M’membe
We are living through very difficult and unpredictable times.
Navigating our current tensions requires deliberate patience, sober-minded wisdom, and inclusive national dialogue rather than emotional reactions or divisive rhetoric.
This may sound contradictory coming from a revolutionary who is seeking fundamental changes in the way our society is governed.
Socialists are patriots, and we wish to see our country succeed with or without us. You will not see us gloat over national reverses. We do not look to win power on the back of national failure.
There will be sufficient grounds without that to argue for real change, fundamental change, and revolutionary change. The neoliberal methods being deployed or advocated by all our political adversaries will not solve the problems or challenges facing our country and our poor people. Nothing short of revolutionary measures will succeed in resolving the current contradictions of neocolonial or peripheral capitalism. We need to get our country and its economic and political sovereignty back before we can start harbouring any hope of a reversal of fortunes. And we are very convinced of that. The path to peaceful change is not completely exhausted. At least for now. Everything has a time. Let’s give peace a chance, even if this calls for stretching our patience to the limit. Conflict and turmoil are not good for the toiling masses and the poor.
Political instability and heightened confrontations hurt ordinary citizens and the poor the most.
Unverified rumours, hostility, and insults on social media deepen national fractures instead of solving real problems.
In times like these, thoughtful pauses create clear solutions, while quick emotional reactions often lead to lasting regret. This also calls for putting national interest first. Leaders and citizens must put the survival and peace of Zambia above personal or partisan gains. There’s a need for constructive engagement because the sustainable change we are seeking relies on accountability, civic education, and issue-based politics rather than patronage or hostility. There has to be open, neutral, and results-oriented national dialogue over political gamesmanship. We have to find intelligent, just, and fair ways to bridge the current regional and political divides with humility, maturity, and responsible communication. We should practice critical thinking and reject inflammatory narratives that promote fear.
As noted in our recent public appeals regarding national stability, such calls for peace are not a sign of weakness but a vital shield for the nation’s future.
We have to learn to deal with differences in a more efficient, effective, and orderly manner. Learning to deal with differences in a multiparty political dispensation and plural society means accepting that people have different views and finding ways to live together peacefully.
Accepting our differences stops disagreements from turning into violence.
This means we have to learn to negotiate with each other, make compromises, and build some consensus. We all have to give up a little bit of what we want to reach an agreement. We have to find a middle ground where no one gets everything, but everyone gets something. Decisions made through consensus last longer because fewer people feel left out.
Zambia’s own count was paused this month amid reports of violence and irregularities, and SADC and EU observer missions publicly urged every side to lower the temperature, precisely the kind of moment this approach exists to explain. Democratic governance functions primarily as a system for managing societal conflict rather than eliminating it. Conflict is a natural part of human society, arising from competing class and other interests, diverse values, and unequal resource distribution.
Unlike authoritarian regimes that suppress dissent through force, democratic governance accepts conflict as permanent and channels it peacefully through institutional frameworks. Democratic governance succeeds not by eradicating disagreements but by providing predictable, legal, and participatory arenas—such as elections and independent courts—to negotiate and manage these conflicts constructively.
Elections and legislative debates replace physical battlefields with verbal and political bargaining. Impartial legal systems ensure that disputes are settled according to a shared constitution rather than the whims of rulers. Democratic processes force rival groups to form coalitions, negotiate concessions, and build consensus. This reduces the alienation that fuels violent uprisings.
Deeply divided societies often lack the foundational social trust required for democratic bargaining to succeed. When political victory means total control over state resources, electoral competition escalates into high-stakes, and destabilizing hostility.
Democratic governance does not destroy conflict; it civilizes it. By providing transparent rules, protecting fundamental human rights, and encouraging inclusive participation, democracy turns societal friction into a driver of stability, adaptation, and collective progress.
This said, we end where we started: how are these difficult and unpredictable times going to end, and what will be the end result?
One thing is certain: the pursuit of regime survival at any cost will lead to instability and not stability. The use of coercion to maintain power may seem to succeed in the short term, but repressed grievances often build up and trigger severe internal conflict or sudden uprisings later on. The choice is yours. Never say you were never cautioned.
As our legendary football commentator Dennis Liwewe would say, “WHICH WAY ZAMBIA? ”
Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party