POLITICS OF THE DEAD: WHEN TRAGEDY BECOMES A CAMPAIGN STRATEGY
There is a growing concern in Zambia’s political discourse that some political actors appear unable to sustain public engagement without attaching themselves to national tragedies and the passing of prominent figures.
The conduct of the Tonse Alliance and the Patriotic Front (PF) increasingly raises an uncomfortable question: Why does every major death suddenly become a political campaign platform? 
From the passing of Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu to the death of former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu and now the death of Paramount Chief Mpezeni IV, the pattern appears remarkably consistent.
Before the nation had had sufficient time to mourn, political narratives emerged, assigning blame, manufacturing controversy, and attempting to convert grief into political capital.
One only needs to listen to the messages routinely amplified by campaign figures such as Emmanuel Banda. Almost every death involving a notable national figure is swiftly transformed into a political statement aimed at attacking opponents and mobilising partisan emotions.
This raises a fundamental question. If no prominent person were to die between now and election day, what would the opposition’s campaign message be?
The answer appears troublingly simple: very little.
Political parties seeking national office are expected to present policies, economic solutions, employment strategies, healthcare reforms, educational plans, and practical responses to the challenges facing ordinary citizens. Yet far too often, the public is subjected to endless accusations, conspiracy theories, and attempts to exploit bereavement for political gain.
Perhaps this is why many observers increasingly describe the Tonse-PF project as resembling a law firm more than a political movement. Its leading figures are lawyers. Its language is dominated by allegations, counter-allegations, accusations, and rebuttals. Rather than selling a vision for the future, they appear perpetually engaged in litigation by other means.
The tragedy is that a nation cannot be governed through accusations alone.
Citizens want answers to the cost of living crisis. They want jobs. They want better public services. They want economic opportunities. They want leadership capable of addressing tomorrow’s challenges rather than constantly revisiting yesterday’s grievances.
If every campaign message revolves around death, mourning, and blame, then voters are entitled to ask what positive programme is actually being offered to the country.
Political competition should be driven by ideas, not funerals.
Indeed, taking the logic to its absurd conclusion, one might jokingly suggest that the alliance should simply promise that if elected, no Zambian will ever die again. Such a pledge would be just as realistic as some of the narratives that emerge whenever a prominent figure passes away.
Democracy demands more than emotional manipulation. It requires substance, vision, and credible alternatives.
The deaths of respected national figures should unite citizens in reflection and respect, not provide an endless supply of campaign material.
Zambians deserve politics centred on the living, not politics sustained by the dead.
