A significant and escalating political crisis is gripping Zambia, centered around the unresolved issue of former President Edgar Lungu’s burial. Despite his death over a year ago in South Africa, his remains remain unburied amidst a fierce battle between President Hakainde Hichilema and the Lungu family, which has sharply intensified divisions within the country. This dispute has energized the opposition National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) and, particularly, in the northern half of Zambia, where Lungu’s loyal supporters, traditionally strongholds, see the burial as an opportunity to challenge the incumbent and secure a political victory. The situation has complicated the second-term bid of Hichilema, which draws its core support from the south, west, and north-west, while simultaneously pushing the opposition to expand its reach nationwide. The battle is playing out on the streets of Lusaka, the capital, and is overlaid with a mix of commercial activity and campaign songs and jingles. Election posters are ubiquitous, featuring faces of presidential and parliamentary candidates, dominating the bustling marketplaces. The political landscape is being shaped by the cost of living, with Zambians grappling with high food and energy prices exacerbated by the pandemic and geopolitical shocks. Annual inflation has cooled to 6.6%, the lowest in eight years, yet the kwacha’s strength remains theoretical for many. The memory of darkened homes and food spoiling in fridges lingers. However, Hichilema defends his record, asserting that when he took office, things were a mess and laid the foundation for success. ‘We inherited a broken-down country… the economy was declining,’ Hichilema told the BBC in Lusaka in May. When he took office in 2021, Zambia was in debt distress and had been failing to make its payments. The subsequent restructuring of more than $13bn in external debt has, according to the president, produced annual savings of roughly $1.9bn. The free education policy, expanding primary and secondary education, has brought millions of children back into classrooms. Constituency development funds have been substantially increased. Copper production, the backbone of the economy, has recovered strongly, foreign reserves have climbed to record levels, and investor confidence has returned. The Lungu legacy still hangs over the race in unexpected ways. The row over the former president’s burial – still unresolved as the family do not want Hichilema to have anything to do with it – has become a potent political symbol. Mundubile, a 55-year-old lawyer, accountant, and former government chief whip under Lungu, has publicly pledged to ensure a dignified burial if he wins, leveraging the Lungu family’s loyalty among former PF strongholds and public frustration with the cost of living. The political landscape shifted dramatically with Lungu’s death last year. The courts had ruled that he could not run again, after having won two elections, but his passing removed the opposition’s most recognizable figure and initially appeared to create a smoother path to victory for the incumbent. Lungu’s PF party fractured, with some politicians and supporters shifting to other opposition groups. This accelerated the consolidation of a split opposition around Mundubile. The commission has consistently rejected accusations of political bias, stating it operates strictly within a constitutional mandate and adhering to principles of transparency and independence. Civil society groups have raised concerns about the integrity of the electoral process. Linda Kasonde, a human rights activist, has questioned the composition of the electoral commission. The commission has consistently rejected accusations of political bias, stating it operates strictly ‘within a constitutional mandate [and] adheres to principles of transparency and independence’.” , ]}
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Source: BBC Africa
