KUYA BEBELE: WITH OR WITHOUT IMINGALATO-Fred M’membe

KUYA BEBELE: WITH OR WITHOUT IMINGALATO

It is established that tyrants, despotic, crooked, or corrupt leaders hold elections, too. Except these elections are designed in a manner that is advantageous and beneficial to their continued stay in power. They know that transparent elections make it extremely difficult for them to win. They also fully recognise that honest, fair, free, and peaceful elections have the potential to end their rule, their hold on power.

So, to achieve their objectives, they openly engage in massive electoral fraud, where they abuse and manipulate state institutions such as the legislature, judiciary, law enforcement agencies, and many others, by turning them into pro-regime institutions. Under these circumstances, constitutionalism, democracy and the rule of law are literally put off, as power becomes concentrated in the executive, and the talk about democracy becomes nothing but empty rhetoric.

From the time Mr Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND came to power, the emerging pattern is one in which the separation of powers, constitutionalism, democracy and the rule of law are increasingly weakening, are being eroded. We say this because for the first time in our country’s history, we have seen very poor governance, which is characterised by extremely weak or destroyed state institutions, general disregard for the rule of law and lack of constitutionalism. It is no longer a secret that all state institutions in Zambia today are captured by the executive and are being manipulated to fraudulently aid Mr Hichilema and the UPND’s retention of power in 2026.

Mr Hichilema and the UPND’s desperation, agitation, or uneasiness is visible for all to see and conclude that this is indeed an outgoing regime. They have realised that a heavy electoral defeat in 2026 awaits them. It is common knowledge that Mr Hichilema and UPND administration’s public ratings are currently at an all-time low. Also, Mr Hichilema knows that there is a growing and irreversible narrative that he is a highly corrupt leader, running a looting machine. The corruption tag has befittingly and magnificently been conferred on him.

The tormenting of opposition leaders and condensing of the freedoms of citizens, polarisation and bitter tribal divisions in the country, and how the same keeps deepening, is part of the many reasons why it is highly improbable for Mr Hichilema to be re-elected in 2026. That is why Mr Hichilema through his abusive and divisive State House based rogue media, and other hired voices are unrelentingly berating, abusing, and describing selected opposition leaders in this country, in such a resentful manner. Their aim is to alter the narrative and heighten propaganda activities to support his re-election bid, but it’s too late. This regime lacks integrity, credibility, and acceptability amongst the people.

This is the root cause of all the imingalato and other desperate manoeuvres and schemes we are witnessing. For instance, it is the first time in Zambian history that government leaders are discrediting a census report conducted by the same administration. Again, for the first time, we have noted the glaring absence of critical information in the form of the widely used languages and the ethnic composition of the Zambian society. Previous census reports, including the most recent one in 2010, contain this data. But what has happened this time around? What has changed?

Nonetheless, we would like to caution Mr Hichilema and his minions that there is a limit to how far they can go with imingalato. They also need to realise that there is a fundamental connection between manipulations or imingalato and the erosion of the people’s trust and confidence in the democratic process and norms. History has shown that leaders that exploit constitutional weaknesses and misuse the law to sustain their hold on power, gravely undermine the base of constitutionalism, democracy and the rule of law, thereby, leaving their people saddened and disappointed.

Mr Hichilema must know that in ideal democracies, political power is exchanged peacefully through credible elections, which fosters stability and a sense of fairness among all political players. This is what Zambia is known for, and this is the exact process that made him who he is today. Let him know that respect for the Constitution, democracy and the rule of law is sacrosanct. Forcing matters so desperately in the manner they are attempting to do is shattering consensus and creating political polarisation, discord, and tensions.

Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party