TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ZAMBIAN OPPOSITION PARTIES
BY Hope Moonga
Dear Esteemed Leaders of the Opposition,
I write to you with a sense of urgency and concern for the future of our beloved Zambia. As the nation approaches a critical juncture, it is evident that President Hakainde Hichilema and his United Party For National Development (UPND) are acutely aware of the growing discontent among the Zambian people.
The winds of change are blowing, and it is clear that Hichilema knows his re-election prospects are at risk. While the people’s frustrations, rising cost of living, unfulfilled promises, and economic hardships, signal a potential shift in the political landscape, President Hichilema is not sitting idle.
As he recently put it, he is not sleeping, but is strategising, mobilising resources, and taking deliberate steps to consolidate power and influence the outcome of the 2026 elections.
Meanwhile, it appears that you as the opposition have adopted a passive stance, waiting for the people’s dissatisfaction to organically translate into votes against President Hichikema and the UnitedPartyforNationalDevelopment (UPND). This approach is a grave miscalculation. The Zambian people are indeed frustrated, but they are not a monolithic force that will automatically rally behind you without leadership, direction, and a clear vision. Relying solely on public discontent without proactive engagement risks squandering a historic opportunity to restore hope and deliver meaningful change.
President Hichilema’s camp is not waiting for the people to decide their fate; they are shaping the narrative, strengthening their machinery, and addressing vulnerabilities.
If you look at all the steps President Hichilema is taking, such as attempting to illegally amend the constitution, putting his loyalist in key positions such as Electoral Commission of Zambia, calling embarrassing meetings with chiefs and building their palaces and enacting oppressive legislation, such as the cyber security and cybercrimes law to curtail free speech, they are all meant to give the UPND an electoral advantage.
Platforms like Zambian Whistleblower have been highlighting the threat of First Quantum Minerals (FQM) “pro-UPND interference”, which started as far back as 2016 through international lobby groups, local focus groups and openzambia online platform, now aimed at helping President Hichilema and the ruling party secure a second term in office, and maintain the pro-multinational, anti-poor business environment.
The impact of FQM’s activities on the next general election have been highlighted in the hope that the opposition would pick this up and end and such direct interference meant to influence outcomes of Zambian elections. But to date, you as opposition have not taken this issue as seriously as you are now viewing the installation of UPND cadres at the ECZ.
The time for complacency is over. President Hichilema is acting decisively to tilt the playing field in his favour. The question is: will the opposition rise to the challenge, or will you allow this moment to slip through your fingers?
General complaints about public order Act and other restrictions by the UPND government will not solve anything. It is better for the oppositon to find a way around these restrictions. Either challenge them in court or peacefully refuse to be stopped. The Zambian people are looking for leaders who will seize this opportunity and act decisively too. Unite, mobilize, and lead or risk being left behind by a government that knows its survival depends on outworking you.