🇿🇲 BRIEFING | Copperbelt Roars as UPND Unveils Candidates Before Massive Changanamai Crowd
Changanamai Grounds became the political centre of gravity on the Copperbelt yesterday as a vast sea of red stretched across the horizon, with thousands of UPND supporters converging to witness the unveiling of the party’s parliamentary and local government candidates ahead of the August 13 general election.
Long before party leaders took to the stage, the atmosphere had already taken on the energy of a major campaign moment. Supporters poured in from Kitwe, Ndola, Kalulushi, Chililabombwe, Chingola, Mufulira and other parts of the province, filling every available space around the grounds.
Party regalia dominated the landscape as chants, whistles and campaign songs echoed through one of the largest political gatherings seen on the Copperbelt since the campaign period began
The symbolism was impossible to miss. While opposition parties continue testing their strength in traditional mining communities, the ruling party responded with a show of organisation, numbers and mobilisation in a province that has historically played kingmaker in Zambia’s presidential elections.
From the stage, the crowd appeared endless, stretching beyond barricades and deep into surrounding sections of Changanamai.
Leading the event, UPND Copperbelt Provincial Chairperson and Lufwanyama East adopted candidate Elisha Matambo framed the election as a choice between continuity and reversal.
Matambo pointed to the recovery of the mining sector, free education, expanded Constituency Development Fund allocations and infrastructure development as evidence that the UPND deserved another mandate from voters.
“President Hakainde Hichilema has managed to restore the mining sector, introduce free education, enhance the Constituency Development Fund and improve road infrastructure,” Matambo told the cheering crowd, urging supporters to translate their enthusiasm into votes on election day.
Candidate after candidate stepped forward to present their case to voters. Ndola Central candidate Frank Tayali projected confidence about retaining the seat for the ruling party. Kalulushi candidate Kampamba Mulenga called for continued support for government programmes, while Wusakile candidate Chibesa Katayi pledged to prioritise healthcare, education, youth empowerment and job creation.
Dag Hammarskjold candidate Ernest Lufunda promised to push for the construction of a hospital in the constituency, and Kabushi candidate Emelda Mpupuni appealed for unity and discipline throughout the campaign season.
Music and politics blended throughout the afternoon as popular performers including Pentagon, Kings Malembe Malembe, Abena Swanky T, Aqualaskin, Y Celeb and Chile One MrZambia kept the crowd energised between speeches.
By sunset, Changanamai had delivered what the UPND hoped to achieve: a powerful visual statement that the battle for the Copperbelt is fully underway, and that one of Zambia’s most important electoral battlegrounds is already coming alive.
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© The People’s Brief | Ollus R. Ndomu
This is my UPND. Bene Mundubile ba cheap sana as my president said!.
HH has to win,He must win.ine teti ukuvotela Mundubile.Infact Mudubile abakako nabwino…Makebi ine Makebi ine….TEKUTI
This is my UPND.
One thing that touches my heart and catches my mind and see the greatness of President Hakainde HICHILEMA as a Visionery leader ( Habakkuk 2: 2-3 ) is how he first of all attached more importance on education.
1. He remembers the time as a child or young boy he used to be a kachema in the village, moving without shoes to school but the free education under the great leadership of former and first Presiden of Zambia His Excellency tbe late President Kenneth David Buchiziya Kaunda who introduced free education made him- HH to learn- go to school up to the University of Zambia and today he is our Republican President. He remembers that. Very important. What a good and succes story.
2. And today for anyone to participate in the governance and leadership of Zamvia they should have a Grade 12 cedtificate or it’s equivalent failure to which one can not be part of governance because of this restriction. PF made educatuin very expensive, paying for achool fees, exam fees, project fees and worth of it buying uniform only in schools no any other cheaper source was allowed and because of that many children failed to make it because their parents could not manage or afford.
3. Whenever i move into town in the morning i see scores of children along almost all the roads walking to school and in the afternoon nocking off. But Some complainants say schools are now over crouded but we had a very good and outstanding redulted the year endi g in G 12 results then i see how these children who dreamed of their future by being in school so that at one time or another they can earn or get a cetificate through hard work to help them with employment, being employed, and participarte as a Councillor, Mayor, MP or President.
The vàlue and importance of School. Indeed school is a best investment and equaliser that a parent can give to a child.
4. While at the same time some people Complain that can they eat education? For i can say yes because it gives one a salary , it gives one an idea to write a business proposal or run a busibedd well.it takes one to places where one can meet Kings and Queens.
School is one of the best polices of UPND Government led by President HAKAINDE HICHILEMA.
Talk of the peace we are enjoying in the Country compared to the party that Mundu-bilee, Makebi ànd kapyongo and ECL belonged it was bloodshed and hooliganism all over.
Other good things,
The kaloba and inkongole which PF left was just too much has it not been for HH this Country was gone because of the same huge debt.
Think of kaloba, if you borrow from say ten people and you make your house and other properties as collateral when you fail to hournor tbe agreement they there and then grab your property then you will have no where to stay and sleep no food no any other source of lively-hood. In the end you become a destitute- develop depression and bp and eventually death takes one ov er. You die this is where Zambia reached. Abapitamo munkongole knows this very well. You need someone who can talk on your behalf to give you breatbing space to service the debt. This is what happened and we thank God Zambian people voted for HH and worked tirelessly to reach this stage. Those with eyes can see and remember. It was rough.
A lot of good things are being done by UPND government and this is the Zambia we want. Me and my family will vote for HH and his team.
Not the noise makers with ichitumbi and corrupt elementa. No.
We thank God for President Hakainde Hichilema. May the grace and favour of God always be on our President and well meaning Zambians for the future of our children and children’s children to be actualised in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ’s name through His man Servant Hakainde Hichilema Amen.
Kings Malembe Malembe? Yaba! Ba mutasha kali kwisaya.
Ati shani ba Mundubile na mega rally yenu?
