KBN TV EDITORIAL COMMENT: STRENGTH OF UKA PUT TO TEST AS PF MOUNTS PRESSURE ON ECL TO BECOME ALLIANCE CANDIDATE
We have listened to an audio recording doing rounds on social media involving an unmistakable voice of the Sixth Republican President, Edgar Lungu and another unrecognizable voice that sounds like one of his top party lieutenants. We think such an audio should not go without comment.
Firstly, we are of the view that such sensitive and strategic discussions to plan on how to influence broader decision making and securing alliance partners’ buy in shouldn’t be done on open lines. The risk of such discussions being recorded and going viral is very high as the case is and we don’t even know who recorded the conversation and later on leaked it.
Secondly, UKA is still very fragile and the parties must care to protect the unity within the alliance without making others feel undermined. While people are free to make suggestions on who should be the flag bearer, efforts should be focused on canvassing for support within the UKA Council of Presidents both individually and collectively. Ultimately, it’s the UKA Council of Presidents that should agree and announce their collective choice.
Listening to that phone conversation, ECL is very well aware of the wider implications and you could clearly tell he was being very cautious not to make his lieutenant feel dismissed.
What the audio has clearly revealed though is the immense pressure being heaped on him to become the UKA candidate, but he politely guided on what should be done to avoid being dragged into the controversy of self imposition.
We sympathize with ECL for the pressure he is having to put up with and yet he should still remain a tall figure to unite the opposition alliance in a democratically fractured nation.
It’s very hard to be ECL right now. He is just one man but he should be large enough to accommodate different views from his wife, his children, the Church, sponsors, sympathizers, party structures, and his colleagues within UKA.
As if that’s not complicated enough, he should also pay attention to what his lawyers are saying about his eligibility case currently active before the ConCourt.
No one wants to be in the shoes of ECL right now. While we sympathize with him, we are comforted to know that this kind of pressure comes with the territory of being a States Man and Father figure to the nation.
As a former head of state, ECL is more experienced than everyone whispering in his ears and he knows the burden on his shoulders is very heavy and he can’t be forced into making a rushed decision. We pray for him that beyond the many voices of men, he will hear the intimation of God in making that difficult choice.
We have said it before and we want to repeat it here that by far, ECL remains the most popular figure in UKA today by virtue of being a former head of state with strong connections to marshal financial support and a personal appeal to the masses.
He knows that as a father figure, those factors shouldn’t be the only consideration. There is a lot more at stake. National unity and stability weighs very heavily on his shoulders.
We take cognizant of the fact that willful failure by the UPND Government to implement its runaway populist campaign promises has made the electorate to start comparing and looking at ECL differently. That too, makes him attractive.
While the Council of Presidents want to convince themselves that ECL is one among peers, the reality is that ECL comes to the Council as a “Big Brother” with the financial muscle and party machinery to influence decisions even within UKA. However, PF should feel comfortable that they are well represented within the alliance and allow the Council of Presidents to determine the way forward.
It would appear that UKA itself is fearing to have a candid and open discussion about who they should collectively adopt as a candidate. The sooner they decide, the better for them and by so doing, they will forestall more speculative audio recordings such as the one we listened to today.
Therefore, outside of a consensus agreement within the UKA Council of Presidents, the ECL lieutenants heaping pressure on him to install himself as the chosen UKA candidate are being unfair to him and to the process.
If the UKA Council of Presidents makes a resolve to endorse ECL, let it be the preserve of the Council. That way, everyone will feel respected rather than made to feel like they are rubber stamping decisions made elsewhere.
We recall that ECL has on several accounts publicly said it could be him or anyone within the alliance. Unfortunately, his handlers have gone on a tangent to declare that ECL is UKA and UKA is ECL, disregarding the feelings of other UKA Presidents who should own the decision of who they want to choose among themselves.
We hope that the UKA Council of Presidents will remain resolved to unite and own the process of choosing one of them whether ECL or anyone else. We can only guide, Zambians will support your ultimate collective decision born out of brotherhood and national interest.
Let UKA field ECL as their presidential candidate so that once and for all , this Lungu can go into oblivion. This man thinks that zambia is short of leaders as suggested by his chola boys in the likes of Given Lubinda and Raphael Nakachinda..in UKA there are notable faces that are not new to zambian politics..why should they tell ECL the truth that his role is just to offer them moral and financial support from the resources that he acquired during his term as president.I have always liked the way Mr.Mundubile plays his ego,he is quite but he silence has a volume pages on ECL’s presence on UKA table,he has never spoken neither has he commented on Edgar Chagwa Lungu coming back into active politics, though not a politician but his calmness is a signal that he doesn’t support those supporting ECL comeback. Truly speaking what will ECL put on the table now which he failed to do during his time in office.UKA members should be mindful of this leaked audio because it has the potential of dismantling the good intentions the group had before the PF joined the group.
Zambian political parties should seriously be looking at prospects of political renewal. The youthful population make up the majority of voters. It is therefore important to look at grooming youthful candidates for the Presidency. PF have a very promising youthful candidate in Kamfisa MP Engineer Christopher Chishimba Kangombe. He is educated, level-headed and mature for the top job. Even older voters can vote for such a youthful person for the country’s Presidency. It would be good to identify such youthful candidates early and begin marketing them now.
ECL is UKA and UKA is ECL.
UKA, lungu and are a bunch of has been baboon’s
Don’t worry, everything has been arranged with HaECZ !
The rehearsal on 12 July has perfected the “R” machine!!.
Observer always too much nonsense in your comment. Why can’t you speak sense for once? Stop using your behind on serious governance matters. Edgar Lungu’s gone for good iwe PF/ UKWA bag loser! Sit down Mambala iwe you are producing hot air!
Uka is a still baby it is going nowhere. ECL is a finished by product of pf. He is not even the president of pf. Watch the space he is only in politics to save himself and his family. The audio making rounds suggests that pressure should be mounted on the constitutional court meaning they know the outcome. Let ECL come to his senses and retire.KBN is bullshit of a TV station.
uka , ecl and pf gives hh sleepless night.
Frank Talk Matako yako sir for insinuating that your ECL and UKWA bag losers give HH sleepless nights. You are losing bye elections but busy talking sh*t pa Facebook iwe PF idiot. Abash PF criminals forever!
Don’t cheat us by pretending that this was not the work of ECL to make us believe he is not forcing himself to be declared the sole UKA presidential candidate. It was recorded and released by PF.
After all UKA is a creation of the PF. PF know that their reputation is in taters and cannot mount a comeback on their own. UKA is an attempt to launder the tarnished image of PF so that they can ride on the back of others in their comeback bid.
Right from the word go, PF never intended for anyone else other than ECL to be the presidential candidate of UKA. There will not be a democratic process to elect the presidential candidate for UKA and any one who attemps to offer their candidature will be shouted down. As far as PF are concerned, the so called partners are just escortees, and the earlier the so called partners realise this truth, the better for them.
Ba KBN TV, in the first place, Mr. Lungu is neither a statesman nor a father figure of the nation. He is just a former President.
UKWA should not pretend that Mr. Lungu is an equal among equals. He towers over all the other so called members of the Council of President’s. He is the defacto president of UKWA, waiting to be confirmed if they hold their convention.
What the other UKWA presidents are hoping for is that Mr. Lungu will be legally barred from standing so that he can endorse one of them and thus transfer his power base to the anointed.
The fact is without Mr. Lungu, there is no UKWA. Simple as that.
FIELD ECL AND THE 2026 CAMPAIGN IS DELELE TO US THE UPND. EVEN A 10 YEAR OLD CHILD CAN DECAMPAIGN PF
You will never govern again.Your skills lie elsewhere as a people!!!
To win in 2026, exclude the main opposition from the ballot.You have already started doing it with ECL, the 9 MPs,etc, courtesy of the courts,HaECZ and parliament.
Observer too much idiocy in your comment again PF Nkumba yamunthu iwe. Is not your fellow PF Kelenka Miles Sampa who expelled those 9 PF MP losers iwe Kembo? Stop being petty and silly! PF must die for good.