Mundubile-Makebi alliance tests UPND confidence

The alliance between Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu has emerged as one of the most closely watched political developments ahead of Zambia’s August 13 general election, injecting fresh uncertainty into an opposition field that had appeared increasingly fragmented while forcing the ruling UPND to publicly defend its confidence.

The partnership comes at a critical moment as presidential nominations open this week at Mulungushi International Conference Centre, where ECZ Corporate Affairs Manager Patricia Luhanga confirmed that 30 presidential aspirants are expected to file nomination papers from Monday through Friday. The two leaders have positioned themselves as part of a broader opposition realignment aimed at consolidating anti-UPND votes scattered across multiple parties and personalities at the exact moment the ruling party formally enters campaign season.

Their cooperation has generated significant political discussion because both men carry pockets of support that could prove influential in key voting blocs. Mundubile, president of the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity and a former Patriotic Front figure, brings national recognition and established political networks. Makebi Zulu of the Resolute Party has built visibility through aggressive mobilisation efforts and appeals to voters frustrated by both traditional opposition failures and ruling party dominance.

The alliance has drawn attention during a period of deep opposition fragmentation. Internal PF divisions remain unresolved, with disputes surrounding Dr Chitalu Chilufya’s nomination bid, while UNIP is simultaneously battling internal leadership disputes involving records at the Office of the Registrar of Societies. Smaller parties are also competing for the same opposition voter pool across a crowded field of presidential aspirants.

That fragmentation has historically benefited incumbents.

A divided opposition often struggles to build enough national momentum to seriously threaten a sitting president in a first-past-the-post electoral system. That reality explains why the alliance has attracted attention even among ruling party strategists who continue projecting confidence.

UPND media committee member Amos Chanda described the alliance as formidable but argued that it arrived too late to pose a serious threat to President Hakainde Hichilema’s re-election bid. He noted that both leaders successfully presented 100 supporters during ECZ’s provincial pre-processing stage, confirming they cleared the initial hurdle, but said he saw no realistic basis on which the pair could unseat the President.

That response was politically revealing.

Acknowledging the alliance as formidable while simultaneously downplaying its electoral potential suggests UPND is trying to avoid appearing dismissive while maintaining an image of confidence. UPND Lusaka Province Chairperson Obvious Mwaliteta reinforced that posture by declaring the ruling party would run the easiest campaign in the country’s history because President Hichilema had already delivered through free education, increased Constituency Development Fund allocations, mining sector recovery and broader economic stabilisation.

But competing political voices rejected that framing.

Political analyst Dr Alex Ng’oma warned that any efforts aimed at blocking strong opposition candidates would undermine Zambia’s democratic credibility. He argued that when institutions are perceived to narrow the field of candidates, public frustration can escalate.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia rejected those claims.

ECZ Chief Electoral Officer Brown Kasaro said both Mundubile and Makebi Zulu had been fully accommodated within the nomination schedule and that suggestions they were being blocked were false and misleading. He said the commission remained guided by the Constitution, the Electoral Process Act No. 35 of 2016 and the Electoral Process Amendment Act No. 12 of 2026.

Meanwhile, Sakwiba Sikota argued that the rejection of UPND incumbents in several primaries reflected growing dissatisfaction within parts of the ruling party’s support base.

The challenge facing Mundubile and Makebi now is execution.

Political alliances often generate headlines before collapsing under pressure from leadership tensions, funding disputes and weak grassroots structures. With official campaigns beginning on May 23, both men now face a narrow window to convert political symbolism into a functioning national campaign.

Their ability to do that will determine whether this becomes a genuine electoral force or another alliance that failed to move beyond headlines.

For now, they have achieved one significant political outcome — forcing the ruling party to publicly respond.