By Esther Chisola
Southern African Centre for Constructive Resolutions of Disputes (SACCORD) has challenged opposition political parties to avoid conflicts within their ranks and embrace internal leadership succession mechanisms in order to avoid political party factions.
And SACCORD has urged the UPND to try and build the process of transition as opposed to people remaining in a vacuum and starting to fight for leadership once they leave office.
In an interview yesterday, SACCORD programs manager Arthur Muyunda bemoaned the culture of Zambian politics that did not prepare for a transition process of political parties, leading to multiple factions.
“The culture of Zambian politics where a ruling party that loses power always has factions has continued. We saw it when UNIP lost power, we saw a number of factions that came out of UNIP that destabilised the party and it has made it difficult for UNIP to come back to power. We saw it in MMD and now PF,” he said.
Muyunda said factions within a political party made it difficult for the opposition to offer credible checks and balances.
“Our interest is that it is good for inter party democracy but not good for the democracy of the country. It leaves the ruling to take it all as a result, there is no credible checks and balances that will be offered to the ruling party,” he said
Muyunda further called on the opposition to unite, either in alliances or form effective political parties that could give effective checks and balances.
“We expect the opposition to regroup themselves to be strong and to also give effective and credible checks and balances to the government and to avoid conflicts within themselves because conflicts would not take the opposition anywhere,” said Muyunda.
“And I think this is the lesson UPND should learn that when they are in power, they need to try and build the process of transition so that when a leader leaves, there is someone who comes as a leader as opposed for people to remain in a vacuum and start fighting for leadership.”
Since the PF was booted out of power, it has experienced leadership wrangles which have resulted in three factions and further weakened the opposition party.
The first faction is one being led by former president Edgar Lungu and the second one by Matero member of parliament Miles Sampa, while the third one is led by Mafinga member of parliament Robert Chabinga.
