The Editor Zambia
In the increasingly animated theatre of Zambia’s opposition politics, the recent invitation by Brian Mundubile for fellow opposition leaders to rally behind his Tonse Alliance has exposed not unity but a striking lapse in political judgment.
Mundubile’s public call for Fred M’membe to join his camp has rightly been dismissed as not only misguided but fundamentally disrespectful. 
M’membe’s response that unity cannot be built through press conferences speaks to a deeper truth about political leadership.
Serious alliances are forged through dialogue, trust, and mutual respect, not through megaphone politics designed for headlines.
For a figure of M’membe’s stature, a seasoned politician who has previously contested the presidency and built an ideological movement through the Socialist Party, the suggestion that he should simply fall in line behind Mundubile is not only unrealistic but borders on political insult.
There is a clear difference in political weight between the two men. M’membe has spent years cultivating a defined ideological platform, engaging citizens on substantive national issues, and positioning himself as a consistent voice in Zambia’s political discourse.
By contrast, Mundubile’s political trajectory appears largely opportunistic, shaped more by proximity to past power than by grassroots credibility or a coherent national vision.
It is, therefore, difficult to ignore the perception that Mundubile is, in many respects, a newspaper politician, one whose presence is amplified in headlines rather than grounded in tangible structures on the ground.
His so called “100 Days of Hope” campaign may sound appealing in rhetoric, but it remains to be seen whether it translates into genuine political mobilisation or simply adds to a growing list of well packaged but hollow initiatives.
More troubling, however, are indications that Mundubile has already begun constructing what resembles a shadow government, reportedly assigning positions to familiar figures from the previous political establishment.
This premature distribution of roles suggests a level of political arrogance that is out of step with democratic principles bearing the fact that leadership is earned through the ballot, not pre-arranged in backroom conversations.
Even more concerning is the apparent regional tilt in these arrangements, with many of the figures linked to this emerging structure reportedly drawn from Northern, Muchinga, and Eastern provinces.
In a country that has long sought to move beyond the constraints of regional and tribal politics, such a pattern risks reinforcing divisions rather than promoting national unity.
Zambia’s political future cannot be built on narrow affiliations disguised as strategic alliances.
Against this backdrop, Mundubile’s call for unity rings hollow. Unity is not about assembling a coalition of convenience or recycling familiar faces under a new banner.
It requires a credible vision, policy clarity, and above all, leadership that inspires confidence across all sections of society. On these counts, the Tonse Alliance under Mundubile has yet to present a compelling case.
M’membe’s insistence on engaging fellow leaders privately reflects a more mature and effective approach to coalition building.
It recognises that political partnerships must be negotiated with sincerity and respect, not imposed through public declarations.
His rejection of Mundubile’s invitation is, therefore, not an act of division but a defence of political dignity and principle.
Ultimately, the contrast between the two approaches could not be clearer. On one hand, stands a leader with a track record of ideological consistency and national ambition.
On the other is a political upstart whose actions suggest more interest in positioning himself for power than in building the foundations necessary to attain it.
Zambians deserve an opposition that offers more than recycled ambitions and symbolic gestures.
They deserve leaders who understand that credibility is built over time, through substance rather than spectacle.
Until Mundubile demonstrates that he possesses such substance, his calls for unity will continue to be seen not as a rallying point, but as an overreach that underestimates both the intelligence of the electorate and the stature of those he seeks to lead.
