360 bolster UPND in Western Province

By MUBITA KATETE

THE United Party for National Development (UPND) has gained 360 new members in Western Province following defections from the Patriotic Front (PF) and the Socialist Party (SP) during a gathering in Nangula Ward ofLuena Constituency.
The group, led by PF Nangula Ward youth chairman and zone coordinator KabuyanaMbulayi, cited President Hakainde Hichilema’s people-focused leadership and the government’s visible development projects in the province as their reasons for crossing over.
Western Province Minister and UPND provincial chairman Kapelwa Mbangwetawelcomed the defectors, encouraging them to actively engage in party activities.
He also urged support for the upcoming August 13, 2026 elections, noting the government’s initiatives in the province, including infrastructure development, free education, school feeding programmes, cattle restocking, and other social protection measures.
He called on voters to support the ruling party in the upcoming tripartite elections, arguing that the province had witnessed unprecedented development under the current administration.
“Don’t waste your votes on parties that failed to deliver development in Western Province when they were in power,” he said. “Go out in numbers and vote for President Hichilema so that we continue to enjoy the unprecedented development and social protection programmes his government is implementing.”
Chief Lubinda Tanga, who also attended the meeting, thanked the Republican President for what he described as tangible development in the region and encouraged residents to reciprocate through the ballot.
“We have seen the development that has come to our area and to Western Province in general. Let us reciprocate the President’s goodwill by voting for him in the August tripartite elections