Msoni Says Hichilema Did Not Win, Warns 2031 Could Be Repeat of Disputed Vote

Msoni Says Hichilema Did Not Win, Warns 2031 Could Be Repeat of Disputed Vote All People’s Congress (APC) president Nason Msoni has said President Hakainde Hichilema did not win the August general election and has warned that the 2031 vote could face the same disputes if the…

Msoni Says Hichilema Did Not Win, Warns 2031 Could Be Repeat of Disputed Vote

All People’s Congress (APC) president Nason Msoni has said President Hakainde Hichilema did not win the August general election and has warned that the 2031 vote could face the same disputes if the current concerns are left unresolved.

Msoni, a member of the Tonse Alliance Council of Presidents, made the remarks in a video posted on his Facebook page.

“Well, the current political situation or polarisation in the country is extremely depressing because the trouble is that by now all of us know that Mr Hichilema did not win this election,” he said.

He said institutions expected to safeguard the Constitution had instead become entangled in the electoral process, undermining public trust in the declared outcome.

Msoni pointed to opposition leader Brian Mundubile, whom he described as the true winner of the vote, currently held on treason charges rather than seated in the office he believes he won.

“So, now here is a situation where you have a man who did not win the election and the true winner of the election is behind bars. He has been charged with treason,” he said.

He warned that failing to resolve the dispute now would leave the country exposed to a repeat crisis at the next election, five years from now.

“If we don’t address this question of a stolen election, it means that even in 2031, this question is bound to repeat itself. It’s bound to repeat itself, unfortunately,” he said.

Msoni called for the matter to be settled decisively rather than left to fester.

“So, the legitimate question is who is going to help us to ensure that those who did not win the elections step aside to either go for a rerun or hold fresh elections, or they step aside to allow the true winner, legitimate winner of these elections to be so deemed,” he said.

His comments came on the same day that Chipata Catholic Diocese Judicial Vicar Father Evans Miti urged Zambians to move on from the election and accept President Hichilema as the country’s leader.

Preaching at St Eugene’s Sub-Parish, Fr Miti said there were no losers or winners at the altar of the Lord.

“Since the Government is in place and the President into office for the second term, you should move forward to develop this country,” he said.

He said Zambians should acknowledge that the election was held under free and fair conditions.

“As Zambians, let us now thank God that we had elections which were free and fair. At the same time, we should acknowledge that it is God who chooses leaders,” he said.

He called on leaders across the political divide to work together, and urged congregants to pray for the President, MPs, mayors and councillors.

“We are moving ahead. We have a government in place. It is not the time for us to begin bickering or talking unnecessarily,” he said.

Fr Miti’s call for unity was echoed at St Atanazio Catholic Parish, where Fr Mark Mwanza said the Church remained concerned about the divisions running through the nation and urged Christians to become instruments of peace in their homes and communities.

Youth Chaplain Fr Wilson Tembo, main celebrant at the same parish, said God’s generosity could not be measured by who had suffered longer in the country’s political struggles.

The competing positions, aired within hours of one another, underline how divided the public conversation over the election’s legitimacy remains more than a month after the vote