M'membe Rejects Public Coalition Calls

Socialist Party president Dr Fred M'membe has rejected public calls by Tonse Alliance presidential candidate Brian Mundubile for opposition political parties to unite ahead of the August 13 general election, saying serious alliance-building cannot be conducted through public declarations.

Dr M'membe said coalition discussions required structured engagement, trust and mutual respect rather than media announcements that placed political parties under unnecessary public pressure.

The disagreement comes at a time when concerns around opposition fragmentation are increasingly dominating political conversations across the country.

The latest disagreement between Dr M’membe and Mr Mundubile suggests that opposition coalition negotiations remain fragile at a time when election momentum is rapidly accelerating.

Economic Front leader Wynter Kabimba has urged political parties not to drag institutions such as the Electoral Commission of Zambia into internal factional disputes.

Mr Kabimba said political parties should resolve leadership disagreements through courts and internal constitutional mechanisms instead of expecting electoral institutions to determine legitimacy battles.

Governance activist Rueben Lifuka has also called for equal campaign conditions for all political players, warning that election legitimacy depends not only on voting day processes but also on fairness during the campaign period.