Africa-Press – Zambia. The mask has finally fallen. The UPND government has shown the nation what it truly is — a desperate political machine willing to trample on democracy, silence its own members, and force candidates down people’s throats just to survive the 2026 general elections.
*Emmanuel Banda: A Pawn in UPND’s Game*
Independent Muchinga MP Emmanuel Banda has crossed the floor and been hastily “adopted” by UPND — but at what cost? This is not a show of strength. It is a sign of panic. Banda’s political career is now tied to a sinking ship, and he will sink with Hakainde Hichilema when the people deliver their verdict in 2026.
Citizens are not fooled. They know who has caused their pain — the soaring cost of living, broken promises on jobs, unending fuel and electricity woes, and a leadership that listens only to itself. That pain is the real opposition UPND faces, not PF, not any alliance. The people themselves have become the biggest opposition party in this country.
*By-Elections When It Suits Them*
UPND is quick to cry for by-elections when it favors them, but when Emmanuel Banda openly crosses the floor, they refuse to create one in Serenje. Why? Because the system only works when it keeps UPND in power. This hypocrisy exposes how far they are willing to bend the rules of democracy to protect their crumbling political empire.
*Internal Democracy Dead in UPND*
Before Parliament is even dissolved, UPND is already dishing out adoption certificates behind closed doors. What does this say about internal democracy? What does this say about 2026? If the ruling party cannot respect democracy inside its own house, how can anyone expect free and fair elections for the nation?
Article 60 of the Constitution is clear about democracy within political parties, but UPND has spat on it. They want Emmanuel Banda at all costs, even if it means suffocating their own members who have loyally worked for years in Muchinga. Banda’s adoption is not just a betrayal of the grassroots — it is an insult to the democratic spirit of Zambia.
*2026: The People’s Shockwave*
If the Tonse Alliance continues to stumble in disunity, Zambians will shock the world in 2026. Citizens will choose their own independent president and MPs — free from the chains of failed alliances and corrupt adoptions. The writing is on the wall: people are tired of being used, tired of being lied to, and tired of being ignored.
UPND is preparing for a rigged and unfair election, but no amount of manipulation will erase the suffering of ordinary citizens. They may adopt Emmanuel Banda today, but they cannot adopt the people’s anger, and they cannot silence the nation’s resolve.
In conclusion, the adoption of Emmanuel Banda is not a victory — it is an act of desperation. It is the final nail in the coffin of UPND’s internal democracy. And come 2026, it will be remembered as the moment Zambians decided they had had enough.
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