Politics
Did Zambians Vote for HH or Did They Vote Against Lungu ?
Emmanuel Matambo
On 12 August 2021 , millions of Zambians went to the polls to vote in a general election that ushered in a new party in government . The resounding victory that swept Hakainde Hichilema ( aka HH ) into office was a culmination of many failed attempts , as Hichilema had contested the position of the presidency on five previous occasions . What , then , worked this time around , and why were incumbent Edgar Lungu and his Patriotic Front ( PF ) beaten so badly ? An analysis of the events that culminated in the victory of Hichilema invariably points to a vote of protest against the incumbent rather than an adherence to the president-elect ’ s vision for Zambia .
Lungu and the “ more of the same ” strategy
Michael Sata , the founder of the PF , died in office as the president in October 2014 after three years into his first term . After a divisive party campaign , Lungu managed to emerge as PF ’ s presidential candidate for the January 2015 by-election . His successful bid for the office of the presidency was built around a “ humble ” and modest personality that promised no grand plans except continuing the work of his widely beloved successor . This played a role in winning him sympathetic votes .
The 2015 election was not a ringing endorsement for Lungu , despite riding on the wings of his predecessor ; voter turnout was about 32 %, and Lungu beat HH by a margin of less than 2 %. In the 2016 general election , Lungu was reelected with a small margin of about 200,000 votes and a 56.45 % turnout . The low voter turnout in both instances suggests that the Zambian people were not enthusiastic about either candidate . Lungu mainly relied on the confidence Zambians had in his predecessor and proposed little in terms of vision or a new direction for his country .
Abuse of power fuels popular resentment
It can be posited that Lungu was his own worst enemy . For instance , in 2017 , HH was arrested and put in detention because he refused to give way to Lungu ’ s motorcade . He was subsequently charged with treason , but Lungu ’ s government shot itself in the foot when the state prosecutor , perhaps aware of the ridiculousness of the charges , declined to prosecute the case , which forced the authorities to release HH . As a result , the detention itself appeared as a mean-spirited action ; it won HH more sympathy as the people of Zambia perceived it as an abuse of power by the government .
In other words , HH ’ s stints in prisons worked against his tormentors .
The abuse of power from the ruling party cadres also played a significant role in the defeat of Lungu . Zambians were angered by how the police and city council workers appeared powerless in the face of PF cadres who had been allowed to invade and occupy public spaces such as markets and transport stations to demand extortionate fees from marketeers and those in the transport industry . The lack of police control over this contrasted with how swift the police seemed to act when they were called upon to arrest perceived government opponents , protesting youths , and preventing gatherings by the opposition . It is safe to assume that these factors fueled popular resentment against a government that was performing poorly on most economic indicators .
The shock of Zambia ’ s defaulting on its debts
Since 2016 , Lungu ’ s stewardship has been characterised by a tanking economy , bad governance , runaway international debt , and other matters beyond the control of the government , such as droughts and the coronavirus pandemic . These factors combined to weaken
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