UPND PENETRATES PF STRONGHOLDS
6th November, 2022 – Lusaka
ZAMBIA held local government by-elections on 4th November, 2022 across the country.
The elections were conducted in 9 out of 10 provinces (Southern, Western, Lusaka, Central, Eastern, Copperbelt, Northern, Muchinga and Luapula). It was a mini general election indeed!
The United Party for National Development (UPND) won seats in 8 of the 9 provinces. This was a great achievement indeed by any measure, especially that 7 of the 9 provinces were, just a year ago, Patriotic Front (PF) Party strongholds.
Going by these results, it is clear that UPND has penetrated what were, not long ago, PF strongholds. At this juncture, we doubt highly if PF will ever bounce back to power.
It is very apparent that, by 2026, Zambians will bury the dead PF, a political grouping that left a legacy of corruption and violence. The people of this country are not looking back; they are clearly not going back to the dark days of thieving, mayhem, greed and underdevelopment.
While the opposition political camp continue defaming the President on a daily basis and failing to provide credible checks and balances, President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND remain focused on creating a better Zambia for all (eyes on the ball), as evidenced by increased Constituency Development Fund (CDF); mass recruitment of public workers; free education; restoration of law and order (curbed cadreism); reintroduction of student meal allowances; positive 4 percent economic growth, which the former regime left at negative 2.8% (as at August, 2021); dropped inflation -the list is endless.
Truly, Bally is working! P1 muntu sana, MWAUME! These good deeds by President Hichilema and UPND are what Zambian’s are appreciating in these resounding by-election results, in favour of UPND.
Overall, 24 local government by-elections were held, of these 3 were for Council Chairpersons and 21 for Councilors. Of the 24 by-elections, UPND won 22 including all the 3 Council Chairperson seats, with PF getting only 2, councilor seats. In pool, it is whitewash; in chess, it is checkmate; in politics; it is fimba upoke!
CONGRATULATIONS to the mighty UPND on this great achievement!
N.B: Authored by Ntazana Mutungwa Musukuma (MPA, BA – UNZA), Lecturer and Researcher at the University of Zambia