THERE is a strange culture of opposition politics that manifests itself in Zambia each time the party in Government wins an election.

Almost in a flash, voices of dissent and dispute over the poll results emerge.

This is one very salient indicator that in as far as embracing the democratic culture is concerned, there are some of our politicians who only pay lip service to the concept.

The habit of always crying foul when the opposition parties lose an election is actually illogical.

An election, like any other contest, has no predetermined winner prior to the actualisation of the contest.

Some political party leaders have carefully cultivated this perception that they are invincible, in much the same way that a spoilt brat wants to do in any family.

It is easier to deflect defeat and attribute it to some unfairness in the electoral process than to face the hard realities that there are many Zambians who are not so gullible as to swallow every populist campaign slogan from the opposition.

This practice is not only unfair but a dangerous ploy because it appears to be meant to sway people into believing that the ruling party only wins elections using underhand methods.

Such a situation is not only undemocratic but threatens Zambia's nascent democracy.

It is revealing that after the two by-elections, President Rupiah Banda has congratulated the winners of the Chilanga seat, the UPND and also the Patriotic Front for winning some local government seats, yet there has been no reciprocal magnanimity on the part of other opposition party leaders.

It is easy to see who is the mature leader.