Elections : Why It Will Be Difficult For LDP To Campaign
Xavier Chungu is the opposition leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, he is one of the 14 presidential candidates ahead of the 13th August general elections. First things first Chungu was Director General of the Zambia Security Intelligence Service for ten years from 1991 to 2001 under the reign of late President Frederick Chiluba.
Personally, at first I didn’t understand how Mr. Chungu is expected to win this coming elections considering that his political party is not popular, few Zambians even know that this political party exists at all. However, aside from his constitutional right, he is a Zambian.
According to information obtained, under the state secret act, Zambians who are engaged to work in the secret service sign a form called the CSB 10, this form is the official secrecy undertaking that Zambian public officers, including intelligence officers, sign when they join the service.
This form is a written declaration required under Section 44 of the Zambia Security Intelligence Service Act, Chapter 109, and referenced in the State Security Act, Chapter 111
When you sign, the following are expected of you;
1. You understand the provisions of the State Security Act.
2. You are aware of the penalties for breaching those provisions – 15 to 25 years imprisonment under Section 16 of the State Security Act.
3. The obligation to keep classified information secret continues after you leave office.
Why does it matter, even to today despite Mr. Chungu leaving the service two decades ago?
The form is why former intelligence chiefs like Chungu can still be prosecuted for disclosing state secrets. The oath doesn’t lapse when you resign, retire, or get fired.
In conclusion, being a former spy is not enough for one to be disqualified for running for presidency under the Zambian constitution or the Election process act, so it was difficult for the ECZ to act in that fashion because there is no legal basis to block him.
Having said that, from our observation, he can’t campaign freely across the country because there is fear he may disclose information deemed as “state secret”.
The Speech Analyst
26.05.2026