It was less politics-as-usual and more political theater in Kabwata on Sunday, as President Hakainde Hichilema turned a grassroots mobilization meeting into a nostalgic revival of the 2021 campaign spirit that propelled him to power.
In a scene that blurred governance with populist showmanship, the Zambian leader took to the stage not only with party officials but with artists and musicians whose lyrics once rallied crowds against the now-opposition Patriotic Front. The President was seen dancing to familiar campaign anthems, exchanging laughs with local artists, and reminding party loyalists of the price paid to defeat the previous regime.
“The strength of the UPND lies in the polling station,” Hichilema declared, calling on grassroots party structures to begin mobilizing for the 2026 general elections. His remarks came during an engagement with Kabwata Polling Management Committees, where he praised local party efforts and emphasized youth recruitment.
But the tone quickly shifted into the historical. Hichilema invoked the “difficult days” under the PF administration, suggesting that the ruling party’s current freedom to assemble and mobilize is a hard-won right, not a privilege. “We came from far,” he told supporters, in what many interpreted as a subtle jab at the opposition.
The President also took to Facebook to reinforce his message, championing initiatives like free education, skills training, and youth empowerment.
“The future belongs to the youth,” he posted, in a nod to the demographic that helped secure his electoral win in 2021.
The afternoon in Kabwata was a fusion of flashbacks and forecasts, a political rally dressed as a community meeting, reminding the nation that for Hichilema, 2026 is already knocking. Reporting by Ollus Ndomu & Christy London
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