UPND A DANGER TO DEMOCRACY, M’MEMBE TELLS EU
FRED M’membe has told the European Union (EU) that there is a real danger that the 2026 general elections shall not be free, fair and credible under President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND government because the head of State is exhibiting a propensity to annihilate the opposition in his quest to turn the country into a one-party State.
Dr M’membe, the president of the Socialist Party (SP) says the EU Election Observer Mission should know and understand that the democratic space in Zambia had shrunk to the lowest level never seen before under the UPND and it was unlikely that the 2026 general elections shall be free and fair.
He said while President Hichilema had launched his campaign for the 2026 general elections, the opposition political parties had been banned from mobilising and holding political rallies from the time the UPND formed government in 2021.
Dr M’membe said the UPND government had so far compromised institutions of good governance such as the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), the Zambia Police, the Legislature and the Judiciary which had since been converted into an appendage of the governing party.
Dr M’membe warned that citizens could resort to choosing their leaders in many other ways if elections were to lose extreme credibility but pledged that his party sincerely believed that the best way to choose leaders was through elections.
“If elections become less and less credible, people will turn to themselves. Elections are not the only way of choosing leaders. All other forms of choosing leaders are not sustainable and do not lead to stability. All the time, they lead to instability. Those who want a peaceful world cannot be opposed to free, fair and peaceful elections. We do not want you to send us aid because we are paralysed by instability. We want you to help us to hold free and fair elections that are peaceful,” Dr M’membe said.
Dr. M'membe told the EU delegation that paid a courtesy call on him at his office that it had become clear the path the UPND government had taken would lead to serious electoral problems in the 2026 general election as opposition were not allowed to campaign and mobilise.
“You cannot have a situation where opposition political parties cannot even hold the smallest of meetings. And you want them to participate in an election? It's like in a soccer competition where you do not allow other teams to train but you just want them to come and enter the tournament while the other team is training,” he said.
Dr. M'membe said President Hichilema had been holding meetings and rallies from the time he ascended to power in 2021 while no opposition leaders are allowed to do so.
"Hichilema is campaigning for 2026 but we are not allowed to do the same. The UPND has perpetrated violence against the opposition political parties but that they are not allowed to defend themselves,” Dr M’membe said.
"Again, when all these institutions fail, people will turn to themselves and look at what they can do for themselves. That is not a recipe for good governance and stability. It's a recipe for instability," he said.