Lungu’s Comeback: The Political Nightmare Haunting President Hichilema
By Thandiwe Ketis Ngoma
Former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu continues to loom large over Zambia’s political landscape not by holding office but by commanding the respect and loyalty of millions. That presence alone has become a nightmare for President Hakainde Hichilema. Once hailed as a beacon of democracy, President Hichilema now clings to power through fear, manipulation, and desperate schemes. His latest move involves using the Constitutional Court to block Edgar Lungu from contesting the 2026 General Elections.
Let us call it what it is: fear, not law. Insecurity, not leadership.
Despite these cowardly attempts, the people remain unshaken. In markets, villages, churches, and on the streets, one word continues to echo louder than any court ruling: Alebwelelapo — he will return. That phrase, more than any opposition party or legal argument, is what truly haunts President Hichilema.
Weaponizing the Constitution to Erase a Rival
This is not about constitutional clarity; it is about political elimination. A leader who believes in his record does not run from a challenge; he meets it head-on. But President Hichilema knows that in a fair fight, Edgar Lungu would bury him politically. Instead of focusing on fixing the economy, creating jobs, or lowering the cost of living, he has twisted the Constitution to silence the one voice he cannot drown out.
This is not democracy; it is dictatorship disguised as law.
Manipulation, Intimidation, and Cheap Tricks
Even after the Constitutional Court ruling, President Hichilema remains insecure as people continue to chant “Alebwelelapo.” Out of desperation, he and his inner circle shifted gears. They went as far as using UPND surrogates like President Nevers Mumba and Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha. These two emerged from the shadows, pretending to offer friendly advice for former President Lungu to retire from active politics. But Zambians are no longer blind. They see the puppets and they know the puppet master.
The desperation did not end there. Reports surfaced that President Hichilema even traveled to South Africa not for diplomacy but to confront President Lungu during a medical review. The offer was to drop his political ambitions and become a statesman, and in return, the bogus charges against his wife and children would be dropped. That is not leadership; that is blackmail.
The Chemotherapy Lie
Still failing to derail him, the UPND resorted to character assassination. Permanent Secretary Thabo Kawana took to the airwaves, spreading the falsehood that former President Lungu was undergoing chemotherapy and needed rest. He claimed he had a phone conversation with him while both were in South Africa for medical checkups — a claim President Lungu strongly denied.
Kawana’s actions amounted to yet another calculated smear campaign designed to mislead the public and please his master, President Hichilema. However, this too backfired as people questioned on what grounds Kawana was discussing the former head of state’s private health condition during a press briefing.
Systematic Attacks and Injustice
The UPND government has taken various steps to undermine President Lungu from blocking him from standing in the 2026 General Elections through a flawed Constitutional Court judgment to destabilizing the internal operations of the Patriotic Front party. This includes changing the names of office bearers at the Registrar of Societies to those of UPND surrogate Chabinga and imprisoning PF Members of Parliament on fabricated, trumped-up charges.
Yet none of this has weakened President Lungu. Instead, it has reignited the spirit of the people. In the face of injustice, lies, and relentless political plots, the people have grown more united and resolute. Zambians remember the stability, peace, and leadership that Edgar Lungu once offered and they clearly see the injustice being inflicted upon him.
On social media, disturbing videos of UPND cadres have emerged. In one of the most disgraceful displays of lawlessness, UPND youths from North-Western Province openly issued death threats against former President Lungu, promising to deal with him violently if he dared to challenge President Hichilema. Their threats included:
“We will teach him a lesson that will make him remember the day his mother cried giving birth to him.”
“That idiot should watch his steps.”
Calls for violence, including demands that he be circumcised as a form of humiliation.
Explicit threats of slaughter, promising to kill him if he returns to active politics.
This is not political rhetoric; it is criminal incitement. Yet the UPND-controlled police force watched silently, doing nothing because it fit their agenda.
Obsession, Not Governance
The truth is painful for President Hichilema, but it must be heard. His government is obsessed with one man. Every whisper of Lungu’s name sends his administration into a frenzy of insults, threats, and propaganda. They fear him. They attack him. They stalk his family. All of this is done to satisfy the fragile ego of a man who knows he cannot compete.
This is not governance; it is a full-blown obsession.
Edgar Lungu is the one opponent President Hichilema cannot outmaneuver, cannot intimidate, and cannot outshine. That is why every arm of government has been weaponized to destroy him because removing him from the race is President Hichilema’s only shot at survival.
But will this help him? Not at all. For as long as President Edgar Lungu is around, President Hichilema will face the rude shock of his life. Even if Lungu is blocked, the “Alebwelelapo” slogan will continue to echo in the minds and hearts of the people. Whoever Lungu endorses in 2026 will carry that torch. Alebwelelapo will be fulfilled.
A Final Word to President Hichilema
Mr. President, you were elected to lead, not to eliminate rivals. You were chosen to build, not to destroy. And you were entrusted to uphold democracy, not to suffocate it.
You fear Edgar Lungu because you see what the people see: a leader who never truly left and one who could return stronger than ever. But here is the truth: no amount of court rulings, lies, or threats can silence the will of the people.
So go ahead, keep using the courts. Keep sending your messengers. Keep spinning lies.
But just know this: every time you try to erase Edgar Lungu, the people rise louder with one voice —
ALEBWELAPO.
And that, Mr. President, is what truly keeps you up at night.
1 There is no night mare for HH. All will do is look ECL priced the Road Ndola to Mufulira at 189M USA Dollars, but the road was not done.
2 President Sata was taken to Israel. Do you know what happened. The wife was sent to India. The group that remained had one thing only.
Only in the mind of people like you as people know you are nothing but a propaganda machine for the like of him hiding behind a pseudonym. Ba Ghost coward writer.
Very soon you will disappear with your lies.
Kkkkk, Ketis , please continue dreaming
Lungu will come back very,very tired,especially that jamerson is strictly out of bounds for him
Ketis and her day dreams.
Is she even a real person or a ghost writter using a pseudonym. The leve of propaganda used….
At your age you still young to find something better to do with your life than being the disgraced lungu’s mouth piece for a few pieces of silver
What a disgrace you are. Whoever you are
PF keep dreaming haha @ mwla ponoka..
Na futi na futi..
This woman thinks that president Hichilema is a person just to toss around, she doesn’t know that her preferred candidate Edgar lungu was the president and in government with all the state machinery when HH wangled, and brutalised him to more than 2 million votes, Lungu spent all his presidency maltreating, persecuting torturing, shooting, beating, jailing his colleague so that he doesn’t have any chance near the presidency but HH was an shakable, he showed Lungu the notorious dictator that he can’t be defeatable by all these useless tactics, HH is a good driver with phd in driving, he did all his defensive driving whilst in opposition and this time he is the most experienced politician more than this brought in dead tandiwe kettis is advocating for,if HH decides to behave like Lungu who abrogated the law by standing for the 3rd time he can still rule beyond 30 years because there is no politician so far with a vast experience than him ,vote for upnd in 2026 for continued peace and development
UPND knows that should there be a rerun, they are done for, hence while coming together as is is advantageous for the opposition, l would like them to spread thin by having regional political heavy weights standing in each region so as to all together get more that 50 percent in order to force a rerun where they can now come together and finish off the UPND and this is doeble
Thandiwe Ketis Ngoma’s agenda revolves around spreading misinformation and crafting exaggerated narratives that lack foundation. Her claims regarding former president Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s potential return to politics, particularly in relation to President Hakainde Hichilema, are misleading and unfounded.
It is clear that no rational individual would advocate for the former leader’s return, and those who do so are likely motivated by personal gain rather than genuine support. The decision to bar Lungu from elections was made by the courts, not by President Hichilema.
Currently, there is no viable opposition party that poses a threat to the UPND government in the upcoming 2026 elections. Instead of engaging in constructive dialogue, individuals like Ngoma and the opposition have lost their way, resorting to baseless criticism and unproductive rhetoric that deserves condemnation. Rather than challenging the UPND government, Ngoma and her envious peers focus on attacking President Hichilema personally. His popularity and the positive impact of his leadership over the past four years speak volumes.
It admirable to note that each time President Hakainde Hichilema addresses the public, his messages promote empowerment and encourage hard work, which is far much beneficial than merely distributing handouts to people as it used to happen during the reign of formerpresidentEdgarChagwaLungu.
Fearing a dead horse? How?
A kekala pesa!!??