Zambia stands at another defining moment, and the greatest responsibility before the nation is not who wins an election, but whether the country emerges from it united, peaceful and confident in its future.
As supporters of President Hakainde Hichilema and NRPUP presidential candidate Brian Mundubile await the conclusion of the electoral process, there must be a deliberate return to the values that have distinguished Zambia from many of its neighbours: peace, tolerance and the enduring spirit of One Zambia, One Nation.
Political competition must never become a contest over the survival of the country itself because elections come and go. Political parties rise and fall. Leaders eventually leave office. But Zambia remains.
That simple truth must guide both UPND and NRPUP supporters at this critical moment.
President Hichilema is bigger than the UPND, but Zambia is bigger than Hichilema. Brian Mundubile is bigger than NRPUP, but Zambia is bigger than Mundubile.
Neither politician, however passionately supported, should become a reason for Zambians to hate one another, destroy property, threaten opponents or question the very existence of the nation.
This is not about UPND. It is not about NRPUP. It is about Zambia.
There are more than 20 million Zambians whose lives, livelihoods and hopes are tied to this country. They include the farmer in Choma, the trader in Lusaka, the miner on the Copperbelt, the fisherman on Lake Bangweulu, the teacher in Kasama, the student in Livingstone and the entrepreneur in Mongu.
They also include millions of Zambians living and working abroad who continue to identify with the country and care deeply about its future.
All of them deserve a peaceful Zambia.
Political disagreements are legitimate. Challenging election results through lawful procedures is legitimate. Questioning decisions of institutions is legitimate. Criticising political leaders is legitimate.
But incitement, violence, intimidation and the deliberate spread of inflammatory falsehoods are not legitimate expressions of democracy.
The supporters of both presidential candidates must therefore exercise restraint. Victory should come with humility, while defeat, if established through the constitutional process, should be accepted with dignity.
Where disputes exist, courts and legally established electoral mechanisms must be allowed to resolve them.
Zambia has survived many political transitions without descending into the kind of prolonged instability that has devastated other countries. That achievement belongs to every Zambian, regardless of political affiliation, province, tribe or social standing.
We must not throw away that precious inheritance for the sake of one election.
The country will still have to wake up the morning after the final result. Children will still need to attend school. Businesses will still need to operate.
Farmers will still need to produce food. Families will still need to earn a living. And Zambians in the diaspora will still need a country to call home.
The message, therefore, must be unequivocal: One Zambia, One Nation.
Let Hichilema and Mundubile compete politically, but let their supporters compete peacefully. Let institutions perform their constitutional duties without intimidation. Let disagreements remain political disagreements.
Because when the flags are folded, the campaign songs fall silent and the ballots are counted, we will still have only one Zambia.
And Zambia is far too precious to sacrifice for any politician, any party or any election.