The announcement of Edgar Lungu’s political comeback was met with enthusiastic applause from his followers in Zambia.
In 2021, he announced his retirement from politics following a humiliating loss in a presidential contest.
He departed the nation with a fragile economy and a lot of debt after serving six years in office.
However, Lungu is now trying to take advantage of the mounting discontent with Hakainde Hichilema, his successor.
Though his homecoming had long been expected, this was the first official declaration of it.
“I am ready to fight from the front, not from the rear, in defence of democracy. Those who are ready for this fight, please come along with me, I am ready for anything,” Lungu told his backers on Saturday. He was speaking at a commemoration service to former president and leader of his Patriotic Front (PF) party, Michael Sata, who died in office in 2014.
Within the PF, there has been a power struggle over leadership since Lungu’s fall two years ago, which has resulted in legal action.
Given that Miles Sampa is now claiming to have been elected as the president of the PF at a recent gathering, the arrival of Lungu may probably increase tensions and drag out the court struggle.
The administration disputes accusations made by others, including the former president, that it is inciting divides.
Lungu “enjoys a constitutional and democratic right to be able to participate in the political sphere of our country and if he so wishes he is welcome back in the political arena”, Information Minister Cornelius Mweetwa told Zambian public broadcaster ZNBC.
Hichilema garnered 59% of the vote in the 2021 presidential election, marking his sixth attempt at winning the office on the promise that he would address the nation’s economic issues.
However, it’s taking a long time to live up to those high expectations, and patience is wearing thin.
The president has been successful in working with the International Monetary Fund to negotiate a bailout package for the copper-rich nation.
Restructuring loan arrangements with Chinese and foreign creditors is another skill he possesses.
According to Hichilema, he took over a severely economically troubled nation where the crucial mining industry was having difficulties.
However, the cost of fuel and staple goods is quite expensive for the average consumer, which makes life tough for many and breeds dissatisfaction with the political establishment.
Thirteen prominent civil society organizations also denounced the administration this week for showing a “growing intolerance for dissent.” They stated there was a “shrinking space for freedom of expression and assembly in the country” in a united statement.
The president has previously maintained that it respects human rights and doesn’t meddle in police matters.
Lungu received a warning against running in public last month after police referred to his weekly workouts as “political activism.”
His Saturday runs with regular citizens and PF supporters have garnered a lot of interest.
For any upcoming jogging events, the former president was instructed to get police consent.
