Brian Mundubile says the strength of Zambia’s opposition lies with citizens themselves, arguing that voters are shaping the political balance ahead of the August general election more than formal party alliances.
His remarks follow the Chawama parliamentary by-election, where the Forum for Democracy and Development defeated the UPND, a result he describes as evidence that unity can emerge from the electorate even when political parties remain separate.
Mundubile maintains that opposition players do not need to achieve complete organisational unity to work toward a common outcome. Instead, he emphasises cooperation built around shared objectives, suggesting that harmony among parties can be achieved through coordinated action rather than forced mergers.
The Chawama result has quickly become a reference point in political discussions, with several actors interpreting the outcome as a signal of shifting public sentiment. Mundubile views the by-election as proof that voters are prepared to rally behind a collective direction when they believe it reflects their interests.
He argues that citizens have increasingly become the decisive force shaping political momentum, pointing to grassroots mobilisation and public mood as key factors determining electoral outcomes. In his view, opposition unity is less about party structures and more about whether voters align around a common purpose at the ballot box.
Political competition ahead of the elections has intensified as parties position themselves for what is expected to be a closely watched contest. Calls for cooperation among opposition figures have grown louder, driven by concerns that fragmented support could weaken electoral prospects in competitive constituencies.
Mundubile’s position suggests a pragmatic approach: maintain individual party identities while working in harmony where objectives overlap. That approach reflects the reality of Zambia’s multiparty environment, where alliances are often fluid and strategic coordination can shift from one election cycle to another.
By framing citizens as the core of the opposition, Mundubile shifts attention toward public participation and voter sentiment. The emphasis moves away from leadership negotiations and toward the ground-level dynamics that shape how political messages are received in communities.
The coming months will test whether opposition actors can translate that message into a cohesive strategy. For now, the Chawama outcome stands as a reminder that electoral momentum can originate from the electorate itself, not only from agreements reached among political elites.
Frames. Frames for rigging?
What happened to former president Edgar Lungu? Was he poisoning, by who and why? It is shocking that ALL the “PF” presidential aspirants are not bothered about what happened to Lungu and you think voters will forgive you. At the rate we are going we might need an inquiry into the death Michael Chilufya Sata. He dead in the late evening of 28 October 2014 at the King Edward VII’s Hospital in London.
You are the front runner but respect Lubinda and go and reconcile with him first to get the real blessings.
And you should have been on the ground in Chawama, and not what you did to shy away. You have to be organised to defeat this party in government which is synonymous with failure through out
Makebi is a light weight politically like Presidents of all other opposition parties in Zambia, while he has a democratic to give it a try, most sentiments from the ground do not support his trials. However, Mundubile commands stronger sentiments. Mundubile is now more popular than any other politician in Zambia, all politicians combined with no exception
Bufi. Don’t make Mundubile big headed
Thanks Mundubile for giving us CDF through MMD then.CDF is an MMD idea. Others just came to increase it ati we have worked. As if there was a vacuum before CDF, there was no vacuum as central government still took care of all projects. Any wonder why PF turned Zambia into a construction site
A very confusing drivel and suspected chat gpt generated. Opposition is opposition, but who is the opposition candidate, or is that question much too difficult for now? And so we have to await 2031?