OPPOSITION UNITY IN ZAMBIA: PRINCIPLE, PURPOSE, OR POLITICAL CONVENIENCE?

OPPOSITION UNITY IN ZAMBIA: PRINCIPLE, PURPOSE, OR POLITICAL CONVENIENCE?

In every electoral cycle, the call for opposition unity resurfaces in Zambia with renewed urgency. It is often presented as a moral imperative and a patriotic necessity. Yet as a nation committed to democratic maturity, WE MUST PAUSE AND INTERROGATE THIS CALL HONESTLY SOBERLY AND WITHOUT FEAR.

The fundamental question is not whether opposition parties can unite but WHY THEY SEEK TO DO SO.

Is unity merely a tactical response to the fear of splitting votes. Is it a short term arithmetic calculation aimed at defeating the incumbent. Or does it reflect A DEEPER CONVERGENCE OF VALUES POLICIES AND A SHARED VISION FOR ZAMBIA’S FUTURE.

THESE DISTINCTIONS MATTER.

In a multiparty democracy, the existence of diverse political parties is not a weakness. IT IS A STRENGTH. It reflects the plurality of ideas aspirations and solutions within society. Vote splitting therefore should not automatically be treated as a democratic sin. It becomes a problem only when parties lack CLARITY CONVICTION AND CONFIDENCE in the ideas they are offering to the Zambian people.

TRUE UNITY CANNOT BE BUILT ON FEAR ALONE.

Fear of losing. Fear of irrelevance. Fear of the incumbent’s strength. Such unity is fragile transactional and often collapses under the weight of ambition once power is within reach. Zambians have seen alliances formed in haste stitched together by convenience rather than principle only to unravel shortly after electoral victory.

We must therefore ask HOW WELL PREPARED ARE OPPOSITION PARTIES NOT JUST TO WIN AN ELECTION BUT TO GOVERN ZAMBIA.

Preparation is not measured by rallies slogans or social media noise. IT IS MEASURED BY CLEAR POLICY ALTERNATIVES institutional discipline internal democracy and a credible plan to manage the economy uphold the rule of law strengthen national unity and protect the vulnerable. Without these foundations unity risks becoming AN END IN ITSELF RATHER THAN A MEANS TO NATIONAL PROGRESS.

If opposition unity is driven solely by the desire to unseat the incumbent then IT OFFERS LITTLE COMFORT to citizens struggling with unemployment high living costs weak public services and declining trust in political leadership. Removing one government only to replace it with an unprepared or internally conflicted alternative DOES NOT ADVANCE DEMOCRACY. It merely recycles disappointment.

FOR UNITY TO BE MEANINGFUL IT MUST BE ANCHORED IN PURPOSE.

It must be rooted in shared principles constitutionalism accountability economic inclusion respect for institutions and national cohesion. It must be TRANSPARENT TO THE PUBLIC not negotiated in secrecy by political elites but explained clearly to citizens who deserve to know WHAT KIND OF GOVERNMENT IS BEING PROPOSED IN THEIR NAME.

ZAMBIA DOES NOT NEED UNITY FOR UNITY’S SAKE. It needs leadership with MORAL CLARITY intellectual seriousness and a genuine commitment to service. Whether parties choose to unite or compete independently the ultimate responsibility remains the same TO PRESENT THE PEOPLE WITH CREDIBLE CHOICES AND TO RESPECT THEIR VERDICT.

AS A COUNTRY LET US BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES.

Political unity is not a shortcut to legitimacy. LEGITIMACY IS EARNED THROUGH IDEAS INTEGRITY AND PREPAREDNESS TO GOVERN. Any call for unity that ignores these fundamentals RISKS WEAKENING RATHER THAN STRENGTHENING OUR DEMOCRACY.

THE FUTURE OF ZAMBIA DEPENDS NOT MERELY ON WHO WINS POWER BUT ON HOW POWER IS CONCEIVED PURSUED AND EXERCISED. Unity when it comes must therefore be A UNITY OF PURPOSE NOT JUST A COALITION OF AMBITION.

Charlotte Salivaji Naess (CSN)
#TheFutureIsBright🌅
30.12.25