CATHERINE BWALYA, CHISHALA MUSONDA
Choma,
Livingstone KALOMO once again demonstrated why it remains one of UPND’s safest political bastions yesterday, as thousands of enthusiastic supporters thronged an interactive community engagement where President Hakainde Hichilema stepped up his campaign for more than five million votes in the August 13 general election.
Residents from across the district, including youth, women and the elderly, began gathering at the venue hours before the President’s arrival, creating an electric atmosphere that reflected Kalomo’s enduring political bond with Mr Hichilema.
The excitement was heightened by performances from popular musicians Roberto, JK, Wile, Mozegeta and Aqualaskin, who kept the crowd entertained with energetic performances. Supporters sang, danced and waved UPND regalia, while motorists travelling along LusakaLivingstone Road sounded their horns in solidarity as they passed the venue.
When President Hichilema arrived shortly after mid-day, he was greeted with deafening cheers and chants of “Daddy Chololo” from the jubilant crowd.
Kalomo is home to Dundumwezi constituency, an area widely regarded as one of President Hichilema’s strongest political bases.
The constituency gained national prominence after delivering one of the country’s most decisive election results, with Mr Hichilema polling 30,810 votes against the then Patriotic Front candidate’s 252 votes, a margin that has since become a symbol of the area’s unwavering support for the President.
During the engagement, many residents pledged to maintain that support in this year’s general election.
Addressing the gathering, President Hichilema urged supporters to cast their votes and that they should vote in numbers and exceed five million votes.
He said his administration had created more than one million jobs across various sectors since taking office and pledged to expand employment opportunities even further.
He urged professionals who were still seeking employment not to lose hope, assuring them that Government would continue recruiting in key sectors.
“Whether you are in agriculture, fisheries or veterinary services, do not grow weary and frustrated because you have not yet been employed. Your time is coming,” he said.
The President announced that Government would recruit volunteer health workers as part of its continued efforts to create jobs and strengthen healthcare delivery.
He also directed local authorities to prioritise the rehabilitation of feeder roads, saying Government had already provided the necessary resources.
On agriculture, Mr Hichilema defended Food Reserve Agency (FRA)’s maize floor price of K347 per 50-kilogramme bag, saying it had been carefully determined to ensure farmers earned a fair return while keeping mealie meal affordable for consumers.
“We are balancing so that farmers make money and those who buy mealie meal can also buy it at an affordable price. Farmers will make a profit.
I am a farmer and we know what we are doing,” he said. The President further announced that Government would establish a fullyfledged skills training college in Kalomo and continue upgrading key roads, including the Kalomo-Dundumwenzi, Kalomo-Simwatachela and Kalomo-Mapatizya roads, where construction has already begun.
He said Government would also build more schools, health centres, dams and dip tanks, expand Farmer Input Support Programme to reach more farmers, and provide low-interest cattle loans to support livestock production.
Meanwhile, Patriotic Front (PF) faction leader and alliance member Miles Sampa accused the opposition of lacking original policies, alleging that it is merely replicating President Hichilema’s development agenda.
“They are doing copy and paste, always changing positions to copy President Hichilema’s policies,” Mr Sampa said. He further said that President Hichilema’s development record would earn him support from all 10 provinces.
At the same event, volunteer nurses welcomed the President’s announcement on the planned recruitment of volunteer health workers. One volunteer nurse, who said she had served for four years in Eastern, Lusaka and Southern provinces, expressed gratitude to the President and pledged to serve the nation diligently once formally employed. And President Hichilema has urged Zambians to elect leaders with passion, vision and a proven record of delivering development, saying the presidency demands experience, commitment and the ability to transform people’s lives.
Addressing thousands of people during community engagements in Chief Nyawa’s area in Kazungula District and later in Livingstone, President Hichilema cautioned voters against entrusting the country’s highest office to individuals without a demonstrated record of leadership and service.
He said his administration had earned the confidence of Zambians through tangible achievements, including the introduction of free education, increased Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocations and the recruitment of more than 45,000 public service workers since taking office in 2021.
“Do not vote for anyone simply because they have come to convince you. The Presidency is not child’s play.
It requires someone with passion, vision and a proven record of delivery.
We have brought free education and many other development programmes that are improving people’s lives,” he said. President Hichilema accused opposition parties under Tonse Pamodzi Alliance of campaigning on programmes that had already been implemented by UPND Government. He cited the increase in CDF allocation to K40 million and the introduction of free education as examples of policies that the opposition was now seeking to emulate.
The President said the creation of Kazungula North and Kazungula South constituencies would unlock greater development opportunities by increasing CDF allocations to the area. He also directed Kazungula Town Council to maximise the use of CDF-acquired equipment to rehabilitate feeder roads, drill boreholes and improve essential services for communities and livestock. President Hichilema appealed for unity among UPND members in Kazungula, urging party candidates to put aside their differences and work together in the interest of the party and the people.
In Livingstone, President Hichilema pledged continued investment in infrastructure to consolidate the city’s position as Zambia’s tourism capital while creating more jobs and expanding business opportunities. He said his administration had created more public service jobs than any previous government and remained committed to expanding employment opportunities as the economy continued to grow.
