SICHULA VOWS TO PUT SENGA HILL FIRST IN PARLIAMENT
SICHULA VOWS TO PUT SENGA HILL FIRST IN PARLIAMENT
SENGA Hill Independent Member of Parliament Mukwavi Sichula says his decision to contest the 2021 elections was driven by dissatisfaction with the status quo and a desire to provide genuine representation for the people.
Speaking on Capital FM’s Mid-Morning with Womba, Mr Sichula said his political journey had taught him the importance of distinguishing personal ambitions from the wishes of the electorate.
“I think the greatest lesson in humility that I have had to learn is to draw a line between what I want as an individual and what the people want,” he said.
Mr Sichula said he initially contested the 2021 election after observing what he considered inadequate representation of the constituency’s needs, but lost after voters indicated that it was not yet his turn.
He said the loss did not discourage him because his mother encouraged him to contest again.
“My mother told me, ‘Do it again; it will happen,’” Mr Sichula said.
He said the experience taught him that political power was not something individuals could claim for themselves, but was ultimately granted by the people.
“We do not own the power to choose ourselves. We must wait for the people to choose us,” he said.
Mr Sichula said he subsequently continued serving his community instead of immediately approaching a political party, arguing that politics had increasingly become commercialised and that young people often faced barriers unrelated to their ability to serve.
He said his grassroots mobilisation strategy during the 2026 election was based on personal interaction with residents, adding that he conducted more than 765 meetings despite having limited financial resources.
“I had a motorbike,” he said, explaining that he relied on his youth, energy and mobility rather than conventional campaign resources.
Mr Sichula said visiting residents in their homes enabled him to understand their challenges directly, particularly problems involving water, bridges, agriculture and healthcare.
“When they say they need a bridge, I know exactly which bridge they are talking about because they have taken me there,” he said.
He said Senga Hill’s development should form part of the wider national Growth Zambia agenda, but argued that the constituency must first address its own challenges.
“For me, Senga Hill must win before Zambia wins,” he said.
Mr Sichula identified agriculture as one of Senga Hill’s major comparative advantages, particularly given the region’s potential rainfall and arable land. However, he said only about 11,500 of approximately 52,000 eligible farmers currently receive inputs.
He also cited shortages of health personnel, agricultural vehicles, livestock monitoring resources and motorbikes as obstacles to development.
“These are the realities we want to expose. These are the questions the people sent me to ask,” he said.
Mr Sichula said his responsibility in Parliament would be to raise these concerns with Government and seek solutions through public programmes, partnerships and community initiatives.
“No one is coming to redeem us if we do not first redeem ourselves,” he said, adding that he remained confident that Senga Hill could overcome its challenges through collective effort.
He said he was also willing to be corrected and urged citizens to challenge their representatives where necessary.
“I have never been an MP before, and I do not pretend to have all the answers,” Mr Sichula said.