“Opposition in Limbo, Democracy in Peril”
…as the poll drum beats on
Amb AM 27 Feb 27
“My advice is simple avoid cyber bullying at all costs because freedom is not a license for abuse.”
—
The week began with anticipation that the courts would finally pronounce who truly owns the Patriotic Front, Zambia’s former largest opposition party.
Monday was supposed to be the day of reckoning. It wasn’t.
The silence that followed has left many of us wondering whether there is a hidden political hand deliberately delaying the PF from putting its house in order barely five months before the presidential and general elections.
Without a court decision, maybe today, they cannot hold a convention; their ambitions then fall on quicksand.
In my view, a weak opposition equals a weak democracy. This impasse must come to an end because democracy thrives on competition, not confusion and collusion.
Smart Eagles
On the other hand, I am glad to see Mporokoso legislator Hon. Brian Mundubile blazing and breaking barriers in the opposition arena in the name of democracy.
His Tonse Alliance just received a shot in the arm when Nkana lawmaker Binwell Mpundu joined forces with him. For the first time, we are seeing a semblance of unity and strength.
What makes this significant is that Mpundu heads a youth movement—the Movement for Good Governance (MGG)—with a whopping one million registered voters.
Numbers matter in politics, and these numbers are good for democracy as Zambia heads to the polls on 13 August, with President Hichilema seeking reelection after a tumultuous fiveyear term.
Citizens have not been shy about voicing their complaints during this first term.
Among the most common grievances are:
High cost of living – food, fuel, and electricity prices biting hard.😕
Unemployment – especially among the youth, despite promises of jobs.
Slow delivery of infrastructure projects – roads, hospitals, and schools are overcrowded.
Perceived selective justice – accusations that political opponents face harsher treatment.
Limited freedom of expression – concerns about shrinking space for dissent.
These complaints form the backdrop against which the opposition must organize itself if it hopes to present a credible alternative.
Is POTUS really going to attack Iran?
Beyond Zambia’s borders, I am deeply concerned as an analyst that the United States appears set on a collision course with Iran.
The reasons are familiar: nuclear ambitions, regional influence, and oil politics.
Yet history teaches us that wars of choice often end in disaster. Iraq is a painful reminder—hundreds of thousands died, millions were displaced, and the country remains unstable decades later.
A war with Iran would be catastrophic, destabilizing the Middle East, spiking global oil prices, and dragging innocent civilians into suffering.
My argument against such a war is simple: diplomacy, however frustrating, is always cheaper than bloodshed.
Back home, another matter gnaws at our conscience—the non-burial of Zambia’s sixth President, Edgar Lungu, after almost nine months.
This has become a source of international scorn and fuelled speculation of a “dark side” whispered in quiet tones and media publications.
It is unworthy of a nation that prides itself on dignity and tradition. Meanwhile, humour has not been absent.
A man who used AI to depict our beloved president in a coffin found himself in police custody, making headlines on the BBC.
Add to that two fellas who wanted to “bewitch” the president, and you have a cocktail of comedy and tragedy.
My advice to Zambians is simple: avoid cyberbullying and insults online. Freedom of speech is not freedom to abuse.
At the same time, politicians must grow thicker skins before we run out of jail space for light offences that could easily be punished with fines.
Let us call for H.E Edgar Lungu—the beloved builder of bridges and roads—to be laid to rest with dignity. And let the government drop this expensive court action in Pretoria. C’est la vie, as the French say—life must go on.
Finally, I cannot ignore the continued war on Gaza by Israel as the world watches Palestinian Arabs die in huge numbers. More than 70,000 dead Palestinians is a tragedy beyond words.
Peace is possible, yet it remains elusive. Apart from Israel and the USA, most Western nations—including France, Spain, Ireland, Belgium, and Norway—have expressed support for an independent Palestine.
The question is: how many more lives must be lost before the world acts decisively?
In conclusion, Zambia’s democracy needs a strong, united opposition, not endless court battles. The world needs diplomacy, not another war in the Middle East.
And our nation needs closure by laying Edgar Lungu to rest. As I often say, democracy is not a spectator sport—it requires participation, tolerance, and courage.
And that’s Mukwita on Point.
–Ambassador Anthony Mukwita, Author & International Relations Analyst.
Source: The Daily Nation Zambia Mukwita on Point