No sane Zambian should rejoice over destructive factionalism in political parties

By Daily Revelation Editor

And so it happened just like that. By ‘mere coincidence’ Miles Sampa did not have to go through all those hurdles and cancellations and postponements his fellow opposition leaders go through when it comes to dealing with the police when it comes to holding public gatherings.

It so happened that in this land of Zambia, while its many inhabitants were genuinely celebrating their 59^th Independence Day, with the President of the Republic Hakainde Hichilema hosting his Tanzanian counterpart Samia Sululu Hassan, and other government officials spread across the country officiating at various Independence day commemorations, something big that threatens the very existence of the country’s biggest opposition political party (PF) was taking place at Mulungushi International Conference Centre, secured by a heavy police presence.

What a coincidence that all this was happening against the backdrop of the many important events that were taking place in Zambia on that day.

We repeat what we said the other day, that Miles is such a powerful man in this Republic that he took the shine off a visiting head of state, with his event attracting more police officers than any other dignitary could ever dream of.

The PF leadership surely bears responsibility that they failed to organize themselves well enough in advance to avoid the situation deteriorating to that level, doing the needful by electing a leader, rather than discussing one and the same thing of holding a conference for over two years, without any tangible progress just because some individuals are trying to secure the spot for alebwelelapo. However, the biggest evil is when institutions that are supposed to further democracy in the country exploit that situation to basically kill off a political party.

The status quo right now is that in that political party, the feelings have been hardened against the opposing factions, with counter expulsions and counter disciplinary measures flowing freely like refuse into the sewer. And despite strong assertions of the states’ complicity, we just don’t know how far that invisible hand has sunk into the pocket. However, every situation is redeemable.

The PF leadership led by Edgar Lungu through Given Lubinda and Raphael Nakachinda, must be magnanimous enough as they stand to be the biggest losers in all this scheme. Let them as leaders call all the warring parties in the PF, including Miles himself, and finally indicate the exact date for the holding of a general conference which all the parties will commit to.

This deliberate inertia of stalling the situation so that Edgar can come back in and fill up the presidency will simply work given what is already unfolding. Just as the PF is complaining of the undemocratic moves against them, they themselves must work towards establishing democracy within their own organisation.

If Lungu is standing, he better open himself to a conference where he will be challenged by the other candidates. He resigned from the PF presidency and can’t just come back in and fill up without being challenged as some want him to do.

We are aware that after the PF lost the elections in 2021, some of Lungu’s sympathisers in the PF went into overdrive trying to urge their fellow members to back their plans.

“Nga ukuchikatafye ichi chi presidency chaba vacant (How about just holding this position of president vacant)” until 2026 so that Lungu can come back in and occupy it” one of the vocal senior leaders in PF is believed to have told a colleague in trying to win them over to their position.

Such shallow mindedness has now resulted in others exploiting that same situation to the disadvantage of those ill-conceived plans.

We just hope it’s not too late, but if the PF wants to get out of this impasse, the only path that seems to have a little chance of bringing the factions together is to immediately go to a general conference.

If you want Lungu to come back, let him face an open competition where he will be challenged by the others and not this hide and seek you are playing.

A normal country that is serious about enhancing democracy cannot allow a situation where the biggest opposition party devolves into factionalism. Such a political party cannot be expected to offer effective checks and balances on the ruling party and the instruments of state it holds.