THE ZAMBIAN POLITICS OF USING THE DEAD AS MANIFESTO

THE ZAMBIAN POLITICS OF USING THE DEAD AS MANIFESTO-Actually, the difference between RB and ECL was acceptance. Rupiah Banda was emotionally elected by citizens in 2008 after Levy Patrick Mwanawasa died, but only served a term. In 2011 when RB had it within his power to rig elections, he accepted defeat: he had to let the people’s choice prevail and won himself respect from within and across the world.

Sata won that election, becoming the 5th Republican President of Zambia.

On the other hand, ECL was equally, emotionally voted into power in 2015 after Sata’s death (in 2014). But how long can people vote for you based on emotions? By 2016 ECL had already lost popularity. In fact, ECL was possibly going to serve for only a year and some months: but, he allegedly couldn’t accept defeat in 2016 by allegedly rigging the elections after losing to HH.

Isn’t it safe to say that ECL hated HH? Because genuinely, looking at it from all angles, HH has always been better than ECL: financially and intellectually. Away from competition, using the concept of common sense:  you can’t like someone who’s better than you.

ECL tried by all means to stop HH from leading this nation, such that even after his supposed two terms were done, he couldn’t allow other PF members to take over party leadership: he went on and attempted a third term: just to make sure HH doesn’t become president of Zambia.

Even the 2017 allegations of obstructing the presidential motorcade  were allegedly fake, born from allegedly a planned scenario-to trap HH under a treason case. To silence his political rival (HH) and make sure HH was out of the presidential race for 2021. Otherwise, those charges were dropped, for lacking ground. We all know that story, it is in the public domain. Or you can read it on Amnesty International website, BBC and etc…

Unfortunately, especially fortunately: how long can you stop a man whose time has come? In 2021 ECL couldn’t afford to escape losing because  this time HH had left him by a very huge margin.

Usually, a person who works hard and earn money then loses it, feels bad. But, the person who luckily picks that money, in case they happen to lose it also, they feel very bad than the actual owner (Shipungu quote).

Despite losing in 2021, ECL couldn’t heal, he later came back to active politics, with one main purpose: to remove HH from power. That’s not politics, but hatred-politics must be people-centered.

Anyway, that aside.

The thing is, to those who think they can win elections using ECL’s body listen to this: Zambian politics/voting pattern has never been influenced by the death of a former president.  Especially, for a president who was made “former” by being voted out of power.

Let’s look at these 2 scenarios again:

Firstly, the death of two serving presidents, Mwanawasa and Sata, made us produce accidental presidents: RB and ECL. But why accidental presidents? Rupiah never had a message, his only manifesto was to simply continue from where Levy had left and people emotionally voted him into office. People voted for RB based on emotions, not based on the qualities or vision he had for Zambia. After emotions had fade, RB was voted out.

Similarly, in 2014 after Sata died while serving, Lungu’s message (in the 2015 elections) was that he was chosen by Sata, to continue where Sata left. He used Sata’s death as manifesto and he was elected president, voted into office by emotions. These two cases, creates a historical relationship between MMD and PF. And, the ending of both political parties is very similar.

But the biggest question still is, can the opposition today make it to state house by using ECL’s death as leverage? The answer is, only if ECL was a serving president. As much as funerals summon people, another “answer” is a question: does the death of a former president cause an election?

If your answer is no, then change of government is impossible.

Otherwise, the cycle of electing leaders based on the “dead” as manifesto was broken in 2021. Anything that happened between 2008 and 2021, will never happen again in Zambian politics.

(c) Shipungu June 1, 2026