Follow a leader: The PF Rescue Plan Must Be Bold, Not Sentimental – Dr. Mwelwa

By Dr. Mwelwa

PF’s current situation demands more than loyalty—it demands leadership. The courts have trapped the party in endless litigation, while the ruling elite quietly celebrate. A movement that once commanded the streets, Parliament, and the hearts of Zambians now sits motionless by the roadside, waiting for a broken bus to move again.

This paralysis must end. No member is bound by any rope, chain, or law to a name that has lost meaning. PF is not a certificate; it is a spirit, an idea of resistance and hope. Ideas do not die—but they do migrate. The time has come for that migration.

The rescue plan must begin with courage. Someone must stand up, step out of the comfort zone, and say, “Enough waiting.” History does not remember those who stayed in stalled vehicles; it remembers those who built new roads. Michael Sata did not inherit MMD—he left it. He took a handful of believers, formed the Patriotic Front, and rewrote Zambia’s political history.

Across the seas, Emmanuel Macron, then an unknown minister, broke from France’s traditional parties. Thirteen months before the election, he launched En Marche!—a movement of hope, not bureaucracy—and within a year, he became President. That is the courage of conviction, not convenience.

PF must now do the same. The rescue plan is not rebellion—it is restoration. It begins with a small group of courageous leaders declaring that the people’s cause is greater than the courtroom drama. These leaders must provide direction, structure, and a fresh identity—a new vehicle for the old dream.

*Step One: Declare the Reality.*
PF is held hostage by court processes that may drag beyond 2026. Its legal status is frozen, its leadership disputed, its accounts restricted. Pretending otherwise is denial. Members must be told the truth: this battle is political, not judicial.

*Step Two: Preserve the People, Not the Name.*
The true PF is not the paper at the Registrar of Societies—it is the millions of Zambians who still believe in justice, economic empowerment, and national pride. Let them move together, not scatter in confusion. A structure must be built to house their energy.

*Step Three: Form the Transition Movement.*
Under Tonse or a fresh alliance, a Special Purpose Vehicle must be created—a temporary but functional platform where PF MPs, mayors, councillors, and district officials can regroup and operate lawfully. The aim is not to abandon PF’s legacy but to safeguard its mission until the storm passes.

*Step Four: Appoint Transitional Leadership.*
A council of credible figures—clean, courageous, and visionary—must guide the movement. Their job is to coordinate, consult, and prepare for an elective convention in the new structure. Leadership failure brought PF here; bold leadership must take it out.

*Step Five: Mobilize the Grassroots.*
PF’s strength was always its base—the ward officials, women’s clubs, bus drivers, and marketeers. Reconnect with them. Create regional teams. Use social media, churches, and local radio to rebuild the network. The people must see that the opposition still lives and breathes among them.

*Step Six: Present a New Political Covenant.*
Zambians are tired of quarrels and court summons. They want stability, dignity, and solutions. The new movement must present a simple, powerful message—restoring order, protecting livelihoods, and defending democracy. It must be a home for all disillusioned citizens, not just PF loyalists.

*Step Seven: Engage the Diaspora and Business Community.*
PF was once a people’s party but became closed to new energy. This time, let it be open. The diaspora and business leaders must help fund, brand, and modernize the movement. Politics without resources is faith without action.

*Step Eight: Build Alliances, Not Enemies.*
The Tonse Alliance is fractured but redeemable. True leadership is measured not by how many you exclude but by how many you unite. Engage NDC, FDD, PeP, and all willing forces. In unity lies strategy; in division lies defeat.

*The truth is simple:* the courts may decide who owns PF, but they cannot decide who owns the people. No legal document can cage conviction. Every member must now ask: am I loyal to the certificate or to the cause? To the name or to the nation?

Let the courageous lead. Let them walk out of paralysis and into purpose. Politics rewards action, not complaint. Zambians are ready for a new chapter—they are simply waiting for a leader bold enough to turn the page.

As children, we sang: “Follow, follow, follow—the leader.” Today, that song calls again. Follow a leader who speaks sense, not slogans. Follow one who unites, not divides. Follow one who sees the horizon beyond the courtroom walls.

It is time for decisive leadership. Time to leave the comfort of factionalism. Time to build a new ark before the flood of 2026 arrives. Let those who can see the storm not waste their faith on a broken bus. Hope is calling—and those who follow it will shape Zambia’s future.