28/08/2026
"Cadres In Politics" by Malama Katulwende
The tragedy which has crushed the spirit of "One Zambia, One Nation" in the aftermath of the country's controversial August 13, 2026 general elections, reminds me of the delicate dance between the activism of cadres, politics and the state. The interplay of these elements, environed in historical circumstances in which greed, injustice and the complete overthrow of the rule of law, foreshadows catastrophies from which Zambia's history has at times been overshadowed.
This morning, two opposition candidates in an election (Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu), along with over hundred supporters, are now facing charges ranging from treason and inciting an insurrection, disorderly conduct and possession of offensive weapons, to violence and hate speech. They are behind bars. In contrast, cadres of the ruling UPND who had committed crimes during the election period, many of which were even reported to the Police, are enjoying their freedom and liberty. This is because we have two laws; there are laws for ruling party loyalists and laws for opposition political parties and their members.
In 1964 prior to Independence of Zambia, similar dynamics were at play between supporters of the UNIP, the Northern Rhodesian State, and followers of the Lumpa Church, led by Alice Mulenga Lenshina. At the time, Kenneth D. Kaunda was Prime Minister and a Republican President in waiting. The Unipists were extremely upset with members of the Lumpa Church, for declining to join political mobilisation on Sundays, and defying the government directive to return to their villages after violent skirmishes. Cadres of the UNIP, supported by the colonial police, hunted down Lenshina and her followers, accusing them of insurrection, insurbodination and a host of other crimes. What followed was a massacre of over 1,200 Lumpas by Northern Rhodesian Army Regiment. The other members, fearful of retribution by the State, escaped to Congo, Malawi, Tanzania and other neighbouring countries.
As Zambians, we need to learn about our history, and commit to not repeating the cruel mistakes of the wretched past. The actions of government officials, have haunted them to this very day.
