The recent serious post-election conflicts witnessed in the neighbouring states of Mozambique and Tanzania, saw wide-spread violence, looting and riots, needless loss of life, damage to public and private property, and the subsequent threats to the countries’ national peace, security, and stability, provide credible insights, fear and prediction to where Zambia is going into in 2026. The situation is reflective of trends that could escalate if not addressed promptly. Sadly for the Sahel and parts of West Africa Region, we have recently witnessed grave turn of events where post-election conflicts and poor handling of the electoral process have led to military coups, often triggered by disputed results, lack of electoral credibility, insecurity, especially with legacy issues such economic hardships as seen in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Gabon, and Sudan, The seizure of power, using the excuse and citing failure to deliver democracy or credible elections and stability, have instead seen the worsening of human rights and governance and the installation of military dictatorships in these countries-the very serious issues that credible, democratic and transparent elections and fair electoral process are designed to cure and prevent.
The mishandling of pre-election issues and concerns have shown that they spawn deadly consequences and now threaten the democratization process that Zambia and Africa embarked on. Therefore, it is crucial for Zambia to learn from these regional dynamics to ensure a stable political environment. It must be stated without any fancy illusions or pretence, that President Hakainde Hichilema has been both methodical and systematic in setting up a dangerous stage for Zambia to degenerate into civil unrest.
He has embarked on a clear path to undermine and destroy democracy and the Rule of Law by attempting to steal, kill and destroy the largest Opposition party in Zambia-the Patriotic Front (PF). This action alone has undermined the multi-party character of our democratic nation. He has enacted extremely draconian laws, relived such archaic and anti-democratic laws such as seditious laws.
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He recently hijacked legsilation against cyber security and cyber crimes to weaponise them against speech and freedom of expression. Even mundane legislative amendments to laws such as ZNBC and IBA Acts have seen provisions placed on to undermine freedom of expression and freedom of the media.
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