By Editor
If the results from yesterday’s by-election are anything to go by, it will not be wrong to conclude that the ruling Patriotic Front has maintained popularity in its strongholds and gaining more in areas that were ordinarily known to be pro-opposition.
To qualify our statement, we’ve selected Lukashya and Mwansabombwe and given you comparative figures from the 2016 and 2020 parliamentary elections.
TAKE A LOOK:
2016 Mwansabombwe
Rogers Mwewa – 7,625
Sunday Maluba MMD – 2,929
Samuel Chitonge UDF – 1,080
MablenKamangala UPND – 857
2020 Mwansabombwe by-election
Kabaso Kampampi PF – 6,478
Sunday Maluba UPND – 1,522
Victor Musangu NAREP – 400
Jason Mwanza LM – 285
Josephine Chama UPPZ – 129
……………………………
2016 Lukashya
Mwenya Munkonge IND – 11,870
Alfreda Kansembe PF – 7,936
Rodrick Chewe UPND – 4,180
Geoffrey Bweupe UDF – 1,123
Gabriel Kaliminwa FDD – 675
Ephraim Mutale Rainbow – 218
2020 Lukashya
George Chisanga PF – 13,431
Davies Mulenga UPND – 2,684
Michael Chimponda PAC – 474
Samuel Kabungo UPPZ – 147
Brown Sinyangwe LM – 143
Christopher Kabwe MMD – 114
From these results, it is clear that it will take a mountain for the opposition UPND to break grounds in these areas. Truth be told, the ruling PF and its government have done so much in rural areas such that people find it easy to cast their votes on the party.
Look at the roads! Look at the early distribution of farming inputs! Look at instant payment by the FRA for agricultural produce supplied in this year’s crop marketing season! These are the things that matter most to rural communities, and not social media.
Lastly, the biggest lesson for all politicians to learn from these results is that Facebook isn’t a constituency! It’s never been and it’ll never ever be. Facebook is not ECZ. Don’t be blinded by it!