MUSHIMBA WARNS AGAINST POLITICAL MANIPULATION
….says Zambia’s democracy is under threat
Organized People’s Party (OPP) president Eng. Dr. Brian Mushimba has warned that Zambia’s democracy is facing a serious threat from political manoeuvres driven by personal ambition and attempts to weaken opposition parties.
Mushimba said political realignments and disputes surrounding party leadership and ownership risked undermining the will of voters and weakening democratic institutions.
In a statement, he argued that democracy could be eroded through political betrayal and the manipulation of opposition structures rather than through coups or constitutional changes alone
“Democracy is not destroyed only through coups, or manipulation of the constitution,” he said, warning that political transactions could gradually weaken democratic principles.
Mushimba cited the cases involving Miles Sampa, Robert Chabinga and Ezra Tembo as examples of controversies surrounding party leadership, ownership and parliamentary alignment.
He said the disputes raised fundamental questions about the legitimacy of political leadership, the authority of party members and respect for the electorate’s mandate.
“These are not trivial political quarrels,” Mushimba stated, adding that the issues affected the democratic expectations of Zambian voters
He questioned whether the ruling UPND could claim to respect democracy if its political advantage increased through the weakening or fragmentation of opposition parties.
“Can UPND claim to respect democracy if its political advantage grows through the fragmentation, capture or weakening of the opposition?” he asked.
Mushimba acknowledged that politicians had the right to change their political positions and that parties could resolve internal disputes through lawful procedures.
However, he maintained that such rights should not be used to undermine legitimate party processes or frustrate voters’ expectations.
He further warned against political arrangements that could enable parties to gain parliamentary influence without winning public support.
“Zambia must never become a country where the easiest way to defeat an opposition party is not to win the support of its voters,” he said.
Mushimba called on the Church, civil society, political players and citizens to remain vigilant and peacefully resist questionable political manoeuvres.
“Our democracy was not won cheaply,” he said, urging citizens to defend democratic principles and ensure that political power remained accountable to the people.