The Editor Zambia
Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu cannot win the August 13 general election because they lack organisational nationwide structures.
A recent survey conducted by the Editor Zambia, an online newspaper, revealed that the Tonse-Pamodzi Alliance has no party structures in North-Western, Western, Southern and parts of Central and Copperbelt Provinces. 
The Brian Mundubile- led Tonse-Pamodzi Alliance has no presence at ward, constituency and district levels in the above provinces.
The survey further revealed that the Tonse-Pamodzi Alliance has not taken campaign materials such as posters and mobile public loudspeakers to canvas support for the former Patriotic Front (PF) rebranded group.
As Zambia heads towards the August 13 general election, analysts have questioned how Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu hope to emerge victorious in an election in which they have failed to put party structures in all corners of the country.
Although both the ruling and opposition political parties have intensified their campaigns, with rallies becoming the most visible measure of support, it is important that such campaigns reach the masses in all the 10 provinces of Zambia. Without which, it would be impossible to defeat the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND), which has vigorously campaigned in all the provinces where that ruling party has drawn huge crowds.
President Hakainde Hichilema has taken the campaign to all the corners of the country and so far, he is assured of a convincing victory, come polling day.
Packed football playing fields, cheering supporters, and energetic processions have become common sights across the country, especially at rallies addressed by President Hichilema and Brian Mundubile.
However, history has repeatedly shown that elections are not won by rallies alone but are won through organisation, grassroots mobilisation, and the confidence voters have in a party’s record.
On that score, the UPND enters the election with a significant added advantage of having solid structures against the Tonse-Pamodzi Alliance, which has no presence in most remote corners of Zambia.
The UPND has spent years building an extensive political structure stretching from the national executive down to provinces, districts, constituencies, wards, and polling stations.
It is these structures that form the backbone of any successful electoral campaign because they ensure that every community has party representatives who know local issues, mobilise supporters, monitor polling stations and encourage voter turnout on election day.
Winning an election requires much more than attracting thousands of people to a handful of campaign rallies.
It also requires reaching millions of voters in villages, farming communities, compounds, and remote settlements where political activity is less visible but where votes carry equal weight. It is in these places that organisational strength often determines electoral success.
Beyond its organisational network, the UPND has something equally important to present to voters—a governing record.
In agriculture, the government has overseen one of the country’s largest maize harvests in decades, providing renewed optimism for food security.
The timely distribution of farming inputs, increased support to small-scale farmers, and improved confidence within the agricultural sector have strengthened rural livelihoods in many parts of the country.
While challenges remain, many farming communities have witnessed tangible improvements compared to previous years.
Education has also undergone substantial investment. The policy of free education complete with a feeding programme has opened classroom doors for thousands of children who might otherwise have remained at home because of financial constraints.
Expanded recruitment of teachers and continued investment in school infrastructure have further strengthened the sector. For many families, these are not abstract policy announcements but real changes affecting their daily lives.
The health sector has similarly seen significant attention through the recruitment of health workers, expansion of medical facilities, and efforts to improve the availability of medicines and essential health services. Increased staffing has eased pressure on health facilities while bringing services closer to communities that were previously underserved.
Infrastructure development, debt restructuring, economic recovery efforts, mining sector revitalisation, social protection programmes, and energy investments have also formed part of the government’s broader development agenda.
Voters ultimately decide whether these achievements meet their expectations, but they provide a concrete record upon which the ruling party can campaign.
In contrast, the Tonse-Pamodzi Alliance of National Republican Party-United Party (NRPUP) and Resolute Party (RP), despite holding rallies that have drawn sizeable crowds in some urban centres, faces a different challenge.
Crowds at political rallies should never be mistaken for nationwide electoral reach because attendance at a rally often reflects curiosity, entertainment, the presence of popular musicians, or the excitement surrounding a campaign event rather than guaranteed votes.
Elections require sustained grassroots organisation capable of reaching every ward and every polling station.
Many rural and peri-urban communities remain largely unfamiliar with the Tonse-Pamodzi Alliance. Building national recognition takes years of continuous engagement, local leadership development, and community presence.
Without well-established structures across the country, converting rally attendance into votes becomes an enormous challenge.
Political parties cannot rely solely on social media visibility or high-profile campaign events to overcome organisational deficiencies.
Zambia’s electoral geography is vast and diverse, and success depends upon consistent engagement with voters long before campaign season begins.
Ultimately, democracy allows every political party the opportunity to compete, and voters alone will decide the country’s future.
However, electoral experience consistently demonstrates that strong grassroots structures, combined with a governing record that citizens can evaluate, provide a more reliable foundation for victory than impressive rallies alone.
When Zambians cast their ballots on August 13, they are likely to weigh not only campaign promises but also organisation, accessibility and performance.
In politics, enthusiasm may fill a rally ground for an afternoon, but it is organisation and voter confidence that often determine who governs after the votes are counted.
