THE CHAWAMA WIN FOR FDD (TONSE ALLIANCE FOR THE SAKE OF PEACE) MEANS NOTHING AS FAR AS THE AUGUST GENERAL ELECTIONS ARE CONCERNED-These results are proof enough that the people of Chawama have moved on, it’s proof that UPND is doing extremely well in PF strongholds. As far as the PF would celebrate more louder than the FDD and other Tonse Alliance partners, these results shows how PF has lost popularity.
Otherwise, from way back; Chawama has been home for FDD’s founding father, Christon Tembo who won against ECL in the 1996 parliamentary elections. Actually, ECL was beaten for the second time by FDD’s candidate (Geoffrey Samukonga) in 2001 when he stood on the PF ticket.
For PF to win the Chawama seat in 2006, they had to leave ECL on adoptions and adopt then Chawama’s household name and iron lady, Rev. Violet Sampa-Bredt ( then General Secretary of the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) and first ever ordained female Minister in the UCZ). ECL could only win Chawama seat later, in his third bid in 2011 after Rev. Bredt had already paved the way for the Patriotic Front in Chawama.
So, to people like myself and a few others; it’s not a surprise for FDD to win in Chawama. Especially that they had a candidate who could still win even if he stood as an independent candidate. What do I mean? If Bright Nundwe stood on the UPND ticket, FDD (Tonse Alliance ) would have lost that election. So, the victory wasn’t about the party absolutely, but most importantly, an individual who has been around for the people of Chawama for sometime. Of course a lesson to all political parties in terms of adoptions. That’s exactly, what PF did in 2006; to get the seat from FDD, they had to look for an already made personality: Rev. Bredt.
Nonetheless, if UPND were to win this by-election, the difference was going to be less than 100 votes.
Why?
Apart from Chawama being home to FDD, it is equally home to PF. After Sata’s death in 2014; ECL was the serving MP for Chawama and later in 2015 rose to presidency despite losing the 2021elections in his pursuit of the famous third term. Aside from that, Tasila, late president ECL’s daughter was the immediate past Chawama’s Member of Parliament; so, a solidarity vote was expected. In fact, more than what we have seen. Looking at the votes obtained, between the 8,085 of Nundwe (FDD) and the 6,542 of Morgan Muunda (UPND), the 1543 difference shows that the PF have lost a stronghold.
But the most important question should be, was the Chawama seat declared vacant for it to be won by the UPND? Short answer: NO. The by election was declared to fulfill the rule of law. Meaning that, every candidate who participated in this by-election had an equal chance of winning the seat: and, at the end of the day seeing the deserving candidate win, should signal the free and fair election atmosphere in Chawama.
That said kudos to ECZ.
As I exit, should this by-election output suggest a picture of what August looks like? Short answer: not at all. Explanation: when you talk about free and fair elections; the winner is declared after voting is over.
Regardless, all is fair in love and war: no aspiring presidential candidate should be too excited by a parliamentary by-election results. At the same time, the ruling party should get it’s share from this conclusion 😬
Copyright ©️ Shipungu 2026
A long winding article which is not making any sense.
People going to great lengths to remove the Patriotic Front from the Chawama FDD victory… from the President to all UPND officials, they are at pains to accept that this is a PF victory. They just can’t stomach it.
And soon Imingalato will begin…The FDD will soon be a target of the usual schemes.Low level FDD officials will be bought and confusion will start in FDD.. That’s the Mingalatoon’s version of Democracy.