Opposition pressure to unite ahead of the August general elections has intensified, with People’s Pact 2026 presidential candidate Dr Fred M’membe warning that continued divisions will hand victory to the ruling party.
M’membe’s call comes as political actors enter a narrowing window before nominations, with coordination among opposition parties still unresolved despite repeated public appeals for a single candidate.
He argues that fragmentation within the opposition is no longer a strategic choice but a direct path to defeat, pointing to growing frustration among voters who have called for a consolidated front capable of mounting a credible challenge.
The appeal is grounded in timing. With nomination processes approaching, the space for negotiations, alliances and compromise is shrinking, leaving parties with limited room to realign their positions without risking confusion or weakened campaigns.
M’membe has criticised what he describes as posturing and internal rivalry, saying opposition leaders have yet to move beyond positioning and rhetoric. He says unity cannot be built on shifting commitments or short-term calculations, warning that such approaches undermine trust and coherence.
The issue has exposed deeper structural challenges within opposition politics, including competing ambitions, ideological differences and disagreements over leadership. These factors have slowed efforts to build a single platform, even as public calls for unity grow louder.
At the same time, developments across the political landscape suggest that divisions are not confined to the opposition. Internal disputes within major parties, including disagreements over leadership and procedural legitimacy, indicate that questions of authority and coordination are widespread.
Despite these complexities, the unity argument continues to gain traction. Supporters of a single candidate say a fragmented ballot risks splitting votes and weakening collective strength, particularly in a competitive electoral environment.
M’membe’s position is that unity is not simply about forming alliances, but about presenting a clear and consistent alternative. Without that clarity, he argues, voters may struggle to identify a cohesive direction, reducing the opposition’s ability to convert public sentiment into electoral outcomes.
The challenge now lies in translating calls for unity into actionable agreements. This includes deciding on leadership structures, campaign coordination and policy alignment — all of which require compromise and trust among participating parties.
Observers within political circles note that the longer negotiations take, the more difficult it becomes to build momentum. Campaign preparation, messaging and mobilisation all depend on clarity, which is harder to achieve when alliances remain uncertain.
The coming weeks are expected to determine whether opposition parties can overcome internal divisions and present a unified front. The outcome will shape not only campaign dynamics but also voter perception of readiness and organisation.
The reason you need to disband your peoples pact and join others. Even your psychological naming of your alliance does not help. We are all agreed UPND has failed but where is your economic turn around plan, I mean some real tangible plan and not those essays and poetry which political parties call manifestos
Tuntemba parties like Fred’s just split the ballots. And Zambians know only one path to wealth: politics.
Why form a party? You should have stayed at The Post and continued to pester politicians.
But ukulwisha ukumonekela like HH you just wanted to satisfy a big ego.
Ba LT, Narrowing window? Tell politicians to Use the door.
You want to come and do what?It appears that your sole agenda is to eliminate HH without a well-structured plan. Your objective seems to be to exchange tenders among yourselves and misappropriate funds from our Treasury, which would only set us back by 20 years. Furthermore, it is likely that you will begin to contend for positions. We will not permit you to proceed with this, under any circumstances.
Be the first to agree to be led and join the others
Nice advice. But will it be taken?
If you think you understand the game, I don’t think you know. It’s just about winning an election, you have to know how to play the game. Some level of political calculus has been playing pa Zed, you got to have facts to understand and not the HATE.
Is the “mission of let’s unite and remove HH”, without spelling out the manifesto that is better than what HH is doing makes any sense? You people! Are you confused or bewitched?
LT stop asking AI to complete the article
Fred name your candidate and stop waffling on
Mmembe’s party is one of the wastes of time. Noisemakers who have no hope of winning. HH is very happy to see these parties multiply.
But Mmembe is the chief Divider himself. He can’t live without dividing people