The stark choices facing Zambians ahead of Aug 13

By Daily Revelation Editor

Zambians are being confronted with three main choices as the country heads into the August 13, 2026 general elections.

The first choice they are being confronted with is if they should maintain the UPND in office by re-electing President Hakainde Hichilema and the ruling party back into office for another five year term.

They will be doing so by reconciling with the President’s record over the five years he’s been in office. Zambians have now tasted who Hakainde Hichilema is, not as an opposing leader making fancy promises of heaven on earth, and to solve all the country’s problems, but as someone who has been confronted with the reality of serving in government, and the challenges that come with the same. They have now known Hichilema as both an opposition and ruling party politician. He now has a record for Zambians to better judge him against. Has he served to the satisfaction of Zambians for instance? Has he used public office to advance public interest or self-serving personal interests? Has he lived above board and lived out the promises he made to the Zambian people, upon which they entrusted him with public? Does he deserve to be given more time to finish his programmes, or should people judge that they have seen enough to get rid of him? Those are the choices facing the people as far as the President and the ruling party are concerned?

The second choice they are facing is the PF, and all the offshoots that have emerged from that party, including Tonse and Pamodzi Alliance. Honestly speaking, regardless which grouping they are in, all these people are PF at heart. They eat and drink PF actually and their political outlook too is that of PF. Since that is established fact to many, it therefore follows that they too have a record. These are people who served in key positions in the PF government that got voted out of office. Has their outlook towards politics changed, to the extent that people would not see a repeat of all the ills they saw in the PF, in the event they were given another chance to govern again? Has public anger healed against the PF, to the extent that they would cast their vote again towards PF in order to remove Hichilema? What workable promises are they giving now, which are an upgrade on those pursued by the former PF administration? Besides these questions we are well aware that Zambians have got many more to ask.

The third choice confronting Zambians is one where they should ultimately do away with both the PF and UPND, in order to have a new team that would move away completely from the manner both PF and UPND have conducted public affairs when holding public office. And we say this with a huge pinch of salt because politicians usually operate the same. It is as if they are obsessed with carrying on the same wrong things they condemn in their colleagues who govern. Therefore, it’s a big if. But if there happens to be any who are different, maybe they would want to conduct matters differently. Should Zambians therefore rely on their freshness of ideas in order to steer the country forward? Will they be experienced enough to steer this country forward during these trying times? Because we need to face it, yes it’s wonderful to have fresh ideas, but there is also some experience people get once they have served in public office. Are Zambians ready to bargain for freshness ahead of experience? And what fresh ideas are the new faces promising that people would be so wonderfully workable that people should be able to buy into?

These and many more are the questions Zambians must consider as they prepare to head to the ballot in just over three months time.