In an hour-long live address, Tanzania’s President, Samia Suluhu Hassan, now alleges the deadly riots that erupted in the country were solely aimed at achieving “regime change”, supposedly orchestrated by foreign forces, and justifies the excessive force used on protesters.
“Our youth were manipulated, becoming mere parrots, singing songs and attempting to recreate what happened in Madagascar so that it would occur here,” she claims.
“Then we are accused of using excessive force on the protesters. What would be considered ‘minimum force’? Should we have stood by and watched as the protesters aimed to effect a regime change? Would a state exist in such a scenario? I swore to protect this country, its borders, the security of its citizens, and their property. I will continue to do so.”
“The violence that occurred is not part of our tradition. That is not our way. Tanzania is known as an island of peace, and that is our identity to the world. Many who do not wish well for our country are bothered by our culture of unity and peace, our love for one another. They were compelled to manipulate our youth to turn against us,” she emphasizes in a terse speech.
sident, Samia Suluhu Hassan, now alleges the deadly riots that erupted in the country were solely aimed at achieving “regime change”, supposedly orchestrated by foreign forces, and justifies the excessive force used on protesters.
“Our youth were manipulated, becoming mere parrots, singing songs and attempting to recreate what happened in Madagascar so that it would occur here,” she claims.
“Then we are accused of using excessive force on the protesters. What would be considered ‘minimum force’? Should we have stood by and watched as the protesters aimed to effect a regime change? Would a state exist in such a scenario? I swore to protect this country, its borders, the security of its citizens, and their property. I will continue to do so.”
“The violence that occurred is not part of our tradition. That is not our way. Tanzania is known as an island of peace, and that is our identity to the world. Many who do not wish well for our country are bothered by our culture of unity and peace, our love for one another. They were compelled to manipulate our youth to turn against us,” she emphasizes in a terse speech.
Niger Just Cut France Out of Its Uranium Trade: Here’s Why It Changes Everything
For over 60 years, France treated Niger’s uranium like its own—profiting massively while leaving local communities with pollution, poverty, and paltry royalties. That era is over.
In a bold move toward economic sovereignty, Niger’s new government is now exporting uranium without a single French buyer in sight—and forging deals with BRICS+ partners like China, India, Turkey, and the UAE instead.
This isn’t just a shift in trade—it’s a blueprint for how the Global South is rewriting the rules of resource control, energy security, and post-colonial power.
#TCHAD – A man was killed on his wedding day by a festive shooting of his brother. The drama took place in the village of Amdirib in Batha province on Friday, November 28, 2025.
In a video widely shared on social networks, an armed man can be seen celebrating his brother’s union by firing several shots in the air to express his joy. Unfortunately, one of the bullets hit the groom, seriously injuring him. He was rushed to the provincial hospital, he succumbed to his injuries hours later.
What was supposed to be a day of celebration and the beginning of a new life for the newlyweds has turned into a moment of grief and gathering, plunging the entire community into sadness and amazement.
Shooting in the air during festive events remains a common practice in several villages in Chad, despite bans imposed in some areas. The Amdirib drama revives the debate on the possession of firearms by civilians and the dangers of celebratory shootings in populated areas, often trivialized but extremely dangerous practices.
For many observers and actors in civil society, this tragedy must serve as a wake-up call. They are calling on authorities to strengthen gun control, including through a census of holders, a stronger fight against unlawful gun trafficking and awareness campaigns on the dangers of festive shootings. In Amdirib, an investigation has been opened.
GIVEN LUBINDA SAYS 2026 ELECTIONS CHANCE FOR ZAMBIANS TO CORRECT ‘POLITICAL MISTAKE’
By Chamuka Shalubala
Patriotic Front -PF- Acting President Given Lubinda says the party is confident Zambians will, in the 2026 general elections, correct what he describes as a political misstep made in the 2021 general elections.
In an interview with Phoenix News, Mr. Lubinda believes the 2026 polls will mark a turning point for the country’s governance and development trajectory.
He says the next general elections offer an opportunity for Zambians to re-evaluate the course the country has taken since 2021, adding that many citizens are now regretting their decision to change government and are eager to see improvements in service delivery, economic management, and national development.
Mr. Lubinda adds that the party is preparing to present itself as a viable alternative as the nation moves towards the next polls, further noting that the PF intends to demonstrate readiness to restore what he describes as lost opportunities.
IMPLEMENTING BILL 7 AFTER COURT RULING AMOUNTS TO TREASON – SINKAMBA
….Article 3 of the Constitution is violated when government officials implement a law that has already been declared “unconstitutional”
Kitwe… Tuesday December 2, 2025 (SMART EAGLES)
Green Party President Peter Sinkamba has issued a sharp warning to the government, alleging that continued efforts to implement Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 7, despite its nullification by the Constitutional Court, amount to an act of treason.
Mr. Sinkamba argued that Article 3 of the Constitution, which protects the sovereignty of the Republic, is violated when government officials implement a law that has already been declared “unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.”
“Implementing Bill 7 after it was declared unconstitutional, illegal, null and void is an act of treason,” Mr. Sinkamba told Smart Eagles in a statement.
“The President and all officials involved swore to protect and defend the Constitution of Zambia. Continuing with this process is a direct breach of that duty.”
He added that President Hakainde Hichilema is surrounded by some of the country’s most senior legal minds, including the Attorney General, Solicitor General, and Judicial Complaints Commission Chairperson Vincent Malambo, and urged them to advise the Head of State to abandon the process.
“My appeal to the Attorney General, Solicitor General, State Counsel Malambo, and all other lawyers close to President HH is that, please, sit down with him and advise him to back out of this treasonous act,” he said.
Mr. Sinkamba drew parallels with the 2017 treason case involving Mr. Hichilema, explaining that he had previously opposed the charges because the essential elements of treason particularly an overt act were not present.
In contrast, he argued, government actions on Bill 7 meet the threshold.
According to him, the alleged “overt act” includes organising and operationalising the Technical Committee tasked with public consultations on the bill, despite the Constitutional Court ruling.
“Appointment of the Technical Committee itself was not treason. But the moment the Committee started implementing its so-called public consultations, the overt act was set in motion. The public handover of the Committee’s report to the President provides crucial evidence,” he stated.
Mr. Sinkamba further claimed that attempts to resist the execution of the Constitutional Court judgment, including mobilizing institutions and actors to continue pursuing Bill 7, fall within the traditional common-law understanding of treason.
“The judgment is public law. Resisting its implementation is treasonous. Organising bodies such as the Technical Committee, civil society groups, or factions of parliamentarians to resist the Concourt judgment is treasonous,” he said.
The Green Party leader also insisted that Bill 7 currently deferred in Parliament cannot be amended following its nullification and must instead be withdrawn.
“If it is withdrawn, no other bill substantially the same must be brought during this session. Every effort being made now is either futile or otherwise treasonous,” he argued.
In the very last ever meeting I had with President ECL and in the presence of his close confidants and mine, he consented and bestowed on me as the Leader Of Opposition. MHSRIEP.
However and in my quest to do everything possible to ensure Bill 7 does not get the 2/3 majority of MPs votes inside parliament, I wish to announce my relinquishing of the post of Leader of Opposition inside Parliament.
I have found it prudent to vacate the position so as to allow the majority opposition PF MPs to elect another one amongst us or indeed the party MCCs to caucus onto another name of MPs to take over the role from me.
I trust the name of the MP that will be settled on as the new Leader Of Opposition will be equal to the task to marshal the required numbers of PF and Independent MP that will enable us defeat Bill 7.
On my own behalf, I place it on record that I will vote NO to Bill 7 whenever it will be brought between tomorrow and end of business on Friday.
After the voting is done; Parliament’s official print out will show who will Vote YES & NO. I guarantee the public that the official record afterwards will reconfirm my pledge today to vote NO to Bill 7. This more so as it is what has been demanded of us by the Oasis Forum and the general public. To put Zambia first and not our pockets.
I place advance congratulations to whoever the party and or MPs will caucus on or present as the next Leader Of Opposition inside Parliament into these next crucial days in the geopolitics of Zambia.
President Hichilema believes in decorum. He is the consummate corporate guy.
Proper!
Cooked in board rooms full of – Chairperson with your leave I….
That side of him does not come across as put on. He naturally favours the formal, maybe even the conservative.
With that said, that soccer stadium, or Pente service, kind of screaming for Bill 7 we saw in State House yesterday, was eyebrow raising.
It was not what one would expect, from this President, about the matter that was under discussion.
I mean,he was flowing with gutter, dumb statements like – those who have no children should not talk about Bill 7.
Hmm!
This, by the way, is not about Bill 7 per se. It is not even about the fact that those that love the Bill had their turn at State House.
It is that watching the President host a rowdy gathering on such a sober matter like constitutional reform, produced a major sense of dissonance. Things clanging.
Simply, when the President decides that in order to amend the Republican Constitution, he is willing to be the lion that tries to convince everyone that he is enjoying a vegeterain dish, one has to wonder why?
What is the personal crisis that Bill 7 will address that the President can allow one part of the church to attack another, without a simple – no you cannot do that?
To get back to that statement, about those with no children speaking about the constitution – ba Pente che. Sometimes you feel like weeping at their zero character.
So that man, went home to the wife and children he spoke about and said – I was at State House today. I addressed the President.
Iye, chifundo for that wife and children. What kind of insults does he throw to them in private, if he can be so unrefined in public?
HH IS SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE DECEIVING HIM – KAMPYONGO
SHIWANG’ANDU PF MP Stephen Kampyongo says those close to the President are becoming dangerous to him because they are deceiving him, which makes it difficult for him to know the realities on the ground.
UPND Alliance Chairperson Charles Milupi recently called on people in Msanzala Constituency of Eastern Province to vote for President Hakainde Hichilema for continuous development, stating that as someone who worked closely with the President, he knew his heart and his intentions for the people.
But commenting on that in an interview, Sunday, Kampyongo said it was people like Milupi who were making it difficult for the President to understand the realities on the ground.
“He should have been apologetic. It’s actually people like Milupi that are making it very difficult for the President to understand the realities on the ground. Milupi should know that where he was, people are upset that FRA has not paid for the maize they supplied, and this is December. So if he goes to an area and he doesn’t speak what is obtaining on the ground, it becomes difficult. Those are the people that are becoming dangerous to the President himself, that’s why he thinks that because of people’s frustrations they have hatred for him. Milupi must not deceive the UPND and the President about what is obtaining on the ground,” Kampyongo said.
“Where he was, people are so frustrated. People are frustrated with so many things. No amount of political grandstanding will salvage them. I told them about Malawi, that learn from what people are doing across borders. You cannot continue deceiving people, piling promises over unfulfilled promises, and you think people can’t see what can’t work. You found them with light in their homes, and you promised that the little load-shedding that was there was going to be fixed within six months and you gave examples of countries where there was no rain. Now what has changed? Where have those solutions gone? You want to go back to the same people and pile more promises like they are responsible to fix what was promised”.
He added that when one had worked, there was no need to speak loudly as their work would speak for them.
“The President is surrounded by people who are deceiving him. When you have worked, you don’t have to speak the loudest because the work will speak louder for [itself]. Similarly, if you are a lovely person, you don’t have to emphasise, someone just needs to demonstrate that love. People are able to see through, people are much cleverer than that kind of politicking,” Kampyongo said.
Meanwhile, commenting on Msanzala MP Elias Daka, who said that people of his constituency were ready to vote for President Hichilema for continuous development, Kampyongo said Daka was possibly a one-term MP who wanted to survive by deceiving the sitting government.
“Even crookedness has got levels. Cowardice is dangerous, and that’s why some of us tell people what it is. Those could be one-term MPs who want to survive and they think by deceiving the sitting government, probably they could have some contracts here and there. It’s not everyone who is benefiting. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have that skill of being in every government like Mutati,” said Kampyongo.
EXPLAINER | Bill 7 Crossroads: Public Voices, Elite Anger, Parliamentary Uncertainty
Zambia’s constitutional debate has evolved into a new phase after a day dominated by public submissions at State House, the release of the Technical Committee’s report, and a rising confrontation between national churches, civic bodies and urban elites.
The central question now is no longer whether Bill 7 will reach Parliament. It is whether the political class will secure two thirds support for it.
1. The President signals the next step
Late Monday evening, President Hakainde Hichilema confirmed receipt of the Technical Committee’s report. He described the two month nationwide consultation as “professional” and “disciplined”, adding that the Committee received “11,860 submissions, the highest number ever recorded in any constitutional review effort.”
President Hichilema thanked contributors, stating that their input “reaffirmed our collective commitment to building a better Zambia for all.” His tone signalled intent. The Bill is moving to Parliament.
2. A livestream that shifted the national frame
Unlike Friday’s Oasis Forum engagement, which was held behind closed doors, Monday’s event was broadcast live from State House. For two hours, viewers watched an array of actors defend Bill 7. These included rural and urban CSOs, student bodies, youth groups, civic alliances, traditional leaders, Seventh-day Adventist clergy, Pentecostal pastors and governance NGOs.
Their message was consistent. The reform process was legitimate. Citizens had been consulted. The Technical Committee had done its work. Bill 7 must proceed to the National Assembly.
Solomon Ngoma, speaking for a consortium of eight CSOs, told the President: “There is no civil society organisation that is bigger than another. No church is more Zambian than others. Thousands submitted to this process. Others simply chose not to participate.”
3. Counter-church voices challenge Catholic political dominance
A significant part of Monday’s submissions came from clergy outside the Catholic bloc. SDA leaders, Pentecostal pastors, and rural church networks argued that religious authority cannot rest with one tradition.
One pastor said: “Some churches behave as if they own the government. But Zambia belongs to all of us. We all have a voice in this process.”
These comments were widely seen as a response to the high profile Catholic-led prayer rally on Friday, where bishops and PF-aligned figures gathered at Pope Square dressed in black.
The imagery revived old prominence controversies about whose moral authority carries weight in national politics.
4. Urban elite vs wider civil society
A recurring theme in Monday’s livestream was the character of the Oasis Forum. Several speakers described it as a “a loud minority,” and an “urban elite group” centred in Lusaka that treats itself as the country’s moral compass.
A women’s rights activist said: “Lusaka is not Zambia. People submitted from all ten provinces. A loud minority cannot overturn the views of thousands.”
This counter-narrative has angered Friday’s prayer rally participants, many of whom expected the President to halt the process after their visit to State House. Instead, the livestream showcased organised support for Bill 7 from constituencies that rarely appear in elite debates.
5. The Oasis Forum’s letter escalates the standoff
On Sunday, Oasis Forum released a detailed statement declaring that “dialogue has failed” and accusing government of continuing “an illegal process.” Their demands remain unchanged:
1. Withdraw Bill 7 from Parliament
2. Start a fresh process outside the Technical Committee
3. Install an independent legal framework
4. Delink the process from the 2026 elections
They warned that failing to withdraw the Bill “may result in anarchy” and urged Zambians to join a national campaign against the amendment.
Government countered by suspending further meetings, arguing that the Forum “arrived with fixed positions” and “offered no alternatives.”
6. A fractured opposition ecosystem
The anti-Bill 7 coalition is broad but unstable. It includes segments of the Catholic Church, Oasis Forum, parts of PF, and urban activists. But they disagree on strategy:
– Some push for mass protests. – Some want a court route. – Some want political confrontation. – Some want a referendum.
Online, the debate has collapsed into binaries that reduce nuance. Those supporting Bill 7 are supporting everything. Those opposing are opposing everything.
This has hardened positions and simplified a complex legal argument into a tribalised political fight.
7. The numbers question: can Parliament reach two thirds?
The next stage is parliamentary. Even supporters of Bill 7 acknowledge that the outcome is uncertain. The UPND needs a combined two thirds from its MPs including from the opposition and independents. The PF bloc has declared it will vote against the Bill.
Rumours of bribery have circulated online, with claims that some PF MPs were given 3 million kwacha each. These allegations remain unverified and speculative. But they reflect growing mistrust in the legislative process and an attempt by the anti-Bill 7 voices to pre-frame the outcome as compromised.
The historical benchmark looms. Bill 10 failed on the floor. It did not fail in the streets. Many citizens now ask a simple question: If PF believes the Bill will fall, why resist parliamentary debate?
8. Why the delimitation panic?
A central claim by academic Sishuwa Sishuwa is that delimitation is a tool for internal party management and future political engineering. But he frames this argument without releasing evidence, stating only that he has “seen the report.”
He argues that constituencies will be divided to favour UPND strongholds. His language, heavily interpretive and speculative, has been embraced by PF supporters as validation of their fears.
Yet the public record shows that delimitation recommendations were produced under the Lungu regime. This makes the political motivation harder to establish.
A sitting president cannot add new voters to a constituency. A split constituency still votes the same number of citizens.
The claim that new borders automatically guarantee victory remains unproven.
9. The bigger question: who speaks for the people?
Monday’s livestream forced a national conversation. Does civil society authority rest only with Oasis Forum? Do church statements represent all believers? Does participation by 11,860 citizens outweigh the absence of others? Is legitimacy earned by numbers, institutions or public visibility?
The submissions reflect a country wrestling with competing voices of moral authority.
10. Where Zambia stands now
Bill 7 will move to Parliament. Oasis Forum will escalate its campaign. Church blocs will continue pulling in different directions. Opposition parties will treat the Bill as a mobilisation tool ahead of 2026. Government will frame the process as people-driven and constitutional.
The next decisive moment will not be on the streets or in prayer rallies. It will be on the parliamentary floor where a two thirds majority either holds or collapses.
Zambia is now entering the phase where political messaging meets constitutional arithmetic. Thank you for reading this Explainer. Our aims remains to keep you informed. Stay with us!
PF MP PRAISES UPND’S GOVERNANCE, CHALLENGES OPPOSITION TO OFFER REAL SOLUTIONS
By: Justin Banda
Patriotic Front (PF) Chama South Member of Parliament Davidson Mung’andu has observed that the opposition is criticizing Government without offering alternative solutions.
Speaking on ZNBC’s Sunday Interview, Mr. Mung’andu said some politicians place personal and political interests above the welfare of citizens.
He commended the UPND-led Administration for its performance in governance, particularly through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Mr. Mung’andu noted that rural water projects financed under the CDF have had significant impact.
He further praised the current Government for ending what he described as wasteful expenditure that was common under the previous Administration. #SunFmTvNews
DR LARRY MWEETWA SENDS A BROTHERLY ADVICE TO HON. GIVEN LUBINDA ON DOCTORING OF THE VOTERS LIST
PF at a Crossroads: When Reshuffles Look Like Voter Engineering
By Dr. Larry Mweetwa
The ongoing manoeuvres by Acting PF President, Mr. Given Lubinda, would be amusing if they were not so politically costly. Unfortunately, the timing of the recent drastic party reshuffles coming barely weeks before a highly contested party convention at which he himself is a candidate raises serious ethical and strategic concerns. As one disgruntled cadre quipped, “When the referee starts fielding his own players, the match is already compromised.”
Let us be candid. The sudden seeding of new members into the MCC structures at this delicate moment can easily be interpreted as a systematic attempt to doctor the voters’ roll. In politics, perception is reality and right now, that perception is dangerous.
More troubling, however, is what was not done. At a time when reconciliation should have been the loudest message, there was no visible effort to engage senior party members who were previously expelled, notably Ba Davis Mwila and Hon. Shakafuswa. As elders in the party corridors whisper, “You do not build a house by first throwing away its pillars.”
Equally disappointing is the apparent lack of broad consultation with fellow presidential contenders such as Ba Mundubile, Dr. Chitalu Chilufya, Ba Kambwili, and others. Leadership at this level requires collective ownership of critical decisions. Unilateralism at this stage does not consolidate power it fractures it. Instead of narrowing divisions, these actions risk widening the fault lines within an already weakened party.
At this moment in our political journey, the priority should have been unity, not restructuring for advantage. The real “elephant in the room” remains unresolved: the legal ownership of the party itself. One must ask, pointedly, “How do you contest for a vehicle when the logbook is not in the glove compartment?”
PF today finds itself in a painful paradox we want to contest as PF, yet the party papers remain out of reach. It is time to face political reality with sober minds. The proposal to rebrand under a new political vehicle such as the New Patriotic Front (NPF) is no longer a speculative idea; it is a strategic necessity. Without a lawful identity, slogans, logos, and grassroots mobilisation become exercises in futility.
As the old saying goes, “You cannot sell or market a brand that legally does not exist or not belong to you .” Today, the public is laughing not with us, but at us. “We have no confirmed president, no secured party name, no official logo and worse off no secretariat. Are we now a headless chicken?” one supporter sarcastically asked.
And Mr. Lubinda must ask himself a very practical question: does he appreciate how difficult it is to popularise a new opposition leader and a new party brand across all corners of Zambia especially in rural areas like Chifunabuli where people still ask, “Katwishi nga ni Uka or TONSE?” Political branding is not announced; it is painstakingly built.
This is the moment for Mr. Lubinda to rise above ambition and demonstrate statesmanship. He must unite the party, listen to the silent majority, and provide a clear political vehicle and direction that can drive the opposition agenda forward. The frustration among PF members is real, growing, and increasingly vocal.
In closing, the message from the grassroots is simple and sobering: “Ba Lubinda, unity first. The house is burning stop rearranging the furniture.”
SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY’S DECLARATION OF HON. TASILA LUNGU’S PARLIAMENTARY SEAT VACANT IS ILLEGAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL
The Patriotic Front wishes to address the Speaker of the National Assembly’s recent declaration that the Parliamentary seat of Hon. Tasila Lungu is vacant, purportedly on the basis of alleged breaches of the National Assembly Standing Orders, 2024.
We issue this statement to clarify the grave illegalities and constitutional violations inherent in the Speaker’s decision. The rule of law, not political expediency, must guide the functioning of Parliament at all times.
1. Constitutional Framework Governing the Loss of a Parliamentary Seat
The Constitution of Zambia clearly and exhaustively stipulates the grounds under which a Member of Parliament may lose their seat. Article 72(2) provides that a seat may only be vacated through: • Resignation; • Disqualification under Article 70; • Breach of a prescribed code of conduct; • Expulsion or resignation from the sponsoring political party; • Loss of citizenship; • Joining a political party when elected as an independent; • Declaration of disqualification by the Constitutional Court; or • Death.
At no point does the Constitution mention breach of Standing Orders as a ground for vacating a Parliamentary seat.
The Speaker’s action therefore directly contradicts Article 72(2).
2. Only Legislation Can Prescribe a Code of Conduct, Not Standing Orders
Article 72(2)(c) refers specifically to breach of a “prescribed code of conduct”. The only law prescribing such a code is the Parliamentary and Ministerial Code of Conduct Act of 1994, which governs: • Corruption; • Conflict of interest; • False declarations; • Abuse of office.
The Act does not regulate absenteeism, lateness, defiance of a ruling, or any procedural or behavioural issue encountered during parliamentary business. Such matters are purely disciplinary, not constitutional.
Therefore, Standing Orders, being procedural, cannot be stretched into grounds for disqualification.
3. Standing Orders Regulate Procedure. They Do Not Provide for Loss of Seat
Standing Orders are internal procedural rules made under Article 77(1). They cannot override the Constitution.
Key provisions include: • Standing Order 223, which provides for suspension (7, 14, or 30 days) for absenteeism; • Standing Order 215, which provides disciplinary measures for disorderly conduct.
None of these Standing Orders authorise the Speaker to declare a seat vacant.
The maximum penalty for such infractions is suspension, not removal from office.
4. The Speaker Cannot Create New Grounds for Disqualification
The Speaker’s mandate is strictly procedural. The Speaker cannot: • Create new grounds for loss of a Parliamentary seat; • Convert procedural breaches into constitutional offences; • Override or amend Article 72 of the Constitution.
Any declaration of vacancy based on Standing Orders is: • Unconstitutional, • Unlawful, • Ultra vires, • Void and without legal effect.
This action amounts to an abuse of authority and a breach of constitutional duty.
5. Commonwealth Parliamentary Practice Confirms This Position
Zambia’s parliamentary system is inherited from the Westminster tradition. In the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, and other Commonwealth jurisdictions: • Procedural infractions attract suspension, • Only constitutional or statutory grounds lead to loss of seat.
Zambia cannot depart from this foundational parliamentary principle without violating constitutional safeguards.
CONCLUSION
The Patriotic Front reiterates that the Speaker’s declaration of Hon. Tasila Lungu’s Parliamentary seat as vacant is illegal, unconstitutional, ultra vires, and politically motivated.
It violates Article 72, undermines constitutionalism, and disenfranchises the people of Chawama Constituency whose democratic mandate must be respected.
We therefore call upon the Speaker to immediately rescind her decision, restore the seat, and uphold the rule of law, parliamentary integrity, and constitutional supremacy.
No political manipulation, procedural abuse, or unconstitutional action should overturn the will of the people.
Issued by: Celestin Mambula Mukandila Patriotic Front Deputy Secretary General
I am disappointed with most of the clergy who addressed the President in support of the Constitution Amendment Bill No. 7 today, 1st December 2025.
Their presentations demonstrated how deeply divided and seriously corrupted the church in Zambia has become, especially the Pentecostals. The church is so compromised that its mandatory role as salt and light is seriously weakened.
These clergy went there to show support for Bill 7, but the presentations were pathetic, to say the least.
Most of them were just hyped by the desire to please the President. Support for Bill 7 should not be about attacking, insulting or disrespecting others, it should be issue-based.
It was sad to see Church Mother Bodies fail to find an eloquent Zambian among their rank and file to speak for Zambians, and had to use foreigners! Who can’t even speak our national language properly! Well, congratulations for sinking so low.
And please, dear clergy, when dealing with matters of National Documents, be sober and logical, not emotional.
BLESSINGS Bilon Kalumbinga, Cand Th.D. General Overseer Agape Christian Church Int’l Lusaka, Zambia.
NOTE TO THE PRESIDENT ON THE STATEMENT: “ANY SENSIBLE CITIZEN SHOULD BE HAPPY WITH THE WORK OF THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE.”
Mr President, Words spoken from the highest office do more than express an opinion. They set the tone for the entire nation. When you say “any sensible citizen should be happy with the work of the Technical Committee,” it unintentionally casts honorable, peace-loving citizens who hold a different view into the shadows of “insensibility.” Yet many of these are men and women who cherish Zambia, who contribute quietly, who pray earnestly, and who desire the good of this nation just as deeply as those who agree.
Your own words in the last press briefing “they hate me with such venom you can touch” show your awareness of how easily labels can wound. And now we witness some cadres quickly branding anyone with a divergent opinion as a “hater,” as though disagreement were treason rather than citizenship. This spirit divides the country and suffocates genuine dialogue.
True leadership is not revealed by the applause of those who agree, but by the grace extended toward those who differ. A great President carries within his heart those who support, those who stand uncertain, and those who challenge, yet loves all three without discrimination.
A nation is strengthened when every voice whether supportive or critical, feels safe, are respected, and feel free to speak without fear of insult, exclusion, or retaliation.
Mr President, Zambia looks to you to rise above the heat of the moment and model a leadership that gathers, not scatters; that listens, not labels; that unites, not divides. Your tone can inspire a culture of dignity, humility, and national maturity.
WHEN LEADERS RIDICULE THE CHURCH, TRUE CHRISTIANS MUST RISE AND RESPOND!
If the reported remarks attributed to Bishop Victor Kalesha are accurate that the Catholic Bishops and the Oasis Forum “should stop pretending to represent Zambians,” and that Catholic priests “should not speak because they have no children,”then these words are not merely unfortunate but they are deeply wounding to the Body of Christ.
The Catholic Church is not a passing institution. For nearly 2,000 years, since the days of the apostles and the commissioning of St. Peter by Christ Himself, it has stood as a moral pillar, a guardian of conscience, and a voice for the voiceless. To publicly belittle a Church that has endured persecution, shaped civilizations, and guided nations is not simply careless, it is spiritually reckless.
And let us remember: The Apostle Paul, one of the greatest voices in Christian history, was never married, yet Scripture never records Peter or any married apostle insulting him or disqualifying his authority because he had no children. Calling does not come from family status. Authority does not come from biology. It comes from God.
Scripture teaches: “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6), and “Touch not my anointed, and do my prophets no harm” (Psalm 105:15).
No leader, religious or political, should normalize contempt for institutions dedicated to justice, truth, and sacrificial service. When those entrusted with spiritual authority choose derision over dialogue, they harm not only their brethren but also the witness of Christ before the nation.
This is not a Catholic issue. It is a Christian issue. It is a moral issue. It is a national issue.
We must reject the spirit of division. We must renounce speech that humiliates rather than heals. And we must urgently call all leaders to repent of publicly endorsed disrespect for a nation that mocks its moral compass will soon lose its way.
This moment requires clarity, courage, and Christian integrity. Let every believer; Catholic, Protestant, and Evangelical, stand united and reject this public disrespect. Let us say with one voice: This is not the Spirit of Christ.
Let us defend dignity. Let us restore respect. Let us protect the integrity of the Church and the unity of God’s people.
PRESIDENT HICHILEMA APPLAUDS CITIZENS AS CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW COMMITTEE CONCLUDES CONSULTATIONS
Lusaka… Tuesday December 2, 2025 – Last evening, the Technical Committee on Constitutional Amendments (TCCA) submitted its Technical Report to President Hakainde Hichilema, marking the completion of a two-month nationwide consultation process.
In a statement, the Head of State said the Committee–appointed on 2nd October 2025—had successfully gathered a total of 11,860 submissions, the highest number ever recorded in any constitutional review undertaking in the country’s history.
He noted that this level of participation reflected the growing enthusiasm among citizens to take part in shaping the nation’s governance structures.
President Hichilema commended the Committee for a professional and efficient execution of its mandate.
He said the team demonstrated strong commitment to cost-saving measures and drew valuable lessons from previous constitutional review processes, which he believed showed their sense of responsibility to the nation.
The President also extended gratitude to citizens who contributed to the process, both locally and abroad.
He said the wide participation–whether through physical attendance or online platforms–was a sign of patriotism, unity of purpose and deep love for the country.
According to President Hichilema, the voices of the people have helped strengthen the process and reaffirmed the collective national commitment to building a better Zambia for all.
MINERS and Ex-Miners for HH 2026, in collaboration with the Miners Welfare and Empowerment , have appealed to the Registrar of Societies to consider deregistering the Patriotic Front as a political party.
In a statement issued to RoanFM, Miners and Ex-Miners for HH 2026 Executive Director Thomas Mpashi said the PF poses a serious threat to national democracy and peace through what he described as “destabilising political conduct.”
Mr. Mpashi said the two organisations are concerned with the manner in which the PF has continued to engage in politics.
He added that the appeal to the Registrar of Societies is aimed at safeguarding national unity and ensuring that political players operate within the confines of the law and in the interest of citizens.
ALL CATHOLIC CHURCH FAITHFULS IN POLITICS DEFEND THE DIGNITY OF THE CHURCH AS YOUR CALL TO CONSCIENCE AND MORAL COURAGE.
When the spiritual shepherds of our nation are mocked, insulted, or reduced to ridicule, it is not politics at play. This is a wound inflicted on the moral fabric of our society. No believer, regardless of political affiliation, should stand idle while sacred leaders are demeaned simply because they speak truth, offer guidance, or call for justice. Insults about one’s vocation, marital state, or personal life are not arguments. They are attacks on the very dignity of the Church.
To all Catholics, and especially those who belong to any political party, How can you stay silent when those who baptized you, named you in Christ, taught you the faith, nourished you with the Sacraments, counselled you in your struggles, cared for your education, prayed for your family, blessed your marriage, will comfort you in your sickness, and one day lay you to rest, are publicly humiliated?
This is not a matter of political strategy. This is a matter of reverence, gratitude, and moral responsibility.
We cannot claim to honour God while ignoring the humiliation of His servants. We cannot claim maturity while tolerating moral decay. We cannot claim faithfulness while watching the Church, our spiritual home, be used as a punching bag for public theatrics.
To the Christian community across all denominations: When the Church is disrespected, society loses its compass. When spiritual authority is mocked, public conscience grows numb. When believers become silent, darkness grows bold.
Now is the moment to rise not with anger, but with clarity, dignity, and courage. Rise to defend respect. Rise to protect moral order. Rise to reject insults and uphold the values that hold our nation together. Rise, because your silence today becomes your regret tomorrow
Do not trade your spiritual birthright for the comfort of political acceptance. Stand for truth. Stand for reverence. Stand for the Church. For when the Church falls silent, the nation drifts into moral night.
Russia war recruitment scheme: Journalist and four others arrested.
It began quietly, a routine Monday morning at the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court, until the country realised who was sitting in the dock.
Nonkululeko Mantula, a familiar voice from SAfm’s early-morning airwaves, stepped into the courtroom not as a broadcaster, but as an accused. The 39-year-old radio personality was one of five people arrested for allegedly recruiting South Africans to join the Russian military, a charge that stunned the broadcasting world and sent shockwaves through the media sector.
Her co-accused, Thulani Mazibuko (24), Xolani Ntuli (47), Siphamandla Tshabalala (23), and Sfiso Mabena (21), stood beside her, all facing charges under the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act.
Their arrests didn’t come out of nowhere. It started at OR Tambo International Airport, when three young men were intercepted at a boarding gate. Their behaviour raised suspicions, and airport police quietly pulled them aside. When the Hawks’ Crimes Against the State unit was called in, the story changed from a routine check to a national security case.
Investigators say the men were on their way to Russia via the UAE. A deeper probe allegedly pointed to a South African woman coordinating their travel and that trail led straight to Mantula and her co-accused.
Over the weekend, the Hawks moved fast. One suspect was arrested after landing at OR Tambo on Thursday, who is Mantula. Three more were taken in on Friday. Another was picked up on Saturday. By Monday morning, all five were in court, charged and remanded in custody pending a bail hearing in seven days.
What unsettled many South Africans was the profile of one of the accused. Mantula wasn’t just any radio host, she presented SAfm’s Morning Bliss and had recently shared photos of herself attending events in Russia. She was also listed as co-chair of the BRICS Journalists Association, a group the EU sanctioned earlier this year, accusing it of spreading pro-Russia disinformation.
Her arrest comes against a backdrop of growing allegations that South Africans are being lured or tricked into Russia’s war with Ukraine. Earlier this month, police confirmed they were investigating how at least 17 men ended up on the frontlines after being told they were signing up for bodyguard training.
But on Monday, inside that small Kempton Park courtroom, the focus was firmly on Mantula.
A broadcaster, a public figure. Now at the centre of one of South Africa’s most startling national security investigations.
Her future, and the details behind the alleged recruitment network, will be tested when the bail application unfolds next week.
What do you think, is there really something illegal going on here?
OPPOSITION LEADER WARNS CSO ATTEMPTS TO HALT CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT MAY BE FUTILE
By Chamuka Shalubala
Opposition Democratic Union President Ackim Njobvu says civil society organizations attempting to halt government’s plan to amend the Constitution ahead of the 2026 general elections may be futile.
Speaking to Phoenix News, Mr. Njobvu believes President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND government have already made up their minds regarding Bill 7, and any attempts to suspend the process until after next year’s elections may be unsuccessful.
Mr. Njobvu is of the view that government will proceed with Bill 7 despite persistent calls for the process to be halted, arguing that recent efforts to engage civil society organizations in dialogue seem to be for formality’s sake.
The opposition leader has however emphasized that although the situation may appear discouraging, this is not the time for CSOs advocating for a delay to abandon their efforts.
A ZIMBABWEAN-BORN international journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono, has urged Zambians to stop hurting and hating one another under the United Party for National Development administration.
Chin’ono, a fierce critic of the former Patriotic Front administration, said it was unfortunate that Zambia had joined the rest of Africa in being cruel to one another.
He was expressing his disappointment on his official Facebook page over the decision by Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti to declare Chawama parliamentary seat held by Tasila Lungu, daughter of former late former president Edgar Lungu.
Chin’ono wondered why Africans were cruel to one another.
“Africans are really cruel to each other. I have criticised Edgar Lungu throughout his presidency, but I do not understand how his daughter is expected to come and start politicking in Parliament before her father is even buried. I simply do not understand it,” he said.
Chin’ono said even if the law might have allowed it, the law should have a caveat.
“Yes, the law might say so, but the law is made by human beings. The law is made by people, and every law in the world has a caveat that can be applied with basic common sense and basic decency,” he argued.
Chin’ono reminded Zambians that former president Lungu was still lying in the mortuary awaiting burial.
“I wish Zambians would stop being cruel to each other like this. Their former president has been lying in a mortuary in South Africa for over five months now, and instead of resolving that indignity, they pile more pressure on a grieving daughter. Why are Africans cruel to each other like this?” Chin’ono said.
“Solve the reason why she hasn’t been able to go to parliament. I can assure you that her party will retain that seat and that it will actually damage the ruling party and the president. Doesn’t the president have advisors?” Chin’ono said.
SHOCK IN CAMEROON AS 71-YEAR-OLD OPPOSITION FIREBRAND DIES IN DETENTION
LEFT-WING Cameroonian opposition figure Anicet Ekane has died in detention, five weeks after he was arrested, his lawyers and party have announced
Ekane, 74, was among the leaders of an opposition coalition who endorsed Issa Tchiroma Bakary in October’s presidential election.
Tchiroma Bakary says he was the rightful winner of the poll, officially won by 92-year-old incumbent Paul Biya. Tchiroma Bakary has since fled to The Gambia.
No official cause of Ekane’s death has been announced. His party has accused the authorities of denying him access to his medication, a charge the government has denied.
According to a spokesman for Ekane’s African Movement for New Independence and Democracy (Manidem) party, Ekane died on Monday morning at a military medical facility, after his health worsened over the weekend.
“We have no clarification… His wife had been called to come and when she found herself there, she was just presented the corpse of her husband,” he said.
He added that the family later took the corpse to the mortuary.
Defence ministry spokesman Capt Cyrille Serge Atonfack said the Manidem leader had died from illness, but did not give any further details.
“The deceased, who suffered from various chronic pathologies, had been interned at the Military Medical Centre of the National Gendarmerie,” he said, adding that the politician had been well taken care of by doctors since his arrest on 24 October.
Minister of Communication and government spokesperson René Emmanuel Sadi later expressed the government’s condolences to Ekane’s family, as well as the Manidem party.
He also said that Ekane had received proper medical attention from both his personal doctors and those at the military hospital where he was admitted, adding that an investigation had been launched to determine the exact circumstances of Ekane’s death.
Macron admits French repression in Cameroon’s independence struggle Renowned anti-corruption lawyer Akere Muna described Ekane’s death as “the extinguishing of a fierce and passionate flame” that burned for democratic emancipation.
Muna said in a statement that Ekane had informed him of his ill-health during their last conversation.
“One would have thought that basic humanity, the fundamental presumption of innocence, and the undeniable evidence of his failing health would have compelled his release to his family and the care of the medical experts who knew his condition,” Muna said.
According to Ekane’s lawyers, he was accused of hostility against the state, incitement to revolt, and calls for insurrection.
“He was never presented before a judge or charged with any misdemeanour,” said one of his lawyers, Hippolyte Meli, in a statement on social media, describing the detention of the Manidem party leader as “illegal”.
In recent weeks, rumours had circulated that the opposition figure had died, and Ekane’s party members had demanded to see him “dead or alive”.
His death has sent shockwaves across the nation, with supporters gathering at the party headquarters in Douala to grieve. Others have taken to venting their anger online.
The phone call that will reshape the Western Hemisphere happened November 28th.
Venezuela’s strongman, cornered after 25 years of Chavismo, personally called the President of the United States requesting protection for himself, his family, and his inner circle.
Trump’s answer: Leave voluntarily or face consequences.
Senator Mullin confirmed on CNN what sources whispered for days: Washington offered Maduro exile to Russia or another nation. An “opportunity to leave” before the waters close entirely.
The numbers tell the story of a regime in terminal decline:
Since September, U.S. naval operations have eliminated 22 cartel vessels and 83 traffickers. Sea routes cut by 85 percent. The Cartel de los Soles, Maduro’s military drug apparatus, designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
Then came November 29th.
Maduro’s presidential Airbus landed at the Venezuela-Brazil border. Commercial flights dropped to near zero after FAA warnings. F/A-18 Super Hornets from the USS Ford flew dark along the coast, transponders silent.
Russia and China are sitting out.
Three hundred billion barrels of oil hang in the balance. The largest reserves on Earth, waiting for whoever governs next.
The fracture point approaches. Not through invasion, Mullin insists no American troops will touch Venezuelan soil, but through abandonment from within.
Watch the inner circle. Watch the generals. Watch the jets.
By Q1 2026, either Maduro accepts exile, his lieutenants defect, or this escalates beyond ultimatums.
Twenty-five years of revolutionary socialism ending not with tanks but with one rejected phone call and a presidential jet pointed toward the border.
Andre Onana and Aboubakar dropped from AFCON squad
Cameroon have made a bold move ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations after leaving out veteran striker Vincent Aboubakar, goalkeeper Andre Onana and several other senior players from their squad.
Following their failure to qualify for the World Cup, the Indomitable Lions are opting for a fresh start and will head into the tournament with a youthful team. Manchester United forward Bryan Mbeumo is expected to lead the new-look attack as Cameroon looks to rebuild.
Among the big names omitted are Eric Maxim Choupo-Moteng, Karl Toko Ekambi and Napoli midfielder Zambo Anguissa who is sidelined with an injury until January.
The Cameroon FA has also sacked head coach Marc Brys and replaced him with David Pagou, citing misconduct as the reason for his dismissal.
Trump is targeting Nigeria’s oil – Pastor Tunde Bakare
Pastor Tunde Bakare, Serving Overseer of Citadel Global Community Church, said President Donald Trump’s recent designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) and claims of Christian genocide are motivated by Trump’s interest in Nigeria’s oil and mineral wealth.
Speaking during a State of the Nation Address, Bakare said the Trump administration sees Nigeria’s oil, minerals, real estate, and emerging technology sectors as key to its foreign and economic agenda.
He recalled a vision after Trump’s 2024 election win where Trump arrived in Lagos dressed in Arabian attire, signaling “particular interest” linked to Middle East politics, oil, and technology. Bakare said, “It was clear to us that President Donald Trump was going to have a particular interest in Nigeria. Nigeria’s oil wealth and other mineral resources will be critical to the Trump presidency, as will our role in the value chain of emerging technologies.”
Bakare warned the attire symbolized religious implications that could spark social unrest if mismanaged. He described Trump’s leadership as transactional and urged Nigeria’s government to propose a mutually beneficial business plan that supports US interests while securing Nigeria’s security, education, industrialisation, and access to advanced technology.
He criticized Nigeria’s worsening insecurity, especially in the Middle Belt, North-West, and South-East, calling continued att+cks a “sh@me on the Nigerian state.”
Bakare urged President Bola Tinubu to take bold action beyond recruiting security personnel, proposing a national apology, a Victims and Survivors Register, enhanced military and paramilitary presence, and advanced surveillance. He also recommended state, zonal, and community policing under federal coordination.
Calling for structural reforms, Bakare highlighted Nigeria’s “real challenge” as the “Nigeria Question” — identity, dignity, equity, coexistence, and governance.
China just flipped the script on global research talent!
Beijing just launched a bold new initiative: foreign scientists from top 500 global universities can now come to China to pursue any research they want—fully funded!
✅ 200,000 RMB/year in research funding ✅ Competitive salary ✅ Free housing ✅ Total freedom to choose your own topic
And here’s the kicker: it’s exclusively for international scholars. China isn’t just opening its doors… It’s rolling out the red carpet for the world’s brightest minds.
Compare that to the visa uncertainties, bureaucratic delays, and shrinking support in places like the UK and US—and the contrast is stark.
This isn’t just generous… It’s strategic. By attracting top talent with trust, freedom, and real resources, China is positioning itself to lead the next wave of global innovation.
China is tightening the screws: censorship in the country is about to get even stronger
Xi Jinping has ordered stricter control over the internet. China already has extremely heavy censorship: many foreign apps are blocked, and Western film studios are forced to comply with Communist Party demands if they don’t want to lose access to the Chinese market.
Under the Chinese leader’s directive, authorities must intensify oversight of online platforms, bloggers, and MCN agencies that manage influencer accounts.
They are required to show “social responsibility” and to spread only “positive content.”
Madrid anti-government protest: around 80,000 came to the center of the city.
The last large-scale protest against Sanchez in the capital occurred in June.
Sánchez signed the controversial agreement last week after the Catalan separatist Junts party gave its backing to the prime minister’s Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) to form a new government.
The deal, which came four months after the Spanish election resulted in no single party gaining a majority in parliament, was criticized by judicial groups and almost immediately triggered protests. The protests escalated on Sunday, spurred by the conservative opposition People’s Party, with Madrid authorities estimating 80,000 people took to the streets in the capital and demonstrations also held in other cities.
In exchange for the Junts party’s backing, Sánchez’s Socialists agreed to propose a law granting a blanket amnesty to everyone involved in the failed 2017 Catalan independence referendum. The deal includes an as-yet unspecified proposal for legal reform, which critics charge risks undermining judicial independence in Spain.
In Barcelona, 6,000 people demonstrated, while numbers reached 30,000 in Granada and 50,000 in Seville, Reuters reported, citing local authorities. Other protests took place in cities including Malaga, Palma and Valencia.
BREAKING: France’s President Macron set for state visit to China from December.
French President Emmanuel Macron will make a state visit to China from December 3 to 5, traveling first to Beijing then to the southwestern city of Chengdu, his office said Wednesday, November 26.
Macron is to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during the visit – his first to the country since April 2023 – “in line with his desire to maintain a constant and demanding dialogue with China,” the Elysée Palace said after Xi visited France in May 2024.
“The major issues of the strategic partnership between France and China will be addressed, as well as several major international issues and areas of cooperation to resolve the global challenges of our time,” the Élysée added.
Macron is expected to raise economic and trade matters, as France takes over the G7 presidency next year. The group of industrialized democracies, of which China is not a member, is currently chaired by Canada.
🇷🇺 NATO’S TOP GENERAL DROPS THE WORD “PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE” – MOSCOW CALLS IT “IRRESPONSIBLE,” EVERYONE ELSE CALLS IT A DIPLOMATIC GRENADE
Russia didn’t even wait an hour before exploding over comments by NATO’s highest-ranking military officer, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone – who said the alliance could consider a “pre-emptive strike” as a defensive response to Russian hybrid attacks.
Meaning: if Moscow keeps waging cyber sabotage, energy disruption, election interference and drone harassment, NATO might hit first.
That’s not a throwaway line. That’s doctrine-level vocabulary.
And Russia treated it exactly like that.
Maria Zakharova – the Kremlin’s flamethrower-in-chief – called the remark:
“Extremely irresponsible… a deliberate move toward escalation.”
She accused NATO of trying to sabotage any remaining diplomatic efforts around Ukraine, and warned the alliance to “understand the risks and consequences” – Kremlin code for: don’t test us.
The subtext is obvious:
NATO is quietly redefining “defense” to include early action against hybrid warfare.
Russia is loudly pretending hybrid warfare isn’t its entire operating system.
And both sides are inching closer to a zone where miscommunication becomes catastrophe.
Hybrid escalation is the new nuclear brinkmanship – fuzzier, faster, and easier to misread.
One stray drone, one hacked pipeline, one ambiguous cyberattack, and suddenly NATO’s doctrine is quoting Cavo Dragone while Russia quotes Zakharova.
If this feels like Cold War language with Internet speeds – that’s exactly what it is.
No help will come to Maduro: Venezuela, amid U.S. tensions, cannot count on allies
The Wall Street Journal reports that neither Russia, China, nor Iran are prepared to intervene, despite years of anti-American rhetoric.
Caracas’ network of allies is falling apart. Cuba, Iran, and Nicaragua are too weak economically. Russia is bogged down in the war with Ukraine, while China is preoccupied with its own problems.
Moscow and Beijing are focused on building relations with Trump and are unwilling to spend political capital on Maduro.
JUST IN : Tasila Lungu Appointed to PF Central Committee as Given Lubinda Announces Major Leadership Changes
Details in the statement…..
In accordance with the provisions of Articles 51 and 61 of the Patriotic Front Constitution, the President Hon Given Lubinda has exercised his powers and made the following interim appointments with immediate effect.
A. MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE (MCC) In view of the vacancies that have arisen in the recent past, the President has appointed the following;
1. As MCC & Deputy National Chairman for Youths : Mwenya Matafwali 2. As MCC : Goodson Banda 3. As MCC: Brave Mweetwa 4. As MCC: Alinedi Adora Phiri 5. As MCC : Lawrence Sichalwe 6. As MCC : Warren M. Liywali 7. As MCC: Hon Tasila Lungu Mwansa
B. LUSAKA PROVINCE 1. Lusaka Provincial Youth Chairman : Enock Mwila Yumba 2. Lusaka Province Deputy Youth Chairman: Cliff Bwalya
C. The Provincial Chairman for Lusaka Forbes Mufwaya has elevated the following;
1. Steven Mwape: Lusaka District Youth Chairman 2. Gift Simusamba: Interim Lusaka District Vice Youth Chairman
Celestin Mukandila SIGNED
Deputy Secretary General of Administration
CC: The PF President -The National Chairperson -The Secretary General -The National Deputy Secretary General (Political) -The MCCs -All PF Provincial Chairmen -PF General Membership -Media & the Press
CHAWAMA BY-ELECTION PROCEEDS – ZALOUMIS … those saying we can’t hold election should count remaining days before 2026 polls
By Mubanga Mubanga
Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis has told those saying the by-elections can not be held in Chawama to count how many days were remaining before the August 13, 2026 general elections.
And constitutional lawyer Isaac Simbeye says people have misrepresented article 57 of the Constitution to mean that the elections should be held after 90 days.
In an interview with Daily Revelation yesterday, Mwangala asked this journalist to ask those saying the by-election could not be held to
OASIS FORUM PRAYED AND OTHERS ALSO PRAYED THAT BILL 7 GOES THROUGH, WHO DID GOD ANSWER?
In an interesting comment on my page under the article titled, “WHEN OASIS FORUM DECIDED TO PRAY, SCOFFERS SCOFFED – THE POWER OF PRAYER”, Johannes Banda wrote, “But do you know that there are Christians elsewhere praying that Bill 7 goes through. Even when those others at ‘Pope Square’ were praying for their desired outcome there were equally others somewhere praying for their desired position. Now there was/is one God who has to determine outcomes. Question is: who did He respond to?”
God receives countless numbers of prayers every day.
Some are asking Him to bless you, others are praying that He curses you.
You are praying for forgiveness because you did something wrong to someone, but the person you wronged is asking God to punish you.
How does God deal with all these contradictions?
The answer lies in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
However we pray and however He answers, ultimately, God wants us to succeed.
Therefore, approach God with the knowledge that He only has good plans for you.
Approach God knowing that, like any other parent, He knows best what is suitable for you.
And we are all His children – those for or against Bill 7. We are members of the same family.
When we pray, we are like children reporting each other’s deeds before our parents.
The decision parents make ultimately keeps the family together no matter the contradictory nature of the children’s reports about each other.
Remember before Christ ascended to heaven, He prayed that we be one as He, the Father and the Holy Spirit are one
The difference between a sanctified mind and an unsanctified mind is that the former accepts what follows as God’s will and proceeds to praise Him while the latter resorts to cunning methods to seek to get their way.
A God-fearing child doesn’t seek to win at all cost. He or she ends their prayer with the words, “may thy will be done and not mine”.
But remember also that not every outcome is God’s will. There are instances in which God doesn’t stop human beings from pursuing desires that are contrary to His plans.
He does so to respect man’s freedom of choice but also to allow human beings to learn from the consequences of their own choices.
It’s at that time that human beings get to know as to whether their way was God’s or theirs.
Winning an argument is not in itself a sign of endorsement from God.
MATTERS ARISING | Pro-Bill 7 Voices Drown Out Oasis Forum as Technical Committee Submits Report
December 1st delivered a dramatic reset. For the first time since the Bill 7 debate intensified, Zambians watched a full, open livestream of a constitutional amendment solidarity submissions at State House. This stood in sharp contrast to the Oasis Forum meeting held behind closed doors on Friday, which continues to fuel opposition questions: Why was one process visible and the other concealed?
The optics now matter as much as the substance.
First, the State House session brought a broad cast of actors rarely seen on the same platform. A consortium of eight CSOs led by Solomon Ngoma of AIPAC arrived with written solidarity submissions. Each speaker repeated one central claim: the Technical Committee received thousands of citizen submissions and the idea that the process lacks consultation “cannot stand on evidence.”
This was a deliberate rebuttal to Oasis Forum’s insistence that the reform lacks legitimacy.
Second, the meeting showed a clear pushback against the perception that Oasis Forum is the default gatekeeper of public sentiment. Ngoma sharpened this point when he said, “In civil society, there is no bigger brother. No organisation is more Zambian than another.”
That line has since gained traction in pro-Bill 7 spaces, especially among groups that feel historically overshadowed by the Catholic-dominated bloc.
Third, the church dimension has now shifted. While the Oasis Forum rallied some catholic clergy in black at Friday’s prayer meeting, other church groups are emerging in the opposite lane. Several pastors, including Adventist clergy highlighted by state media, have endorsed the reform process and publicly questioned the idea that the Catholic voice is the only moral compass. Their argument is simple: “No church is more Zambian than another.”
This theological counterweight is reshaping the narrative.
Fourth, President Hichilema used the livestream to his advantage. He struck conciliatory tones, telling attendees that the Constitution “belongs to the people” and that the goal is to “address long-standing gaps and enhance equity.”
He contrasted dialogue with protest, saying, “Peaceful protest is a right, but sustained dialogue offers greater opportunity for consensus.” Without naming anyone, the message was aimed at the Friday rally.
Fifth, the submissions pointed to a growing divide in civil society. While Oasis Forum claims illegality and rushed timelines, the pro-Bill 7 groups insisted that they attended every provincial consultation, made formal submissions, and participated in the process Oasis Forum now rejects.
As Arthur Muyunda of SACCORD said, “It is surprising to hear that the process is illegitimate from groups that refused to engage yet had representatives on the committee.”
Sixth, the government treated these solidarity submissions as a counter-mandate. Chief Government Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa said the meeting “demonstrates that Zambians have agreed on the need to amend the Constitution.”
He also confirmed that the President will “continue engaging all stakeholders,” signalling a widening circle beyond the Friday bloc.
Seventh, the Technical Committee officially handed its report to the President on the same day. This timing was strategic. By receiving the report in full public view, the administration sent a message: the process is now moving to the next stage.
Opposition actors quickly noted that only the pro-reform meeting was livestreamed, calling it “selective transparency,” but the government is yet to respond.
Eighth, the political undertone was unmistakable. Friday’s prayer rally drew mostly former cabinet ministers, opposition aspirants, and senior PF figures. Their presence convinced many viewers that the gathering leaned elite and partisan.
The State House meeting, on the other hand, featured groups branding themselves as grassroots CSOs, creating the impression that the reform now enjoys broader support outside urban elites.
Ninth, the collision between these two narratives has intensified. Oasis Forum says the process is “illegal,” “stage-managed,” and “restricted.” The government says the Forum approached dialogue with “fixed positions” and “no alternative proposals.”
Supporters of Bill 7 have also questioned why a group claiming to speak for the nation failed to identify even one clause it is willing to negotiate.
Tenth, Zambia is now in a constitutional showdown shaped by optics, rival churches, competing civil society blocs, and the strategic use of visibility.
Monday’s livestream was not simply a meeting. It was a recalibration. A message from State House that the reform will proceed with or without the Friday coalition.
As Zambia waits for Parliament to reconvene, the field is no longer Oasis Forum versus the State.
It is a contest between two legitimacy claims, one rooted in elite activism and the other in widening civic visibility.
OASIS FORUM PULLS OUT OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM TALKS, CITES “ILLEGALITY AND LACK OF SINCERITY” BY GOVERNMENT
The Oasis Forum has withdrawn from the ongoing dialogue on constitutional reforms, accusing the government of insisting on what it describes as an “illegal and flawed” process centred on the controversial Bill No. 7 of 2025.
In a strong-worded statement issued yesterday, Oasis Forum Chairperson Beauty Katebe said the organisation had no choice but to pull out after it became clear that government was determined to continue with a process the Constitutional Court had previously ruled a nullity.
Katebe revealed that on 29th November the Forum wrote to President Hakainde Hichilema to communicate its “principled stance” on the matter, but no meaningful progress was made. The letter was later delivered to a smaller government negotiating team on 30th November.
According to the Forum, the government’s decision to proceed with Bill 7 amounts to rubber-stamping an illegality, as the Court nullified the bill’s initiation due to lack of mandatory broader public consultation.
“The report and the ensuing Bill from the Technical Committee’s work will itself be illegal,” the Forum charged, warning that the process had already breached constitutional court orders.
The Forum further warned that the process lacks a legal framework to guarantee the independence of the Technical Committee, leaving room for undue executive influence.
Katebe said the government-drafted Terms of Reference were restrictive, limiting submissions from citizens to the same clauses contained in Bill 7, thereby “resurrecting an illegitimate, election-centred agenda.”
Despite the Court’s ruling, the Forum notes that Bill 7 still sits before Parliament, a situation it says entrenches “an illegal and illegitimate” constitutional amendment process.
“Government has refused to formally withdraw Bill No. 7 from Parliament,” Katebe said. “This makes dialogue meaningless.”
The Oasis Forum has also criticised government for tying the reform process to the 2026 general elections, warning that rushing such an important exercise undermines national consensus and excludes ordinary citizens.
“There is no justification to amend the Constitution in less than 30 days as though there is no tomorrow,” the statement reads.
Despite the Forum’s concerns, Katebe says meetings with government officials, including the President, have yielded nothing, with State House allegedly determined to continue on the same path.
“The government remains bent on proceeding with the current illegal and flawed process,” she said.
The Forum reaffirmed its preconditions for any future dialogue:
1. Formal withdrawal of Bill 7 from Parliament; and
2. Commencement of a fresh, legally supported, inclusive and holistic constitutional reform process.
The Oasis Forum is now calling on Zambians to defend constitutionalism and the rule of law, warning that government’s stance may “result in anarchy” if left unchallenged.
“We only have one Zambia,” the statement emphasized.
The Forum says it will use all available legal avenues and may engage the international community to pressure government to withdraw the bill.
Meanwhile, the organisation has announced an upcoming nationwide campaign against Bill 7 and is urging citizens to join the movement.
KBF OFFERS HIS PARTY AS ‘SPECIAL PURPOSE VEHICLE ’ FOR TONSE
ZAMBIA Must Prosper leader Kelvin Fube Bwalya has proposed that the Tonse Alliance must use his party as a special purpose vehicle because the PF has been “politically knocked out”.
Bwalya says although he was expelled from the Patriotic Front, he is not bitter and wants to help them.
Since the passing of its flag bearer, Edgar Lungu, the Tonse Alliance has been entangled in a web of internal disputes emanating from the Patriotic Front. According to their resolutions, it was agreed that once the PF picks its leader and presidential candidate for the 2026 general election, the alliance would then move to pick a special purpose vehicle within the alliance.
In February, NCP leader Peter Chanda disclosed that the Tonse Alliance Council of Leaders had collectively agreed that his party would serve as the vehicle for all alliance candidates until the 2026 elections. But due to internal wrangles and disagreements within the alliance, Chanda later announced the NCP’s withdrawal from the alliance.
Meanwhile, the PF recently announced that the convention it was supposed to hold on November 29, 2025, was postponed to a later date, leaving questions in many people’s minds as to when everything would be resolved.
In an interview, Thursday, Bwalya, who is also part of the alliance, said Tonse could not wait for the PF to fix its problems, stressing that Zambians needed leadership with or without the PF.
“I think the problems we’ve had in Tonse have not been unknown to you in the media. Part of the biggest problem we’ve had was that our member, the Patriotic Front, always believed that Tonse was PF and PF was Tonse. That must get out of the head of people and we must begin to tell the Zambians that PF is not Tonse and Tonse is not PF. PF is a political party with its problems. Tonse is a coalition of political parties, and within those political parties, we shall choose a special purpose vehicle. We, as Zambia Must Prosper, have already had [a] convention and we are offering our party as a special purpose vehicle for Tonse, for the youths. Now when it comes to PF specifically, I do not see PF having a convention from where I’m sitting because legally, they’ve been squeezed. This injunction that Robert Chabinga has put on PF right now is not going to be discharged anytime soon,” he said.
“And even if it is discharged, the main matter may not be resolved anytime soon. Where I’m sitting, from my simple and little experience legally, the courts are going on Christmas vacation next month. So, any judge adjourning a matter now is likely to be [resumed] around May, June [or] July for any court case to be heard because in between, dates are already taken with other cases. So, when is PF going to have its cases resolved? Remember PF has got eight to nine cases pending in court, so when are they going to resolve those cases? Now from a strategic perspective politically, we cannot be waiting for PF to resolve their problems for us in Tonse to move, that’s not the way politics move. The Zambian people are waiting for leadership, we are going to give them leadership with or without PF, so PF must choose to join us and start moving with us whilst they resolve their problems”.
He added that the PF’s internal problems were of its own making.
“We are not trying to kill PF, it is not us who have taken the problems into PF. The Patriotic Front created their problems by allowing those conventions with Miles Sampa and then the confusion with Robert Chabinga, that’s their problem. So, we must educate the Zambians to say the problems are in PF, those are not Tonse problems. I am glad to report to you that the late president Edgar Lungu came to that realisation and told some of us that ‘I’m not going to be on the ballot, I don’t believe PF is going to be on the ballot. Let’s find a special purpose vehicle.’ This is the problem which the current PF leadership has failed to see all this time. Now with Chabinga playing his ‘imingalato’ with his judiciary, where are they going to be? And what are they going to be doing because the PF members want somewhere to go and rest, they want somewhere to go and campaign from, and we are offering Zambia Must Prosper as a vehicle,” he noted.
“Why don’t they want to accept that? You ask the PF that, why don’t they want to accept that? Because if it’s a personal matter then it’s them who are being greedy, proud, arrogant and stubborn. They don’t want to face reality. Now we are going to tell the Zambians, it is the PF leadership which is causing confusion because the members want somewhere to go. The members want to get rid of the UPND. How do they get rid of the UPND without a political party? So, on our part, we have offered. You are out in the rains, you are getting cold and someone says there is shelter here, you say I don’t want a shelter, are you being logical? So, PF just has to realise that right now there is nothing they can do, they’ve been squeezed and when you’ve been knocked out politically, that’s why alliances are made, it’s because people see interest in the matter”.
Bwalya argued that the goal was to remove UPND from power, but PF’s leadership was ignoring his offer of help.
“The interest is to get UPND out of power, how are you going to do it if your political party is not functioning? You seek help. Wherever they are sitting, are they honestly telling me that they are more PF than I am, those people? They expelled me from PF, correct, I’m not bitter with them, I want to help them, they are not seeing my help. How can you be at the sea drowning and someone throws you a rope to hang on to and then you say no, I can swim by myself? So, go and ask the PF that there is this lifeline that has been offered to you, why are you not accepting it? They should tell us because for me it is the individual players within the leadership of the Patriotic Front that is not being helpful to the members. They should forget about PF now and concentrate on the adversary who is UPND, focus their guns there,” said Bwalya.
“But what do we have? We have Makebi [Zulu] roaming around, we have [Brian] Mundubile roaming around, Given Lubinda roaming around. All these resources which they are wasting, they could use in mobilising and getting rid of the UPND, and then they can say can we get back our party, then they can get it back. Right now, they won’t get it”.
CONSTITUTIONAL LAWYER TAKES SPEAKER TO COURT OVER DECISION TO DECLARE CHAWAMA SEAT VACANT
By Nelson Zulu
Constitutional Lawyer Tresford Chali has petitioned Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha in the Constitutional Court, seeking an order to declare illegal the ruling delivered last Friday by Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti, which declared the Chawama Parliamentary seat vacant.
According to the urgent petition filed today, Mr. Chali is asking the Constitutional Court to set aside the speaker’s declaration and to grant additional reliefs pending the final determination of the matter.
In the petition, Mr. Chali contends that the speaker’s action breaches article 72(2)(c) of the Constitution because the provision refers to conduct contrary to a Code of Conduct “prescribed” by an Act of parliament, unlike the speaker’s reliance on the standing orders.
He also points to article 266 and the Constitutional requirement that “prescribed” matters be provided for in legislation, and notes that standing orders are internal procedures not backed by the parliamentary and ministerial code of conduct.
Mr. Chali is seeking several remedies, including declaration of the speaker’s declaration null and void from the very beginning, an order of certiorari quashing the ruling, and to stay the speaker’s decision until the petition is finally determined.
On Friday, Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti ruled that the Chawama Parliamentary seat be declared vacant and referred the resolution to the Electoral Commission of Zambia –ECZ-to begin preparations for a by-election.
BIZWELL MUTALE OFFICIALLY ENDORSES PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA FOR 2026, URGES ZAMBIANS TO SUPPORT HH AMID ECONOMIC CHALLENGES
Lusaka — Munali aspiring member of Parliament Bizwell Mutale has officially endorsed President Hakainde Hichilema for the 2026 presidential election, citing his government’s efforts to address the country’s energy crisis and economic challenges.
”This is a clear indication that President Hichilema is on the right track, and we need to support him to move Zambia forward,” Hon. Mutale said.
Mr Mutale, a UPND member and Zambian citizen, emphasized that the country was facing serious challenges left by the previous government, including a huge debt and a struggling economy.
”President Hichilema has inherited these problems, and it’s unfair to expect him to solve them overnight. We need to give him time and support to implement his policies and programs,” Mutale said.
“Zambia had serious electricity problems in the last government led by PF under former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu,” he said, adding that the nation experienced “12 hours load‑shedding” and that purported fixes made ahead of past elections were “fake short term” measures.
Mr Mutale charged that huge loans taken by the previous government were “misused rather than addressing the actual problem.”
And Mutale warned against what he described as politically motivated attacks on Hichilema.
“There is so much Project Mulanfye against President Hakainde Hichilema,” he said, accusing some opposition figures of lacking tangible development records in their constituencies.
“Some of the opposition… they have not even built a classroom or a well of drinking water to the people of Zambia,” he added.
He also argued that changing the head of state will not by itself fix Zambia’s difficulties, as the energy sector requires substantial investment and time to replace aging infrastructure and expand new energy sources.
“Changing the government or removing President Hakainde Hichilema will not resolve our current status,” he said, urging focus on long‑term solutions and economic recovery.
Mr Mutale framed his endorsement as a vote for “meaningful development, a stable economy and sustainable jobs for the youth and the nation at large.”
He also stressed a shift away from what he described as a culture of handouts: “Zambia is not a poor country… Zambia is a country of hard working men and women,” he said, pledging to support policies that promote work and investment rather than “free hand outs.”
FORMER Religious Affairs Minister Reverend Godfridah Sumaili has endorsed Makebi Zulu for the PF presidency.
Meanwhile, Zulu has asked the Church to pray for politicians so that they can unite.
Zulu has also donated 100 bags of cement towards the completion of St John UCZ congregation in Kabwe.
Speaking during a church service, Sunday, while inviting Zulu to the pulpit, Rev Sumaili endorsed him as the incoming PF president.
“I’m so, so humbled, what a great honour for me to stand here and invite to the pulpit a man that I respect so much. A man that has distinguished himself in service, a man that I can say has shown loyalty and faithfulness to our nation. Honour your father and your mother so that it can go well [with you], so that you live long on earth. Allow me to invite Honourable Makebi Zulu, our incoming president of the Patriotic Front,” said Sumaili.
And Zulu said a lot could be achieved when people unite.
“The Bible tells us that if people unite, it means they have agreed that it’s God who sent Jesus. So if we don’t unite, then we are saying that God did not send Jesus. So man of God, we are asking that you should be praying for us. The Church, please pray for us who are in politics so that we can be one, so that we unite. If we unite, then we are saying God is the one who sent Jesus. If we unite, can there be tribalism in Zambia? If we unite, can we start discriminating against each other? There will be no such things. Meaning we are spreading the gospel,” he said.
“It’s possible to grow together but not in unity. But the reason it is said that we grow together in unity is because there is a lot that we can achieve as a people if we unite. Right now we are building the church here, so if we don’t unite, we will not manage. When God saw the children of Israel building the Tower of Babel, he said ‘these people have united and they are both speaking one language, if we don’t stop them, they will reach heaven’. Even us, if we speak one language, if we unite and no one stops us, we will reach heaven. We will manage to build the House of God”.
Zulu encouraged Christians to participate in politics so that truth and unity could prevail.
“But my encouragement is let’s continue praying for politicians, and some of us, I’m asking you man of God, allow them to participate in politics. Because it is said that politics is a dirty game, it’s because it’s dirty people that go into politics, not that politics is a dirty game. All of you here are very good people. When good people join politics, politics will be nice. The Bible says a person must be truthful, so if we join politics, can we lie? We can’t. So please pray for us that many children of God may participate in politics, then truth, unity and many other good things will prevail,” Zulu said.
“Because the Bible says blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. So the reflection of a Godly nation is also in its leadership, that’s the reflection of the oneness that we are talking about. So what we are going to do together is show oneness. Let’s unite so that we do God’s work and we shall participate”.
Furthermore, Zulu said when he becomes the eighth Republican President next year, he would build the National House of Prayer.
“Next year there will be [a House of Prayer], we will build the [National] House of Prayer. You are going to be part of it because we are one. This year we are building this church, we are going to build it together because we are one,” said Zulu.
