Of bluffing and blowing hot-air by the Kwacha Alliance!

When we initially heard about intentions to form a ‘grand alliance’ by some Lusaka residents, many of them leaders of nondescript or near defunct “nashala neka” political parties, we dismissed them as a bunch of jokers! However, immediately it became common knowledge that former president Edgar Lungu is actually the brains behind the United Kwacha Alliance (UKA), which many are now lampooning as “UKWA” in reference to the Nigerian comedian who portrays himself as a clueless and daft character, and its de facto presidential candidate in the 2026 elections, we sought to understand what the so-called alliance was bringing to the table.

After dissecting and critically analysing the communique read to the media, we had little trouble arriving a conclusion that there can never be a better or succinct description to explain what was said during the briefing than simply bluffing and blowing of hot air! If the charade was restricted to the likes of Sakwiba Sikota, Saboi Imboela, Jackson Silavwe, Dan Pule and may be Harry Kalaba, we would have given them the benefit of doubt. But to see ba Lungu who has a tainted record of presiding upon one of the most brutal, intolerant and segregative regimes in the history of this nation fashion himself as the modern day Moses to lead our people to the Promised Land is not only laughable but nauseating! This probably explains why Socialist party leader, Fred M’membe, who as Editor of defunct The Post Newspapers had no kind words for him for defiling the sanctity of the office of the president, is reluctant to join the fray, yet!

To be fair to ba Lungu and his newly found colleagues, we shall narrow down our discourse to 5 points that stood out to us in the communique:

1. We are, currently, very divided not only politically but even the church, as moral pillars of our society, is seen to be divided.

Our response: It’s obviously quite common for the politicians to position themselves on different sides of the aile as they tend to subscribe to different idealogies. However, the church is expected to be united as they worship the same God who dwells in the heavens above! In all fairness, who contributed to the polarisation of the Church? During Lungu’s tenure, we saw Christians being pitied against the other; including the Catholic church, where certain priests were enticed to go to bed with PF and openly campaigned for it while others chose to remain neutral! What about Christians for Lungu from the mainly evangelical sector; who were quick to remind adherents…..nay, gullible Christians that Lungu was our ordained leader? How do expect the Church to remain united if Lungu bounced back into power when he was the very reason why the believers went seperate ways during his tenure?

2. Our people are excluded from the national cake

Our response: Which people are now excluded from the national cake? Do they live on this planet? During the time of PF in power, recruitments in the civil service or military and security wings was more like a state secret! All of these jobs were reserved for party cadres or those with strong connections with those in authority. Did any of us ever see job adverts in the press as is now the case? Zero! Let’s now consider public contracts such as supplying goods and services to various government departments; who were the Dons enjoying these contracts to the extent of even supplying ‘air’ to the government after which they’d take to social media to flaunt their I’ll gotten wealth or literally burn hard currency?

3. We shall ensure that there is uniform development in all the ten (10) provinces

Our response: What sort of a joke is this? While North western province which is currently contributing the bulk of the national treasury, as the mines on the Copperbelt remained limping, was denied infrastructure development and remained the least developed province, government indiscriminately diverted resources to develop one particular region – constructing roads, bridges, airports and Civic centers, and building universities and colleges in one particular province; is this a mark of sound leadership? The only ‘SIN’ that the people of North western province committed is choosing to vote for opposition UPND, at the time! Do you honestly have to punish certain regions for voting in a particular way?

4. It is clear that the Barotse Royal Establishment is currently an open wound. If you ignore a wound and consider it to be a non-issue, gangrene may set in. Once gangrene deeply sets in, you may realise that the only option that remains is amputation

Our response: Who arrested Afumba Mombotwa and his colleagues in December 2014 and charged them with treason for advocating for the independence of Barotseland from the Republic of Zambia? Wasn’t it Edgar Lungu? How dare he wants to launder himself today and pretend to be the champion of the people of Barotseland!

Bo Mombotwa was condemned to a 19-year prison sentence; reminiscent of the brutal Colonial era tactics of psychologically torturing detainees by taking them to far and culturally ‘foreign’ lands, he was shunted to a state prison in rural Luwingu hundreds of kilometres away from the comfort of his home to make it impossible for his relatives or friends to access him! He was eventually transferred to Mukobeko Maximum Prison in Kabwe where his dear wife unfortunately met her fate into the hands of a serial killer, an escapee convict from the same facility!

As if to inflict further torture in him, the sadistic Lungu regime announced that government had pardoned Bo Mombotwa, along with 4 other prisoners from various correctional facilities, to mark his 63rd birthday, only to keep in detention for a much prolonged period of time!

When Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo was challenged why Bo Mombotwa’s name was missing from those to be released during a press briefing, he retorted that his statement superseded the earlier statement issued by State House! Lozis wake up!

5. The conduct of this current government is threatening the peace and security of our nation

Our response: How’s the conduct of this government threatening the peace and security of this nation, for God’s sake? Give us examples? Here’s how the previous regime threatened the peace and security of our beloved nation – citizens were gassed in their sleep; opposition political party leaders weren’t allowed to interact with the electorate in the townships; suspected opposition party members were brutalized for merely putting on any red retire; independent media such as The Post Newspapers, Prime TV, Muvi TV and Komboni Radio were shut down, indiscriminately; Cadres took over running of markets and bus stations; regions suspected to be opposition strongholds were denied CDF or any tangible development while men and women in uniform were undermined and direspected by PF cadres! Does it get worse than this?

Please, try in the next life!

Prince Bill M. Kaping’a
Political/Social Analyst