THE CURRENT STATE OF THE OPPOSITION IN ZAMBIA
14/01/2023
In any democratic society , opposition political parties are almost as important as the ruling party.Their checks and balances , plus their alternatives provide the needed democratic oil for political and economic growth.Today ,I will give my analysis about our opposition,in terms of individual parties and as a collective .
*FDD* .
Currently,the FDD under Madam Nawakwi is just on paper .It has lost all the political stamina it had and it is almost impossible to find a provincial leader , district official or a member of this political formation anywhere in the country .While its President is experienced , intelligent ,brave and still around ,the party itself is technically dead .
*PNUP*
This is a Political party headed by Mr Highvie Hamududu .In my view,this man is extremely intelligent and can make a great President.He speaks alot of sense and he is sober minded .The challenge with him is that ,he is not a good political tactician ,no mobilization strategy .Apart from him and his Nalolo MP,the country doesn’t know any other PNUP official.You can’t win an election with such a formation .He is too politically lazy and never in the business of growing.He is also far away from his fellow opposition parties.He is a loner . If he is not careful,he is likely to lose even the single MP he has in Western Province.He is living dangerously.
*MMD*
The former ruling party,now under Dr Nevers Mumba ,is now a shell of former self .Due to so many turbulences it has gone through and the fact that the Zambian people have moved on ,it is just a matter of time before a serious orbituary can be written about MMD.It is dead .Sad for democracy.
*UPPZ*
The UPPZ under Mr Charles Chanda is no longer promising .He was very good politically but the last few years have been catastrophic for this land guru .He must resurrect from his political sleep.He has reasonable potential.
*ZMP*
Zambia Must Prosper under KBF is new and very promising.I hear they will soon be launching their manifesto ,and having read his two books ,I must say the man provides hope for the opposition and the country.He is intelligent, tactical , eloquent and brave .He resonates well with the Young people and citizens in the Northern and Eastern political belts .If he plays his cards well,he could be the next President of Zambia .But at the moment,his party has a lot of grassroot mobilization to do .He has great potential to mobilize.
*GPZ*
The Golden Party under Mr Jackson Silavwe has been around for some time .He portrays a picture of a good patriot but he lacks that edge .He is always commenting on almost everything,every day .It is not good for him and his party .He must only speak when it is necessary.He is also the only person in the party that speaks .He can do better if he had good advisers .At the moment ,he has no political weight.
*DP*
After the departure of Harry Kalaba from the Democratic Party last year ,Madam Judith Kabemba and Mr Justin Nkonge have failed to sustain the party .It is sad that such a promising party has terminally died .
*PeP*
The Patriots for Economic Progress has been handy in providing alternatives , especially on the National Budget .Its President,Mr Sean Tembo ,has been key in making these alternative budgets .This is good for democracy.However,PeP is just around one man and only him alone .Mr Tembo must move out of Facebook and go to create structures in provinces ,if he means business.He must also avoid providing checks and balances childishly using social media .Yes ,he must use it but in a more sensible and mature manner .He is very intelligent and can be taken serious if he becomes serious himself.
*Leadership Movement*
Under Dr Richard Silumbe,the party has remained stable and participates in most elections .This is good for democracy.The team is issue based ,not violent and is always available for national discussions .But again,the LM is never pa ground .Its lack of presence in communities makes it a semi failed project .But the potential is there for growth.
*EFF*
The leader of this party ,Mr Kasonde Mwende is revolutionary but lacks tact.And unlike his mentor ,Malema ,he has no fire power to attract the young people.His ideas and emotional outbursts are just with him .
*UNIP*
To avoid wasting time ,it is just safe to say that UNIP is dead .
*Citizens First*
The CF is the newest political party in Zambia but it is already behaving strongly and positioning itself to convince Zambians for 2026.Harry Kalaba ,the Leader of CF ,is a very determined and focused man .Most people are considering him as replacement for Mr Hichilema . However,the man should avoid being too overconfident .He must genuinely know his political weaknesses and strengths in order for his party to grow.With objective advisers around him ,the man is the future for Zambia. He can make a powerful Republican President .
*NDC*
Madam Saboi Imboela is very vibrant and brave .She can take on anyone and create serious waves but that is just it .Beyond the President ,no one knows another NDC leader and it is difficult ,if not impossible to find leadership structures of NDC in Provinces .It is a Lusaka party ,just like many other parties .
*Socialist Party*
If there is a serious threat to the UPND at the moment ,it is the SP.The Party has attracted serious names ,has structures around the country ,has been consistent in elections and numbers are showing that the formation is having a growth trajectory.If the party will consolidate its grassroot structures and improve its media machinery,it has huge potential to be contenders in 2026 . However,the Party and Mr Fred Membe must clearly tell the people what it wants to do different from the UPND.At the moment,no one knows where the Socialist Party stands on almost all national issues .The party has a lot of community engagements to do . Otherwise,the SP is a serious party to take over state power .
*PAC*
The People’s Alliance for Change was greatly promising but after 2021 ,no one knows where Mr Andyford Mayele Banda has gone .We hope that PAC is not yet dead like UNIP.
*EEP*
The Economic and Equity Party of Chilufya Tayali is a personal Party and only him alone .Off course he has no capacity to mobilize a national grouping and very few Zambians would willingly want to join EEP.That said ,it is important to assert that ,this man alone is more than most parties put together.He makes our politics more dramatic and interesting.He can’t win even bu Counselor but at national level,he causes serious waves .He alone is a political thorn to the UPND and praise singers .
*APC*
The All Congress Party under Mr Nason Msoni is purely a personal business but the man is interestingly and politically magical .He has been around for many years ,knows our politics and cannot be ignored .He makes great political comments and is definitely worthy listening to .
*Economic Front*
The Economic Front is led by Mr Winter Kabimba .It was previously called ,Rainbow Party .The party began well but its current status is very bad .He is very vocal himself and provides great checks and balances but the party starts and ends with him .
*The PF*
In terms of membership and structures,the PF is the biggest opposition in Zambia .After losing power in 2021 ,PF has not recovered from the electoral defeat to UPND . Despite massive infrastructure development, most Zambians have not yet forgiven the party for the alleged ” sins ” it committed between 2011 and 2021 .And looking at the names fronting themselves for PF Presidency later this year ,it will take more than the convention for the PF to begin thinking of grabbing state power from UPND .Off course the manner in which the convention will be done will either break or hold the party together.Equally,the Person who will emerge victorious will either condemn the grouping or help it to believe again.If there is a party that is living more dangerously at the moment,it is the PF .
*CONCLUSION/ WAY* *FORWARD*
As a whole ,the opposition in Zambia is fragmented and weak.They don’t have strong leadership structures in communities .The leaders of these parties are annoyingly selfish and may not come together . This negates the democratic tenet of a strong opposition .
With all the dangerous mistakes UPND is making ,a united and formidable opposition would today be well positioned to mobilize citizens for action.
My advice to the opposition is for them to begin to strengthen their ranks and files so that by late next year,they should come together in a genuine alliance led by either Membe,Kalaba or KBF .Before coming together,they must come up with a common manifesto and common constitution ,to avoid conflicts once in power .
*Authored by Dr Patrick* *Mwanza*
Lusaka ,Zambia*