IS THERE OPPOSITION IN ZAMBIA TO GIVE HOPE TO VOTERS WITH ONLY MONTHS BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION?
Our EDITORIAL
Yes, Zambia has over 300 political parties registered with the Registrar of Societies and so, this country has opposition political parties.
What is not there is credibility. The wisdom and leadership qualities to upset the current party in power. There is nothing. This leaves Hakainde Hichilema’s UPND government’s only opposition being the voters and especially those who voted for him but still believe in him.
There are also chances that the 1.8 million voters that didn’t vote for Hakainde Hichilema in 2021, won’t vote for him in 2026 because they have different views and never believed in him but is there an opposition giving hope to these 1.8 million voters? We don’t see any.
The ultimate end is that these 1.8 million may not vote but if they decide to vote, they may split the votes among the 300 opposition political parties and giving even a more straight win for the 2.8 million voters plus new voters who are benefiting from free education, bursaries and all.
We have been around this country and especially politics for longer than some so called political pundits and one thing we can state that winning elections under the current electoral system of 50%+1 requires a presidential candidate to first of all win Lusaka, Copperbelt, Northern, Southern and Eastern provinces.
Zambia is no longer under the FIRST PAST POST electoral system where one would bank on one province to win an election. This system was actually not good as national leaders would get elected by the few motivated to vote but under the current electoral system, a Presidential candidate must traverse all the provinces, districts, constituencies in the entire country.
Today marks fours (4) exactly since Hichilema was declared President under the same 50%+1 electoral system and before this day, in 2020, change would be felt everywhere.
In 2020, everyone would feel the change heading to Zambia. The diaspora would feel it. The villages wanted change. The cities wanted change. Everyone was talking about change only the PF didn’t want change but this is not the case now. The opposition is simply that toothless puppy that only barks at every moving nyashi but can’t bite.
However, this doesn’t mean Hichilema and UPND should relax delivering development to all corners of the Republic. If there are loyal people one should target are people in rural areas. Give them a pack of salt, they will appreciate you forever and this is why Health Minister Elijah Julaki Michima has remained MP for Ikelengi for years and years. Urban politics is different from rural politics.
Having stated that, we can simply say that today is exactly a year before the next general election in 2026 and the opposition is really in limbo and cannot even unite and if anything, no one among them is ready to be led or indeed close their political parties because they all hate Hakainde Hichilema and badly want to teach him a lesson.
HH and UPND government must just focus on delivering development for all and listening more to the voters and especially keeping their 2.8 in tact and the opposition may just get zeros.
Koswe: Investigations only! Silelo tayamba!
If you have not read it on Koswe then it’s FAKE News.
People know what needs to be done, the dynamics of this country show clearly that among all political parties that have been in government before in this country, the UPND has shown a lot of weakness going into the first election in government. Yes, currently there seems to be no alternative government theoretically mainly because many that have tried to campaign have not been granted that permission to do so, just like previously only PF seemed to have a leeway to campaign hence no one saw the wind of change because many oppositions political parties were stopped from campaigning, but once the campaign was open signs began to appear showing the general direction in which the voting pattern would go and it was certainly not in Favour of PF. We just have to wait for dissolution of parliament, and the direction will show. What is clear for now is the candidate the Zambians are doubting, but the one they want has not come out clearly yet.
I agree with you.
Anyone that shows their hand to challenge is swiftly arrested and given court time. The opposition should nor show their hand until 6 months before elections to avoid their candidate being arrested and jailed on false charges. They should stick to Plan B.
One way or the other, one party democracy is coming to an end next year.
REJECT TRIBALISM, CORRUPTION AND OPPRESSION.
VOTE FOR CHANGE IN 2026.
@Samlindo…..wait till Jesus Christ comes!!
2031 that’s when there will be election and you will be fighting with Habwela Hichilema as a presidential candidate!!