Why UKA will anoint the next President in 2026 with ECL’s signature since HH has nicely failed Zambians

By Dr. Chris Zumani Zimba

A. Introduction

Who will succeed Hakainde Hichilema (HH) as the next president of the Republic of Zambia? Surely, nobody knows who he or she is apart from God. Nobody knows the name, village, tribe, chiefdom, district or province of HH’s successor apart from Heaven. Generally, certain dynamics are too complex for human beings to comprehend, foretell and predict.
It is only God who can confidently say what he told young Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:4-5, 8 that:
The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew[a] you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations”…Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

At human level, we can only discuss and try to predict political realities of today and tomorrow using different scientific qualitative and quantitative mythologies. And this scientific prediction comes with margins of errors. In this case, l will use the SWOT analysis model as a tool to critically discuss and examine United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) with reference to 2026 against the overt failures of HH’s government.

Since W (weaknesses) and T (threats) have become daily songs of HH’s government and other critics of UKA, I will focus only on S (strength) and O (opportunities) of UKA and thereafter quickly draw my conclusions.

B. The S stands for “STRENGTH” of UKA.

Here, l have identified and will briefly explain only 12 key merits and advantages of UKA going into 2026 as follows:

1. UKA is simple for everyone to pronounce and understand . UKA is “wake up”. UKA is UKA in many local languages, so appropriate and relevant to the current political situation in Zambia.
2. UKA is the first forceful and alternative political alliance challenging to unseat the ruling UPND alliance. It is the new pressure group and most sensible people driven movement of post 2021 national elections in Zambia.
3. UKA is a cross generational movement bringing together younger and older politicians. Elderly leaders like President Edgar Lungu, Edith Nawakwi, Sakwiba Sikota, Danny Pule and Chishala Kateta partnering with youthful politicians like Harry Kalaba, Saboi Imboela, Jackson Silavwe and Thomas Sipalo among others presents an attractive hybrid political coalition of this era.
4. UKA is a multsectoral forum protesting and opposing undemocratic practices of the UPND government. The coalition has been widely welcomed and celebrated by all key stakeholders in urban and rural areas who openly commit to liberate Zambia again.
   5. UKA is a political alliance backed by the largest and strongest opposition party-the PF. In realistic terms, UKA is PF and PF is UKA. PF brings the weightiest experience of being in opposition for 10 years and being in government for 10 years too. Thus, other parties add sundry value too.
5. PF brings to UKA national wide passionate members, green structures, councilors, council chairpersons, and MPs. In 2021, the UPND alliance never had such political strength with representation in council chambers countrywide and the National Assembly of Zambia.
6. UKA has Lungu, the second most popular and powerful politician in Zambia today: a Former President who generally delivered as compared to HH who has lamentably failed almost in all sectors. Lungu alone makes UKA more powerful than the profiles of Winter Kabimba, KBF, Sean Tembo, Fred M’membe, Kasonde Mweenda, Charles Banda, John Sangwa and Nason Msoni all combined together.
7. UKA is appealing for political funding only second to UPND as long as Lungu sits there. Lungu assures political support for UKA in Zambia and overseas. ECL is a powerful brand anywhere: he is big, strong, reliable. I know him, l have worked with him and l remain very close to him.
8. UKA has a former Republican President’s full support: a big political advantage for a coalition. In 2021, the UPND alliance lacked this merit which UKA has today. Lungu skillfully knows the does and don’ts of opposition politics and running government.
9. In UKA, Lungu despite being duped in 2021 has more than 1 million decided voters whose faith in him has doubled and tripled. In and with Lungu, UKA has guaranteed over 1million ECL voters and believers before campaign activities start. This number is now double or triple given the overt failures and lies of HH.
10. UKA has guaranteed media coverage at national, regional and international levels because of Edgar Lungu’s signature. Whenever Lungu speaks, the media shakes, whatever Lungu says, the media captures for news. Lungu makes publicity for UKA easier, bigger and better.
11. UKA is the most feared political force for HH in Zambia today due to ECL’s signature. Without ECL and PF, HH and UPND have little worries for UKA. Lungu makes UKA the most powerful, fearful, vibrant and visible opposition group in Zambia today.

C. The O stands for “OPPORTUNITIES”.

Here, l have identified and will briefly list only 12 key external factors and remote dynamics that benefit UKA with Lungu’s signature to easily defeat HH in 2026. These are as follows:

1. Many people are unhappy that UPND is an unapologetic ethnic outfit, regional and tribal party. This ruling party makes key appointments at cabinet, state house, state parastatals and diplomatic levels tribally and ethically so normal and obvious.
2. Zambians now know that UPND won Power in 2021 using unlawful tactics of sponsoring ethnic divisions, tribal hostilities and violent regionalism against a legitimate government-the PF.
3. Most voters are aware that HH and UPND top officials are unlawfully working to totally kill multiparty democracy and impose a one party dictatorship system in Zambia today.
4.  Citizens are now aware and are bitter that HH and UPND won power in 2021 based on pure lies, false promises, historic cheating and corrupt manipulation of citizens.
5. In 2026, Zambians will be interested in holding HH and team accountable for the 2024 hunger crisis after selling maize reserves and wickedly imposing starvation and death threats on citizens.
6. Most voters are angry that HH unilaterally auctioned our mineral resources to foreigners by giving tax breaks them while milking every coin from poor Zambians in multiple taxes.
7. Many Zambians now know that HH’s Presidency is marked with bloodshed and death of Jackson Nkungo, PF North Western Chairman who was openly killed by UPND thugs at a named polling station in Solwezi on 12th August, 2021.
8. Voters are now knowledgeable that HH and UPND government runs a kleptocracy-rule by theft with corruption, looting and plundering of public resources is rampant and made ‘normal’.
9. People are so unhappy that UPND is urinating on the RULE OF LAW by paralyzing and weaponizing the judiciary, police, ECZ and enforcement agencies.
10. HH has been exposed and is hated for using tax payers money to hire and pay renowned homosexual promoters like Tony Blair as his State House Presidential foreign advisers.
11.  Most voters are disappointed that HH and UPND have made Zambia so regionally divided and ethnically hostile against each other by its tribal policies and inconsistent politics than any previous regime.
12. Many informed Zambians feel betrayed that HH and his UPND officials are using public resources to run tribal, defamatory and divisive rogue media platforms-Koswe and Zambian Watchdog.

D. Conclusion

Many times, heavy rains are introduced by either thick dark clouds or sharp pompous lightning: it is easy to tell that it will rain depending on the detects of the sky. In like manner, political dynamics of today can give us clear indications of what may happen soon or later.

In 2026, it is clear that HH will terribly lose and the next president is highly likely to be Lungu again or an ECL backed candidate. This is where UKA becomes a crucial political alliance. Take it or leave it, the name Lungu is the only name with the most powerful and popular signature to kiss the next president of Zambia regardless of the party or coalition he supports.

Dr Chris ZUMANI Zimba is a Political Scientist, Researcher, Author & Consultant specialized in Comparative Global Governance and Democratic Theories. He holds a PhD, MA, BA and Cert in Political Science. Zimba was President Lungu’s Political Advisor from December 2019 to August 2021. By philosophical approach, Dr. Zimba is a Pan Africanist as well as Afro-Christian by religion.