By Angela Moonga
And independent MP candidate in Southern Province says it hurts to see President Hakainde Hichilema victimising independent candidates, when he was the same person who stood before the camera and confessed about the confused adoption process that was characterised by many errors.
Speaking to Daily Revelation, the MP aspirant who refused to be mentioned for fear of victimisation, and to avoid being “lynched” or “Garry Nkombod”, said independents were being demonised for a fire they did not start.
“It hurts to see podiums that should be platforms for ideas turn into stages for character assassination.
It hurts to see the word..’independent’ spat out like a curse word, while the people who lit the fire are now walking around wearing medals of honor,” the MP aspirant said.
The candidate argued that the independents were not a problem but a symptom.
“The Apology Was Already Made. On Camera.
Last month, in June 2026 President Hakainde Hichilema stood before the nation and did something rare in politics. He apologized.
On national media, he admitted it: the UPND adoption process was confused,Errors happened. Double certificates were issued. Loyal members were left in limbo,” the candidate said. “That apology was not whispered. It was broadcast. So why are we now acting like the confusion never happened?”
The candidate argued that independents were not opposition but just Zambians, who looked at a closed door inside their party and chose to walk through the open door the Constitution gave them.
“That is not rebellion!! That is democracy. Many of these men and women sold UPND in every village. They sang the songs. They paid the dues. They defended the party, others insulted for being members of UPND. They did not relent. These are children from your own home who you want to demonized for exercising their own democratic right.
The house mismanaged them, the constitution allowed them to do stand independently, is that out of order?” the candidate said. “Go to any rally today and listen. More minutes are spent attacking independents than explaining what the ‘adopted’ candidate will do for roads, for CDF, for jobs, for hospitals and generally people. Since when did ‘don’t vote for so-and-so’ become a manifesto? You cannot have everyone as your opposition. Defin your opposition. Is it poverty? Is it corruption? Is it policy failure?”
The candidate argued that by the way independents were no longer UPND as they were sued in the high court and majority opted to resign from the UPND.
“Must they always look behind their back…Let them be, Zambia is also their country, they are not refugees…Can we stop looking at them with an evil eye because they wouldn’t kneel. Don’t blame them because they chose to stand,” the candidate said. “The President showed leadership by apologizing. That was step one. Step two is maturity. Leave the independents alone. They did not print two adoption letters. They did not mismanage the process.
They did not cause the confusion The President himself owned.”
The candidate argued that Zambia in 2026 deserves debates about water in maize prices, youth jobs, and clinics — not witch hunts against citizens who chose to run.
“And let us remember: when you burn your own house through poor management, you don’t get to blame the smoke for escaping. The real shame is not in standing independently. The real shame is refusing to take responsibility for the mess that made them stand,” said the candidate.
