The Editor Zambia
Former Patriotic Front (PF) Deputy Secretary General Brenda Nyirenda has criticized the UPND’s openness to defectors, describing it as a “ticking time bomb” and warning that political opportunism could destabilize the ruling party.
While her concerns about loyalty are understandable, they overlook the realities of modern politics, where success is not merely about holding on to old members but about expanding influence, building coalitions, and strategically winning elections. 
Politics is fundamentally about numbers because it is votes, public opinion, demographic shifts, and electoral margins that determine power.
By welcoming new members—including those from opposition parties—the UPND strengthens its base, broadens its appeal, and enhances its capacity to govern effectively.
History has shown that disciplined integration of new members does not dilute a party’s core values; rather, it revitalises it.
The UPND’s disciplined approach, under the stewardship of President Hakainde Hichilema, a known disciplinarian, has transformed a party that spent 23 years in opposition into a governing force, demonstrating that growth through inclusion can coexist with loyalty and accountability.
Nyirenda suggests that defectors might prioritise personal interests over party values, potentially creating internal divisions.
However, this perspective underestimates the mechanisms the UPND has in place: strict codes of conduct, training in party policies, and enforcement of discipline ensure that all members—old and new—adhere to the party’s vision.
Unlike in the PF, where indiscipline has often been tolerated, any former PF member joining the UPND is politically reborn.
They are immediately expected to operate under UPND rules and can no longer behave as they did in their previous party.
Misbehaviour is not an option; discipline is enforced from the top down. Moreover, in a country approaching general elections, political pragmatism cannot be ignored because every vote counts, and integrating new members increases the party’s electoral reach while reinforcing the narrative that governance is inclusive and responsive.
This also means that though loyalty is important, it is sustained not by exclusion but by demonstrating that party values are non-negotiable, irrespective of when or where a member joins.
The UPND’s strategy of disciplined inclusion is a forward-looking approach that balances growth with principle not found in any other political party in Zambia.
By embracing defectors under clear rules and standards, the party strengthens itself numerically and ideologically, ensuring stability and continuity while remaining responsive to the aspirations of a broader citizenry.
This is because politics, after all, is not just about preserving the past but about winning the future.
