CHABINGA WARNS, AS LUBINDA’S PF HOLDS CONVENTION TODAY

CHABINGA WARNS, AS LUBINDA’S PF HOLDS CONVENTION TODAY

PF faction Acting President Robert Chabinga has warned that any attempt by the Given Lubinda-led team to hold a convention today under the party’s name will lead to contempt of court proceedings.

He says his supporters will attend the convention and warns that whatever happens there, they should not blame anyone.

And Tonse Alliance faction president Brian Mundubile says he will not be part of the confusion of the Given Lubinda-led PF convention.

Meanwhile, Mumbi Phiri says her prayer is that Makebi Zulu emerges as president at the convention, as she believes he is the best candidate.

The Lubinda-led PF is expected to hold its general conference today and select a presidential candidate to lead the party into the upcoming general elections.

Contestants include acting president Given Lubinda, Chishimba Kambwili, Greyford Monde, Miles Sampa, Chitalu Chilufya, Makebi Zulu, Chanda Katotobwe and Joseph Willah Mudolo.

Meanwhile, Mundubile and Mutotwe Kafwaya have withdrawn from the race to focus on the Tonse Alliance under Mundubile’s leadership

In an interview, Friday, Chabinga said he had no objection if the Lubinda-led team held a convention under another platform.

“I’ve been seeing what the team is saying that they are having their convention tomorrow (Saturday), and I have also seen the communication from Mr Celestine Mukandila stating that as well. First, you must know that every political party has got its own right to do whatever they want to do, but the umbrella that they must use is what’s very important to me and to them as well. So, I’m yet to understand that they are trying to use a different platform and not the PF, because as you know the PF is in court and there has been an injunction, and to that effect there have even been the contemptuous cases that have been filed against them. So, I don’t know which political party they are using to have their convention. If they are using another political party, we have no problem with it, but if they are going to use the PF name, that will come with consequences and by those consequences, it’s not for me to determine,” he said.

“So, if they are trying to do that, and as I earlier indicated, there is a contempt proceeding that has to commence and the date is April 15, 2026, against Mr Lubinda and the same Mr Mukandila. So, Mr Mukandila is a lawyer and Mr Lubinda is a former Justice minister who knows the law, and the consequences I’m referring to is the consequences that there is a matter in court. There is a matter in court where we applied that nobody should have the convention in the name of the PF. No one should use the PF’s regalia, no one should use the party’s secretariat throughout the country because they were abusing it. So, we said because of this confusion, we went to court as a better referee that not until the matters are exhausted in court then we can go back to the status quo, but they want to do it with impunity. So, the consequences I’m referring to is the contemptuous consequence, and for Honourable Lubinda, he is already in contempt”.

He added that his supporters would be in attendance and whatever would happen should not be blamed on anyone.

“Let them dare and go ahead, we don’t mind if they are using a different name for the party we have no control at all. But if they use the Patriotic Front, those are consequences. That is why, from our team, don’t think just because we are not talking much, we are cowards, we have just been respecting the courts. But if I personally was trying to use physical [force] and do things with impunity, I would have been very cantankerous and people would have been beaten, but I have been managing myself. That’s why I laugh when people say Chabinga doesn’t have people, it’s because I’m not a violent person, don’t think I don’t have people. So, all I want to wish them is all the best and all I want to be monitoring is who are the conveners of the same-called convention, and that’s why I’m not even at the Nc’wala Ceremony so that I watch. But they have to know that even our people will attend, but whatever happens there, they should not blame anybody,” said Chabinga.

In a separate interview, asked if he would participate in the PF convention, Mundubile responded in the negative.

“I don’t want to be part of confusion, now I am president of the Tonse Alliance with 12 registered political parties and 11 civil society organisations. I was elected on the 28th of January 2026 as the presidential candidate for the alliance in the coming elections. So, I am following a very clear path to the elections. So, I know nothing about that convention and I have decided to focus on the challenges that the Zambian people are facing and preparing to address them,” said Mundubile.

Speaking on Diamond TV, Thursday, PF Information and Publicity Chairperson Emmanuel Mwamba had advised Mundubile to go back to the Lubinda-led PF and be part of today’s party convention.

“That has been the prayer of everyone, the church, traditional leaders, councils of elders, even as late as today, people are still trying to reconcile Makebi Zulu, Given Lubinda and Brian Mundubile. That’s why we condemned quickly the arrogance that has been displayed by Brian Mundubile’s camp, where they were now calling for people to join his breakaway alliance. Come on Brian [Mundubile], you are just supposed to abandon your illegalities and come and see your colleagues in the PF, the door remains open. We just readmitted Dr Chitalu Chilufya, he voted for Bill 7, he did an appeal, he laid his complaint and he was readmitted,” said Mwamba.

“Two, three weeks ago after Bill 7, we had issued some form of clemency that just appeal and the party will consider it. What Honourable Brian Mundubile should do is to abandon his illegalities and sit with his colleagues, the acting president Given Lubinda and say, ‘we are family, at the heart of it we are all PF, let’s work together and let’s have a genuine general conference’. You cannot go to a corner, you have 29 people, [they are] all your friends and you say you have been elected, you want to call that an election? Come on. The Patriotic Front has proper statutes, Tonse Alliance has proper statutes. Our call is not for us to join Brian in his 12-day ultimatum, our call is to Honourable [Brian] Mundubile to abandon the illegalities and the experiment he is engaged in and return to the fold so that we resolve the crisis, hold a genuine general conference”.

On the other hand, Phiri said her support for Zulu had never been a secret.

“I’m glad that finally it’s going to happen and we are going to pick a leader, and for me, my word is that let the best candidate win so that we move ahead. And for me, it’s not that I’m siding with anyone, I’m supporting Makebi Zulu’s candidature and I haven’t hidden this. I have come out publicly and pronounced that I am supporting Makebi Zulu, and my prayer is that as we go to the convention he should emerge as a winner because according to me he is the best and it’s not a secret, I’m supporting Makebi Zulu and I have publicly said it,” said Phiri.

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