By EditorZambia
Zambia is heading toward the 2026 elections with a political landscape tilted so heavily in favour of President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND that it is almost impossible to identify a credible challenger.
The problem is not that the ruling party is invincible; rather, it is that the opposition is suffering from structural weaknesses, personality-driven politics, and chronic infighting that render it incapable of offering an alternative vision. 
Former PF Secretary General Davies Mwila may be criticised for saying the PF is “finished,” but the truth is that his assessment reflects a reality the opposition has refused to confront.
Whether Jean Kapata likes it or not, the PF of today is a hollowed-out version of the movement that once dominated Zambian politics.
Rhe newly-formed WOZA alliance, led by Sakwiba Sikota, is unlikely to break new ground.
Other smaller parties—UNIP, the Socialist Party, New Heritage Party, and multiple political clubs masquerading as national movements—have resigned themselves to championing issues like Bill 7 because they lack the structure, numbers, and national appeal to mount a serious challenge.
In other words, Zambia’s opposition is fragmented, leaderless, and unprepared. This leaves the UPND sitting comfortably at the top.
PF: A Party That Has Lost Its Way
Davies Mwila’s remarks may have angered PF loyalists, but they carry significant weight.
He told supporters that the party they once supported has collapsed beyond repair.
While Jean Kapata insists that Mwila’s words come from bitterness, she can not deny the facts staring the country in the face.
Mwila outlines a party crippled by internal contradictions:
- No unity. Senior leaders pulling in different directions, treating the party as an arena for personal survival rather than collective strategy.
- No discipline. Public quarrels aired daily through duelling press conferences, making the PF appear chaotic to citizens and potential allies.
- No message. The PF of 2024–2025 has no coherent ideology or policy platform. It survives on nostalgia and anger, not vision.
- No leadership. The refusal by Given Lubinda to call for a long-overdue general conference is proof enough that the PF can not renew itself.
Even PF councillor Nivel Musukwa has warned that the rampant infighting will lead to electoral humiliation. His message is simple: a party that can not organise itself internally can not organise a nation.
Kapata insists that the PF is intact. But being “intact” is not the same as being viable.
Today’s PF is a political brand in free fall, with little prospect of rising to its former dominance.
WOZA: A New Alliance With Old Problems
Enter the We Are One Zambia Alliance (WOZA), launched by Sakwiba Sikota with much fanfare.
The coalition promises price controls, subsidies, rural development, energy reforms, merit-based public appointments, anti-corruption governance, and an inclusive political culture.
These are noble ideas. But the question remains: does WOZA have the numbers, the machinery, the national presence, and the internal cohesion to challenge the UPND?
For now, the answer is no.WOZA faces the same obstacles that have crippled other opposition formations: It lacks a mass base. Neither ULP, UNIP, the New Heritage Party, PAC, nor ZWW possess significant grassroots influence.
It is yet another elite-driven alliance. Coalitions formed from weak parties rarely produce strong outcomes. It does not solve the opposition fragmentation problem.
Zambia does not need more alliances; it needs one strong party capable of consolidating national support.
WOZA may generate excitement on social media, but it is not yet a force capable of threatening a dominant ruling party.
Political Clubs Disguised as Parties
Beyond PF and WOZA, Zambia’s political space is littered with micro-parties that function more like political clubs than national movements.
The Socialist Party of Fred M’membe has passionate rhetoric but minimal electoral traction.
UNIP survives largely as a historical relic rather than a modern political force.
Several small political parties have acknowledged their impotence by championing isolated issues like Bill 7 instead of attempting nationwide mobilisation.
These organisations occupy space but do not shape it. They fragment the opposition vote without contributing to a credible challenge.
Why UPND Has No Real Competition
At the moment, the most popular figure in Zambia is President Hakainde Hichilema, who is steering the country to the political and economic Canaan that has eluded it for many years.
Three major factors explain why:
- Organisational capacity. The UPND has maintained discipline, clear messaging, and structured leadership.
- Opposition fragmentation. Instead of forming a unified front, opposition leaders compete with one another for relevance.
- Lack of ideological clarity. Aside from vague talk of “change,” most opposition parties cannot articulate what they would do differently.
A Democracy Needs Strong Opposition
It is not President Hichilema’s making that Zambia has a landscape filled with weak, divided, personality-centric parties that lack national reach and internal coherence.
Davies Mwila may be controversial, but on this point, he is right: the PF is finished.
Jean Kapata can dispute his tone, but she cannot erase the evidence.
WOZA will not go far unless it builds structures, expands its grassroots influence, and articulates a compelling vision.
The other small parties must decide whether they want to remain political clubs or become actual political movements.
As things stand today, President Hakainde Hichilema is not facing an opposition—he is facing fragments of one.
It is for this reason that the UPND will continue to enjoy a political monopoly, not because it is unchallenged, but because it is unchallengeable.
