BA MEDIA 100%
President Hakainde Hichilema Campaigned Alone? No MP Should Claim Anything—A Response to Chela Tukuta
When Chela Tukuta asserted that President Hakainde Hichilema campaigned alone and that no Member of Parliament should claim credit, I felt it was vital to respond.
While I respect his opinion, the reality is that the UPND’s victory was built by many hands. Every Member of Parliament, every party official, and every citizen who joined this movement played a critical role.
Honorable Douglas Syakalima, the former MP for Chirundu and former Minister of Education, is a perfect example. He didn’t merely campaign from the sidelines—he gave up his seat to dedicate himself entirely to the President’s cause.
Syakalima worked tirelessly in Lusaka, mobilizing supporters in Mandevu, Munali, Roma, kanyama, Garden House, and Chawama. After Lusaka, he took his efforts to Eastern Province and made multiple trips to the Copperbelt, where he again connected with voters in Ndola, Chililabombwe, Nkana, Kitwe, and beyond.
But Syakalima was not alone. Many others, too, played vital roles. Mark Simuuwe, a prominent media figure, campaigned relentlessly. He used every platform—radio interviews, television appearances, and community engagements—to spread the President’s vision.
Even BA MEDIA 100% contributed, write and posting the vision of President Hakainde Hichilema, capturing the President’s events, photographing key rallies, and sharing them with the public.
We must acknowledge that every one of these efforts mattered. Without these MPs, without grassroots activists, without media voices like Simuuwe, we would not have succeeded.
Every campaign speech, every neighborhood walk, every radio spot was a thread in the fabric of this movement. If we now try to isolate one person, we risk fracturing the unity that brought us this victory.
Let’s also be clear: when we diminish others’ efforts, we create the wrong narrative. This was not a solo act; it was a collective triumph. The President led, yes, but he was backed by a powerful wave of supporters. Douglas Syakalima, Mark Simuuwe, every Member of Parliament, every councilor, every word leader—they all gave their energy. As a member of the media, I saw firsthand how we all pushed for the same goal.
In the end, we must remember that this was a family effort. If we begin to separate contributions, we undermine the spirit that made us victorious. Let’s respect every voice, every hand that helped, and remember that together, we are one family. Let’s keep building a stronger, more united Zambia.
BY BA MEDIA 100%
R. CHIKANYA