Sylvia Masebo Loses Parliamentary Seat

Veteran politician and UPND candidate Sylvia Masebo has lost her parliamentary seat in one of the notable upsets emerging from Zambia’s 2026 General Election.

The defeat brings an end to Ms Masebo’s latest term in the National Assembly and marks another dramatic turn in a parliamentary career stretching back more than two decades.

Ms Masebo first entered Parliament after winning the Chongwe parliamentary seat in 2001 under the Zambia Republican Party. She subsequently represented the constituency under different political parties and served in several senior government positions. Parliamentary records show she was elected to Parliament in 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2021.

Her most recent return to Parliament came in the 2021 General Election, when she won Chongwe on the UPND ticket after defeating then-incumbent Japhen Mwakalombe. She subsequently joined President Hakainde Hichilema’s Cabinet, initially serving as Minister of Health before later moving to the lands portfolio.

The 2026 election was fought on a significantly changed electoral map. The former Chongwe constituency was divided into Chongwe East and Chongwe West, which have 55,100 and 68,257 registered voters respectively.

Ms Masebo’s defeat is particularly significant because of her longevity in Zambian politics. Her career has crossed several administrations and political parties, and she has held portfolios including Local Government, Health, Tourism and Lands.

It is also not the first time Ms Masebo has lost a parliamentary contest. She lost Chongwe in 2016 to Japhen Mwakalombe before returning five years later to reclaim the seat for the UPND.