The Editor Zambia
For years, Gary Chilala Nkombo was regarded as one of the United Party for National Development (UPND)’s most recognisable figures, a politician who stood shoulder to shoulder with President Hakainde Hichilema through the party’s long years in opposition.
That image, however, was dramatically shattered in Mazabuka when President Hichilema publicly described his former ally of a pattern of conduct that he described as nothing short of betrayal. 
The President’s address was remarkable not only for its emotion but also for the gravity of the allegations levelled against the former Mazabuka parliamentarian.
Speaking before thousands of supporters, President Hichilema portrayed Nkombo as a politician who repeatedly fraternised with individuals whom the President says were determined to destroy both him and the UPND during its years in opposition.
Nothing cuts deeper in politics than disloyalty from someone considered a trusted confidant.
According to President Hichilema, while he was enduring relentless political persecution under the Patriotic Front administration, Nkombo was allegedly sharing meals and drinks with some of the very figures accused of orchestrating that persecution.
The President recounted how, shortly after threats against his life allegedly emerged, Nkombo was seen socialising with those he believed wished him harm.
President Hichilema further alleged that even after incidents in which security agencies confronted UPND members under PF rule, Nkombo continued to associate comfortably with senior PF officials behind closed doors.
Such allegations paint a disturbing picture. While political dialogue across party lines is not unusual in any democracy, repeatedly socialising with political adversaries during moments of intense persecution inevitably raises uncomfortable questions about loyalty, judgment, and political commitment to the party.
For President Hichilema, this was not presented as an isolated incident but as a behaviour stretching over two decades. He told supporters that he had repeatedly confronted Nkombo over his conduct, only to receive apologies followed by a return to the same behaviour.
The President described him as someone who had become habitually rebellious and unwilling to change.
The most politically explosive accusation, however, concerns the current election campaign.
President Hichilema openly suggested that Nkombo had quietly aligned himself with the opposition campaign of Brian Mundubile.
Referring to similarities between ballot symbols, the President implied there had been a deliberate attempt to confuse voters while encouraging them to reject any such strategy.
Whether these allegations ultimately prove politically consequential will be determined by voters. Nevertheless, they reveal an extraordinary
breakdown in trust between two men who were once viewed as inseparable allies within the ruling party.
President Hichilema also expressed disappointment over what he characterised as Nkombo’s failure to appreciate opportunities that had helped sustain his political career.
The President argued that despite benefiting from the party’s support over many years, Nkombo allegedly failed to reciprocate that loyalty when critical decisions confronted the UPND.
Particularly striking was President Hichilema’s account of privately inviting Nkombo to his residence in an effort to resolve differences amicably.
According to the President, he requested Nkombo not to contest the Mazabuka parliamentary seat and later appealed to him to campaign for the party instead.
President Hichilema contrasted Nkombo’s response with that of other senior figures whom he said accepted similar requests without protest and joined the campaign trail in support of the party.
Leadership inevitably demands sacrifice, discipline, and collective responsibility. Political parties survive because members sometimes place organisational interests above personal ambitions.
When those expectations are perceived to have been ignored, accusations of betrayal become almost inevitable.
The events unfolding in Mazabuka have transformed what might have been viewed as ordinary internal disagreements into one of the most dramatic public ruptures in Zambia’s recent political history.
In politics, betrayal by an opponent is expected. Betrayal by someone once regarded as family is often remembered far longer.
If President Hichilema’s account reflects his genuine experience, then the wounds he described run far deeper than electoral rivalry—they speak to the collapse of trust at the highest levels of political partnership.
