The Opposition Void: Fitting Into President Hichilema’s Big Shoes

By Dr. Martin Mushumba
Public Policy Analyst

President Hakainde Hichilema is the current president of the Republic of Zambia. He spent 23 years as an opposition leader. His experience in politics and indeed leading a successful opposition party is unmatched. Over his 23 years as an opposition leader, he did not merely participate in our politics, he defined an era of principled opposition.

President Hichilema stood tall in Zambia’s democratic landscape. His influence was loud, not through noise, not through spectacle, but through quiet strength, strategic clarity, and unwavering conviction. At a time when opposition politics required uncommon courage, he provided direction with steadiness and dignity.

His strategic discipline, ethical posture, and belief in democratic governance profoundly shaped the political culture of the United Party for National Development (UPND).

He taught us that leadership is not measured by the office one occupies, but by the values one refuses to surrender. He kept on to his values, even when his closest confidants succumbed to pressure. He taught the world that modern politics was about the message that resonates with the people and not character assassination.

With calm resolve and intellectual depth, President Hichilema transformed the UPND into a formidable democratic force that eventually wrestled power from the Patriotic Front. He demonstrated that opposition is not obstruction but guardianship of national conscience. In moments of uncertainty, he offered vision. In moments of pressure, he displayed composure. In moments of hostility, he chose principle and restraint.

Surely, President Hichilema has mentored a generation of leaders who will carry his leadership going forward. The victory of democratic ideals we witness today is, in many ways, a continuation of the foundation he laid. His greatness as an opposition leader was not mere loudness: it was anchored in character. His legacy stands not to be personal but national.

In every way, as an opposition leader, President Hichilema bestrode our politics with dignity and foresight. His principles continue to breathe through the leadership he inspired and the democratic path he charted. His ascension to Presidency has today left a serious vacuum whose depth is clear. You can only pretend not to feel this emptiness when you see the disorganisation in today’s the opposition parties.

Today, I urge the opposition leadership to draw lessons from his resilience, organisational focus, and unshakeable belief that Zambia deserved better.

For those, aspiring to succeed President Hichilema, both within and outside the ruling UPND, begin to learn and practice his politics. You might not like him, but he has raised the bar and that is clear. The benefit to Zambia is that it has managed to expose and eliminate political jokers who for a long time received attention from the masses.

The 2026 general election is around the corner, we seek to witness issue based politics. President Hichilema showed the nation in 2021 that you cannot actually win an election without mudslinging your opponents. Let’s debate ideas and bring to light the vision you have for your wards, constituencies, councils and Zambia as a whole. All the best Zambia.