By Francis Chipalo
Zambia University of Technology (ZUT) lecturer Kenneth Ng’ona has resigned from his academic position to pursue politics after declaring his intention to contest the Chipili parliamentary seat.
In an emotional farewell message, Ng’ona said his decision is driven by a desire to serve the people of Chipili, whom he described as vulnerable and neglected for far too long.
He stressed that his priority is to represent rural communities and ensure their voices are heard in the National Assembly.
“Politics is a service, not a game,” Ng’ona said, adding that he is ready to bring servant leadership and real development to Chipili.
“I have decided to give it all as representing our vulnerable people in our rural district of Chipili is my number one priority. I’m indebted to serving my relatives that have suffered for way too long in our vast land which most of them have even abandoned in search of safer and economically sound places to inhabit,” he said.
Ng’ona further stated that Chipili, being the third largest constituency in Luapula Province in terms of land size, requires a technically capable and development-oriented representative who can lobby effectively for projects that will uplift the lives of local people.
He noted that Parliament should not merely be a place for political debates but rather a centre for ideation, innovation, planning and lobbying for meaningful projects that will benefit rural communities.
“National Assembly should be a place of ideation, innovation planning and lobby for execution of projects that will change the lives of our rural people for the better,” he said.
Ng’ona also appealed to his former students at ZUT, assuring them that his decision was not the end of his academic journey.
“To my students, all I can say is that I’m your doctor and will be back if our plan of leading our people through servant leadership fails,” he added.
The move has since attracted attention, with many praising the lecturer for stepping forward to contest and bring a different kind of leadership to Chipili.
