Mundubile’s Manifesto: Ovations, Optimism, and the Golden Peacock Take-off
Amb. AM 18th April 26
It was not just a speech to me. It was a spectacle.
Hon. Brian Mundubile, lawyer and accountant turned presidential contender, electrified and reenergized the 13 August polls with a manifesto launch that saw almost a dozen ovations in less than ten minutes.
The venue? A quiet Chinese hotel on Kasangula Road in Roma township, Lusaka — The Golden Peacock. A name borrowed from Yiddish poet Itzik Manger, meaning ‘resilience and optimism’.
Two words that define Mundubile’s ethos: a politician who insists Zambia can rise again, even as the nation limps under the weight of electricity blackouts recently, soaring food and fuel prices, and a democratic space shrinking by the day — as noted by the US State Department, Amnesty International, the UN Rights Commission, and LAZ.
The auditorium brimmed with bodies and anticipation. Diplomats dotted the gallery, but the seismic presence was Katebe Beauty, leader of the umbrella body of civil society in Zambia Oasis Forum.
Her attendance was not symbolic — it was systemic. Almost like the frenzy of 1991, when Zambia re ushered multi party democracy.
And then Mundubile spoke. Daily Nation Zambia
“I can feel the energy in this room, it’s contagious,” he said, volley to the left, volley to the right, before thunderous applause drowned the walls.
For five years, opposition rallies have been disallowed by police in Zambia, unlike other nations in sub-Saharan Africa. This manifesto launch was the closest Zambians could get to a public rally — a taste of freedom, a rehearsal for democracy.
Some major points from the Speech
• Unity as Emergency: “No nation can develop while divided. National unity is not optional — it is a national emergency.”
• Women at the Center: “When you empower a woman, you empower a nation.”
• Youth as Builders of Today: “You are not leaders of tomorrow. You are builders of today.”
• Industrialization for Jobs: “True independence is not political alone — it is economic.”
• Democracy Restored: “On a great day like today, let only good words be spoken.”
Main Goals of the Manifesto
• National Unity: confront tribalism head on, build a government reflecting every province and language.
• Women’s Empowerment: expand finance for women led businesses, guarantee representation, protect dignity and safety.
• Youth Opportunity: jobs, education, and leadership roles now, not tomorrow.
• Industrialization: move beyond raw exports, build industries in agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and energy.
• Economic Independence: create jobs that are real, not statistical.
• Democratic Renewal: restore freedom of association and speech, end political exclusion.
The Satirical Undercurrent
It was remarkable to watch, even for non partisan observers like moi’. The irony? A government that bans rallies inadvertently created the conditions for Mundubile’s launch to feel like a rally.
The satire? A ruling party that insists democracy is alive, while the opposition must whisper in hotel auditoriums. Quite concerning.
Mundubile’s words cut through: “Enough of division. Enough of politics that separates our people. Enough of an economy that leaves the majority behind. We need jobs for youth and women.”
Yet, the lingering fear remains: will he even be allowed to file? In a political climate where association is curtailed, where dissent is policed, the question is not whether Mundubile can win — but
whether he will be permitted to compete at all.
His passport and phones remain in state custody a month down the line after confiscation by the police.
The Atmosphere
The Golden Peacock shimmered with history and irony. A hotel named for resilience hosted a candidate who insists optimism is not naïve, but necessary. The ovations — nearly a dozen in ten minutes — were not just applause. They were catharsis.
They were Zambians remembering what it feels like to cheer, to hope, to believe.
The diplomats watched. The civil society leaders nodded. The youth roared. And the women — Banakulu Mutinta Nemisepela Pamakasa — stood at the center of the manifesto, no longer on the margins.
The Context
Against him stands Zambia’s 7th president, HH, seeking re election amid:
• Electricity shortages history still bitter in the mouth
• High food and fuel prices
• Expensive fertiliser
• Shrinking democratic space
The contrast was stark. Mundubile’s manifesto was not just a policy document. It was a blueprint for national restoration.
The Irony of Zambian history
In 1991 re ushered in multi-party democracy. 2026 may re ignite it. The frenzy of that era echoed in Roma township. The irony? Democracy must now be smuggled into hotel auditoriums, while the police guard against rallies.
The Latin Flourish
As the manifesto closed, one phrase lingered:
Vox populi, vox Dei — the voice of the people is the voice of God.
The urgency to free association is not academic. It is existential.
The Final Question
Is Brian Mundubile the Black Moses Zambia has been waiting for? Or will he be stopped at the gates of filing, another prophet silenced before the promised land?
Will Zambians allow blatant disenfranchising if any are on cards at all?
That is the satire. That is the irony. That is the take back.
By Amb Anthony Mukwita, published Author & International Relations analyst.