Fred M’membe, President of Zambia’s Socialist Party, has voiced a sharp critique of the internal struggles currently facing Zambia’s opposition Patriotic Front (PF). Reflecting on the party’s current turmoil, M’membe turned to scripture, quoting a passage from Sirach: “Nobody feels sorry for snake charmers or wild animal tamers who get bitten.” For M’membe, the PF’s struggles are not just unfortunate events but the inevitable outcome of poor decisions and alliances that have chipped away at the party’s foundational values.
The PF, once a dominant political force and Zambia’s ruling party from 2011 to 2021, now faces infighting and disillusionment that has eroded its public image and organizational strength. M’membe attributes this decline to compromises that, in his view, have sacrificed the PF’s guiding principles for short-term political gains. “This is what happens when values are lost,” M’membe remarked, suggesting that the party’s current struggles are the result of a long process of drifting from its core ideals. His comments hint at a deeper cultural issue within the PF, one that he sees as prioritizing expediency over integrity.
M’membe’s remarks come at a critical time for the PF, which must now confront not only the loss of power but also growing public skepticism. His criticism extends beyond specific individuals, arguing instead that the party as a whole has strayed far from the principles that initially drew supporters, ultimately weakening the very structure of the organization. For a party that has been instrumental in shaping Zambia’s modern political landscape, this critique underscores the challenges of maintaining unity and trust in times of crisis.
