🇿🇲 BRIEFING | Chitalu Quits PF, But Which PF?
Former Health Minister Dr. Chitalu Chilufya has formally resigned from the Patriotic Front (PF), deepening the political fragmentation that continues to haunt Zambia’s former ruling party ahead of the August 13 General Election.
Dr. Chilufya, who recently abandoned his presidential ambitions under the PF banner, confirmed that he will now contest the newly created Mansa West Constituency as an independent candidate.
In his resignation letter, the former minister thanked the party leadership and membership for their support during his years as a member and Member of Parliament.
“As I take this step, I wish to express my gratitude to the party leadership and general membership for the support, collaboration and shared experiences enjoyed during my tenure as a member and Member of Parliament under the party,” he wrote.
But what might ordinarily have been a routine political resignation quickly turned into something else.
Almost immediately, social media users began asking a question that captures the PF’s current identity crisis: Which PF has Dr. Chilufya resigned from?
The question is not without basis.
The former ruling party remains divided into multiple competing factions, including groups associated with Robert Chabinga, Miles Sampa, and the Tonse Alliance bloc aligned to Makebi Zulu and Brian Mundubile. Years after losing power in 2021, the PF continues to wrestle with leadership disputes, court battles, and competing claims of legitimacy.
For some observers, Dr. Chilufya’s resignation says as much about the state of the PF as it does about his own political future.
The irony is striking. A politician who only weeks ago sought the presidency under the PF banner is now leaving a party that many critics argue no longer exists as a single coherent political organisation.
His move also reflects a broader trend emerging in this election cycle: former PF figures increasingly choosing independent routes as legal disputes, factional battles, and organisational uncertainty continue to weaken the party’s electoral machinery.
For now, Dr. Chilufya’s destination is clear. His point of departure, however, remains a matter of national debate.
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