TIME FOR POSTURING IS OVER: EITHER WE UNITE, OR WE ARE DEFEATED ALONE
For close to four years, our people have been urging the opposition to unite and field one presidential candidate in this year’s elections. They are still crying for this.
We are two weeks away from the commencement of the nominations process. And we are still talking about opposition unity, about agreeing to field one opposition presidential candidate!
There’s still some posturing, some empty rhetoric about unity.
We live in a highly contaminated political and moral environment in which we have become used to saying something different from what we feel or want. We have learned not to believe in anything.
No true political or election pacts can be built on posturing, dishonest, and the continuous shifting sides of evasions. Enough of posturing! Enough of empty unity rhetoric! Let’s have one opposition presidential candidate tomorrow! It’s not impossible.
It can be done. If we don’t do it, Mr Hichilema will do it for us, but the wrong way – by stopping some of the opposition candidates from being on the ballot. Don’t say he can’t do it! He has done many things we thought he wouldn’t do
First of all, we must take advantage of the fact that after many long months, the prospect of a genuine opposition unity now lies before us. Our long-standing differences, rivalries, and animosities have been covered over by the common experience of Mr Hichilema’s tyranny.
The posturing and empty statements of opposition unity are vanishing in the midst of Mr Hichilema’s repression and unbridled imingalato.
Along with them, the covert, quiet, and malicious incitement of political, ethnic and selfish tendencies – carried out in the spirit of “divide and win” – are increasing as well.
The coming together of the opposition ought, therefore, to be assessed in the light of genuine unity and mutual respect.
This authentic unity – based on a proper understanding of the political reality imposed upon by Mr Hichilema’s cruelty and political dishonest, on the common lessons it has taught us, and above all on the common ideals that now should unite us – should ultimately inform a proper coordination of our policies.
One way or the other, one thing is certain: For the first time in months, we have a real opportunity to come together and form a single electoral pact. It’s either we come together; or we are defeated alone.
Fred M’membe
People’s Pact 2026 Presidential Candidate and President of the Socialist Party