A cautionary Tale of Ego in Leadership
…as President HH goes head-to-head with BM on 13 August
Amb. AM wrote~04.07.26
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“But the call remains urgent: let Zambians vote, let them choose peace, and let them remember that the nation’s compass is still One Zambia, One Nation. God be with thee”!
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Ego, narcissism, and greed have always been the silent assassins of leadership.
Not the people.
They creep in when power is at its zenith, when applause is loudest, and when promises seem easiest to make.
Zambia’s history is littered with leaders who began with noble intentions but faltered under the weight of their own pride.
President Kenneth Kaunda, the father of independence, was undone by paternalism and a refusal to share power.
President Frederick Chiluba, once the darling of populism, succumbed to excess and corruption.
President Hakainde Hichilema, the technocrat who promised renewal, now faces accusations of broken promises and waning love from the people.
The August 13 polls are not merely an election; they are a referendum on whether Zambia can escape this cycle of ego-driven decline.
Globally, the cautionary tales are abundant. In the United States, Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal showed how secrecy and arrogance corrode democracy, while Donald Trump’s refusal to concede defeat when he lost revealed the dangers of narcissism unchecked.
Europe offers its own lessons: Napoleon’s hubris at Waterloo ended an empire, and Brexit leaders promised prosperity but delivered division.
Africa’s stage is darker still: Robert Mugabe’s land seizures destroyed Zimbabwe’s economy, Muammar Gaddafi’s cult of personality led to chaos, and Mobutu Sese Seko’s kleptocracy turned Zaire into a cautionary proverb.
Medieval history reminds us of Richard II of England, whose arrogance led to deposition, and Rome’s emperors, undone by greed and decadence.
They fell on their own petard.
The lesson is clear: ego is timeless, and its consequences are universal.
In Zambia today, the alleged broken promises of President Hichilema’s government are stark.
First, reported job creation remains elusive, with youth unemployment structurally high and millions of young people not in education, employment, or training. Second, the cost of living has soared, with mealie meal, fuel, and fertilizer far above promised reductions.
Third, poverty persists at around 60%, far from the 45% target once touted. Fourth, energy stability remains a mirage, as loadshedding continues despite pledges to end it.
Fifth, transparency has faltered, with corruption scandals and selective justice undermining credibility.
These failures drip with irony: a government that promised renewal now faces accusations of recycling old elites and leaving the youth stranded.
Against this backdrop, leading opposition leader Brian Mundubile emerges as a rising star.
His promises resonate with ordinary Zambians: returning mining dumpsites to small-scale miners, increasing student meal allowances to K5,000, cancelling loans, reviving debt-swap schemes for civil servants, mechanising agriculture with irrigation and grain dryers, and restructuring the Zambia National Service to focus on infrastructure rather than gold mining.
In my professional view as an analyst Mundubile means well, I could be wrong.
His rallies swell with supporters who arrive without regalia or cash inducements, a sign of genuine grassroots momentum.
In contrast, Hichilema’s rallies lack the same organic love say pundits, weighed down by restrictions on opposition space — no rallies for nearly five years, no chopper transport for challengers, and dice loaded against the opposition.
The irony deepens when one considers Zambia’s economic paradox. Foreign currency reserves peaked at over $6.2 billion in early 2026, yet ordinary citizens queue for food and medicine.
As one critic quipped, “We can’t eat speeches and salt where there is no food.” Mothers budget hope instead of mealie meal, while leaders celebrate reserves locked away in vaults.
Students walk to class with “hope as their only meal,” studying for degrees that lead to unemployment while older elites recycle jobs among themselves.
This satire writes itself: a nation rich in copper and reserves, yet poor in opportunity and justice.
The geopolitical stakes of the August 13 polls are immense.
Zambia’s copper is critical for electric vehicle batteries and the global energy transition.
Whoever governs after August 13 controls a resource central to geopolitics, making this election not just a domestic affair but a global one.
The world watches because Zambia’s stability and leadership will shape supply chains and energy futures. The stakes are high, not just for Zambia but for the planet.
Yet amid the satire and irony, there is a call for peace and unity. As the Spanish proverb warns, “La soberbia nunca trae paz, solo ruina” — pride never brings peace, only ruin.
The Bible reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13:13: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Zambia has long been a beacon of peace, guided by the motto One Zambia, One Nation. The unresolved burial of Edgar Lungu is a metaphor for unfinished reconciliation, a reminder that unity must be restored.
The youth, unemployed and restless, the mothers budgeting hope, and the students studying without prospects — all demand change, but they also demand peace.
As August 13 approaches, the dice appear loaded, yet the people’s will may surprise.
The cautionary tale is clear: ego, narcissism, and greed must not dictate Zambia’s future. The stakes are high, the irony is sharp, and the satire is biting.
Brian preaches HOPE, while President HH asks for a chance to fulfill his promises, Zambians watch.
But the call remains urgent: let Zambians vote, let them choose peace, and let them remember that the nation’s compass is still One Zambia, One Nation. God be with thee!
By Amb. Anthony Mukwita, Author and International Relations Analyst 🤔
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