SELF- DECEPTION: HICHILEMA AND THE UPND BEYOND 2026- Fred M’membe

SELF- DECEPTION: HICHILEMA AND THE UPND BEYOND 2026

Mr Hakainde Hichilema and his corrupt puppet regime must stop deceiving themselves that they still have a chance to remain in power beyond 2026 despite their disastrous performance.

These lies and misinformation they’re spreading amongst themselves and their gullible friends and followers that there is no strong opposition to dislodge them from power, and that they will continue until they are tired is nothing but sheer arrogance and ignorance.

It is very easy to see that these are sentiments or claims of delusional, irrational, and ignorant people who have no clue whatsoever about the political history of this country.

Clearly, the UPND lacks the political depth to grasp or discern what is happening on the ground and how it is affecting its continued existence as a governing party.

But we are not surprised at all because, as a political organization, the UPND does not see beyond its leader; it has always been about their leader’s interests and not the people. The cult of personality in the UPND has always been very strong. This trait is even more pronounced now when they’re in government than when they were in opposition.

In their view, the UPND leadership and supporters are convinced that they will mistreat Zambians in anyway they can; loot the treasury; destroy the economy and public institutions; and create a one-party state because their hold on state power is guaranteed since in their own words “there is no strong opposition” to dislodge them. What a misguided notion?

But like we have stated this argument is totally misplaced and lacks depth, research and understanding, and here is how it fails on all fronts; the UPND must know that the strongest opposition in Zambia has not emerged from an opposition party in our history. Real opposition in this country has always emerged from the suffering masses of our people.

For instance, the MMD was formed July 1990 and registered as a political party in December 1990, after opposition to the then governing party, UNIP’s dominance on state power and economic troubles grew amongst the population. Within a space of 15 months after its inception, multi-party presidential and parliamentary elections were conducted on October 31, 1991, and the MMD swept into power in a landslide victory. Frederick Chiluba polled 76 per cent of the vote against Kenneth Kaunda’s 24 per cent.

Further, the MMD scooped 125 of the 150 elected parliamentary seats in the National Assembly at that time. This is how MMD, a 15 months old political party, ousted UNIP and ended Kaunda’s 27-year rule and remained dominant in Zambia’s politics until September 2011.

And so the UPND must not use their 23-year long stay in opposition politics as a benchmark or guiding principle of assuming power in this country. No, it does not have to always be that way for everybody. In fact, both the MMD and the PF’s rise to power proved that real opposition lies in the hands of the people.

MMD formed government within 15 months of its formation, and PF formed government within 10 years of its formation whilst the UPND that was formed much earlier than the PF was still struggling to get into government.

So Mr Hichilema and the UPND must not deceive themselves that there is no strong opposition in Zambia because the strongest opposition they have today are the suffering and hungry majority of our people. And already, the people are fed up and banding together against corruption, injustice, and oppression.

It is no longer in doubt that Mr Hichilema’s corrupt puppet regime is unhinged and enormously reckless by all leadership standards. It is also undeniable that Mr Hichilema is untested, paranoid, and a hyper-sensitive and speculative individual who has been confronted with the reality of governance quicker than he thought.

The lack of self limitation and modesty, inferiority complex, ethnic bigotry, uncontrollable ego or pride, failure to comprehend the limitations and consequences of power and so on and so forth, all signify Mr Hichilema’s bad and ill-preparation for leadership at that level and justify why he must not stay in office beyond 2026.

Sadly for them, they don’t realise that whatever they’re doing each day that passes is diving this nation, galvanising the public against them and entangling them further into the web of deceit and self-destruction

The self-deception amongst them is visible. The leadership misjudgments and criminal connivance to harm selected citizens and destroy our nation are also very visible.

But they’re blinded by power and ill-gotten wealth, and can’t see that their time is up. The people have realised the mistake they made in voting them in and can’t wait to correct it.

Let them deceive themselves. They will learn the hard way. It will end in disgrace!

Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party