Sylvia Masebo insists Chongwe East MP’s election was marred by malpractices
By Perpetual Sichikwenkwe
LOSING United Party for National Development (UPND) Parliamentary candidate Sylvia Masembo has insisted that the election of Anita Kamanga as Member of Parliament (MP) for Chongwe East Constituency was marred by electoral malpractices which influenced voters not to vote in her favour.
Ms Masembo has maintained in her reply filed before the Lusaka High Court in response to Kamanga and the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ)’s answers, that the election was not conducted in a free and fair atmosphere.
She has petitioned Kamanga’s election, citing electoral malpractices including corruption, bribery and me-calling.
Ms Masembo, who polled 6,798 votes against Kamanga’s 16,058, alleged that Kamanga, through her agents, disseminated false and defamatory statements against her, thereby prejudicing her candidature and improperly influencing voters.
She stated that during the campaigns, Kamanga urged voters not to vote for her because she had lost the UPND adoption process and had only been adopted by virtue of her position in the party.
Ms Masembo has asked the court to declare the election null and void and direct the ECZ to re-run the parliamentary election for Chongwe East.
But Kamanga and the ECZ have separately urged the court to dismiss the petition and uphold Kamanga’s election.
August 13, 2026 election was free and fair and that Kamanga was duly elected with 16,058 votes, while Ms Masembo polled 6,798 votes.
“The elections were free and fair and the first respondent was and is the duly elected MP for Chongwe East Constituency,” the commission said.
Tusheniko mayo,balimukana abanti
Zambia’s politics is entering a new chapter, and the message from voters should be clear: political office is a responsibility, not a personal entitlement or a permanent career.
Candidates have every legal right to petition election results where they believe the electoral process was flawed. But election petitions should ultimately be about protecting the integrity of the vote not simply about refusing to accept political defeat.
The long political careers of figures such as Sylvia Masebo also invite an important national conversation. When does experience become an opportunity to make room for a new generation of leadership? No individual should regard public office as a possession that belongs to them indefinitely.
The political dynamics of Zambia are changing. Party loyalty will continue to matter to many voters, but it should not be the only consideration. Increasingly, citizens can examine what individual candidates have actually delivered, what they stand for, their record of service, and whether they have credible ideas for improving the lives of ordinary Zambians.
The era of simply voting for a party symbol should give way to a stronger culture of voting for service, accountability, ideas and results.
Zambians deserve leaders who understand that Parliament is not a retirement plan, a business opportunity or a personal platform. It is a mandate from the people and that mandate must be earned, respected and ultimately renewed by the voters.
The future of Zambian politics belongs to citizens who demand more from their leaders and to candidates who are prepared to put public service before political self-preservation.