Opposition Alliance Endorses M’Membe, Names Five Vice Presidents
The People’s Pact has selected Fred M’membe as its presidential candidate for the 2026 general election, marking the most formal attempt yet by opposition parties to present a single challenger to the ruling United Party for National Development.
The decision was announced in Lusaka following consultations among member parties of the alliance, with the pact confirming that it would use the Socialist Party as its electoral vehicle for the August poll. Five vice presidents were also named to support the ticket, a structure the alliance said was intended to reflect collective leadership and shared responsibility.
Officials said the endorsement of M’Membe was driven by the need to avoid fragmentation that has characterised previous opposition efforts. They stated that the pact had resolved to field one presidential candidate in response to public calls for unity and coordination ahead of the election.
Addressing supporters after the announcement, M’Membe said the alliance had made a conscious decision to put aside internal competition in favour of what he described as a common national objective. He said the People’s Pact would campaign on a platform centred on economic justice, governance reform, and social protection.
M’Membe said the decision to unite behind one candidate followed extensive engagement with citizens, faith leaders, and civil society groups who had urged opposition parties to avoid splitting the vote. He said the pact believed Zambians wanted a credible alternative presented in a clear and organised manner.
The five vice presidents named to the ticket were identified as Robert Sichinga, Peter Sinkamba, Kaluba Simuyemba, and two other senior figures drawn from the alliance’s member parties. Pact officials said the appointments were intended to broaden representation across political and organisational lines within the opposition.
The announcement comes as Zambia moves into an election year marked by rising political activity and heightened scrutiny of economic management. Opposition parties have repeatedly cited concerns over the cost of living, energy supply, and public debt as key issues shaping voter sentiment ahead of August.
The ruling party, led by President Hakainde Hichilema, has maintained that its administration has stabilised the economy and laid the groundwork for long-term growth. Government officials have pointed to fiscal discipline, debt restructuring, and investment inflows as evidence of progress since 2021.
People’s Pact leaders said the selection of a single candidate was intended to ensure that opposition messaging remained focused and consistent throughout the campaign period. They said internal disagreements would be handled within alliance structures to avoid public disputes that could undermine credibility.
The alliance also said it would soon begin formal campaign preparations, including coordination of policy positions among member parties and engagement with the Electoral Commission of Zambia on procedural requirements.
The People’s Pact was formed as a coalition of opposition parties seeking to challenge the dominance of larger political formations by pooling resources and voter bases. Previous attempts at opposition alliances have struggled to maintain cohesion through election cycles, often collapsing over leadership disputes.
Pact officials said lessons had been drawn from those experiences, with the current arrangement placing emphasis on discipline and collective decision-making. They said the choice of M’Membe reflected internal consensus rather than individual ambition.
With the election calendar tightening, the alliance said its priority was to present itself as a stable and credible alternative capable of governing. Leaders said the coming months would test the durability of the pact and its ability to sustain unity under political pressure.
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Let’s hear what the other opposition leaders who you did not include on the VP list have to say about thisee chipani
FWD2041
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Let’s hear what the other opposition figures who you did not include on the VP list have to say about thisee chipani
FWD2041
Development in the troubled forest? Situational Selection of leaders for fear of splitting. The engineer of pact canningly creates five veep postfo the five smaller pact members. Imagine, a very small pact having five vice presidents!! Too many….spoil…… Expect more confusion
Neither the ruling UPND nor the opposition political parties poses the competence and capacity to move Zambia out of the economic doldrums. The ruling party has failed with the economy worsening ever since they took over, meanwhile the opposition are specialists in attacking HH instead of availing Zambians a proper plan of economic salvation for the country
First of all, you have to acknowledge how and when the economic problems. 1968. How did any party in power performed based on the resources and the problems they took over. Fast forward to this period from 20 yrs ago and today. I was inspired by the late President Sata’s vision but upon his passing, the tide changed.
My prediction was right about what transpired during PF after. Nothings wrong borrowing money but if something goes wrong with the intended purpose, it’s things falls apart. I am talking corruption, stealing 30% to 50% from those, over paid shady contracts with poor quality. The value of utilization dropped off around 40% but the loan have to be paid back with interest. The current administration is cleaning that and there will be pain. Don’t pretend and hide behind your little keyboard. FILL YOUR BRAIN BEFORE YOU START EMPTYING IT.
I have been part of politics except the first 2 yrs of MMD. Guess what, it’s sad when you get to know the inside information. I know a lot of people recycled from before PF who joined before PF. They said it themselves, these trashed the Zambian economy, and the economy reached intensive care level before the current administration took over. The economic has grown and there’s a lot positive outlook but still medication. The very promising mining prospects, salaries are still bad for college graduates, and that’s why I packed my bags. These big room for negotiations and improvements. There’s economic shock and side effects being felt by everyone.