The race to opposition candidature
By Osward Bwali
FROM day one of the United Party for National Development (UPND) in government, they have shown that one of their top political strategies is to incapacitate the opposition by any means necessary.
For a party that had itself existed and flourished for 23 years before assuming state power, this is a rather bizarre, and a clear slap in the face of Zambia’s democracy and the Zambian people.
Four years ago, Hakainde Hichilema’s political advisor, Levy Ngoma, and Joseph Akafumba, a technocrat, were caught red-handed planning to prevent the Democratic Party from participating in a by-election and plotting the opposition party’s downfall. Fast-forward, Harry Kalaba is now President of Citizens First (CF), thanks to alleged interference from Hakainde’s henchmen.
The best example, however, is the Patriotic Front (PF). The former ruling party has weathered through typhoons, hurricanes, and tsunamis from State House. The results of a four-year nonstop assault on Zambia’s biggest opposition are there to see. Hichilema stole the party leadership and handed it to his stooges and political simpletons, Miles Sampa and Robert Chabinga.
In spite of the coup through abuse of state institutions, the PF remained resilient with the de facto leadership of late Edgar Lungu. Lungu had dramatically rescinded his retirement decision to defend his party from Hichilema’s hate-fueled resolve to kill the party through dirty methods including arrests, kidnappings, and jailing of the party’s leaders and associates.
In this sense, Lungu is a hero and martyr of Zambia’s democracy that he died for defending against Hichilema’s dictatorship. Hichilema had to get rid of Edgar Lungu politically, one way or the other. Lungu is dead but not buried! Not buried both literally and figuratively. Hichilema has in various ways prevented the burial of Lungu’s body. First, by insisting on his unwanted attendance of Lungu’s interment and, second, by stopping Lungu’s burial by his widow and orphans in South Africa.
Figuratively, Lungu remains unburied through his active role in Zambia’s opposition politics. His court case continues to expose barbarism and potential occultism of Hichilema. This exposure reflects very poorly on Hichilema’s moral and presidential character. To the extent that Zambians do not want an evil president or one perceived to be associated with Satanic rituals, Hichilema’s chances of serving only one term as president are high, courtesy of unburied Lungu.
Edgar Lungu also remains unburied through his unfolding Plan B. As an outsider, I am not privy to what Plan B was, if there was any! But there is an interpretation of Plan B which seems to make sense as it continues to unfold at an increasingly faster pace. Lungu’s Plan B is diffusing the soul of the PF into places where Hichilema cannot touch it. That is into a unified opposition and a special purpose political vehicle.
But the reportedly ailing dictator’s hand can be seen now throwing spanners into Plan B from his Choma ranch or hospice. As Robert Chabinga frantically waves his PF papers bequeathed to him by self-appointed opposition’s undertaker or malukula, the PF structures have moved on without the papers. Like Lungu’s body, the real PF has refused to be buried by the person that actively sort its death. The foolishness of the UPND mantra, “There is no opposition” was exposed in Chawama as PF carried the day despite flagrant electoral malpractices by an absentee Hichilema.
The Chawama by-election had a few interesting plots and sub-plots. It showed Hichilema is not unwell. He is very unwell! The Mighty HH, Calculator Boy, Mr Fixer missing a by-election as directly against Lungu as can be is never happening! Unless he is too sick and his coming to Chawama a huge health risk. If the by-election was happening on the moon, a healthy Hichilema was going there to ensure victory against his nemesis’ stubborn ghost.
The biggest confirmation that the dictator is ailing ironically came from Edgar’s and his orphan’s former seat grabbed from her using a Speaker who ‘twerks’ in parliament when UPND wins. I can only wish him a quick recovery as the road to August will not be friendly to a healthy Hichilema, let alone one supporting himself on a walking stick and needing jabs or herbs every few steps. Besides, the chopper could only fit so many doctors or sangomas.
Chawama (in Bemba, “it is well”), also showed the UPND circus. It was an excellent comedy of errors. The campaign was headed by Gary Nkombo. Now, Nkombo is the UPND’s ‘Lucifer’. Thrown out of the party’s high table for his alleged pride and desire for power. The party’s god won’t allow that. Then, you allow this downcast outcast clipped of his wings and radiance to lead a critical campaign? Unbelievable. Nkombo lacks flair, confidence, authority, attraction. Everything! He is the zombie of the Nkombo before the fall from glory, the unceremonious dismissal. He may spray the most expensive cologne, but he has no aura.
As if the Nkombo misjudgment wasn’t enough, UPND chose baldhead Nevers Mumba. The man who represents the most crass and reprehensible political opportunism and belly politics! He has no modicum of respect among any decent human being. Then drug trafficking convict Innocent “Amelikan” Kalimanshi was the icing on the cake. A PF troublemaker has resurfaced with aplomb as a UPND commander. This did not only show the UPND as a desperate party with no leadership and no plan, but as a laughingstock. And this is the party in government!
Kalimanshi and Mumba are political skunks carrying around them a putrid stench which no voter can stand. Even the UPND faithful scampered from the foul smell. Chawama showed us, that indeed, those the gods wish to destroy, they first make go mad. If what the UPND did in Chawama isn’t madness, then I don’t know what is. But let me move on from the Chawama digression.
Lungu and the PF are re-writing “What does not kill you makes you stronger” “What kills you makes you untouchable”. Part of the amorphous PF remains under Given Lubinda’s leadership, for lack of a better term. This leadership has been characterised by reactiveness and kneejerk decisions. The roles of contender and unifier are difficult to roll into one.
Lubinda’s decisions have tended to leave a bad aftertaste as if made to facilitate personal ambition and not party unity. Lubinda seems to have gone against Lungu’s wisdom of placing him at the party’s helm for being a neutral non-contestant. Lubinda’s decisions, or lack thereof, now carry a strong whiff of partiality and self-promotion, especially against fellow ‘PF’ contestant Brian Mundubile. But interestingly, from a bystander’s viewpoint, Mundubile seems always a step ahead in this Tom and Jerry ‘intraparty’ chase.
The Mporokoso MP has led online surveys a favourite over others including Given Lubinda who came fifth in the KBN TV online poll. Within the ‘PF’, the awkward-looking Mundubile has eloped with the party structures, much to Lubinda’s chagrin. Over thirty PF and independent MPs are reported to have openly backed Mundubile, the most for any of the aspirants. I am amused by these events as I don’t personally fancy Mundubile. But his surprising streetwise maneuvers seem to be winning over the skeptical observers each passing day.
Lubinda seems to have brought political malaise in his ‘PF’ at a time when the party needs reinvigorating as Zambians look for alternatives to UPND tribalism and incompetence. Lubinda’s opaque leadership style has also fueled talk that he is Hichilema’s Trojan Horse aimed at incapacitating the party through procrastination and self-inflicted wrangles. His perceived contrivances against a clear party favourite appears to cement such a sentiment.
Clearly, at present, the momentum seems to be in Mundubile’s favour. Whatever his attraction is, it seems to be working charms in the Tonse Alliance where he is now vying for the Chairmanship. The coming weeks and months will answer for us the questions: Will any weapon formed against Mundubile prosper? Is Mundubile the stone that the builder refused that became the cornerstone?
