⬆️ THE CANDIDATE | Chabinga: The Black Sheep With Papers But No Numbers
The PF convention hype has convinced support base that the party’s race is narrowing into a two-horse sprint between Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu. But under the noise, another figure holds the most disruptive card in the entire process. A man with no banner crowds, no loud cadres, no anointing from old guards. Yet he sits on something more valuable than all of that.
He holds legality. He holds the lugwalo. And in Mingalato politics today, that matters more than chants outside a secretariat.
His name is Robert M. Chabinga.
The Member of Parliament for Mafinga. The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. The man who took over PF together with Miles Sampa in 2023 before dribbling Sampa out of the picture. The man social media now calls “Mr Lugwalo.” Because at the Registrar of Societies, it is Chabinga who appears as a legally recognised PF office bearer. Not Lubinda. Not the Central Committee. Not the aspirants flooding Lusaka.
This is why insiders whisper that he may be preparing the final blow. A court injunction to freeze the Lubinda-led convention. If he does it, PF will officially split into two legal realities. The one with crowds at the secretariat. And the one with signatures at the Registrar.
Chabinga has already fired the warning shot. “There will be no PF convention. The convention has already taken place. I am in charge,” he said. Many laughed. But those who understand the law did not.
Makebi’s money cannot override the Registrar. Mundubile’s twenty-nine MPs cannot override the Registrar. Even the presence of Nkandu Luo, Jean Kapata, or Mumbi Phiri does not override the Registrar. PF’s problem is now structural. The man who lacks ground support has the documents. The men who have ground support lack the documents.
Politically, he is a paradox. He is viewed by PF hardliners as a UPND ally because he endorsed President Hichilema for continuity. They accuse him of being in a marriage of convenience with State House to immobilise PF from within. But ask those close to him and they tell you he plays a long game. His goal is not crowds. His goal is control. Even if it comes quietly.
Behind his calm posture is a selfish strategist with leverage that can decide who enters Mulungushi, who stays out, and whether PF even has a legitimate convention this month. Without his signature, PF risks holding a convention that produces a president who cannot sign documents or transact legally on behalf of the party. That is not a small threat. That is an existential crisis.
The biggest fear in the PF base is simple. If Chabinga pulls the injunction trigger, the party will have two centres of power. The political PF run by delegates. And the legal PF run by paperwork. That is how former ruling parties across Africa have collapsed. Not through elections, but through documents.
This is the part Makebi, Mundubile and Lubinda cannot ignore. The PF race is not only about who wins the podium. It is about who controls the stamp. And right now, Robert Chabinga, the underrated man of Mafinga, holds a more dangerous weapon than any aspirant on the ballot.
He holds the lugwalo. And he knows it.
Next in The Candidates: Populists, pragmatists, and the dark horses redefining Zambia’s 2026 battle.
© The People’s Brief | Mwape Nthegwa
This indeed is a serious matter needing quick review. No anger or political slogan can change who is legally on the paper.
I would have thought this issue was the most important thing to take care of before all the other preparations. What happens when an injunction is filed and it sticks.
Hope enough negotiations have been done.
The momentum is with the Patriotic Front members, and it’s true Leadership. The 600 Councilors, Mayors and Council Chair persons.The 60 Members of Parliament and Patriotic Front Structures through out the country.
This is no longer a case of the Courts. They had all the time to resolve the Case. They chose not to do so.
There’s a time people say enough is enough. Countries depend on strong institutions of Governance. If people lose confidence in Institutions of governance, then the rule of the people takes over.
The Patriotic Front Convention will take place as scheduled..And a special purpose Vehicle is ready obviously for any Mingalatoon’s Misadventures.
So what exactly are you saying about the legal standing. To take it by force? Come on gentlemen why not just make the right decision from the beginning.
So far the convention is PF. How will all that has been approved legal mid way change to a Special Purpose Vehicle mid way. This is wishful thinking. I don’t think you have the luxury of wasting time and fighting battles of creating another entity in anticipation of a failure.
These are things needing resolving ahead of time. Any way with keen interest we watch the space.
@mate
Whoever facilitated the changes of the Patriotic Front Officials at the Registrar of Societies is a fool. Such fools are a danger to our Multi Party Democracy..and to the Peace Zambia has enjoyed for years.
The Kakunkubiti has no members, no structures, no Registered office, absolutely nothing, and then at midnight you make him President of a Party.
And when you are showered with “confetti” you cry foul..Not realizing that it’s your bad behavior responsible.
Politics of exclusion do not work. People have a right to assembly. This is what our Constitution says.
Thank you.
Okay. So are you blaming the same pressure groups within who did this thing. Therefore is this confusion facilitated by people within. Is it then self induced by internal individuals within the establishment. Share with us why this is so my friend.
Finally, someone has put it succinctly, what some of us have always been saying. PF needed to form another party with a different name, not hide in Tonse Alliance whose anchor party President would not give up nomination as Presidential candidate at the right, ripe time. That is why the Sean Tembo, KBF and others were waiting for in Tonse Alliance, to be anchor party and grab the Presidential candidate for 2026. So, all this convention for PF will come to nothing when Chabinga decides with a stroke of a pen to take out an Injunction.
People like Mundubile and Makebi Zulu act as if they are not Lawyers, you mean they don’t know all these things? Chabinga replaced Mundubile as the leader of opposition in the House, meaning that his status at the Registrar of Societies is valid and is standing on a firm ground. May be that’s why he is not even panicking, he knows where to press on the day that he will decide to act and will take over the show.
My serious concern is exactly what you have highlighted. It appears our politicians who I respect by the way, Seem to stand on podiums speaking with alot of arrogance concerning matters they are not competent to comment on.
Matters of legal standing are very delegate to be approached with an emotional stance instead of calmly arming themselves with all the legal issues surrounding the matters in contention.
It is important to understand that arrogance and pomp have no legal capacity to challenge a decision that is made in line with all the legal requirements needed to make it valid.
So far there is alot of noise without any substance nor reliance on any legal standing at all. This is a serious oversight and eventually there will be a serious price to pay for this incompetence.