… attributes current state to fragmentation of opposition
By Francis Chipalo
Opposition leader, Gerald Mulao has observed that there is no single political party or presidential candidate with the financial and structural capacity to topple the UPND or President Hakainde Hichilema from the corridors of power given the amount of time left before Zambians take to the ballot in August 2026.
Mulao states that the the opposition has remained fragmented to this hour mainly for selfish reasons to lead under whatever circumstances, and that the fact that everyone wants to be president, has made it even more harder for people as to which direction to go.
He says the current position or political trajectory of name calling and insults should be put to rest together with so – called elders who instigated the pattern of this type of politics.
“It is however imperative for the ruling party to be magnanimous enough to provide enough democratic space for mushrooming young politicians to grow their ambitions and be able to participate fully in the democratic dispensation of our country,” he advised.
The opposition leader advises that the ruling party should not view upcoming young leaders as threats but as equal partners in shaping the country’s developmental agenda as provided for in a democratic dispensation.
He says institutions such as the registrar of Societies and the police or ECZ should never be used to gag opposition political parties from challenging the ruling party as doing that will completely eradicate the spirit of democracy under which the same institutions are anchored on.
“Perpetual incerations of opposition leaders for mare political statements should not be a way to block or punish those with different views, but rather the government or party in power should rise to the occasion to prove their critics wrong by providing authentic responses to political statements and not taking their fellow politicians to jail,” Mulao has told the media in a statement.
