TONSE’S ILLUSION OF POLITICAL STRENGTH
The loud boasting by Tonse Alliance national chairperson for elections Japhen Mwakalombe that Tonse is the country’s biggest alliance merely exposes the deep political confusion currently consuming the opposition grouping.
His remarks directed at Socialist Party leader Fred M’membe following the latter’s refusal to join the alliance reveal a troubling inability to distinguish between noise and genuine political substance. 
It is one thing to assemble a collection of parties under one umbrella and another thing entirely to build a credible, organised, and nationally grounded political movement capable of governing a country as complex as Zambia.
Mwakalombe appears to believe that the mere existence of many logos and press conferences automatically translates into political strength. That is a dangerous misreading of political reality.
The Tonse Alliance is largely an amalgamation of political clubs, online activists, and individuals whose influence exists more on social media timelines than in real communities.
Many of the parties within the alliance have no known structures, no councillors, no Members of Parliament, and no measurable grassroots machinery.
Their visibility is largely confined to Facebook live streams, WhatsApp groups, and political commentary spaces where rhetoric often substitutes real mobilisation.
Political relevance cannot be manufactured through inflated press statements and exaggerated self-praise.
The refusal by Fred M’membe to join the alliance should therefore not be treated as some act of political ignorance requiring reflection, as Mwakalombe suggests.
If anything, it demonstrates caution toward a coalition whose internal contradictions are already becoming visible before it has even faced a national election.
The recent declarations by Given Lubinda and Raphael Nakacinda that only a Patriotic Front (PF) member can become Tonse’s presidential candidate expose the alliance for what it truly is.
Far from being an equal partnership of political organisations, Tonse increasingly resembles a political annexe of the PF where smaller parties are expected to surrender their identities and ambitions in exchange for symbolic inclusion.
That arrangement defeats the very purpose of forming alliances.
In mature democracies, alliances are built on mutual respect, shared values, and negotiated compromise. Partners enter coalitions because each brings strategic value to the table.
But in Tonse, the message appears clear. Smaller parties are welcome only if they acknowledge permanent PF dominance.
Such arrogance is politically unhealthy and strategically short- sighted.
The opposition in any democracy plays an important role in holding the government accountable and providing alternative solutions to national problems.
Unfortunately, Tonse seems more preoccupied with political theatrics and personality cults than with presenting coherent policies capable of inspiring public confidence.
Ordinary citizens are struggling with the cost of living, unemployment, access to healthcare, and economic uncertainty.
What the public expects from opposition political formations is seriousness, policy depth, and a clear national vision. What they are receiving instead are endless declarations about who is bigger than whom.
This obsession with numerical claims and political chest thumping is precisely why many alliances collapse before achieving anything meaningful.
The Tonse Alliance must also confront a difficult truth. The political environment in Zambia has changed significantly.
Citizens today are increasingly demanding issue based politics rather than emotional mobilisation built around personalities and nostalgia.
The days when alliances could survive purely on anti-government sentiment are rapidly fading.
Merely gathering disgruntled politicians into one room does not create a viable national alternative.
If Tonse genuinely wishes to be taken seriously, it must move beyond slogans and inflated claims of popularity by demonstrating organisational discipline, internal democracy, policy coherence, and respect among partners.
Without those fundamentals, the alliance risks becoming yet another short- lived opposition experiment driven more by ambition than vision.
Mwakalombe and company should, therefore, exercise humility instead of engaging in premature celebrations.
Political strength is not measured by the number of microphones at a press briefing or by trending conversations on social media.
Real political strength is earned through structures, ideas, credibility, and the trust of the people. On that score, Tonse still has a great deal to prove.
