NEW ‘IMINGALATO’ CONDEMNED
…Mweetwa draws fire over electoral deceit brag
By Thandizo Banda
REFERENCE to ‘imingalato [electoral deceit]’ by those close to State power are deeply troubling, political analyst Dr Lawrence Mwelwa has said.
Dr Mwelwa was reacting to chief government spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa’s recent advice to opposition political parties to unite or face the wrath of the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) new wave of imingalato.
Mwetwa warned that the UPND was not worried by opposition parties’ unity because it was already working on new imingalato (dirty tactics) aimed at defeating them.
“I am compelled, as a political analyst, to issue a firm warning on the tone and direction of our politics as Zambia approaches the 2026 elections,” Dr Mwelwa said.
“In our political history, imingalato signifies inducement and unequal competition, not democratic mobilisation,” he said.
“Elections are not a party project. They are a constitutional process owned by the people. Any attempt to blur the line between government and party undermines public trust and places undue pressure on governance institutions, particularly the Electoral Commission of Zambia. Fair play must be demonstrated through restraint, not rhetoric,” Dr Mwelwa said.
He urged government to respect institutional neutrality and desist from language or conduct that suggested entitlement to the electoral process.
“Democracy survives only when referees remain referees. I also urge the opposition to read this moment clearly. Calls for unity from those in power are not casual remarks; they signal a hardening political contest,” he said.
Dr Mwelwa urged the opposition to be vigilant, united and legally prepared, especially as new electoral legislation loomed.
“The battlelines are drawn. Zambia must choose between fairness and convenience. History will judge harshly those who sacrifice integrity for short-term advantage,” he said.
Mweetwa recently boasted that the ruling party had come up with new tricks for it to defeat the opposition next year.
