Zambia : UPND's Grip On Western Province Weakening, Says Mbikusita-Lewanika
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NewsLusaka - Zambia: Mbikusita-Lewanika pointed to large crowds that turned out during a recent tour of North-Western Province by National Reconciliation Party
Headlines 1 min.Read UPND’s grip on Western Province weakening, says Mbikusita-Lewanika By Lusaka Times Editor July 30, 2026 FacebookTwitterPinterestWhatsAppPresident Hakainde Hichilema is at risk of losing his once-perceived stronghold of Barotseland ahead of the 13 August election, senior citizen Dr Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika has said, citing dwindling popularity and the President’s insistence that Barotseland does not exist.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, Mbikusita-Lewanika said the people of Barotseland wanted Hichilema to fall on polling day.
“We wonder how HH should expect votes from ghosts since he has declared Barotseland non-existent,” he said. “I’m campaigning all-out to ensure Hichilema and the UPND are replaced with a party that is committed to serving the citizenry’s interest.”
He said the people of Barotseland were longing to vote for a president committed to constitutional reconstruction and economic emancipation through fairly shared development, in a Zambia where no particular group dominates over others.
“We need a scenario where there’s social change, where there’s no group discrimination and negative ethnicity,” he said.
Mbikusita-Lewanika argued that Hichilema and the UPND had let Zambians down and should not expect a favourable outcome at the ballot in Western Province.
“He has failed to develop Barotseland in his five-year mandate. There’s literally nothing to point at and credit it to HH and UPND,” he said.
He encouraged Zambians to rally behind the opposition next month, urging them to “rise up and navigate the prevailing hostile political environment and vote en masse against the UPND.” He also urged citizens to be brave and to resist any form of intimidation before, during and after the election.
Mbikusita-Lewanika pointed to large crowds that turned out during a recent tour of North-Western Province by National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity presidential candidate Brian Mundubile and his running mate Makebi Zulu, saying the reception suggested a former UPND stronghold was becoming competitive.
“In 2021, President Hichilema won 87.58 per cent of the vote in North-Western Province, with Solwezi Central giving him 84.84 per cent. The reception suggests the political walls around the Zambezi region are beginning to weaken,” he said.
He said the President appeared to be sensing an unexpected shift across Southern, Western and North-Western provinces, driven by voter frustration over the cost of living, jobs and service delivery, and was now being forced to campaign harder in areas once considered safe.
“He now has to work harder to coerce voters in regions that were once considered safe,” Mbikusita-Lewanika said.
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