Zambian leaders tip Opposition MPs on performance, cohesion

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Building cohesion and having coherent messages in Parliament is the best way to push the opposition agenda through Parliament, the Leader of the Opposition in the Zambian Parliament Brian Mundubile has told Ugandan legislators.

A section of MPs led by the Leader of Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga is currently in Zambia to learn and share experiences on how the Opposition can effectively execute its mandate. On the same delegation is Opposition Whip John Baptist Nambeshe, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Muwada Nkunyingi, Shadow Minister for Minerals Asinansi Nyakato, Gomba East MP, Godfrey Saazi, Masaka City MP Juliet Kakande and Nakifuma County MP Fred Ssimbwa.

Mundubile told the MPs that part of the reason Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema and his United Party for National Development (UPND) defeated incumbent President Edgar Lungu during August’s election, way in Hichilema’s ability to keep his side united.

Hichilema, the leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND) defeated Edgar Lungu, by more than a million votes.

Mundubile served as the government Chief Whip in the Patriotic Front (PF) party-led government.

Drawing from his experience from the August 2021 election that led to a change in the balance of power in Zambia, Mundubile advised Uganda’s opposition to take advantage of the social media as well as maintain a grip on the youths.

Zambia is among the African countries that have witnessed a peaceful change of governments since 1991 when its founding president, Kenneth Kaunda, handed over to Fredrick Chiluba which according to Mpuuga, offers promise and hope to other African countries.

The Nyendo-Mukungwe legislator described it as a beautiful experience to learn from a group that was in power and lost it to the opposition, and how the opposition outpaced the ruling party to win an election.

The Uganda Opposition delegation also had an interaction with the Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia, Nelly Butete Kashumba Mutti who encouraged the Ugandan legislators to work towards strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries and parliaments.

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