By EditorZambia
Politics, stripped of sentiment and theatrics, is ultimately a game of numbers, timing and clarity of purpose.
It is for this reason that the United Party for National Development (UPND) should not hesitate, equivocate or drag its feet in recruiting Members of Parliament expelled from the Patriotic Front (PF) for voting in favour of Constitution Amendment Bill No. 7. 
History punishes hesitation, especially after a hard-won victory, and Bill 7 was nothing short of a bitter political battle whose triumph must never be trivialised.
Bill 7 did not pass by accident. It passed because a critical mass of legislators chose country over party orthodoxy, reform over stagnation, and courage over intimidation. That decision has now been met with predictable retribution from a PF leadership that has long confused discipline with intolerance and principle with personal authority.
By expelling MPs who voted for Bill 7, the PF has once again demonstrated that it is more comfortable with purges than persuasion and more invested in vendettas than in national progress.
The UPND must read this moment correctly. These MPs did not vote for Bill 7 to please UPND; they voted because they believed it was right. That alone makes them natural allies in a reformist project. To hesitate in welcoming them would be to squander political capital, undermine the significance of the Bill 7 victory, and send the wrong signal to reform-minded actors across the political divide.
Let us be blunt: politics is about numbers. Numbers in Parliament, numbers on the ground, numbers in influence. A ruling party that understands this basic truth strengthens itself while it has momentum. Bill 7 passed with 135 votes at Third Reading, a resounding endorsement that required cooperation beyond party lines. That coalition of conscience must not be allowed to dissipate simply because the dust has settled. Victories must be consolidated, not merely celebrated.
The UPND Alliance Chairperson Charles Milupi has already struck the right tone by stating that the ruling party is ready to welcome PF MPs who supported Bill 7.
Government Chief Whip Stafford Mulusa has equally clarified that those MPs are safe, while State House Chief Communications Specialist Clayson Hamasaka has correctly reminded the nation that Bill 7 is now history and that there is no justification for demonising those who voted for it. These statements should not remain rhetorical comfort; they must translate into decisive political action.
Given that Lubinda has now moved to expel PF MPs who voted for the Bill—without even publishing a formal division list—the matter is effectively settled. The MPs are known. Among those believed to have voted in favour are Sunday Chanda, Remember Mutale, Anthony Mumba, Marjorie Nakaponda, Christopher Kang’ombe, Musonda Mpankata and Sibongile Mwamba, among others.
These are elected representatives with constituencies, followings, and political relevance. To pretend otherwise would be dishonest.
The UPND should remember that it is, after UNIP, arguably the best party to have ever governed Zambia. That reputation was not built on insularity, suspicion, or small-minded gatekeeping. It was built on inclusion, national outlook, and a belief that Zambia is bigger than any single party.
President Hakainde Hichilema has exemplified this ethos from day one, bringing sanity, predictability, and reformist discipline to governance. That leadership is enviable and deserves to be supported, not undermined by inertia or internal complacency.As an editorial team at a leading online publication, we have observed with concern that there are passengers within the ruling party—individuals content to enjoy the trappings of power while contributing little to the hard, unglamorous work of party building and electoral preparation.
Meanwhile, President Hichilema continues to shoulder herculean responsibilities: stabilising the economy, restoring international confidence, pursuing institutional reform and preparing the party for the 2026 elections, which by all rational measures is a done deal and the very reason that other members should maintain discipline and momentum.
This is precisely why the party must act decisively now. Embracing MPs expelled for supporting Bill 7 is not charity; it is strategic consolidation. It rewards courage, reinforces reformist credibility, and sends a clear message that UPND values principle and performance over blind loyalty. It also warns internal passengers that positions must be justified by work, vision, and results, not mere proximity to power.
The UPND members at all levels must rise to the high standards President Hichilema has set. Leadership is not inherited by default; it is earned daily. Welcoming reform-minded MPs from the PF is not a sign of weakness—it is a demonstration of confidence, maturity, and political intelligence.The iron is hot. The mandate is clear. Bill 7 is secured, history has been made, and the next phase requires consolidation.
The UPND must move swiftly, boldly, and unapologetically. In politics, fortune favours the prepared—and the decisive.
