Time for Change is Now – Says Chishala Kateka

THE TIME FOR CHANGE IS NOW: WHY ZAMBIANS SHOULD VOTE FOR THE BRIAN MUNDUBILE–MAKEBI ZULU TICKET ON 13 AUGUST 2026 By Dr Chishala Kateka, President, New Heritage Party As the New Heritage Party, we have observed a growing chorus of supporters of President Hakainde Hichilema and…

THE TIME FOR CHANGE IS NOW: WHY ZAMBIANS SHOULD VOTE FOR THE BRIAN MUNDUBILE–MAKEBI ZULU TICKET ON 13 AUGUST 2026

By Dr Chishala Kateka, President, New Heritage Party

As the New Heritage Party, we have observed a growing chorus of supporters of President Hakainde Hichilema and the United Party for National Development (UPND) arguing that the country’s economic performance alone is sufficient justification for granting the current administration another five-year mandate.

While such arguments may be sincerely held, they miss what we believe is the central issue confronting Zambia today.

During the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) administration, Zambia recorded some of the strongest macroeconomic indicators since independence. Those achievements were widely acknowledged, and late President Rupiah Banda could legitimately point to impressive economic statistics. Yet, despite those indicators, Zambians voted him out of office.

Why?

Because for the ordinary citizen, economic statistics alone did not translate into food on the table or meaningful improvement in daily life. While economists and the educated elite could celebrate growth figures, many households continued to struggle. That experience demonstrated a simple political truth: governments are ultimately judged by how people live, not merely by what the numbers say.

Leadership of a nation extends far beyond economic management. It demands respect for constitutional governance, commitment to the rule of law, protection of democratic institutions, national unity, and an understanding of the aspirations of ordinary citizens. A government must not only manage the economy; it must also safeguard the freedoms that define the Republic.

In 1964, Zambians fought for political independence. In 1991, they made another historic choice by rejecting one-party rule and embracing multi-party democracy.

Today, many citizens are asking a question that few imagined would return to national discourse.

Will Zambia’s hard-earned democracy remain secure if the UPND is granted another five years in office?

This question has not featured so prominently in any election since the democratic transition of 1991. The fact that it is now being asked should concern every citizen, regardless of political affiliation.

Our Democracy Is Under Threat

Since the UPND assumed office, we have witnessed what appears to be a deliberate erosion of constitutional freedoms and democratic safeguards.

State institutions that exist to serve all citizens increasingly appear to be used in ways that benefit those in power while restricting political competition.

Among the concerns that continue to emerge are:

1. The Judiciary, Parliament, the Registrar of Societies, the Zambia Police Service and other state institutions are increasingly perceived as being used to restrict political organisation, limit freedom of assembly and suppress dissent.
2. Opposition political parties continue to report restrictions on their activities. New political formations have faced administrative challenges, while critics of government have complained of arrests, harassment and criminal prosecution. Others have left the country, saying they fear for their safety.
3. Zambia appears increasingly divided along ethnic, regional and political lines. Instead of strengthening national cohesion, political discourse has become more polarised, raising concerns about long-term national unity.
4. Legislative and regulatory changes have concentrated greater authority within the Presidency, raising fears that constitutional checks and balances are steadily weakening. The democratic gains secured in 1991 should never be taken for granted.

A government that becomes intolerant of opposition risks weakening the very democratic system upon which its own legitimacy rests.

For that reason, the election of 13 August 2026 cannot be regarded as an ordinary political contest. It is, in our view, a defining national moment whose consequences will extend well beyond the next five years.

Economic Stability Without Freedom Is Not Progress

Supporters of the current administration frequently point to macroeconomic stability and selected development projects as evidence that Zambia is moving in the right direction.

Even where progress has been recorded, economic statistics alone cannot justify the erosion of democratic freedoms.

Development and liberty are inseparable. Prosperity cannot be sustained where constitutional rights are weakened, institutions lose independence and citizens become afraid to speak freely.

Equally important, many Zambians continue to experience severe economic hardship despite improvements reflected in national indicators.

Many households continue to grapple with a high cost of living after several years of inflationary pressure and reduced liquidity within the economy.

Public services remain under considerable strain.

Schools continue to experience overcrowding. Health facilities frequently face shortages of essential medicines. Small-scale farmers continue to struggle with agricultural policies they believe have not adequately addressed their needs.

There is also growing concern that ordinary Zambians are benefiting too little from their country’s natural resources. Questions continue to be raised regarding local participation in large-scale mining, land ownership and broader economic empowerment.

For many citizens, economic growth has yet to translate into economic ownership.

The Brian Mundubile–Makebi Zulu Ticket

The New Heritage Party believes that the presidential ticket of Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu offers an opportunity to restore constitutional governance, strengthen democratic institutions and rebuild national confidence.

Among the priorities we believe should guide the next administration are:

• A comprehensive, people-driven constitutional reform process that restores power to citizens and strengthens democratic institutions.
• Restoration of transparency, accountability and professionalism throughout the public service.
• A genuine programme of national reconciliation that promotes healing, unity and mutual respect among all Zambians.
• Restoration of merit-based appointments across public institutions, free from political patronage, regional considerations or partisan interests.
• Greater economic empowerment of Zambians through policies that increase local ownership, strengthen the middle class, improve the business environment and reduce barriers to enterprise.
• Genuine devolution of power from the Presidency to local communities and constitutionally independent institutions, ensuring that governance becomes more accountable, balanced and participatory.

These reforms require more than incremental adjustments.

They require a fundamental rethinking of how Zambia is governed and how national resources are managed for the benefit of all citizens.

Conclusion

The election on 13 August 2026 is, in our view, about far more than choosing the next President.

It is about determining the future direction of Zambia’s democracy, governance and national unity.

We believe the country cannot afford another five years characterised by political intolerance, division, regionalism and weakening institutional confidence.

Zambians now have an opportunity to choose a different path—one that, in our view, seeks to restore constitutional governance, strengthen democratic institutions and pursue a development agenda intended to benefit every citizen, regardless of region, ethnicity or political affiliation.