The Editor Zambia
The unfolding contest within the United National Independence Party (UNIP) ahead of the August 13 general elections presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the country’s founding political movement.
While the wrangles between the faction aligned to Mike Kaira and the rival camp of Ken Kaira and Colonel (Rtd), Henry Muyoba have threatened to weaken the party’s standing. 
The recent developments at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre suggest that there is still room for unity, relevance, and constructive engagement in national politics.
Vice President John Sandwe, who arrived at the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) offices insisting that no presidential nomination should be accepted from anyone claiming to be the legitimate president of UNIP, highlighted the deep divisions currently affecting the former ruling party.
However, beyond the courtroom style, confrontations and competing claims of legitimacy lie a more important national question. What role should UNIP play in Zambia’s democratic future?
The answer is increasingly becoming clear. The two warring factions should set aside personal ambitions and unite behind President Hakainde Hichilema and the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) in the forthcoming elections.
There are several compelling reasons for this course of action.
Firstly, despite years out of government and internal divisions, the Kaira faction has demonstrated that UNIP is far from politically dead.
Though the Kaira group failed to mobile 100 delegates from Luapula, Eastern, Northern and Muchinga provinces, it managed to secure 100 delegates from the remaining six provinces namely Western, Southern, Copperbelt, Central, Lusaka and North Western.
This achievement should not be dismissed lightly because in modern politics, grassroots mobilisation remains one of the clearest indicators of political relevance and organisational strength.
Many political observers had long written off UNIP as a relic of Zambia’s past, surviving only through nostalgia.
Yet the ability to organise delegates across the country proves that the party still commands pockets of loyalty and influence among ordinary citizens.
Such support structures can become valuable assets in building national consensus and strengthening democratic participation.
Secondly, UNIP’s historical legacy, as Zambia’s founding party places upon it, a responsibility to promote national unity and stability rather than endless internal conflict.
Zambia’s political landscape is increasingly polarised, with heightened tensions and aggressive rhetoric dominating public discourse.
At such a moment, veteran political institutions should act as bridges of reconciliation and not centres of division.
President Hichilema’s administration has consistently projected itself as one focused on economic recovery, democratic governance, and national inclusiveness.
While no government is without criticism, there is broad recognition that the current administration has attempted to stabilise the economy, restore investor confidence, and rebuild institutions that had suffered under years of political strain.
For UNIP, supporting President Hichilema would not amount to surrendering its identity, but rather, it would demonstrate political maturity and an understanding that coalition building is increasingly necessary in modern governance.
Around the world, historic political parties often reinvent themselves by forming strategic partnerships that allow them to continue influencing national affairs.
Thirdly, a united endorsement of Hichilema by both UNIP factions, especially the Mike Kaira group, would send a strong signal that national interests must come before personal rivalries.
The ongoing wrangles over party leadership risk reducing UNIP into a permanent courtroom organisation instead of a meaningful political player.
Endless litigation and factional fights only alienate supporters who wish to see the party contribute positively to Zambia’s development.
There is, therefore, a belief that the time has come for sober reflection within the UNIP family. The competing camps (by the way Ken and Mike are blood brothers) must recognise that neither side stands to gain from prolonged hostility.
Instead of exhausting resources fighting one another, they should channel their remaining influence toward shaping Zambia’s future through constructive cooperation with the government.
Importantly, the support base that still exists within the six provinces could complement the broader national appeal of the UPND.
Such collaboration would not only strengthen democratic participation but also help promote political inclusiveness across regions.
Zambia’s democracy grows stronger when political actors choose dialogue over conflict and partnership over fragmentation.
UNIP still carries symbolic weight in the country’s political history because its leaders now have an opportunity to transform that legacy into a force for unity and stability.
The August 13 elections should, therefore, become a moment of reconciliation within UNIP and a chance for the founding party to contribute meaningfully to Zambia’s continued democratic journey by rallying behind President Hakainde Hichilema.
