A Cry for Unity in the Patriotic Front: Time to Rise Above Division
_By Michael Zephaniah Phiri Political Activist_
This is not an article written in anger, but one written with a heavy heart and a deep love for the Patriotic Front. It is a cry meant to touch the conscience of our leaders, to awaken their sense of responsibility, and to remind them why the PF was formed in the first place: to serve the people of Zambia as one united national movement.
Today, the PF stands at a painful crossroads. What is dividing them is not ideology, not vision, and not leadership capacity. What is dividing them is ego, hidden agendas, and the dangerous poison of tribalism. Some among them have chosen to loudly use the name of late President Edgar Chagwa Lungu (ECL), yet their actions are the complete opposite of what he stood for. ECL preached unity, reconciliation, and collective strength. What we are witnessing today is distraction, fragmentation, and self-interest.
Let us speak honestly. Unity cannot be achieved through isolation. Any leader who believes they can work alone, build parallel structures, or create movements within the party while claiming loyalty to PF is slowly eroding their own national character. Leadership is not about personal survival or positioning; it is about sacrifice, humility, and the ability to bring people together, even those you disagree with.
If unity is to truly progress in the PF, they must courageously remove the toxic tag of tribalism. This is the silent enemy tearing the party apart. It is dishonest to accuse one individual of dividing the party while, in reality, regional groupings are forming behind the scenes. Northerners aligning with Northerners, Easterners aligning with Easterners, and even those from Southern Province being casually lumped together with Western Province as if they are the same, all with the sole intention of blocking fellow Zambians from leadership. This mindset is dangerous and unpatriotic. This is not leadership; this is betrayal of the PF’s founding values and the spirit of One Zambia, One Nation.
There is no genuine leadership crisis in the PF. Zambia itself was created by God as a peaceful nation, often described as the Israel of Africa, not because of conflict, but because of its calling to be a light of peace and unity on the continent. Our country is globally known as a land of peacemakers. Yet today, our leaders are failing to dialogue, failing to listen, and failing to reconcile. What exists is a crisis of acceptance and humility. Some leaders, especially those with long-standing influence, must accept that unity cannot be built on exclusion. President Given Lubinda has consistently demonstrated efforts to bring the party together, yet others choose to manufacture confusion and distractions instead of strengthening the common front.
The story from the Bible of Prophet Samuel in the house of Jesse speaks directly to PFs situation today. Jesse presented seven strong sons, men of stature, experience, and visibility. Samuel, like many of us today, assumed leadership must surely come from among them. But God reminded Samuel that He does not look at appearance or status; He looks at the heart. David, the youngest, tending animals in the field, was the chosen one.
PF leaders have failed to agree on who should be our David, not because David does not exist, but because everyone wants to be David. That is their tragedy. In the PF today, we have many who desire the crown but few who are willing to stand together, support one another, and fight the real battle for the people of Zambia.
King Saul feared David and tried in every way to block his rise. In the same way, it is clear that the current political environment is hostile to the PF’s return to the ballot. Yet the ground is fertile. Zambians are tired. They are watching. They are waiting. They know what must be removed, and they still believe that the PF can rise again if only its leaders can conclude, agree, and unite.
What is required now is one final, honest meeting. A meeting not driven by ambition, but by conscience. If disagreement remains, then allow the people to choose who to follow. Let clarity replace confusion. Let truth replace manipulation.
It is painful to see all PF presidential hopefuls and opposition leaders repeatedly invoking the name of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu while walking a path he would never have approved. We proudly declare Zambia a Christian nation, yet division and tribalism now sit at the top of the political agenda. Christianity without dialogue, humility, and reconciliation is empty rhetoric. His vision was to unite the opposition, not to scatter it. One cannot claim to honor ECL while nurturing division. Even in death, his legacy calls for unity, not chaos.
Our leaders must humble themselves. Zambia does not need many Davids fighting each other; it needs brothers who are willing to stand together until Goliath is defeated. Only then can leadership naturally emerge.
This is a solemn appeal: stop the tribal calculations, stop the parallel agendas, stop hiding behind ECL’s name while betraying his spirit. Unite the Patriotic Front, liberate the people of Zambia from division, and rise to the responsibility history has placed upon you.
*The people are watching. Time is running. Unity is no longer an option, it is a necessity.*
*This is the final warning.*
History will not be kind to leaders who saw the danger and chose silence, who knew the truth and chose convenience, who claimed to love the Patriotic Front and Zambia yet sponsored division behind closed doors. God will not ask how many factions you built, how many vehicles you controlled, or how cleverly you positioned yourself.
He will ask whether you united His people or scattered them.
The people of Zambia are watching, and their patience is not endless. If PF leaders fail to humble themselves now, to confront tribalism openly, to dialogue honestly, and to stand together as one, then they will bear full responsibility for handing victory to those who thrive on division. This is the hour to choose legacy over ego, unity over ambition, and nation over self. Fail this moment, and history, and God, will record that you were warned.
There’s no need for unity, unity for what?? If each of them think they can be president, why not contest that way.
You are a wrong person with a wrong agenda.
By merely believing in the PF agenda shows what kind
of a wrong person you are. PF came to divide and destroy Zambia. And they did achieve that to some extent under Lungu. For you unity must be easterners and northerners tolerating each other as long as they in PF.
PF must never come back. We dont need your unity in PF because it
poses a threat to Zambian unity.
There are 4 things which might be causing the Opposition in the Patriotic Front, and by extension to the wider opposition, to behave in ways Hostile to Unity.
1. Some have been bought to prevent any Unity whatsoever, and don’t mind behaving in a foolish way as long as they cause disunity.
2. Some may have been bewitched and are under the control of satanic forces which are causing divisions.. Their Brains have been tampered with , and replaced with the spirit of confusion.
3. They are Unprincipled scoundrels, Selfish individuals, egoistic, who can’t see beyond themselves..If it’s not them, then no one else can lead.
4. All the Above.
I have seen Flexibility in Hon Given Lubinda, Hon Chishimba Kambwili, Hon Kafwaya , Hon Greyford Monde, Hon Binwell Mpundu, Hon Brenda Nyirenda, Dolika Banda, Chishala Kateka, Counsel John Sangwa, Hon Sakwiba Sikota, Hon Chifumu Banda etc … This group of flexible people can be expanded to include other people.
It’s from this group where the Opposition can get two people to coalesce around for 2026..
The most difficult People in the Opposition are Brian Mundubile, Harry Kalaba, Kelvin Fube, Sean Tembo…and the late entrant Makebi Zulu.
These people will never reconcile with unity in any way no matter what.
They should just be allowed to go wherever they want.
They can’t unite with any one.
But the complication in all this is Makebi Zulu and the hold he has on the Lungus. Others are easily expendable…
If a way can be found to manage this man, and may be put Hon Tasila Lungu at the forefront of the Lungus, as the Custodian of the father’s legacy, and not Makebi Zulu, then the flexible group can have some clout and be able to move with more Strength.
Hon Given Lubinda was on this path when he appointed her as MCC..He could have even gone further and appointed her Deputy Vice President – Administration
But Makebi Zulu sprung up from nowhere and declared his intention to stand for the PF Presidency and turned things upside down.
Hon Tasila Lungu doesn’t need to be actively involved in this, since her late father remains unburied, but just a figure head position to prevent the abuse of Edgar Lungu ‘s name can help with some Stability.
But again this will be difficult, because of Makebi Zulu. He looms tall on the Lungus.