A BY-ELECTION in a violence-prone Chawama Constituency yesterday ended without the usual chaos after Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) candidate Bright Nundwe walked away with the parliamentary seat in an area better known for throwing stones.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BJztoSF2f/
Nundwe, who is also former Copperbelt Province permanent secretary in the PF regime, won the seat after polling 8,085 votes, beating his closest rival, from the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) candidate Morgan Muunda, who garnered 6,542 votes.
Other candidates were left behind, with the Citizens First (CF) candidate Mulenga Davison polling 1,534 votes and Independent candidates George Mwenya and Elijah Siatwambo, walking away with 466 and 428 respectively.
While National Congress Party (NCP) candidate Mutete Mohammad had 319, Alfred Ndiweni of NPPP with 239, Leadership Movement candidate Musukuma Ntazana polled 100 with the least candidate being James Phiri with only 93 votes out of the 18,096 votes casted.
The result marked the end of months of political orphanhood in Chawama, which had been without a member of parliament following the removal of former area MP Tasila Lungu.
Tasila lost the seat after failing to return to Zambia following the death of her father, former president Edgar Lungu, who died in South Africa on June 5, 2025.
Her prolonged absence from parliamentary sittings and constituency duties triggered concern in the National Assembly, with Speaker Nelly Mutti ruling that Chawama had effectively gone without representation since June 2025.
Despite being granted compassionate time to mourn and later requesting to attend sittings virtually, Mutti ruled that online representation did not amount to meaningful service to the people.
Members of parliament subsequently voted overwhelmingly to declare the seat vacant.
The Electoral Commission of Zambia later set January 15, 2026, as polling day, attracting nine candidates.
Yesterday’s vote, however, defied expectations.
Polling stations opened and closed peacefully, with voters turning out in an orderly manner.
By the close of counting, it was Nundwe who emerged victorious, marking a rare peaceful election in a constituency long associated with violence.
Meanwhile, President Hakainde Hichilema has repeatedly denounced cadreism and political violence, warning that Zambia will not tolerate lawlessness disguised as party loyalty.
"This country will not be allowed to return to hooliganism, vandalism, street fighting, I stand here to say not under our watch," President Hichilema previously said.
The Head of State directed law enforcement agencies to deal firmly with anyone engaging in violence, regardless of political affiliation, a stance that has contributed to the rare calm witnessed during the Chawama by-election.
Kalemba January 16, 2026