WHY PF MUST REFORM ITSELF TO OPPOSITION MORE THAN REBRAND TO PURSUE RETURN TO POWER WHEREAS UPND MUST REFORM ITSELF AS RULING PARTY FOCUSED ON RULING MORE THAN DISTRACTION TO OPPOSITION OUTSIDE POWER
— how opposition PF in opposition is docile like UPND in opposition and UPND in power is like PF in power preoccupied with partisan and opposition politics than delivery and public affairs —
Fred M’membe called PF and UPND similarity as Siamese twins.
And closer than M’membe, red UPND termed its similarity with green PF as watermelon, another name for PF donchi kubeba.
Authors George Orwell essayed about the psychology of the oppressors whereas Richard Wright essayed about the pyschology of the oppressed.
Northern Rhodesian colonialists symbolised oppression among others with the “rider and horse” (with statue of physical energy at High Court grounds replaced by Freedom Statue at Kamwala in 1974) the fish and fish eagle (put on flag and coat of arms without the fish plus closed claws).
Some psychologists have termed the oppressed ‘love’ of the oppresser as Stockholm Syndrome whereas oppresser ‘love’ of the oppressed as Lima Syndrome.
Whatever the situation, there is a love relationship or influence between the oppresser and the oppressed.
It is said African independence leaders who succeeded European colonialists became colonialists.
That is how the POA to block independence for nine years to independence has continued for 57 years, seven presidents and three parties in power.
That is partly how UPND is lile than unlike PF.
After UNIP seemed to kill the predecessor colonial party and its ‘mother’, a pattern seemed set when the MMD too seemed to kill its predecessor UNIP as PF also seemed to kill its ‘mother’ MMD.
While it is also true losing opposition parties don’t die natural deaths but are killed by the ruling parties; they perhaps also commit suicide by immediate declaration of the desire to return to power immediately after losing power than first become effective opposition providing checks and balances on behalf of the people and building of multiparty democracy.
As a matter of fact, opposition is not necessarily assuming power but providing checks and balances.
For example, UNIP and KK who were in power for 27 years, since 1964, as One Zambia – One Nation; One Nation – One Party; One Party – One Leader KK, since 1973, wanted to return to power in 1996 elections or earlier after losing power to MMD in 1991 instead of first wait or provide opposition to generally inexperienced MMD.
MMD while fumbling with political inexperience also saw to it that UPND didn’t just return to power immediately after losing it but also didn’t provide checks and balances.
MMD seemed full-time counter opposition of UNIP policies or past like human rights and nationalisation.
MMD frustrated UNIP by framing UNIP in both treason and sedition of Zero Option and Black Mamba and later treason that saw its leaders including KK and RB arrested and detained without convictions.
MMD blockade of UNIP and KK was so prioritised that former UNIP diehards like MCS got close to FJT for such a purpose.
As a result of FJT’s, KK like, strong-handed presidentialism, influenced by UNIPists and unionists, soon caused FJT to become, like KK, a de facto one leader and MMD like UNIP, a de facto one party that splintered into other political parties, major among them being National Party.
After MMD and FJT frustrated UNIP and KK into the 1996 election boycott; later condemning KK for his return from retirement, FJT himself in 1999 to 2001 pursued a presidential third term bid despite a high turnover of four Vice Presidents in 10 years.
In fact, upon blocked from the third term bid, he reverted to his first VP LPM who had resigned in 1994 as his successor in 2001.
Otherwise, the course of the nation and multiparty democracy would have been different had FJT maintained LPM as running mate VP, from start to finish, as the party initially desired.
FJT presidential third term bid at the end 2001 further splintered MMD into other new parties with (UPND), FDD, HP (and PF) among the major ones.
In 2001, MMD defeated UPND, PF etc among with PF in seventh position of 11 presidential candidates.
In 2011, PF defeated MMD.
MMD that restored both multiparty and multiple presidents in 1991 wanted to immediately return to power in 2016 or earlier after it lost power in 2011, that is, after 20 years and three presidents in power.
More than first reorganize itself as opposition in providing checks and balances, as it first did, MMD introduced and degenerated into factionalism and defections to PF, its 2001 splinter and 2011 successor.
In 2021, UPND of HH defeated PF of EL.
PF commissioned a postmortem of 2021 elections loss, that recommended among others rebranding.
UNIP and MMD too had been rebranding.
EL who was undemocratically sole, unopposed and unchallenged candidate, after loss, undertook a slow retirement process of about one year towards a extraordinary general conference to democratically elect his successor.
PF rebranding and succession are side by side.
Meaning PF shall spend about one year recovering from the election loss and preparing to elect a PF party president instead of becoming a formidable opposition it boasts of being from 2001 to 2011.
PF was undemocratic throughout and most unlikely to be strengthened by a democratic general conference.
Unfortunately, PF born of MMD one leader third term mentality or UNIP one party participatory democray was always a weak democracy and opposition.
For example, PF and MCS in 2001 were non factors in the seventh presidential position and one MP.
As UPND focused on the 2001 presidential election petition, PF focussed on early election campaign either LPM it termed cabbage calling them ot early elections in case he dropped dead from his “cabbage” state.
MCS went on a rampage. LPM suffered a heart attack in 2006.
MCS too shortly suffered a more serious heart attack.
LPM generally ignored him.
They later reconciled after MCS heart attack and evacuation to SA by LPM.
Well, it is claimed that MCS opposition of LPM is what made LPM perform and succeed.
(It is never admitted that MCS corruption is what caused VP LPM resignation in 1994 or that LPM evacuation saved MCS.)
On one hand, PF and MCS while opposing LPM denied LPM succeeded or achieved anything including the fight against corruption.
On the other hand, PF and MCS were non-factors compared to UPND and AKM with a good election results and some chance in presidential petition at court.
UPND seemed to spend time and effort in court than in opposition and parliament.
AKM later fell sick to spend more time in hospital.
When he died was succeeded by HH who continued to wait for his turn to form government than being opposition.
That is the pattern PF has followed of waiting for power than working as opposition and UPND has followed the PF pattern of discounting opposition PF chances of returning to power.
Of course, one pattern is all parties have suffered shock upsets when they least expected them.
