No presidential candidate has enough money to win an election – Aka
By Elijah Munkombwe
PRINCE Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika has argued that none of the current presidential candidates in Zambia has sufficient personal wealth to single-handedly finance and win a general election under the country’s prevailing political environment.
Commonly known as Aka, the former cabinet minister and diplomat said the cost of running a successful national campaign has grown beyond the capacity of any individual candidate, regardless of how wealthy they may appear.
He further claimed that President Hakainde Hichilema did not ascend to the presidency solely on the strength of his personal wealth, but by presenting himself as “super rich”, a perception which helped to inspire confidence among voters, party structures and financiers.
Aka said elections in Zambia are no longer won on personal resources alone, but through broad alliances, party mobilisation and support from various interest groups.
He noted that no individual can credibly claim to have financed their way to State House alone, adding that the political system demands collective support and strategic positioning.
Aka said what matters most is how a candidate presents themselves and convinces others that they are a viable contender.
He also cautioned aspiring presidential candidates against underestimating the financial and logistical demands of national campaigns, noting that rallies, mobilisation, media coverage and election monitoring require enormous resources.
He warned that while democracy should not be reduced to a contest of money, the rising cost of politics risks excluding capable leaders who lack access to strong financial networks.
Source: News Diggers
So what Aka, what is your point, clouded. I think tou need to sit down, no value addition.
We cannot agree more with the observation as what AKA is up to. Really, of what value is his article?
There’s no debate about that. Political leadership should evolve from a group with shared interests who then pool their resources together. Zambia unfortunately lacks that kind of social relationships. That’s why our politics lacks enduring beliefs.
What Aka has said is already known to all the.
Political players.People like Aka,Kapwepwe and justice Chibesakuba are only just waking up from sleeping slumber hoping to add value to opposition by preaching common knowledge
Well said Gunner. Shared interest being the jey word. One would have ask…What is the shared interest in this case? Remove HH. Then what after you have removed him? Jostle to all occupy the office?
From AKA Chibesakunda and all these persons aspiring to rule this country, have anyone of them told you what they will do for Zambia? They are quiet cause they jostle to rule to serve themselves not Zambians or in the interest of Zambians…themselves.
What Gunner is postulating is only the ideal politics.In the practical Zambian political culture,things are very different.The voter is generally uniformed and is minimalist at his demands.It this parochial and shallow political mindset that has long been taken advantage of by the likes of Malanje,Lusambo,Kampyongo and even Edgar Lungu.You only have to raise funds for pieces of chitenge,salt,mealie-meal,and sugar and then whip up some cheap mass discontent against the incumbent to get massive votes and not a common political ideology.
That is what Aka is insinuating
He is going to support the party where his friends is going to be a running mate. It is clear and we know where he is heading to.
Well said. No thought about whether it benefits us as Zambians just the fact that his friends are in the grouping. Selfserving wouldnt you say?
The fact that presidential campaigns are expensive should not dilute candidacy by teaming up with bad eggs all for the purpose of winning an election. every candidate must have a team that can do funds mobilization on their behalf an example is ECL who came in super poor and went out super rich, his campaign funds were mobilized by people around him because even government withdrew government funding of the party under Guy Scott. So coming together of different people for the purpose of winning a campaign is good but that coming together should be a coming together of the right kind of people and not those with defective reputations and backgrouds.
This man just keeps proving how irrelevant he is.
Some people dont know when its time to get off the stage. HH says he paying for his campaign. He can flex. Can you?
So Aka wants to start a debate about that? Is that the kind of back and forth to start? To prove what, ba AKA? An old man like you selfishly starting an irrelevant debate?
These are the kind of failures in life who keep proving over and over that their prior rise wasnt about the content of the narrative but their little “statuses”. Prince? Prince kuti? Prince where you were hounded off the stage like Andrew Mountbaton, the pedo?
These old has beens need to be put in their place.