BREAKING | Citizens First Suffers Double Blow as Two Parliamentary Candidates Resign
Citizens First has suffered a fresh setback ahead of the August 13 general election after two senior party officials resigned and withdrew from parliamentary races, dealing another blow to Harry Kalaba’s campaign as parties intensify mobilisation across the country.
The party’s National Youth Chairman, Maxwell Chongu, has resigned from Citizens First and formally withdrawn his candidature for the Kafue West Constituency parliamentary seat. In a separate development, Richard Phiri has also resigned from the party and pulled out of the race for Petauke Central Constituency.
The twin resignations come at a critical stage of the campaign, with political parties consolidating their structures and finalising constituency operations ahead of polling day.
Neither Chongu nor Phiri had publicly disclosed the reasons behind their decisions at the time of publication, leaving uncertainty over whether the departures reflect internal disagreements or broader political realignments.
For Citizens First, the exits are significant not only because they involve parliamentary candidates, but because one of them held a senior national leadership position responsible for youth mobilisation.
Political parties rely heavily on constituency candidates and grassroots officials to coordinate local campaigns, recruit polling agents and sustain voter outreach during the final weeks before an election.
The developments add to the fluid nature of Zambia’s opposition landscape, where parties continue to experience shifting alliances, defections and organisational changes as the race for State House gathers momentum.
© The People’s Brief | Ollus R. Ndomu