MAKEBI ZULU IS THE LEGIT PF PRESIDENT – ELECTORAL COMMISSION
By Brian Matambo | Good Friday, April 3, 2026
The Patriotic Front Electoral Commission has declared that Makebi Zulu was validly elected as President of the party, effectively closing the dispute that followed the March 21 General Conference.
This confirmation was delivered by PF Chairperson for Elections and Member of the Central Committee, Dr. Frank Ngambi, who said the independent electoral body that conducted the party’s General Conference had completed its review of the complaints raised by some of the presidential contenders and found that the announced result stood.
According to Dr. Ngambi, several candidates who took part in the race, among them Dr. Chitalu Chilufya, Given Lubinda, Dr. Chishimba Kambwili and Greyford Monde, signed a joint petition challenging the outcome of the election. The petition reportedly cited what they described as general malpractice in the conduct of the process. He said Chanda Katotobwe was the only contender who did not formally object to the declared results.
Following the petition, the commission launched a verification process in which it collected serialized ballots and the prescribed Gen 20 documents from across the country. The documents were then subjected to fresh verification and re-tallying, while the complaints of malpractice were also reviewed.
Dr. Ngambi said the commission was satisfied that the results earlier announced matched exactly with the records received during the verification exercise. He further said the electoral process had met the criteria and controls set by the Independent Electoral Commission that handled the conference.
On that basis, Dr. Ngambi said there was no longer any dispute within the commission’s process over the outcome, and that Makebi Zulu was legitimately elected President of the Patriotic Front.
He added that the petitioners had since been informed of the commission’s final determination and that the relevant documents were available for inspection.
The PF General Conference was held on Saturday, March 21, 2026, under the leadership of Acting President Given Lubinda. It was one of the most hotly contested internal elections the party has held in recent years, drawing attention from across the political divide because of the stature of the candidates involved and the implications for the party’s direction ahead of the 2026 general election.
The decision by the Electoral Commission now gives formal backing to Makebi Zulu’s presidency and strengthens his standing at a time when the Patriotic Front is under pressure to quickly consolidate, calm internal tensions and present a united front.
For now, the ball has stopped rolling in the commission’s court. Makebi Zulu is in, and the argument over whether he truly won has been answered, at least by the body that ran the election.