2026 Presidential Elections: Clearing Pessimism Surrounding What Is Yet To Come

It is crystal clear and as clear as daylight that Zambia for many years has been an oasis of peace though it has not been a smooth journey for the country which is now 60 years.

Just before independence, there were skirmishes between the members of the African National Congress (ANC) and the United National Independence Party (UNIP) which at times resulted in loss of lives. At times the violence between ANC of Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula and Kaunda’s UNIP was so bloody that people got to the precipice of pessimism that Zambia was to get engulfed into incessant bloodletting but the two party leaders Nkumbula resolved their differences amicably.

The transition from a multiparty state to a one party participatory democracy as KK and his associates called it, was not an accidental upshot. It was compelled by deep-rooted vendettas which the two parties had against each other. Through persuasion with nobility and shrewdness of the mind, the leaders, KK and old Harry the Lion of Zambian politics, came to their senses and bemoaned the folly of violence and hatred fomented by the members which brought misery and pain to the patriotic citizens. The Choma Declaration was signed on 27th June 1973 by KK and Nkumbula at Choma Secondary School. Zambia passed the One Party State Bill in Parliament on 14th August 1973. The transition to political monomism was not easy road. It had so many areas of tension triggered by people concerned with how some leaders in Africa had mistreated their colleagues in opposition. Examples were readily available. Jomo Kenyatta had mistreated his lifelong friend Jaramogi Oginga Odinga; Kwame Nkrumah had suppressed his mentor and one time associate J.B. Danquah, Milton Obote had silenced Benedict Kiwanuka; and back home KK had stifled the voice of his boyhood friend Simon Kapwepwe.

It became fashionable for regimes in Africa to administer one party state systems which became more tyrannical than democratic. Even Communist regimes in Eastern Europe of post Second World War called themselves democratic governments when they proscribed multiparty systems to suit their selfish interests. The wind of change which swept across Eastern Europe swept away dictators and paved the way for genuine democracy. Zambia was not spared. The country reverted to political pluralism and held elections in October 1991 which swept away the party in power UNIP.

KK submitted to a humiliating defeat as the trade unionist Chiluba supplanted him in league with close associates of KK during the freedom struggle such as Arthur Wina and his brother Sikota, Humphrey Mulemba, Simon Zukas, Vernon Mwaanga and Andrew Kashita among others. There was a peaceful transition of power. Chiluba served his two terms of ten years and strove to seek a third term but Zambians protested and stopped him in his tracks. He chose Mwanawasa to succeed him. The strongest rival to Levy Mwanawasa was Anderson Kambela Mazoka the founder of the UPND. Mwanawasa won the presidential elections with a narrow margin. A great number of people wanted MMD out of power but it was retained though speculations mounted that Mazoka was robbed of victory. Lusaka had throngs of Mazoka sympathisers demonstrating in the streets for some days.

When Levy Mwanawasa was sworn in by Chief Justice Matthews Samson Ngulube, he warned protestors that if they continued with their violent demonstrations, then he was not their President. As long as he was head of state, Levy pledged to uphold the rule of law other than men. A day after elections, Lusaka was very calm and Mwanawasa had taken occupancy of State House. Chiluba thought the “ailing” Levy Mwanawasa who survived a nasty road accident was to submit to his whims and caprices but he was proved wrong and his Nyerere-like desire to serve as President of the MMD and Levy as Republican President was shot down. Instruments of power were in Levy’s strict hands and Chiluba was bumped off the seat he wanted to abuse as party president. Levy did his best to transform the economy and he spearheaded the debt cancellation and the Highly Indebted Countries (HIPC) completion point was reached with the full support and sound advice of Finance Minister Ng’andu Magande. Mwanawasa died in August 2008 in France where he was flown to for medical treatment after he collapsed at an African Union Summit. The by election was won by Rupiah Banda and the transition was very peaceful.

Mazoka had died earlier than his brother Levy, both coming from the ancestry of Bantu Botatwe (Three closely knitted ethnic groups -Tonga, Ila and Lenje). Rupiah Banda wanted to be himself and discarded some policies of Mwanawasa as he softened and weakened the fight against corruption. He just finished the term of Mwanawasa and denied his term. He suffered stunning defeat as Micheal Sata walloped him at the September Presidential polls. There was a smooth transition. No violence.

In 2006, Sata succumbed to defeat in the Presidential Election won by Levy Mwanawasa. His supporters went to the streets with intent to instigate violence but he stopped them. He knew Levy Mwanawasa was a no nonsense leader and was ready to throw into jail all lawless elements used by misguided political party leaders. The PF diehards had cried foul but were quietened in few days. Sata was assisted by Levy when he fell ill by flying him to South Africa in 2006. He came back and reconciled with Levy Mwanawasa. Mwanawasa said openly that he very cautious with the King Cobra who was subtle and could hit anyone any time. Sadly Levy died. When Sata won the elections in September 2011, he was very ill though he had a strong spirit of resilience and fortitude. He was surrounded by people who pretended to be PF faithfuls but had ulterior motives to loot the country in the event that he died. They had identified ECL as heir apparent to the ailing mighty King Cobra. When Comrade Sata passed on, the men and women thirsting for wealth and glamour in the socialist-inclined party came home to roost. They identified ECL as the most viable option to Sata. They insulted Guy Scott and character assassinated him. Some labelled Scott a neo-colonialist .

Harry Kalaba who served as deputy minister under the Office of the Vice President Scott together with ECL hurled racial remarks at Scott. Lungu stood in the By-election of January 2015 and won sympathy votes from the electorate. He also won the 2016 Presidential Election though the 2021 August 12th Elections blew his brains with utter shock and consternation he ever experienced. He had openly threatened to lock up HH immediately he handed over power to himself for enriching himself as the major player of privatisation of national economies. Hate speech and vitriolic verbiage were sprayed on HH and his allies. Tribal antagonism was the byword labelling one tribe as the evil caricature of Zambia. There was smooth transition when ECL succumbed to pressure and gracefully gave instruments to HH against his self-will to stay in power for another indefinite period.

Getting back to 1996 Presidential and General Elections. KK and UNIP blundered by withdrawing from participation in the Elections. Chiluba had weaker candidates like Chama Chakomboka and Dean Namulya Mung’omba who were thrashed like ants at the polls. Dean was outperformed by the clown veteran political giant mentored by Shimpundu Shikulu Simon Kapwepwe, Chama Chakomboka. UNIP scared the MMD out of their wits as many voters were fearful that UNIP cadres would beat them to death at the polling stations. Security was tight and nothing sinister happened as Zambians love their country. They cannot allow a single greedy politician with nasty lust for retention of power or ascension to power to destroy peace of the country dearest to their hearts.

No matter the outcome of the Constitutional Court decision on the eligibility of ECL, Zambians who value peace and unity outnumber greedy and selfish ones who want to thrive and survive by courting violence. The pessimism that is deeply rooted in so many loyal Zambian citizens will be translated into hope and trust as we get towards the 2026 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS and nothing evil that would be crafted by divisive zealots would succeed. The favour of God will be upon the country. The huge task we all have is to labour for a peaceful and united Zambia whose citizens from different political parties and heterogeneous ideologies will stand as one nation and shame the forces of division. The legacy of violence may be dissolved in the concentrated sulphuric acid of termination of chaos. Zambia is a country that must have zero tolerance of hate and vindictiveness. The country’s future matters more than the ambitions of self-styled, self-proclaimed men and women purporting to possess genius brains and immortal bodies that can rule from the graves. A better Zambia must pop up after the 2026 Presidential and General Elections and this would put the devil out of business and demons out of circulation wherever they are tormenting innocent souls. A poverty- free and better Zambia is what we long for with all the wealth we are endowed with by God’s mighty and bountiful hand.
God bless Zambia. God bless Africa our Motherland.

Author is an Academician and Historian
Shaddon Chanda