What transpired at the UCZ Kwacha East congregation last Sunday as President Hichilema went to attend the Church service was quite embarrassing. When the ever green and indefatigable Copperbelt UPND iron man who also doubles as provincial minister, Elisha Matambo, asked the congregants whether they knew their area MP, Charles Mulenga, who at that stage was upstanding, murmurs of disdain and disapproval swiftly swept around the congregation. However, as Matambo made another attempt to introduce Nchanga MP Derrick Chilundika, the congregation immediately erupted into a frenzied staccato of applause.
What do we make of all this?
Chapwa waya Gloria! Ba Mulenga should start packing his katundu (personal effects) from Parliament Motel. That was a clear vote of NO CONFIDENCE…..a RED CARD! He mustn’t even dare wasting people’s time attempting to give it another try.
According to the research we have conducted across the country for the past 4 years, what happened in Kwacha East that day was an harbinger of worse things to come…..the reality would be the same for most constituencies, let alone for those MPs who have over stayed in parliament whether they are from the ruling party or not. You have received gratuities and SUVs 5 times and you still want to run again in 2026…….hmmm? Are you doing the President any favour?
It would be important to appreciate that during the last elections, electorates were just doing ‘kwenyu’ (voting red! red! red!) after obviously being fatigued and frustrated with the PF regime.
In 2026 it will be a different ball game altogether though. Ifichitwa (deeds) will speak for those aspiring to bounce back to parliament: Did you lobby enough for development in your constituency? Is your voice ever on mute or not in parliament? Were you picking up people’s calls? Did you bother to avail yourself to your people?
We have no doubt President Hichilema is headed back to State House with a landslide margin. However, to avoid a hung parliament as it happened with President Mwanawasa which would make it impossible for the President to govern, the President must take charge of the adoptions, pronto. Ba Levy Ngoma (Political advisor to the President) mulekutika? We don’t want ma bwana Chairmen to be selling adoptions to the highest bidder!
Simply put, it’s high time primary elections were reintroduced at all levels in our party. This way, we may avoid adopting unpopular candidates.
Twapita mukwai….
Prince Bill M. Kaping’a
National Coordinator
HH Mpaka 2031 People’s Alliance
Why are churches being used by politicians ??
Disgraceful own goal for HH yet again
Churches have always been an attractive stage for politics. Because Chiluba and Arthur Wina who led the 1991 revolution are dead I ll implore you to Just ask Akashambatwa and Vernon Mwaanga about how born agains were the center stage of the removal of UNIP. HH is just imitating them. You can also ask the ayatollah
I agree most constituencies with ruling party MPs will struggle in the next elections. Their President despite performing very badly in economic and governance issues will still go through with his AI generated kwenyu, I wish a party with real kwenyu(development) lifting people out of poverty can be born
Don’t wish. Form one
Why do Zambians have this misconception that MPs should manage development projects? It’s a distraction from their actual job. They are debaters, talkers, noisemakers that try their best to talk government into doing what should be done.
They don’t have anything to do with contracting developers. Government is in charge of development.
Yes this is true,but this is an anomaly that has become normal amongst voters and MPs alike.You ignore this wrong at your peril