THE TWO MEN WHO DEFIED KK’S ONE-PARTY STATE!
ZAMBIA, IN THE 1980s, was deep into a single-party state.
In the absence of opposition political parties, two unions – the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions [ZCTU] and the Zambia National Farmers Union [ZNFU] – stood in the gap and offered effective checks and balances to Dr. Kenneth Kaunda’s UNIP government.
The workers’ and farmers’ movements were, respectively, led by two courageous men, both vocal and eloquent. Frederick Chiluba was ZCTU chairman-general [president], while Ben Kapita was ZNFU president.
Both served longer than anyone before, in their respective positions, before stepping into partisan politics.
Chiluba was ZCTU chairman-general for 17 years, from 1974 to 1991 when he became President of Zambia, while Kapita was ZNFU president for 13 years, from 1983 to 1996 when he founded the opposition Lima Party which he co-chaired with the late Dr Guy Scott.
BEN KAPITA:
“When Dr. Kenneth Kaunda was there, I used to have fights with him. The man was very hard, but if you sold yourself well to him, he would do what you wanted. He accorded me 28 appointments … as ZNFU president. I met him
at State House 28 times.”
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An excerpt from the newly released book: Conversations with Memorable Personalities, Part 2 (2026) by Amos Malupenga, Page 406.
Picture caption: Mr Frederick Chiluba (right) as ZCTU chairman general addressing delegates at the then Ridgeway Hotel in Lusaka in the 1980s.