An opposition alliance is no guarantee of winning a presidential election, says People’s Alliance for Change (PAC) president Andyford Banda.

In PAC’s weekly newsletter to News Diggers! Banda announced that PAC would contest the 2021 elections, but added that it would continue to cooperate with the opposition alliance on matters of common interest because an alliance was not a guarantee of winning elections.

Citing the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) December 30 presidential election outcome, which saw President-elect Felix Tshisekedi emerge victorious ahead of alliance candidate Martin Fayulu, Banda argued that being in an alliance was no guarantee of winning an election.

He, however, stated that PAC would not stop other opposition alliance members from discussing whether or not to field one candidate.

“We believe this is the best opportunity looking at how much work we have put in to answer the question of whether ‘PAC will be on the ballot in 2021 or not’. There is some level of misinterpretation and wrong assumptions with our involvement with the alliance. As a party, we can’t stop other alliance members from discussing whether or not we should field one candidate, but all we can do is speak for ourselves,” Banda stated.

“PAC will participate in an alliance with the people in the general elections come August 12, 2021. We will field in candidates from President, Parliamentarians, Mayors, Council Chairpersons and Councillors. However, we shall continue to cooperate with the alliance on matters of common interest. Like indicated in our earlier article, an alliance is not a guarantee of winning elections. This we can pick just from the just-ended elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo where Felix Tshisekedi won the elections ahead of alliance candidate Martin Fayulu.”

Banda noted that PAC was formed with a view to bringing about a new generation of leaders and could, therefore, not bundle itself behind one flag.

“The People’s Alliance for Change was formed with a view to bringing about a new generation of leaders. We cannot at the moment bundle ourselves behind one flag. We believe and know we have massive potential to cause an upset in the 2021 elections. We 100 per cent believe that we will be a contender in the 2021 general elections, and we shall keep pressing for that to happen. Like we have indicated, we cannot stop our alliance associates from propping one candidate in 2021, but on our side, we are preparing to deliver real change in 2021,” he insisted.

He further argued that it would also be strategically wrong to shut all programmes in the hope of supporting one alliance presidential candidate.

“As PAC, we believe we owe it to our supporters to be on the ballot as they yearn for a new generation of leaders. It is also important that we take it up from the 2016 Presidential election; 2018 Mayoral election and many other elections, and work hard in order to be excellent in the 2021 (tripartite) elections. It will also be strategically wrong to shut all programmes in the hope of supporting one alliance candidate,” stated Banda.

“Our fundamental principles to be called the People’s Alliance for Change must be upheld. There is still an opportunity, though, to support one candidate against the PF, probably in the re-run in the 2021 elections as we believe there is a huge chance there will not be a clear winner then. As for now on PAC’s side of things, tiikosesa 2021!”