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The opposition Economic Front (EF) Party has joined the ruling UPND Alliance, pledging to support the current regime’s intensified efforts to combat corruption.
EF leader, Wynter Kabimba, announced the decision at a media briefing in Lusaka on Sunday, explaining that the party’s Central Committee had extensively debated the move and voted in favor of joining the UPND Alliance, with only one out of nine provinces opposing the decision.
Kabimba stated that the EF’s decision was driven by the UPND government’s commitment to fighting corruption, a cause he described as noble and deserving of support from all well-meaning Zambians.
“The United Kwacha Alliance (UKA) was also considered, but it failed to provide the requested documentation outlining its objectives and principles,” Kabimba said, noting that this lack of transparency influenced the EF’s decision.
He urged EF members across the country to show solidarity with the UPND government and its alliance partners, emphasizing the need for collective support to lead Zambia forward.
Kabimba claimed that the EF could not join UKA due to uncertainty about its agenda, describing the group as a loose alliance.
He recounted a meeting convened by UKA Chairperson Sakwiba Sikota, which included Robert Chikwelete, saying that the purpose of the meeting was to invite EF to join the UKA, but that any decision to join an alliance could only be made by the party’s Central Committee, the highest decision-making body within EF.
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He further noted that the dominant political party within the UKA was the Patriotic Front (PF), which raised concerns among EF members.
He recalled a similar situation under a 2021 Memorandum of Understanding with the PF which members were keen to avoid repeating.
Kabimba revealed that the issue was first discussed informally at the 12th Central Committee meeting in December 2023, generating significant debate.
Following a formal request on August 10, 2024, the Central Committee of the EF resolved to join the UPND Alliance, cementing their commitment to supporting President Hakainde Hichilema’s administration in its anti-corruption initiatives.
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