CHISHIMBA KAMBWILI: FROM POLITICAL HEAVYWEIGHT TO A SHADOW OF HIS FORMER SELF – WHAT WENT WRONG?
There was a time when Dr Chishimba Kambwili was among the most influential and outspoken politicians in Zambia. Whenever he spoke, the nation listened. His radio and television interviews dominated political discussions, and his statements often became the talk of the country.
He was a politician who commanded attention, attracted crowds and had the ability to shake the political establishment.
Following his expulsion from the Patriotic Front (PF) in 2017, Kambwili found a new political home in the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which had emerged under Mwenya Musenge in 2018. Kambwili initially served as a consultant before becoming party president in 2019.
Within a relatively short period, the NDC attracted significant national attention. The party became a serious voice in opposition politics, and its electoral breakthrough came through the Roan parliamentary by-election in 2019, which it won through its candidate, Joseph Chishala.
Kambwili himself openly declared his ambition to contest the 2021 presidential election under the NDC. At the time, many believed he had the political strength, popularity and influence to become a serious contender for the country’s highest office.
But then came the political decision that changed everything.
In April 2021, Kambwili resigned from the NDC, and on 1 May 2021, he officially rejoined the PF under President Edgar Lungu.
That decision left many of his supporters disappointed, particularly those who had invested their hopes in the NDC project. For people who believed he was building an alternative political movement, his return to the PF raised serious questions about his political commitment and long-term vision.
One cannot help but wonder what would have happened had he remained consistent with the political movement he helped popularise.
Perhaps Zambia’s political landscape would have looked different.
Today, the question is whether Kambwili still commands the same political influence he once enjoyed.
His recent political performance suggests a significant decline. In the 2026 General Election, he contested the Roan Parliamentary seat on the Citizens First ticket but lost to UPND candidate Joel Chibuye, who polled 8,101 votes against Kambwili’s 4,354.
This is a striking contrast to the days when his political statements could dominate national conversations.
Politics is not just about speaking loudly, attracting attention or commanding media headlines. It is also about consistency, loyalty, sacrifice, vision and the ability to inspire confidence among the people.
The greatest weakness of a political leader is not necessarily losing an election; it is losing the trust of the people who once believed in him.
Kambwili’s political journey raises an important question about leadership: Is political ambition about building a lasting movement for the people, or is it about personal political survival?
A leader who wants to lead a nation must demonstrate that his ambitions go beyond personal interests, positions and political convenience.
Dr Kambwili once had the attention of an entire nation. He had the opportunity to build something bigger than himself. Whether that opportunity was lost through political miscalculations, changing alliances or other personal decisions is a matter for public debate.
In politics, popularity can make you famous, but consistency and trust are what make you a leader.
01/11/2026
BY- STANLEY MBITA
Chingola Tulandepo Media
Kambwili was never a presidential material at any given time in the past. People should not misconstrue being a rouble rouser to being a leader at a presidential level. Kambwili may have the experience of a minister, but that does not translate to being apresidential material. In the same vein, Kalaba is not a presidential material. The two are the same in terms of mental capacities to hold the highest office in the land.