WAKE UP UPND!
VANQUISHED United Party for Nation Development (UPND) president Hakainde Hichilema and his team must have by now realised how fast their political fortunes are diminishing.
The man must be gnashing his teeth in anguish as his party has not only lost ground, but also lost the much-needed time.
Against the demands of democracy and logic, HH and Kis OieXtenant *eŏre\ %ZaO\a 0ZaPEa or *%0 have been swimming against the tide.
Yes, they are emotionally charged and thus unable to read the political mood which even political up-starts can clearly discern.
The call for a national convention has been growing louder but the two gentlemen have either deliberately ignored the importance of the gathering or have somewhat lost political direction.
Now the name HH has become synonymous with losses.
For how does he explain the loss in the April Local Government by-elections in which his party was whitewashed – PF got 13 while UPND sauntered away with a paltry three seats.
This time around UPND only salvaged one seat out of the 14 Local Government seats.
Last week’s outcome epitomised the UPND’s political blemish since its formation by founder, late Anderson Mazoka about two decades ago.
Surely, this is a disastrous performance for the biggest opposition political party in the country which should otherwise been making in-roads.
What lessons has HH drawn from the steadily rising embarrassing defeats?
Firstly, he has to admit that the problem is within his fast-fading party, hence apportioning blame on voter apathy is yet another of his several miscalculations.
Failure to diagnose and admit a defect is the fastest route to oblivion.
At household level, an arrogant parent who procrastinates to call for a family meeting is the biggest obstacle to a sure remedy.
Elsewhere, a leader of any organisation who refuses to call an annual general meeting to resolve a biting problem, fears to be unmasked as the cause of that problem.
Secondly, HH should revisit his approach to issues including repackaging his campaign messages because his 10-point plan sounds far-fetched to the masses or ordinary Zambians.
It is myopic to embrace text-book politics in the Zambian scenario or anywhere else because it is truly far-fetched.
While HH agonisingly attempts to present himself as being part of the ordinary Zambians, he still remains very aloof and academic in his political approach.
His disposition and speech have distinctively become monotonous just as his participation in the JeneraO eOections ZKere Ke Kas tXPEOed five tiPes.
HH’s perpetual losses have become contagious to otKer orJans oI Kis ÀaJJinJ poOiticaO part\ Ooss Kas become endemic in UPND.
This is a bitter reality HH and his team are trying hard to ignore, but ordinary members who are on the ground are feeling it.
It is also true that throwing mud at PF is working against him and the sooner he realises this, the better.
Some political commentators have advised the UPND leader to be putting up a smile, claiming he is too stone-faced.
Perhaps, he needs to rebrand his entire disposition E\ firstO\ sKeddinJ ŏ Kis ȯciaOese st\Oe oI speecK and even his dress code.
In the past, he has tried in vain to interact with traders in markets where he has pretended to enjoy sharing a meal with them, but wearing a rigid face.
It appears that senior members, including Members of Parliament and his closest associates are not comfortable to bring all his political frailties to his attention.
More importantly, UPND leaders should break out of the Southern Province closet and work hard to stamp authority in Muchinga, Northern and Luapula provinces.
They should not be under the illusion that they have some support base in Lusaka and Copperbelt. They have long lost it.
Equally, their base in the peri-urban areas of the Copperbelt which seemed to have ignited some excitement has crumbled. Lufwanyama, Masaiti and Mpongwe are no longer theirs.
While they continue singing about corruption, the PF has gone all out to rehabilitate and construct roads and social infrastructure.
Wake up UPND!