13/06/2026
WE ARE THE MOST CIVILISED COUPLE IN THIS COUNTRY – KATUTA
LUSAKA, Saturday, June 13, 2026
Independent presidential candidate Given Katuta has defended her decision to pursue a different political path from her husband, Dr. Lawrence Mwelwa, saying democracy should first be practiced within families before it can thrive in national politics.
Speaking on the Weekend GP programme on KBN TV this morning, Ms. Katuta responded to questions from Zambians who have expressed curiosity about how her husband serves as spokesperson for the Tonse Alliance while she is pursuing an independent presidential bid.
Ms. Katuta said her husband has remained supportive despite their differing political affiliations, stressing that marriage does not require spouses to share identical views on every issue.
“My husband has been very supportive and we support each other in many things. Marriage does not mean one has to drag the other into whatever they like,” she said.
She compared their political differences to personal preferences, noting that her husband supports Manchester United while she supports Arsenal, and that they also have different tastes in food.
“A husband can be a CEO of one company while a wife works for another company. There is nothing wrong with that,” she said.
Ms. Katuta recalled that during the 2016 general election, when her husband was a member of the then-ruling Patriotic Front under former President Edgar Lungu, she contested on the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) ticket and received his full support.
“When he was PF under President Lungu, I stood on FDD in 2016 and he single-handedly funded my campaign. I defeated both PF where he belonged, and UPND,” she said.
She added that when her husband later joined the Socialist Party, she remained an independent politician and continued serving the people of Chiengi.
Ms. Katuta emphasised that democracy begins at the household level, arguing that tolerance for differing opinions within families is essential for building a truly democratic society.
“We must all start to learn that democracy doesn’t begin in national politics but from the various homes we come from. If I am not a democrat at home, don’t expect me to become a democrat when I become president,” she said.
Ms. Katuta further described herself and her husband as an example of political tolerance, saying their ability to coexist despite differing political beliefs demonstrates the values needed in a democratic nation.
