Zambia needs healing.
Following the August 13 general elections, the country has entered a period that requires restraint, maturity and a renewed commitment to national unity.
Political disagreements are a normal feature of democracy, but when those disagreements deepen into mistrust, suspicion and confrontation, the entire nation pays the price.
The calls for national healing and reconciliation therefore deserve serious consideration.
Veteran politician and traditional leader Prince Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika has repeatedly emphasised the importance of genuine reconciliation, humility in leadership and the need for Zambians to put national interests above political retaliation.
His message is particularly relevant at a time when the country is grappling with competing narratives about the elections and their aftermath.
National healing, however, cannot simply mean asking people to forget what happened because genuine reconciliation requires that grievances are acknowledged, institutions are strengthened and citizens are given confidence that justice and democratic processes will work for everyone.
The controversy surrounding the election has created a deep sense of unease among sections of society. Opposition figures have raised allegations concerning the conduct of the election, while supporters of the declared result insist that the constitutional and electoral processes must be respected.
These disagreements must be handled through lawful institutions rather than through inflammatory rhetoric, intimidation or political vengeance.
The concerns raised by politician Muhabi Lungu about the current political environment should also be understood within this wider context.
He has called on civil society organisations, professional bodies and the Church to play a greater role in defending democratic values and encouraging dialogue.
Whether one agrees with all of Lungu’s assertions or not, the broader call for citizens to engage constructively in the country’s affairs is important.
Zambia cannot afford a politics in which every election leaves behind permanent enemies.
The country has survived difficult political periods before. The transition to multiparty democracy in 1991 demonstrated that political change can take place without destroying the national fabric.
The lesson for the present generation is that political competition must ultimately give way to national reconciliation.
This is also where unresolved historical questions, including relations surrounding Barotseland, need to be approached with honesty and sensitivity.
Such issues cannot be wished away or reduced to partisan slogans. They require dialogue, respect for history and a willingness to listen to communities with legitimate grievances.
National days of prayer and reconciliation should similarly not become political spectacles.
If Zambia is to heal, reconciliation must be genuine and inclusive, involving political parties, traditional leaders, churches, civil society, professional organisations, young people and ordinary citizens.
The country needs leaders who can rise above the temptation to settle political scores.
It needs institutions that command public confidence.
It needs political parties prepared to accept that opponents are not enemies.
Above all, Zambia needs citizens who understand that the country belongs to all of them, regardless of how they voted.
The election may have produced a winner and losers, but Zambia itself must not be the loser.
The time has therefore come to lower the political temperature, allow the law to take its course, address legitimate grievances and begin the difficult work of rebuilding trust.
Healing will not happen overnight. But it must begin somewhere.
And it must begin now.
Picture: Muhabi Lungu