President Hakainde Hichilema has told newly elected MPs, councillors and party officials that they owe their seats to the Zambian voter and must deliver services instead of fighting political battles. He said it during a community engagement in Mandevu, Lusaka, on 5 November 2026, according to LusakaTimes.com.
“We are in government to serve the people and to deliver on our development promises,” President Hichilema said.
The message was blunt: the people put you there, the people can judge you. And the President asked Mandevu residents to do exactly that. “I want you the people of Mandevu to hold your elected leaders accountable,” he said.
Clean Water First: The Money Is There
On the ground in Mandevu, one issue dominates daily life: water. The President called access to clean water a fundamental need and told the area MP to use the Constituency Development Fund to fix it.
“Water is a fundamental need. We must ensure that our people have access to clean water,” he said.
Here is the part every Zambian taxpayer should remember. The President put real figures on the table: K40 million allocated for constituency development and another K40 million for skills training. That is our money, channelled through the CDF, and it belongs in boreholes, water lines and classrooms, not in the pockets of contractors and tenderpreneurs.
For years, communities watched CDF cash vanish into reports and workshops while taps stayed dry. If the President is serious that the CDF is an important instrument for community development, then the people must watch every kwacha. Sovereignty over our resources starts at the constituency level.
Security and the Junkie Problem
The President also named security as a priority, pointing to the junkies terrorising neighbourhoods and promising a different approach: take them off the streets and into skills training so they can contribute to the economy.
“Security is important. Government is committed to creating an environment in which citizens can live safely and contribute to national development,” he said.
Families in Lusaka's compounds know this problem too well. Young men hooked on cheap drugs roam markets and bus stops, and residents live in fear. Turning them into productive citizens through training is the right national answer, provided the programmes are funded and monitored, not just announced.
Free Education: Every Child In School
On education, the President was categorical. Every child of school-going age must be in school, and parents who cannot pay fees must use the free education policy, which comes with a feeding programme.
“Every child of school-going age must be in school. Education is what will transform our young people into productive citizens,” he said.
This is where Zambian sovereignty is truly built. A nation that educates its own children, with its own schools and its own teachers, does not need to beg anyone abroad. The feeding programme keeps poor children in class instead of in the streets, and that is a policy worth defending.
A Parliament That Looks Like Zambia
The President also highlighted inclusive representation in Parliament, with women, young people and persons with disabilities taking seats.
“We have provided opportunities for broader representation in Parliament, including women, young people and persons with disabilities,” he said.
He thanked Zambians for supporting the UPND and acknowledged party structures from province to constituency level, including grassroots representatives who mobilised the vote.
“We will continue working for Zambians. Service delivery remains our primary agenda,” he said.
MP Adrian Banda Makes His Pledge
Mandevu MP Adrian Banda assured his constituents that development is coming through the CDF.
“We will use the CDF to provide the much-needed development for the people of Mandevu. The people voted for development, and that is what we are going to deliver,” Mr Banda said.
He said the fund will go to priority areas that improve residents' lives and that his office will work with the community so projects reflect what people actually need.
Fine words. Now the people of Mandevu must hold him to them, meeting by meeting, project by project.
The Bigger Picture: A Push for Delivery
This Mandevu rally is part of a wider push by the President for results over rhetoric. Last week he charged new ministers to drive the Grow Zambia agenda through infrastructure and housing delivery, telling Transport and Logistics Minister Charles Milupi and Housing Minister Christopher Kalila to accelerate key national projects.
The same week, Mwebantu reported that Hichilema urged the new ministers to serve all Zambians equally and stay humble, insisting the country only makes progress as one unitary state where administrative arrangements exist to improve service delivery.
Earlier, the Zambian Observer described the President's quest for an action-oriented cabinet, saying he broke from decades of rushed appointments to prioritise raw delivery over political speed.
What Happens Next
The direction is set. Money is allocated, ministers are briefed and MPs have their marching orders. The next test is execution: clean water flowing in Mandevu, junkies in training centres, children in classrooms, and K80 million in CDF money visible on the ground.
The people of Mandevu, and Zambians everywhere, will be watching.
FAQ
What did President Hichilema say in Mandevu?
On 5 November 2026, he told MPs, councillors and party officials to prioritise service delivery, urged residents to hold their leaders accountable, and pledged K40 million for constituency development plus K40 million for skills training through the CDF.
How much CDF money is going to Mandevu?
President Hichilema said the government has allocated K40 million for constituency development and K40 million for skills training, with the Mandevu MP expected to direct the fund to priority areas such as clean water.
What did the President say about education?
He said every child of school-going age must be in school and that citizens unable to pay fees should use the free education policy, which includes a feeding programme.