PAC quits OPP alliance as Banda cites breach of agreement
People’s Alliance for Change (PAC) leader Andyford Banda has said his decision to withdraw as the Organised People’s Party (OPP) presidential running mate was prompted by repeated breaches of the alliance agreement, including changes to campaign financing, lack of consultation and failure to honour key commitments.
Lusaka, 4 July – Mr Banda’s statement comes a day after OPP president Dr Brian Mushimba announced that Mr Banda had stepped down as his running mate ahead of Zambia’s forthcoming general election.
Explaining the decision, Mr Banda said PAC had agreed to enter into an electoral alliance with the OPP after receiving assurances of a well-funded national campaign, with both parties signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlining their respective roles and responsibilities.
He said those assurances began to unravel soon after the Electoral Commission confirmed nominations, with the OPP significantly reducing the campaign budget that had initially been promised.
According to Mr Banda, despite the reduction in funding, PAC remained committed to the alliance in the hope that an effective campaign could still be built to attract additional financial support.
However, he said the relationship deteriorated further as several provisions of the MoU were allegedly ignored.
Mr Banda accused the OPP of making key decisions without consulting its alliance partner, saying the lack of joint decision-making undermined trust between the two parties.
He further alleged that OPP officials bypassed PAC’s leadership by engaging directly with party structures outside the agreed channels, a move he said weakened the authority of PAC’s leadership and disrupted organisational unity.
Mr Banda also claimed that opportunities to establish broader political partnerships capable of strengthening the campaign were overlooked, reducing the alliance’s chances of mounting a competitive national campaign.
He said implementation of agreed campaign strategies stalled, while PAC structures were excluded from the distribution of campaign materials despite having an established nationwide presence.
The PAC leader further alleged that the OPP unilaterally altered previously agreed campaign resource allocations, attributing the changes to demands from unnamed funders who wanted the campaign managed according to their own strategy.
Mr Banda said PAC requested a meeting with the alleged financiers to better understand the revised approach, but no such meeting was arranged.
He said his party repeatedly sought to resolve the disagreements through private dialogue rather than public confrontation, but the concerns remained unresolved.
“As a result, remaining in the alliance became untenable because it would have compromised our values, betrayed our principles and eroded the trust placed in us by our members,” Mr Banda said.
He confirmed that PAC had formally informed Dr Mushimba of its decision to withdraw from both the running mate arrangement and the OPP-PAC alliance.
Addressing comparisons with previous political disagreements involving businesswoman Dolika Banda, Mr Banda said PAC had deliberately chosen not to revisit past disputes, insisting the party preferred respectful engagement over public confrontation.
He maintained that PAC had fulfilled its obligations in both political partnerships it had entered, making compromises where necessary while providing guidance based on its experience.
Mr Banda dismissed suggestions that the party’s decision had been influenced by external political forces, insisting the withdrawal was based solely on principle.
He said PAC remained committed to offering Zambians what he described as a principled political alternative founded on integrity, credibility and a vision for a better future.
©Nkanionline 2026 #NewsOnDemand
Poor judgement on your part, Mr Mayele. Failing on one Alliance is excusable but failing on two, three or more Alliances, as is the case with you, awe, the 3 fingers point at you Sir, akabulema kaba naimwe Kanabesa.
