences are not necessarily those of the voter in the Constituency of the MP who has endorsed President Hichilema.

He may persuade some but he may not persuade all. His or her extent of influence may be hard to measure.

This uncertainty must strengthen the opposition’s resolve to contest the election.

No one is guaranteed or promised victory. Victory belongs to those that try their luck by participating in an election.

The opposition must not be intimidated by what is being described as massive developmental projects linked to CDF.

Equally, there were massive, even more massive, development projects under President Edgar Lungu.

The developments were so massive, on one of his visits to Zambia, former Namibian President Sam Nujoma described the country as a construction site.

Things were happening in every corner of the country – never mind the characterization of this period in Zambia’s history by UPND as a lost decade.

However, Lungu lost the 2021 elections! Why? Because a voter reads the political landscape in a way that may not be accurately captured by election strategists.

So, everyone going into this election must just work hard because the verdict lies with the voter.

STARDY JOINS UPND: THEY HAVE DONE A LOT

FORMER Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary and Copperbelt PF Provincial Chairperson Stardy Mwale has joined the UPND.

And UPND Copperbelt Province Chairman Elisha Matambo says the party’s aim is to ensure President Hakainde Hichilema wins big in this year’s general elections.

Speaking when he and other PF members defected to the UPND, Sunday, Mwale said he had left the PF because of the “confusion” that had rocked the party.

“As you heard, I was provincial chairman Copperbelt Province and I was also a member of the Central Committee of the Patriotic Front. I joined PF in 2001, so I was a member of PF for 25 years. You would ask to say what has led to my decision to leave PF and join UPND. Sometimes, when you see that your friend lifts weights, he goes to the gym and is bigger than you, just stay far away. Just surrender from far away. Our friends have done so much, starting from CDF to free education and other things, it is very difficult to counteract and argue with that. How can you argue with that, there is free education and then you say I will be charging a small amount, can people agree? There is nothing that I don’t know here on the Copperbelt Province, everything that we were doing was coming from me as provincial chairman,” said Mwale.

“I have left PF because of confusion, those who have remained, you will see for yourself. The confusion that Chishimba Kambwili and Given Lubinda have brought in PF is not okay, there is too much confusion. So today, I’m officially inviting all those who have remained in PF to come and join UPND which has the manifesto that people will listen to in August 2026. I’m officially inviting all my loyalists, all those who used to support me, all those who liked my administration from 2001, leave PF and join UPND, don’t be shy. Now that I have joined UPND, I will be here for long, I stayed in PF for 25 years, I decided to leave PF after things got too bad”.

And speaking earlier, Matambo, who is also Copperbelt Provincial Minister said Mwale contributed to the growth of PF.

“In UPND there is no such thing as old members and new members, those who joined in 1998, those who join today and those who will join tomorrow, they are all the same. Those who join should respect those who they find in the party and the old members should welcome the new members with both hands. To begin with, this one they’ll even cry, they’ll scream, he has decided to come and work with President Hakainde [Hichilema]. Today he has come, the person I will call upon is one of the people who made PF what it is. I want to tell the country that one of the people who started PF, invested in it, supported it and made it what it was is today joining UPND and President Hakainde Hichilema,” he said.

Meanwhile, speaking at an earlier event where he received a donation of five motor vehicles from former PF Mpongwe constituency chairman Emmanuel Kasambo, Matambo said there was no doubt that President Hichilema would win the August general elections.

“We’ll take this message to the President and I’m sure we’ve picked your advice, his advice, the one who has sponsored these vehicles, not only vehicles, he has given us the five vehicles, he will be buying fuel for these vehicles, he will be servicing these vehicles. As a province, we’ll be employing five drivers on Tuesday, he has also created employment and he’ll be paying those drivers. We are very, very grateful. The emphasis which I don’t want to miss here is, for President Hakainde, there’s no doubt that the President is going to win the 13th August elections, there is no doubt about that, winning, whatever happens, he’s going to win. But there are two types of winning; just winning and what we call win and win big. So, our aim as Copperbelt province is for President Hakainde [Hichilema], just like Mr Kasambo has said, President Hakainde [Hichilema] should not just win, he should win and win big, salt sana,” Matambo said.

“Sir, we will take your advice to the constituency chairmen, district chairmen, the committees, the wards. The issue is that President Hakainde should win and win big. Our target as well is to grab all the 20 something constituencies, currently we have 22 but because of delimitation, we will go above 22, we are set to get all the constituencies on the Copperbelt province, separation of boys from men, this one. We want to win all the mayors, all the councillors, that is our aim. To others out there who feel like coming forward and [doing] what Emmanuel Kasambo has done, our office is open. Those who believe in President Hakainde Hichilema, look at what he has done, the wonders he has done in the past four years”.

Matambo highlighted that President Hichilema had resurrected all the sectors of the economy.

“All the sectors of this country were dead, I’ve been saying [that] he has a spirit of Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 37, where God asked Ezekiel that ‘can these dry bones live, and he said yes Lord you know’, for sure President Hakainde [Hichilema] inherited dry bones. The mining sector which was dead is back to life, [the] education sector which was dead is back to life, the water issues which were dead, back to life, health sector which was dead, back to life, construction of roads all over the province, the road network which was dead, back to life.

As provincial management committee, on behalf of all the structures on the Copperbelt province, starting with the polling station committee, the branches, the wards, constituency, district, province, NMC, which is chaired by President Hakainde Hichilema, on behalf of President Hakainde Hichilema, we are very, very grateful to our sponsor Mr Emmanuel Kasambo,” said Matambo.

“This party has survived through the dedication and hard work of President Hakainde Hichilema and individuals. The President has always been telling us that there’s a difference between government money and UPND money. Every time we want to do anything to do with our political party, we follow the principles of President Hakainde Hichilema.

I can start with this building which we have here, nice building, one of the best party offices in the region of Southern Africa. We had to raise this money through fundraising ventures where the President himself used to come and we raised the money, we had to build this building and part of it, as usual, the President had to support Copperbelt province like he has always supported us. Several other things in this building, if you go in, you’ll find almost all the equipment”.

Meanwhile, Kasambo said the donation was meant to help garner support and votes for President Hichilema ahead of the August general elections.

“Thank you for giving me this opportunity to come and contribute to the party in terms of giving vehicles to Copperbelt rural and the province. These vehicles are five, the dedicated one for the province, will be going around all the towns then the four, one is going to Mpongwe, one is going to Kafulafuta, one is going to Masaiti and the other one is going to Lufwanyama.

These vehicles are dedicated to get (getting) us the maximum votes for the President. We want the President to win and we want the President to win big. Over and above the vehicles, fuel will be provided until elections,” said Kasambo.

News Diggers

BRENDA NYIRENDA IS PROVING TO BE A THIEF OF K850,00

Patriotic Front Secretariat has continued to demand K850,000 owed to the Party from Lundazi MP, Brenda Nyirenda.

Since November 2025, Nyirenda has refused to surrender payments made as expression of interest by Presidential Candidates; Makebi Zulu, Joseph Willa Mudolo, Hon. Given Lubinda and Hon. Chanda Katotobwe.

When Acting President Hon. Given Lubinda removed Nyirenda as Acting Secretary General, she refused to hand over the money.

The Party has told her the resources are needed for holding of the General Conference which the candidates paid for.

Recently she has said she has left the Party and joined the break-away Tonse Alliance led by Brian Mundubile.

REMOVAL OF SECURITY FEATURES ON A BALLOT PAPER IS A MOCKERY TO ZAMBIANS – MAKEBI

Patriotic Front (PF) presidential aspirant Makebi Zulu says the proposed removal of security features on ballot papers is a mockery to the Zambian people.

Zulu said the suggested amendment to the Electoral Law by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) is aimed at aiding the ruling party to rig the elections.

He says this raises serious concerns about the credibility and integrity of the country’s electoral process.

He said this during an online program Emmanuel Mwamba Verified.

Zulu says removing essential security features from ballot papers will create room for foreign or unauthorized materials to be smuggled into polling stations.

He says such a move risks depriving citizens of their democratic right to freely choose leaders of their choice.

Zulu argued that the matter ECZ seeks to address is not legal in nature but instead relates to the work ethics and operational conduct of its officers.

He emphasized that administrative challenges should not be resolved through what he described as questionable legal amendments aimed at promoting malpractice.

Zulu has since called on Zambians to remain vigilant and to legally openly challenge what he termed as “bogus amendments.

He says authorities should not take the people of Zambia for granted on matters affecting the nation’s democracy.

Electoral Commission of Zambia is proposing to amend the Electoral Act by removing certain security features on ballot papers and introducing measures that would prevent voters from remaining at polling stations after casting their votes, among other proposed changes.

‎The 9 MPs who endorsed HH are not PF members – Kambwili
‎
‎
‎
‎By Mubanga Mubanga
‎
‎PF central committee member Chishimba Kambwili says the August 13 election will only be qualified to be called an election if the PF participates in it.

‎
‎And Kambwili said the 9 PF members of parliament from Eastern Province, who over the weekend endorsed President Hakainde Hichilema were no longer PF members after they were expelled from the party.

‎
‎In an interview over the weekend, Kambwili said the election could not qualify the democratic tenets of being called an election if
‎
‎https://dailyrevelationzambia.com/the-9-mps-who-endorsed-hh-are-not-pf-members-kambwili/

BOWMAN LUSAMBO TO APPEAL HIGH COURT’S UPHOLDING OF 4-YEAR JAIL TERM

FORMER Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo’s lawyer Charles Changano says they will appeal against the High Court judgement that upheld his client’s 4-year imprisonment in the Court of Appeal.

Mr. Changano tells Phoenix News that the legal team has received instructions to pursue an appeal and is studying the written judgement to identify grounds of law to rely on.

He has expressed confidence that the appeal will succeed, citing issues with the trial and High Court’s handling of Mr. Lusambo’s parliamentary earnings, allowances, and business income as legitimate sources used to acquire the property in question.

Mr. Changano says the appeal will also argue that testimony from the National Assembly and property owner was not given proper weight, and currency valuation issues need fresh consideration.

A three-judge panel of the Economic and Financial Crimes Court on Friday upheld Mr. Lusambo’s sentence, dismissing his appeal against convictions for corrupt acquisition of public property, tax evasion, and related offences.

PN

I WILL CONTEST AS KEEMBE MP BUT I HAVE NOT RESIGNED  – MAPUSHI.
‎
‎Lusaka Province Deputy Permanent Secretary Alex Chipo Mapushi has firmly denied circulating claims that he has resigned from his position in order to pursue a parliamentary bid.

‎
‎In an interview with KeembeFM News today, Mapushi clarified that he remains fully in office as Deputy Permanent Secretary for Lusaka Province under the Office of the President.

‎
‎The has been reports suggesting that the Lusaka Provincial Administration Deputy PS had stepped down to focus on contesting the Keembe Constituency parliamentary seat in Central Province.

Keembe, located in Chibombo District, is currently represented in parliament by  Princess Kasune, who also serves as Minister of Justice.

‎
‎Addressing the circulating reports that he had resigned from his government, Mapushi confirmed his interest in elective politics particularly for Keembe constituency but emphasised that any action from his end would be made formally by following the proper procedures.

‎
‎Mapushi’s family has historical ties to the constituency, as his late father, Lackson Mapushi Senior previously served as MP for Keembe under the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) regime.

‎
His clarification comes amid growing political activity ahead of future elections, with civil servants required to adhere to public service regulations when expressing political ambitions.

By James Mwale
Keembe fm 103.5FM

TONSE SAYS HH EAST ENDORSEMENTS DO NOT REFLECT GRASSROOTS VOICE

The Tonse Alliance in Eastern Province has urged residents to treat recent political endorsements made during presidential visits with caution.

Provincial Chairperson Maxson Kamungu Nkhoma says while Members of Parliament have the democratic right to express support, such endorsements should reflect the interests of the people rather than personal business considerations.

Mr. Nkhoma notes that whenever President Hakainde Hichilema visits the province, the same Members of Parliament repeatedly issue endorsements.

He says if the ruling United Party for National Development had widespread grassroots support in Eastern Province, more diverse community voices would be visible.

The Alliance has further raised concern that the endorsements do not address key issues affecting residents, including agricultural policy challenges, youth unemployment, and concerns about fairness and transparency in public service recruitment.

Meanwhile, the Tonse Alliance says under the leadership of President Brian Mundubile, it will continue engaging communities ahead of the August 13, 2026 general elections.

The party maintains that the ballot will ultimately reflect the true will of the people.

Kanele FM

UPND ATTRACTS DEFECTORS FROM OPPOSITION IN MONGU CENTRAL CONSTITUENCY

Honorable Kapelwa Mbangweta, Minister of Western Province and UPND Provincial Chairman, has welcomed over 67 former members of various opposition political parties, including former Socialist Party Chairlady Lydia Pelekelo and other senior officials from the SP.

The defectors were greeted warmly by Hon. Mbangweta, who expressed satisfaction with the ruling party’s increasing support in Western Province, where opposition members have been consistently joining UPND in significant numbers.

The Provincial Chairman praised President Hakainde Hichilema for his focused leadership and progressive policies, which are reportedly enhancing the welfare of households.

“In recent weeks, we have observed a surge of smaller parties coming to Western Province, spreading misinformation and making unfulfilled promises of development that they failed to deliver during their time in power. Hence, I urge all of you to vote for President Hichilema on August 13, 2026, to ensure continued unprecedented development and various social protection initiatives, including free education,” remarked Hon. Mbangweta.

On behalf of the defectors, former SP Chairlady Lydia Pelekelo highlighted President Hichilema’s dedication to improving citizens’ welfare through social protection measures, particularly the free education policy accompanied by a School Feeding program which was non-existent prior to UPND’s ascension to power.

The event, which took place this afternoon in Lewanika Upper Ward, Mongu Central Constituency, was attended by the Western Province UPND Executive Committee members and Hon. Romeo Kangombe, Member of Parliament for Sesheke Constituency, who commended the defectors for their decision to join the ruling UPND.

WESTERN PROVINCE UPND MEDIA TEAM