President Hichilema deserves to be respected as head of state and I’m ready to work with him-Hon. Iris Kaingu

Following a fiercely contested electoral battle in the Western Province, newly minted Mwandi Member of Parliament Iris Kaingu has struck a conciliatory note, expressing her readiness to cooperate with President Hakainde Hichilema and the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) administration. Despite securing her victory as an independent candidate after a politically charged campaign trail, Kaingu emphasized that national development and the welfare of the people of Mwandi must supersede partisan divisions. The election cycle in Mwandi was marked by intense political friction, notably punctuated by high-profile verbal sparring on the campaign trail. President Hichilema had previously visited the constituency and publicly urged local voters against backing Kaingu, creating a dramatic backdrop to the polls. However, the electorate ultimately defied those presidential directives, handing Kaingu a decisive mandate to represent them in the National Assembly. Observers note that her triumph represents a profound local pushback against top-down political commanding. Despite the friction of the campaign, Kaingu's post-election posture signals a pragmatic shift toward institutional engagement. Political analysts in Lusaka have pointed out that independent parliamentarians often find themselves walking a tightrope between maintaining constituent loyalty and negotiating with the central government for developmental projects. By extending an olive branch to the Head of State, Kaingu appears to be positioning herself as a constructive legislator focused on bringing roads, healthcare upgrades, and economic opportunities to Mwandi. Local governance experts have welcomed the rhetoric of collaboration, stressing that Zambia's democracy thrives when elected representatives set aside campaign rhetoric once the ballot boxes are closed. Mwandi constituents, who braved tense moments and demonstrated immense solidarity during the build-up to the vote, are now looking forwa