Article by
Cllr. Patrick Mwamba Salubusa
Community & Public Relations Expert
Imagine if politicians approached politics the way footballers approach the game. You fight ruthlessly for 90 minutes, giving it your all but at the final whistle, you shake hands, swap jerseys, and even take selfies together. Despite fierce competition, humanity takes precedence. When a player falls or gets injured even from the rival team the game pauses. Everyone rushes to help. Rivalry never comes before compassion.
Disagreements with referees are common, and sometimes players even shout in the heat of the moment. But they never storm out of the stadium or incite fans to riot they play on. The referee’s decision, whether fair or contested, is respected because the rulebook guides the game, not personal feelings or interests.
Fans can scream, insult, chant, and boo. But after the match, they go home. They don’t carry that bitterness into the next game unlike some political supporters who hold grudges until the next election. In football, even when your team loses, you don’t disband it, burn the jerseys, or attempt a hostile takeover. Instead, you regroup, re-strategize, and prepare for a stronger comeback next season.
Victory is never an excuse to chase away the losing team. On the contrary, you need them to keep the competition alive because without an opponent, there’s no game. Team selection in football is based on skill, not on how much money a player’s uncle donated to the club. We see young boys from dusty African compounds benching wealthy internationals. Talent always finds a way to shine through.
Even coaches are held accountable when they fail. They don’t simply blame the players accountability is part of the sport. Likewise, fans don’t kill each other over club loyalties. There’s banter, sure. Heated arguments? Absolutely. But the next day, they’ll share a drink and argue over VAR decisions, not end friendships.
There’s even a transfer window, meaning you can move from one team to another. But when you score against your former team, you celebrate with silence. A gentle jab at political defectors, perhaps, mwaumfwa? You don’t insult the club you left. You show respect.
And maybe the best part? Even when your team is in relegation, you don’t insult the whole league. You fight to come back stronger and reclaim your place. Because in football and ideally in politics you understand that the game is bigger than any one person or moment.
So, what’s the point? Let there be love. If our politicians embraced even a fraction of the mentality that drives footballers, fairness, resilience, humility, respect we’d be living in a far more peaceful and progressive society.
Patrick Mwamba Salubusa, Councilor for Kapwepwe Ward and Chief Whip at Lusaka City Council, founded the Komboni Talent Hub (KTH) to combat substance abuse and crime through creative talent in the George community. A part-time Master’s student at Mulungushi University, his research focuses on addressing youth addiction.
