The by-elections in Northern Province turned into a full-blown political thriller on Friday, with the ruling UPND tasting bitter defeat in one ward, only to bounce back with crushing vengeance in another.
In Mpulungu’s Chibulula Ward, the Tonse Alliance–aligned New Congress Party (NCP) pulled off what many are calling a political daylight robbery. Against all odds, NCP’s Mumba Shadreck edged past the ruling party’s Kaoma Brenda by a whisper—just 15 votes separating victory from heartbreak. Shadreck managed 784 votes, leaving Brenda stranded at 769.
The result sent shockwaves through UPND circles, with cadres whispering in disbelief: “Awe, 15 votes fye?” Even the Socialist Party’s James Chifunda (132 votes) and Citizen First’s Mazimba Harrison (110 votes) could only watch from the sidelines as the two giants locked horns.
But the drama didn’t end there. Out of the 3,631 registered voters, only 1,833 actually bothered to show up. The rest stayed home, leaving a mountain of ballots untouched—a clear sign of voter apathy despite the high political temperature. The seat was up for grabs after PF councillor Future Sikazwe died on July 9 following a short illness.
And just when the NCP was uncorking champagne in Mpulungu, the ruling party decided to remind everyone who still calls the shots. In Chishi Ward of Nsama District, UPND’s Pervious Kapembwa unleashed a political massacre, scooping a jaw-dropping 463 votes out of 484 cast. NCP’s Jeggary Mwaba was left bruised and humiliated with a mere 16 votes—a performance so poor that some observers joked he must have voted for himself and his family. Five ballots were thrown out as rejected, but nothing could change the fact that UPND had staged a brutal comeback.
The contrast between the two wards could not have been sharper: Chibulula was a cliffhanger, Chishi was a landslide. Political analysts say the twin results reveal a warning for both parties—NCP has proven it can sting the ruling party in its own backyard, while UPND has shown it can still crush its opponents where it commands loyalty.
The streets are already buzzing with chatter. Some are hailing NCP’s narrow escape as a “David vs Goliath” victory, while UPND supporters argue that “one ward is nothing, Chishi is the real deal.”
What’s clear is that the political battleground in Northern Province is far from settled. If these by-elections are anything to go by, 2026 will be war—and every single vote will.
