By Given Mutinta
THE IMPORTATION OF UPND CADRES FOR THE NYIMBA RALLY
Since his landmark victory in the 2021 elections, President Hakainde Hichilema’s relationship with the Eastern Province has been marked by notable absence and unmet expectations.
Despite repeated promises to engage directly with the people of this region, he refrained from making any official work visits for nearly five years.
This prolonged silence fostered a growing sense of disillusionment among Eastern Province residents, revealing cracks in his political rapport with the area which Brian Mundubile exploited to become a household name in the region.
It was only this week that President Hichilema ventured to Eastern Province for a series of rallies that he visited the region.
Even then, he was warned by intelligence briefings indicating a waning appetite for his leadership among locals.
In response, the United Party for National Development (UPND) orchestrated a grand-scale election campaign rally in Nyimba, deploying an impressive logistical effort: trucks and buses ferried attendees from distant towns such as Chidiza, Petauke, Sinda, Katete, and Luangwa.
Remarkably, these rally participants were shuttled from venue to venue, an operation that maximized attendance numbers artificially and underscored the administration’s reliance on orchestrated displays rather than genuine grassroots enthusiasm.
This strategic maneuver reflects a broader narrative of President Hichilema’s declining popularity, particularly in favor of Mundubile.
The necessity to hire attendees to create political optics at public rallies casts doubt on the administration’s claim to widespread support not only in the Eastern Province but the whole country.
Intelligence reports now suggest that these developments have significant implications for the upcoming August elections, predicting a decisive loss for the incumbent.