The Kasama Mayoral by-election, necessitated by the passing of the immediate-past Patriotic Front (PF) Mayor Theresa Kolala, marked a significant shift in the political landscape of Zambia’s Northern Province, traditionally a PF stronghold. The ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) candidate, Bywell Simposya, secured a historic victory, making it the first time the UPND has captured the mayoral seat in Kasama. This outcome signals a shifting political map in the Northern Circuit as Zambia approaches an election year.

Coming into the campaign, Simposya, who had been described as more of a technocrat and reserved person, rivaled against FDD’s Peter Yuda (also referred to as Peter Chikweti), who served as a ward councillor from 2016 to 2021. Yuda was initially regarded as a better political fit comparatively, largely attributed to his experience. He was notably backed by the Patriotic Front and factions of the Tonse Alliance.

After a thorough counting process spanning a whole night and half a day from 218 polling stations across the district, Bywell Simposya of the UPND emerged victorious with 17,647 votes. His closest rival, Peter Yuda of the FDD, polled 14,302 votes. Other candidates and their respective vote counts were: Zimba Aaron (CF) with 4,405 votes, Kapambwe Mukuka (UPPZ) with 2,988 votes, Mubanga Joseph (SP) with 2,211 votes, and Bukisa Mary (NFP) with 472 votes. A total of 42,929 votes were cast, with 904 rejected ballots. The decisive factor in Simposya’s win was UPND's strong performance in Lukashya Constituency, where rural and peri-urban polling stations delivered substantial margins that outweighed the tighter contest in Kasama Central.

District Returning Officer Innocent Mutambo officially declared Mr. Simposya the duly elected Mayor of Kasama District at 17:35 hours. Following the announcement, Mayor-Elect Bywell Simposya expressed gratitude to the people of Kasama for their support, pledging to implement development programs across the city and expressing optimism to return the seat during the upcoming August general elections. UPND Campaign Manager Chipoka Mulenga, also the Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, described the victory as evidence of the party’s prowess due to its level-headed leadership and its commitment to delivering developmental projects nationwide, particularly in the Northern Province. He reiterated President Hakainde Hichilema’s dedication to deliver development to all parts of the country. Fellow UPND campaign team member Paul Kabuswe also thanked the residents for their votes.

However, the by-election was not without its political controversies and internal party dynamics. The “Dunamis-Bill7 Alliance” faced criticism, with observations that