Banda Warns of Governance Breakdown as Zambia Faces Institutional StrainPresidential aspirant Dolika Banda has voiced concern over what she described as a dangerous erosion of Zambia’s democratic framework, warning that the separation of powers between the three arms of government was under threat. Opposition parties have claimed that parliamentary processes are being dominated by the executive, while sections of the public have raised questions about the judiciary’s impartiality in politically sensitive cases. The country saw peaceful changes of government in 1991, 2011, and 2021, when opposition parties won elections and replaced incumbents without violent upheaval. Opposition parties, however, argue that governance reforms are being overshadowed by partisan control of institutions and challenges such as load shedding and rising living costs. Whether this gains traction with the wider electorate remains to be seen, but it ensures that the debate over institutional independence will remain on the national agenda as the election season intensifies.