Many did not know about Dundumwezi constituency until during the just ended 2016 general elections during announcement of results. Dundumwezi is now the most talked about constituency.
This is because the Voters in the rural constituency located South West of Kalomo town in Southern province gave incumbent president Edgar Lungu 252 votes and Hakainde Hichilema of the opposition UPND 30, 000.
There is one thing about the people of Dundumwezi, they don’t just vote anyhow. In 2006 while the rest of the constituencies in Southern province voted for UPND, Dundumwezi voted for an Independent.
Lusaka Medical Practitioner Mwanahamuntu has this to say about Dundumwezi:
Dundumwezi it is unknown to many people unless hunters since there are plenty of wild animals under local game management scheme. Earlier this year, I wrote about a friend of mine, Joseph Peme, who disappeared, non of his remains have ever been found as many now believe he was eaten by lions. In my few hunting trips there, I have never seen a power line. Dundumwezi has no vocabulary such as power shedding. How 252 people voted for government remains a mystery. I suspect these were mistakes. Dundumwezi has become famous by itself.
Himba Miyoba had this to say about Dundumwezi:
Now go to Dundumwezi and see if there is anything the PF planted for you to expect to reap in form of votes. To start with, there is only a third grade road from Kalomo to Dundumwezi since time in memorial. The last time I heard a president talking about Dundumwezi and Siachitema (just talking about not going there) was in 1991 when then president Kenneth Kaunda went to campaign at central grounds behind Chungu garage in Kalomo town. These are remote people and places who feel so neglected. Why not visit them even during campaigns and also give them green chitenge materials and white T-shirts?
Your counterpart HH got votes from your so called strongholds because he visited and interacted with the people there. They saw him..they touched him they listened to him.
Chikankata is just 157 kms from Lusaka. 31 of these kilometers is a stretch of dilapidated second grade road (almost classified third grade) with 12 of those kilometres roughly upgraded to bituminous standard in 2006 when there was an MP from the ruling MMD. There is a very important referral hospital there though the road is in this state.
Late President Michael Sata went to Chikankata and made pronouncements that he would do the road. He instead created a district (not that it was a bad thing) but this is a long term plan to expect immediate response in form of votes…however, because president Lungu touched that place and interacted with people, he got reasonable votes considering the fact that it’s not his stronghold.
I have given you guidance. These people were looking forward to a president who will diffuse the ticking tribal time bomb. In their vote they were very sure the tribal victim candidate would be the best to fight the vice. But now we have you (PF) who championed the vice. Please save the nation.