A new directive by the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, directs U.S. embassies to weigh chronic health issues when deciding who gets a visa.
The health issues includes but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, and mental health conditions.
According to a cable sent by the Secretary of State, United States will consider obesity or having children with special needs as reasons to reject immigrant visas.
“You must consider an applicant’s health. Certain medical conditions – including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases, cancers, diabetes, metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, and mental health conditions – can require hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of care,” a cable sent by Marco read.
Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott added that the policy ensures “our immigration system is not a burden on the American taxpayer.”
This new directive is aimed at immigrants who are seeking permanent relocation into the US. Tourist on short time visits are excluded.
Nigeria is the 4th largest Economy in Africa With about $188.27 Billion
Nigeria has the 3rd strongest military in Africa. Nigeria has an estimated 223,000 to 231,000 active military personnel. The Nigerian military includes the Army, Air Force, and Navy, and its total active force is one of the largest in Africa.
Nigeria has about 61-70% access to electricity
Nigeria has a monthly minimum wage of NGN 70,000, which is approximately $42–$44 USD per month, depending on the exchange rate.
Nigeria is known as the “Giant of Africa” due to its massive population, large economy, and abundant natural resources, which give it significant economic and political influence on the continent.
Its title also reflects its cultural impact through music and film, as well as its role as a regional power and its leadership in organizations like the African Union.
President Trump said he will no longer support Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, calling her “wacky” and a “traitor” to the GOP, making a dramatic break with a longtime loyalist who has increasingly criticized the president and her party’s leadership in recent weeks.
The president said he’s withdrawing his endorsement of Greene and will support a primary challenge against her “if the right person runs” in her deep-red northern Georgia district.
Greene, on Saturday, said in a post on X that she never thought that “fighting to release the Epstein files, defending women who were victims of rape, and fighting to expose the web of rich powerful elites would have caused this, but here we are.”
The congresswoman also said later Saturday that she has been receiving threats since Trump began openly criticizing her.
Thabo Bester challenges constitutional right to ‘presumption of innocence’ in High Court
Convicted fugitive and rapist Thabo Bester has filed an application with the Johannesburg High Court, seeking clarity on whether his constitutional right to be presumed innocent remains intact
The application was confirmed in a press statement issued today, 15 November 2025 by his legal representatives, Morero & Mocketsi Inc. The firm has moved to correct what it calls “inaccurate and misleading reports” circulating on social media.
Contrary to online speculation, the statement clarifies that the application is not primarily about Bester’s prison conditions. Instead, the core issue is a legal argument concerning Section 35(3)(h) of the South African Constitution, which guarantees every accused person the right to be presumed innocent.
The central question Bester’s legal team appears to be posing to the court is whether this fundamental right persists for an individual who has already been convicted of a crime.
In Bester’s case, he was convicted and sentenced for the 2012 rape and murder of his model girlfriend, Nomfundo Tyhulu. He later made a dramatic escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre prison in May 2022 after faking his own death in a cell fire, leading to a highly publicised manhunt and his subsequent recapture.
His lawyers argue that references to his prison conditions in the court papers are merely “incidental” context for the main constitutional argument.
The statement also expressed “serious concern” over what it described as speculative commentary published online before the court application was even officially issued, warning that this could cause “potential prejudice.
Given the high-profile nature of Bester’s crimes and audacious escape, the case has captivated and horrified the South African public. This new legal challenge is expected to draw significant attention and could set a notable precedent regarding the interpretation of constitutional rights for convicted persons.
His legal team has stated it will not comment further on the merits of the application as the matter is now sub judice.
Donald Trump on Friday night stopped in on a wedding at Mar-a-Lago, and once again raised the question of whether or not he will be going to heaven.
The president was reported to have dropped in the wedding, which took place this weekend at his resort.
According to Trump associate and conservative commentator Eric Metaxas, Trump put the heaven burden on him.
“Last night, at my friend Mike Wilkerson’s wedding at Mar-a-Lago, the President showed up,” Metaxas wrote on Saturday. “As he walked in, he pointed right at me and joked, ‘This is the guy who’s going to get me to heaven…’ I laughed and told him, ‘I’d really like to talk to you about that… but another time.’ Then I reminded him, ‘Don’t forget—you’re America’s Supercentennial President.'”
Metaxas then added, “Truthfully, I would love to have that conversation with him one day.”
“But this wasn’t the place,” he added.
Last night, at my friend Mike Wilkerson’s wedding at Mar-a-Lago, the President showed up. As he walked in, he pointed right at me and joked, “This is the guy who’s going to get me to heaven…”
I laughed and told him, “I’d really like to talk to you about that… but another… pic.twitter.com/0OoJeTE0cB
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released its first-ever global guidelines for managing diabetes during pregnancy, a condition affecting one in six pregnancies — or about 21 million women each year.
The guidelines offer 27 evidence-based recommendations designed to improve outcomes for both mothers and babies.
They emphasize individualized care, regular blood glucose monitoring, tailored treatment plans, and multidisciplinary support for women with pre-existing diabetes.
Diabetes in pregnancy significantly increases the risk of pre-eclampsia, stillbirth, birth injuries, and long-term cardiometabolic diseases for both mother and child, with the heaviest burden falling on low- and middle-income countries.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “WHO has long had guidance on diabetes and guidance on pregnancy, but this is the first time we have issued a specific standard of care for managing diabetes during pregnancy.
“These guidelines are grounded in the realities of women’s lives and health needs, and provide clear, evidence-based strategies to deliver high-quality care for every woman, everywhere.”
The recommendations aim to integrate diabetes care into routine antenatal services and ensure equitable access to essential medicines and technologies.
The launch coincides with this year’s World Diabetes Day theme, “Diabetes across life stages,” which emphasizes access to integrated care and supportive environments for people living with diabetes from childhood to old age.
Diabetes now affects over 800 million people globally and is the leading cause of heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, and lower-limb amputation.
Its impact stretches across generations and health systems, prompting WHO to call for urgent action, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
The organization notes that the new pregnancy guidelines are part of a broader strategy to strengthen maternal health, prevent diabetes, and promote long-term well-being across generations.
A video showing the moment parents of a pupil in an Abuja-based school slapped a male teacher, has made the rounds on social media.
The child had informed his parents that his teacher slapped him during school hours. The aggrieved parents immediately visited the school to confront the teacher.
During a meeting with the school management, the teacher claimed the child pushed him twice and as a way of reprimanding him, he gave the child a slap.
Irritated by the teacher’s explanation and action, the father of the child charged towards the teacher and gave him two slaps on the face.
‘’You slapped my boy because he can’t slap you. You slapped my boy thinking you can go scott free?What if I slap you now? Do you know I can actually slap you now? for you to slap my boy!” the father charged as he sl@pped him
The aggrieved mum also charged towards the mum
‘’How dare you slap my child. How dare you?’ What if he had fainted and d!ed? You don’t even know the child’s condition” th angry mum said
The video has received mixed reaction on social media. While some Nigerians applaud the parents for ‘’standing up” for their child, others argue that it was wrong for them to physically ass@ult the teacher.
Israeli authorities said on Saturday, November 15, that 153 Palestinians who turned up unexpectedly in South Africa, triggering questions from its president, had received entry approval from an unnamed third country.
A spokesman for COGAT, the Israeli body that runs civil affairs in the Palestinian territories, told AFP they had only been allowed to leave Gaza “after COGAT received approval from a third country to receive them.”
He did not name the country. After landing in Johannesburg on Thursday, the Gazans were kept aboard their plane for 12 hours because they did not have departure stamps from Israel in their passports, South African border police said.
The home affairs ministry finally allowed the passengers to disembark when an NGO said it would provide them with accommodation.
The NGO, Gift of the Givers, told South African media it did not know who had chartered the flight or a previous one that brought 176 Gazans on October 28.
An Israeli official who did not wish to be identified told AFP that the organisation, which coordinated the transfer, had submitted third-country visas to COGAT for all the evacuated residents.
South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa told journalists on Friday that it seemed “like they were being flushed out.”
“These are people from Gaza who somehow mysteriously were put on a plane that passed by Nairobi and came here,” he said.
South Africa’s home affairs ministry said 130 of the group entered the country, while the remaining 23 took onward flights to other destinations.
The COGAT spokesman said the body facilitates the departure of Gaza residents through Israel to receiving countries for patients requiring medical treatment, dual citizens and their family members, “or those possessing visas to third countries.”
Israel “bases its decisions solely on requests received from foreign countries,” he added, saying the departure of more than 40,000 Gaza residents had been facilitated since the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which sparked the retaliatory war in the Gaza Strip.
South Africa, which hosts the largest Jewish community in sub-Saharan Africa, has largely been supportive of the Palestinian cause. The government filed a case against Israel with the International Court of Justice in 2023, accusing it of genocide in Gaza.
AU Chair Rejects Trump’s Claims on the k!ll?ng of Christians in Nigeria
At the UN in New York, AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf dismissed US President Donald Trump’s allegations of mass k!ll?ngs of Christians in northern Nigeria.
Youssouf clarified that Boko Haram’s attacks have largely targeted Muslim communities, adding that the situation does not amount to genoc?de like the crises seen in Sudan or eastern DRC.
Trump has warned of possible military intervention and suspension of US aid if Nigeria fails to act on the alleged k!ll?ngs.
Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry responded by reaffirming its commitment to fighting v!olent extrem?sm and protecting all citizens — regardless of religion, ethnicity, or creed.
A group of 153 Palestinians fleeing the crisis in Gaza landed in South Africa this week. Due to missing documents — including the lack of Israeli departure stamps and no return tickets — they were initially denied entry and left waiting on their plane for 12 hours.
But South Africa chose compassion. President Cyril Ramaphosa approved their entry under the country’s 90-day visa exemption for Palestinians.
130 people were welcomed in, while 23 continued to other destinations. Humanitarian group Gift of the Givers provided support and accommodation assurances.
Authorities are now investigating the “mysterious” chartered flight, after the Palestinian embassy reported that an unregistered group arranged the trip irregularly and charged families money.
South Africa continues to stand firmly with Palestine — a relationship rooted in solidarity, justice, and shared struggle.
THAI KING BECOMES COUNTRY’S FIRST MONARCH TO VISIT CHINA
KING Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand has arrived in China on Thursday, the first ever visit by a reigning Thai monarch.
The visit is at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping to celebrate the 50th anniversary of both countries establishing diplomatic ties for the first time in 1975. China is believed to have been pushing for this visit for some years.
The Thai government said in a statement that the trip “underlines the deep-rooted friendship and mutual understanding shared between Thailand and China at all levels”.
In Beijing, the king and his wife Queen Suthida will visit local landmarks like the Lingguang Buddhist Temple and the Beijing Aerospace City.
President Xi and his wife will also host a state banquet for the Thai royals.
This is the first major state visit by King Vajiralongkorn since he came to the throne nine years ago in April he also made a trip to Bhutan. By contrast the most high-profile overseas trips made by his father King Bhumibol were to the United States in the 1960s, when Thailand was feted as a crucial Cold War partner, and a vital base for US military operations in Indochina.
Thailand is still officially a military ally of the US, but relations with China have grown steadily closer in recent years, while those with Washington have been frayed by US criticism of human rights in Thailand, by President Trump’s tariffs, and a perception that the US is no longer as committed as it once was to its Asian friends.
China is Thailand’s biggest trading partner, and increasingly a rival to the US as a source of military equipment.
Many Thais can trace their ancestry to migrants who came from China, and the Chinese government often highlights what it calls their “brotherly” or “family” relations.
The importance of those ties to Thailand was underlined earlier this year when the Thai authorities deported 40 Uyghur asylum-seekers back to China, in defiance of a warning not to do so by the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Then in August an exhibition at Bangkok’s main arts centre featuring Uyghur and Tibetan artists was censored following complaints by Chinese diplomats.
The Thai government was spurred by Chinese pressure into taking action against scam compounds operating along its border with Myanmar, and objections by China are presumed to have been one of the factors which blocked a proposal to legalise casinos in Thailand.
Despite the lack of a Thai royal visit before this one, the Thai monarchy has played a significant role in sustaining Thai-Chinese relations through the work of the king’s younger sister, Princess Sirindhorn, who has studied Chinese art and language for the past 45 years, and been a frequent visitor to China.
The Importance of Wastewater Treatment Plants in Africa
As environmental challenges grow across Africa, wastewater treatment plants have become essential for building a healthier and more sustainable future. These facilities are not just infrastructure — they are an investment in people, nature, and economic development.
Why are they important?
1️⃣ Protecting Public Health Many widespread diseases in Africa are caused by contaminated water. Treating wastewater helps reduce illnesses like cholera and typhoid, protecting millions of lives.
2️⃣ Preserving Water Resources Africa faces increasing water scarcity. Reusing treated wastewater for agriculture and industry helps conserve clean drinking water.
3️⃣ Protecting Rivers and the Environment Without treatment, polluted water flows into rivers and lakes, harming soil, wildlife, and entire ecosystems. Treatment plants help restore environmental balance.
4️⃣ Creating Job Opportunities These plants generate jobs in engineering, operation, and maintenance, supporting local economies.
5️⃣ Supporting Food Security Treated wastewater can irrigate large farmlands, increasing productivity and ensuring food availability for growing populations.
6️⃣ Boosting Urban Development & Investment Cities with modern sanitation infrastructure attract investors and companies, accelerating economic and urban development.
Water is life — and treating wastewater is protecting that life. A sustainable Africa starts with clean water.
New political party sparks debate over R2 million fundraising gala
The newly launched Afrika Mayibuye Movement, led by former EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu, is facing criticism over its upcoming fundraising gala, where the top-tier package a seat at the table with Shivambu carries a staggering R2 million price tag. The black-tie event is set for 28 November 2025 at the Mhulu Boutique Hotel.
The gala features a tiered sponsorship model, with prices ranging from R10,000 for entry-level seats to R2 million for the “Mayibuye Diamond” package offering dinner with Shivambu himself.
Funds raised will go towards the party’s first national convention in December and ongoing operational costs.
Shivambu, who co-founded the EFF before briefly leading the MK Party, has claimed his new movement has grown faster than any other liberation movement in its early months.
He has positioned the party as the “true liberation movement,” dismissing his former affiliations with the EFF, ANC, and MK Party.
Critics question the optics of charging millions for a dinner while the party campaigns for the poor, advocating state control of key sectors, land reform, and free education.
Supporters note that similar high-priced events have precedent, with the EFF charging R1.2 million for a seat with Julius Malema in 2023.
As the gala approaches, the Afrika Mayibuye Movement faces the challenge of raising substantial funds without alienating the grassroots supporters it claims to champion.
There are more foreigners in United Arab Emirates than local citizens.
In the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as of mid-2025, there are an estimated 10.04 million foreigners (expatriates) compared to approximately 1.31 million Emirati citizens.
This means that foreigners make up around 88% of the total population, while citizens constitute about 12% and/ foreigners are around 10 times more than citizens.
The total population of the UAE is estimated to be approximately 11.35 million in April 2025. The expatriate community significantly outnumbers the national population, making the UAE one of the countries with the highest percentage of foreign residents in the world.
STATEMENT ON THE ATTACK ON THE PATRIOTIC FRONT SECRETARIAT BY UPND CADRES
Issued by: Celestin M Mukandila Tonse Alliance National Youth Chairman/Patriotic Front Member of Central Committee 15th November, 2025
I condemn, in the strongest terms, the violent attack on the Patriotic Front Secretariat allegedly carried out by UPND cadres. Such conduct is unacceptable in a democracy and poses a direct threat to peace, order, and the safety of our citizens.
I call upon the Zambia Police Service to take immediate and meaningful action, including effecting arrests and ensuring that all those involved are brought to justice. The nation is fully aware of the public statements that preceded these attacks, and law enforcement must act without fear or favour.
This violence is not only an attack on the PF but an attack on the Zambian people’s right to political participation, safety, and freedom of association. As a party, the Patriotic Front remains committed to peace, democracy, and issue-based politics. In line with our ongoing rebranding agenda, I was honoured to be appointed by the late Former President Dr. Edgar C. Lungu as National Youth Chairman to promote a new era of responsible and mature political engagement.
However, let it be clearly understood: our commitment to peace should never be mistaken for weakness. We will defend our members and our democratic space using lawful, constitutional means. We expect the ruling party to exercise restraint, respect citizens’ rights, and uphold the safety of every Zambian under their charge.
I further call upon the police to take decisive action regarding today’s events, including investigating the roles of the Lusaka Province UPND Chairman Mr. Obvious Mwaliteta and the Bweengwa Member of Parliament Mr. Kasautu Muchelo, so that the law may take its full course because they are recently on record issuing statements that incite violent.
Violence has no place in our country. Zambia is bigger than any political party, and those in leadership must never take the Zambian people for granted.
BREAKING | PF Accuses UPND Cadres of Storming Secretariat as Police Yet to Speak
The Patriotic Front has accused suspected UPND cadres of storming its party secretariat this afternoon, beating PF members and damaging property in an incident that has already sparked political tension in the capital.
A circulating video shows an injured PF cadre speaking in Tonga, with visible blood stains on his shirt. In the clip, he alleges that “UPND cadres attacked us” and claims the group reported the incident to Lusaka Central Police. The police have not issued a statement, and their position on the matter remains unknown.
PF Central Committee Member and Tonse Alliance National Youth Chairman Celestin Mukandila released a strong-worded statement condemning what he described as a “violent attack on the Patriotic Front Secretariat allegedly carried out by UPND cadres.”
Mukandila said the conduct was “unacceptable in a democracy and poses a direct threat to peace, order, and the safety of our citizens.” He called on the Zambia Police Service to act “without fear or favour,” saying “law enforcement must take immediate and meaningful action, including effecting arrests.”
In his statement, Mukandila added that the attack “is not only an assault on the PF but an attack on the Zambian people’s right to political participation, safety, and freedom of association.”
He also issued a warning against mistaking the PF’s commitment to peaceful politics as weakness. “We will defend our members and our democratic space using lawful, constitutional means,” he said.
Mukandila urged the Zambia Police to investigate the alleged roles of Lusaka Province UPND Chairman Obvious Mwaliteta and Bweengwa MP Kasautu Muchelo, stating that both men are “recently on record issuing statements that incite violence.”
There has been no statement from the UPND, and no confirmation from police regarding the alleged assault, the extent of injuries, or the identity of the attackers.
This is a developing story. The People’s Brief will update as soon as police or government issue an on-record clarification.
SPOTLIGHT | Chililambombwe Turns Red One Week After the Chingola Stoning
The pictures coming out of Chililabombwe today tell their own story. A tight, disciplined march. A sea of red. Raised hands. Party scarves. Drums. Children running toward the stage. Elderly women wrapped in chitenge. It is a political performance staged with purpose, only seven days after the most serious security breach of President Hakainde Hichilema’s tenure.
For Zambia’s ruling party, this was not just a solidarity march. It was a message. And it was aimed at the one place the UPND cannot afford to lose: the Copperbelt.
A Province on Edge After the Stoning
The Chingola stoning fiasco shook the province. A presidential tent burnt. A police Land Cruiser overturned and set ablaze. Shops looted. Warning shots fired. Twenty-seven youths now arrested. Investigators have isolated funders and identified political actors with links to the mobilisation.
Inside the party, frustration is boiling. Copperbelt Provincial Minister Elisha Matambo is under visible pressure. UPND ward leaders accuse him of losing control of local structures. Others whisper that the province is “slipping.” Some blame poor engagement. Some blame economic anxiety. All agree the Copperbelt has shifted into a dangerous zone for 2026.
The Chililabombwe Counter-Move
Today’s rally was engineered to calm those fears.
Area MP and Mines Minister Paul Kabuswe marched at the front, surrounded by cadres, elected officials and ward mobilisers. This was not a spontaneous crowd. It was a controlled show of strength from a party trying to reclaim its narrative.
Kabuswe condemned the Chingola violence. He re-affirmed loyalty to President Hichilema. He thanked structures for “standing firm.” But the bigger message was about power. The UPND wanted cameras to capture one thing: that the Copperbelt can still fill a field with red shirts, even after an attack that the opposition is branding as a “sign of revolt.”
Why the Turnout Matters
Lusaka and the Copperbelt remain Zambia’s most decisive voting blocs. They determine who enters State House. They swing the national mood. They carry the urban grievance vote. They shape the opposition’s confidence.
The stoning incident emboldened the PF base. They treated it as proof that the province was rejecting Hichilema. They flooded social media with biblical metaphors, mockery, and claims that the “urban belt is gone.”
Today’s march is the UPND’s second major counter-signal.
It says: not yet.
A Province Still Fragile
But a crowd cannot resolve deeper problems.
The Copperbelt is battling worsening load-shedding. Only three hours of power per day in some compounds. Small businesses are collapsing. Youth hooliganism is rising. Mining towns are uneasy. Social media sentiment analysis shows “energy” and “livelihoods” as the most explosive triggers in the province.
Even inside the UPND, anger is simmering. Some cadres blame the party leadership for “neglect.” Others believe the President is too clean, too restrained, and too unwilling to reward party loyalists. The arrest of a renowned UPND cadre linked to the stoning has created more anxiety. Some insiders say the President is “favouring” certain camps and starving others.
These fractures matter because every instability on the Copperbelt quickly becomes political fuel.
UPND Mustn’t Relax
Yes, the images from Chililabombwe show strength. Yes, the turnout demonstrates that the UPND still has influence. But sentiment reports point to a volatile ecosystem. There are dormant networks from the PF years. There are youth groups hungry for relevance. There are actors willing to finance chaos.
The Chililabombwe march is not a victory lap. It is a warning that the province now needs constant political management.
The 2026 Battlefield Has Already Opened
The Copperbelt is no longer passive. It is no longer predictable. It is no longer a blank slate waiting for rallies. The events of the past week show that the province will still define the 2026 election more sharply than any other region.
The UPND can still capture the narrative. But it must act fast.
Crowds show momentum. But stability will demand something deeper: Restored livelihoods. Reliable power. Clear communication. Stronger provincial leadership. A security presence that reassures, not provokes. And a political strategy that speaks to Copperbelt anxiety, not just Copperbelt loyalty.
Because after Chingola, the province has entered a new political season. And today’s sea of red is only the first chapter in a story that will continue to shape Zambia’s path to 2026.
MWAMBA TAKES JUDGE LIMBANI TO JCC FOR ABUSE OF OFFICE AND FOR GRANTING IRREGULAR INJUNCTION AGAINST THE PATRIOTIC FRONT
Lusaka – 14th November 2025
Patriotic Front Member of the Central Committee and Chairperson of Information and Publicity in the Party, Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba has reported Judge-in-Charge in Kabwe District to the Judicial Complaints Commission(JCC).
In a letter to the JCC, dated 14th November 2025, Mwamba stated that the action by the Judge amounted to abuse of court process as he allowed Morgan Ngona, a purported Secretary General of the Party to shop for a forum and obtain an injunction from the court.
Mwamba stated that all matters regarding the Patriotic Front are being handled in one court, an administrative action that was taken before all parties to the cases to avoid multiplicity and abuse of the court process.
Mwamba stated that it was irrational for the court to hear and grant an action over matters happening in Lusaka and where all parties to the case reside.
He said this amounted to forum shopping and collusion by the parties involved.
He urged the JCC to pursue the complaint of misconduct, unethical practice, and abuse of office against Judge Limbani.
He wrote: “I recognize that the Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC) is a statutory body responsible for enforcing the code of conduct for judges and judicial officers, ensuring accountability and integrity within the judiciary”
“It is common knowledge that there are matters regarding the Patriotic Front in which a group, on 24th October 2023, without the authority, consent, knowledge of the Party and its constitutional structures purported to hold an Extra-Ordinary Conference and hijacked the Party.”
“In this process, we both complained to both the police complaint and initiated court process to seek redress and restoration of the Party.”
“We also complained that these illegal acts were being perpetrated by the State with the active collusion and collaboration of persons we identified and named at State House, Zambia Police, Ministry of Home Affairs and Registrar of Societies.”
“We also complained that an act designed to steal the largest political party was being perpetrated by the State and threatened Democracy, the Rule of Law, peace, stability and security of the country.”
“It must be stated that when facts fully emerged, the Church Mother Bodies and other key stakeholders such as the Law Association of Zambia urged restoration of the Patriotic Front to the legitimate owners and appealed to elements of the State to divorce themselves from the illegal actions to take over and destroy the opposition Party.”
“The key stakeholders also called on the judiciary to be an independent umpire and just arbitrators in the legal wrangles.”
“To this effect, our lawyers from both factions held meetings with the Chief Justice to help ensure that the allegations of misconduct, delays and abuse of court process were dealt with.”
“As at March 2025, we saw an administrative action where to curb multiplicity of the cases before court were curbed and all matters outstanding, were allocated to one Judge, Hon. Mrs. Justice Conceptor Chinyanwa Zulu to handle, resolve and determine.”
“We were therefore shocked that one of the parties to the cases before court; Morgan Ng’ona, using lawyers Messrs. Paul Chiteta &Company of Suit 9, Nums Complex, Plot 87B, Buntungwa Road, Kabwe (chitepapaul@yahoo.com) went before the High Court in Kabwe District and obtained a court order and injunction to restrain an activity taking place in Lusaka.”
“On 3rd November 2025, the Patriotic Front began a process to replace its fallen leader, Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu and announced that it would hold an elective General Conference to elect its new party president and members of the central committee.”
“To this effect the Party began a process to receive expression of interest at the Party’s Secretariat where the Party has been resident since 2015.”
“Although all these activities are taking place in Lusaka, Mr. Morgan Ngona chose to shop for a forum outside Lusaka. Mr. Ngona also was fully aware of the administrative directive where all matters regarding the ownership, legality and status of the Party are before the Lusaka High Court.”
“Further we hold that the Judge-in-Charge must have exercised restraint and prevented court abuse, when parties outside town rushed to the court in Kabwe district with urgent applications to stop a process occurring in Lusaka where all the parties to the case are based.”
“These actions amounted to shopping forum and active facilitation by the court.”
“It must be stated that the matters regarding the Patriotic Front are extremely emotive as the Party is the largest political party with hundreds of thousands of members across the country.”
“The handling of such matters requires that public interest is taken into account, and public emotions are not inflamed that may threaten peace, security and stability of the country.”
“Further, the Judiciary through individuals misconducting or acting in an unethical or unprofessional while discharging their sacred duties must not be used or abused to promote injustice, criminality or illegalities
“It is for this reason that I lay a serious complaint against Hon. Mr. Justice Kelvin Hancubwili Limbani, the Judge-in-Charge of the Kabwe High Court, for his decision to handle and grant this court injunction that is highly irregular and facts before him required that he exercised sound judicial mind.”
“His actions amounted to abuse of the court process and defeat the efforts to restore public respect, credibility, and impartiality that all stakeholders must work for.”
BRIEFING | Binwell Mpundu Cries Foul Over Alleged Link to Chingola Stoning Plot
Independent Nkana MP Binwell Mpundu has reacted sharply to online claims linking him to the violent stoning of President Hakainde Hichilema in Chingola last weekend. The allegation surfaced after the Zambia Watchdog, a page widely viewed as aligned with the ruling UPND base, published a list of supposed funders of the disturbance.
Mpundu says he dismissed it as a joke, but now believes the claims may be feeding into an active police investigation.
His reaction comes days after Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister Jack Mwiimbu announced that police had moved beyond mass arrests and were now targeting suspected ringleaders and possible funders of the Chiwempala unrest.
At least twenty seven suspects have so far been detained as part of the ongoing probe into the stoning of the presidential entourage and the burning of government property.
In a Facebook post written in English and Bemba, Mpundu claimed that an online platform had listed him as one of the people allegedly linked to the Chingola violence. He questioned how his name could be associated with what he called “nonsense in Chingola,” and suggested that some actors were looking for “the quickest way to eliminate” him.
He said if he had wronged those in power, they should confront him openly rather than, in his words, “practising witchcraft.”
Mpundu is already before the courts on a separate charge of seditious practices, a case that has raised his national profile and increased scrutiny around his criticism of the UPND administration. He leads a small movement that has signalled interest in contesting the presidency, positioning himself as an outsider speaking for discontented urban voters on the Copperbelt.
For now, law enforcement authorities have not publicly named Mpundu as a suspect in the Chingola case. Minister Mwiimbu has spoken in broad terms about tracking organisers and financiers behind the violence, while police have confirmed only the numbers and basic profiles of those arrested so far. No official statement has directly tied any sitting MP to the incident.
The Chingola unrest remains a sensitive security issue. Stones were thrown at the President, a police vehicle was overturned and burnt, and a presidential holding tent and other items were destroyed.
Police authorities have treated the events as a serious breach and deployed additional officers to the Copperbelt while monitoring incitement and celebration of the violence on social media.
Until the police brief the country with a clear, evidence based update, his status in relation to the Chingola probe remains a matter of allegation and perception, not fact.
This is a developing story. The People’s Brief will continue to track official statements, court actions and digital sentiment around the Chingola case and its expanding political fallout.
PF should share the blame for energy crisis, says Chitalu Chilufya
Former Health Minister and Patriotic Front (PF) presidential aspirant Dr. Chitalu Chilufya has admitted that the previous PF government shares responsibility for Zambia’s ongoing energy crisis, citing inadequate investment in infrastructure during its time in office.
Lusaka, 15 November- Former Minister of Health and current Mansa Central PF Member of Parliament, Dr. Chitalu Chilufya, has said the Patriotic Front government cannot be exonerated from the current energy crisis, acknowledging that the party failed to adequately invest in energy infrastructure during its tenure.
Speaking during an appearance on Emmanuel Mwamba’s EMV programme on Sunday evening, Dr. Chilufya said while previous energy investments were once sufficient in meeting national demand, Zambia’s rapidly growing population and changing demographic patterns required more aggressive infrastructure expansion something the PF administration did not fully implement.
“There’s no way we can run away from the fact that we didn’t do enough,” he said. “While we had legacy projects, they were not matched with the pace of population growth and industrial expansion.”
Dr. Chilufya emphasized that although the current UPND government is now responsible for managing and resolving the energy crisis, the burden of blame must be shared with former administrations that did not anticipate future energy needs.
He described the ongoing power challenges as a national issue requiring honest reflection, national unity, and a multipronged solution.
“There’s a need for collective responsibility,” Dr. Chilufya stated. “We must look to the future by embracing a diversified energy mix that includes hydro, solar, and coal to ensure sustainability and energy security.”
He further stressed the importance of investing in underutilized hydropower sources, noting that Zambia is endowed with numerous waterfalls and water bodies that hold untapped potential.
Dr. Chilufya also urged the government to attract strategic partnerships and investments to fast-track energy diversification and infrastructure development, saying this is crucial to addressing the root causes of load-shedding and building resilience against future crises.
🇿🇲 WEEKEND DIGEST | Loadshedding as Another Candidate in 2026 Race
Zambia’s energy crisis has shifted from an inconvenience to a decisive political variable. Nowhere is the frustration louder than in Lusaka and the Copperbelt, the two cosmopolitan blocs that decide who occupies State House next year. Three hours of daily power has become routine. Small businesses are drowning. Urban voters are agitated. And political actors are shaping narratives with precision.
When Brian Mundubile stepped onto the PF Secretariat platform this week and declared that the UPND “has failed at everything,” his crowd roared the loudest when he mentioned loadshedding. It was the sharpest applause line of his speech because the pain is real, and the party knows it. But the punchline came later, and unexpectedly, from inside PF itself.
Dr. Chitalu Chilufya, another PF president aspirant, broke ranks last night. In an unusually candid moment, he told Emmanuel Mwamba that the PF government cannot escape blame for the current energy crisis. His argument was simple. Zambia’s population grew rapidly. Industrial demand expanded.
PF built legacy projects, but not nearly enough to match future needs. It was an admission the PF base did not want to hear, but it was true.
This distinction matters because the public square is now full of lies. PF influencers claim the entire crisis began in 2022. UPND influencers insist everything wrong was inherited. Both positions distort the truth. The drought exposed fundamental weaknesses that were years in the making, including PF’s failure to diversify power generation when Kariba first started showing stress.
At the same time, the UPND’s heavy leaning on solar has not provided immediate relief. New solar projects are being commissioned, but grid-scale impact will take years, not months.
Our social media sentiment monitoring tools show that loadshedding now ranks as the most emotionally charged issue among urban voters. Higher than food prices. Higher than fuel. Higher than unemployment. In Lusaka’s estates and Copperbelt’s mining corridors, the anger is bipartisan.
Some UPND supporters feel betrayed. PF supporters feel vindicated. Non-aligned voters feel abandoned. These two provinces are the largest voting blocs in the country, and every political strategist knows that losing them means losing the election.
This is why both parties are panicking. PF is weaponising hardship to rebuild relevance. The governing party is struggling to control the narrative because solar announcements cannot compete with the lived reality of darkness. And the online battlefield is unforgiving.
Urban sentiment is drifting away faster than official communication can catch it.
The truth is uncomfortable. Zambia’s energy crisis is not a one-year failure. It is a decade-long accumulation of poor planning, regional drought, infrastructure gaps, and political short-termism.
PF must carry its share of blame. UPND must carry the responsibility of fixing what it inherited. And voters, particularly in Lusaka and the Copperbelt, will judge both without mercy.
The 2026 election will not be decided by rallies, slogans or tribal messaging alone. It will also be decided by electricity. Every hour without power is turning an undecided voter into a determined one. The next election will be decided in the dark.
📩 We invite readers to share their thoughts with us at editor.peoplesbrief@gmail.com
POLITICAL ANALYST SAYS 7-YEAR PRESIDENTIAL TERM TOO SHORT FOR DEVELOPMENT
By Joseph Kaputula
Political analyst Dr. Euston Chiputa says a seven-year presidential term is too short a period for a Head of State to deliver on developmental promises.
During his submission to the Technical Committee on Constitutional Amendment recently, former republican Vice President, Enoch Kavindele, proposed a one-off seven-year non-renewable presidential term of office for a Head of State in Zambia.
Reacting to this proposal, Dr. Chiputa notes that previous governments have failed to deliver on all promises in two five-year terms, and reducing the period to seven years could lead to even less being achieved.
Dr. Chiputa tells Phoenix News in an interview that If a crisis like a drought hits for a significant number of years, seven years would not be enough, and the President could be unfairly judged as incompetent .
He has since questioned whether the proposed term would give leaders sufficient time to address Zambia’s developmental challenges.
Planning to Arrest Hon. Binwell Mpundu and other Opposition Personalities
Last week, academic and political commentator, Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa revealed a plot being perpetrated by State House and the UPND.
“…a strategy of trying to win support in urban areas where Hichilema has grown extremely unpopular, some officials in government have resolved to be setting ablaze a number of markets in opposition strongholds, mainly the Copperbelt and Lusaka, so that they can later be giving handouts to the victims as a show of care from the presidency, whose leader the marketers should thereafter vote for! In fact, the implementation of this strategy is already underway”.
We have since seen the burning of Chiwempala Market in Chingola and now Chamboli Market in Kitwe.
When President Hichilema travelled to Chingola to hand over the K10million he intended to donate to marketeers that were affected bybthe fire, he was booed, stoned and evacuated to safety.
He had forgotten that Chingola is burning with other serious complaints such as the displacement of small-scale miners. The embarrassment from the sage has made State House and the UPND panic and as stated by Sishuwa, now the criminal elements behind the saga want to blame the Opposition for the stoning…by carders gathered and transported by themselves.
They have targeted senior leaders of the Opposition in the district but so far investigations show that none were invopved.
But for some unkown reasons, they have targeted Nkana member of parliament and Leader of the Movement for Good Governance #ICHABAICHE Hon. Binwell Mpundu for arrest.
His role in organising young people for next year’s election, who will form the majority of voters, has unsettled them.
So they are looking for any flimsy reason to take him away from the political scene. Now they want to use the incident in Chingola to concoct teumped up charges.
ZIMBABWE: Riot police camp outside opposition leader’s office
Trucks carrying riot police have been deployed outside the offices of Tendai Biti, Zimbabwe’s former finance minister and prominent opposition leader.
The heavy police presence comes amid reports that Biti’s Constitutional Defence Forum planned to meet and discuss opposition to extending the presidential term to 2030
Critics say the move violates constitutional guarantees of freedom of speech and assembly — the very freedoms the state should protect.
STEPHEN CHUNGU URGES PF MEMBERS TO REMAIN CALM AMID LEADERSHIP WRANGLES
FORMER Government Chief Whip under the Edgar Lungu administration, Stephen Chungu, has urged Patriotic Front members across the country not to panic over the ongoing leadership disputes within the former ruling party.
Mr. Chungu said the situation remains under control despite alleged attempts by Mafinga PF Member of Parliament Robert Chabinga to “hijack” the party’s leadership and block the long-awaited PF convention scheduled for later this month through legal manoeuvres.
He argued that Mr. Chabinga has no following within the party, questioning which PF members would rally behind his leadership bid.
Mr. Chungu further stated that Mr. Chabinga has no connection with grassroots structures, saying he does not command support from even a single ordinary member at constituency or ward level.
The former Luanshya Member of Parliament said he finds it surprising that Mr. Chabinga claims to be in charge of the PF when he is not providing direction to any party organs from the constituency up to the provincial hierarchy.
GOVERNMENT EXPOSES PF ABUSE OF ‘NATIONAL INTEREST’ RETIREMENTS
By: Thomas Afroman Mwale
Government has announced that no officers from the defence and security wings have been retired in national interest under the current administration. Acting Minister of Defence Jack Mwiimbu said this contrasts with the previous Patriotic Front (PF) government, which separated 73 military personnel under unclear circumstances between January 2016 and August 2021.
Of those dismissed during the PF era, 23 were from the Zambia Army, 13 from the Zambia Air Force (ZAF), and 37 from the Zambia National Service (ZNS).
Responding to a question from Namwala Member of Parliament Herbert Mapani, Mr. Mwiimbu stated that the previous administration abused the provision for retiring officers in national interest.
He confirmed that 28 of the affected officers have since been reinstated—10 from the Zambia Army, 6 from ZAF, and 4 from ZNS returning to their original positions.
The minister added that 45 officers were not reinstated due to insufficient evidence supporting their claims, while others have pending applications. #SunFmTvNews
US President, Donald Trump was briefed this week on military options for operations inside Venezuela, as confirmed by four sources familiar with the matter according to a new report by CNN.
This update occurred amid an escalating US military presence in the Caribbean and the formal announcement of a new operation by the Defense Secretary.
The briefing included an updated set of options for the President to consider, although sources noted that the presentation did not necessarily indicate he is closer to making a decision regarding a large-scale campaign to address Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Trump has previously expressed caution about military intervention to remove Maduro. The potential target options are part of an operation planned by the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) and code-named “SOUTHERN SPEAR.”
The options were presented by top national security officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.
Defense Secretary Hegseth formally announced Operation Southern Spear on X, stating that the mission would be led by a Joint Task Force and SOUTHCOM to “defend our Homeland, remove narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secure our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people.”
This announcement formalizes the ongoing US campaign of military strikes against suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, which has reportedly resulted in numerous fatalities since September 2025.
The military options presented to Trump are wide-ranging, including air strikes on military or government facilities and drug trafficking routes, or a more direct attempt to remove Maduro. However, the President remains wary of actions that could end in failure or put US troops at risk, and administration officials have previously noted a lack of clear legal justification for land attacks.
The briefing comes as a large US naval presence continues to build in the region, including the arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford strike group, one of the largest and most modern in the world. Its deployment, containing an estimated 170 Tomahawk missiles, has been viewed by experts as a significant escalation.
In response to the US buildup, the Maduro regime has ordered a “massive deployment” of its own forces and has put the entire country’s military arsenal on full operational readiness, announcing a state of maximum alert.
International law experts and some US allies, including the French Foreign Minister, have questioned the legality of the US strikes against vessels in international waters, with critics suggesting the anti-drug campaign is a cover for a regime change effort.
The military operations and rhetoric appear to be aimed at pressuring Maduro, possibly to seek exile, or to encourage a military overthrow. The trajectory of the escalating tensions will likely depend on the unfolding of Operation Southern Spear and Maduro’s response in the coming weeks.
KALULUSHI MP PLANS TO HAVE TRIPLETS AS PARLEY PASSES MOTION TO REGULATE IVF SERVICES
KALULUSHI MP Kampamba Mulenga says she is planning on having triplets next year after the general elections, stating that IVF is able to offer that.
Her comment came after the National Assembly passed a motion on Wednesday urging government to introduce a legal and policy framework to regulate the provision of In-Vitro Fertilisation and fertility services
The motion aims to provide clear regulations for IVF services in Zambia, ensuring that couples seeking fertility treatment receive safe and standardised care.
Meanwhile, the Non-Governmental Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has welcomed the adoption of the motion.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Mulenga said the IVF procedure was a plus for women as it had removed the age restrictions that had prevented most women over 45 years from having children.
“IVF for us women, it is a plus, we were having difficulties. Madam Chisopa and I are planning on having triplets next year after the general elections because IVF is able to offer that. It doesn’t matter what age you are. We were restricted years back that when you reach 45 years, you cannot have children. But the good news, Madam Speaker, now with that launched, my colleague here and I will be bringing in triplets,” said Mulenga.
“For me, I believe the legal framework should not limit, it should not be a hard thing on how people should choose. But what I want to emphasise, I believe the Ministry of Health, when they come up with a legal framework, what they should not agree with is same-sex marriages. Because one, it is out of context. We are a Christian nation. Because IVF also offers children with married same-sex couples. But as Zambia, when they do the legal framework, we should really [act] according to our culture, that should be taken out”.
And Solwezi East MP Dr Alex Katakwe noted that Zambia remained limited in terms of urban clinics that had access to IVF, and also lamented the high cost.
“Madam Speaker, In-vitro Fertilisation, or IVF, is a type of assisted reproductive technology that has become a beacon of hope for countless couples struggling with infertility worldwide. However, the journey to parenthood through IVF is not just a medical process. It involves navigating a landscape of legal and ethical considerations as a branch of science. Madam Speaker, it involves the collection of reproductive cells – the sperms from a male or the eggs from a woman and then stored in banks for future fertilisation, and then later it can be implanted into the uterus of a woman who wants to have babies. Now, Madam Speaker, the history of it in Africa, with the exception of Egypt and South Africa, until 2001 there has been little or no interest in sub-fertility prevention and treatment in Africa. South Africa, for example, Madam Speaker, has well-established regulations, a comprehensive framework for fertility treatment, and a growing number of fertility clinics offering a wide range of assisted reproductive technologies and services, including in vitro fertilisation,” said Dr Katakwe.
“Madam Speaker, Zambia’s national reproductive health policy explicitly addresses infertility care, including assisted reproductive technologies such as In-vitro Fertilisation, alongside other key areas like safe motherhood, family planning and Adolescent Health. The policy emphasises the integration of infertility services into a broader framework of reproductive health delivery, recognising infertility as a significant public health concern. Despite this recognition, Madam Speaker, Zambia remains limited in terms of urban clinics that have access to IVF. In Lusaka, for example, we have the IVF clinic, and of course, recently, we have another one that has come on board. Madam Speaker, IVF costs quite a lot of money. This can range from K150,000 going up for just people who want to have babies who are produced in the lab. Madam Speaker, the procedure, of course, is quite complex”.
Meanwhile, Lundazi MP Brenda Nyirenda said this motion also looks at some of the challenges that women go through, especially if they cannot have a child.
“This motion also looks at some of the challenges that women go through, especially if they cannot have a child. Madam Speaker, the other issue that he has spoken to is the issue of exploitation and commercialisation. Madam Speaker, who can have K150,000 today to go and pay, if it fails, you go back, you pay K150,000. If us as regulators, we do not put a law to say, if you promise that at least when they pay K150,000 for the first one, if the first one fails, maybe at least it can go up to K50,000, then that way our people are going to be saved,” said Nyirenda.
“Madam Speaker, we are in this Parliament to ensure that we make laws that can help anyone. Desperation is one of the ways in which people lose most of the resources that they gather. Some people have gotten their pensions, some people have sold their properties just to try and have a child. And at the end of the day, if they sell the house, K150,000 it goes, they go, they sell their vehicle, another K150,000 because of this assertion that you can only be a proper woman if you have a child. A lot of our fellow Zambians, Madam Speaker, have lost a lot of resources, not knowing the issue of protection.”
Parliament moved to adopt the motion.
And in an interview, Friday, NGOCC Executive Director Anne Anamela noted the need to ensure that some government centres can enable people to access IVF services for free or at a lower cost, as opposed to relying only on private clinics.
“For us, this is very good, because what we want is the safety of women in all processes around reproductive health, especially reproductive health rights, and this is one of them. It is a good thing that the government wants to regulate this, because we want safety and we want women to get the best medical care, so that their lives are not compromised and are not endangered,” said Anamela.
“Indeed, it would be good to have IVF made more readily available. And also to ensure that some of these are government centres where people can access the services free or at least at a much lower cost, as opposed to private clinics. But with the establishment of IVF clinics across the country, we need a lot of education and sensitisation, because there may be some traditional practices that might frown upon this. But it would be good to do that, but with a lot of education and sensitisation as well”.
AN American national has drowned while rafting on the Zambezi River near Victoria Falls.
Southern Province Police Commanding Officer Moono Namalongo said the incident occurred on November 13, 2025, around 12:30 hours, when Mr. Firman Patrick Lawrence, aged 68, drowned at Rapid Number 7 during a rafting expedition.
According to the police report filed by Mr. Obey Hamuchemba, 47, the Director at Nyami Nyami Rafting Company, Mr. Lawrence was leading a team of ten paddlers towards Rapid Number 7 when their boat hit a strong wave and flipped.
Mr. Namalongo has stated in a statement that while his colleagues managed to safely navigate to calmer waters, the deceased failed to regain control and subsequently drowned.
He says the victim was later retrieved from the water and brought to shore, where CPR was administered.
Mr. Namalongo adds that he was then airlifted to Mukuni Medical Hospital but died shortly after arrival.
SOUTH AFRICA TO INVESTIGATE ‘MYSTERY’ OF PLANELOAD OF PALESTINIANS
SOUTH African President Cyril Ramaphosa says there will be an investigation into the “mysterious” arrival of a chartered plane carrying 153 Palestinians from Gaza into the country.
The group arrived at OR Tambo International Airport but were initially refused entry and were stuck in the plane for more than 10 hours as they “did not have the customary departure stamps in their passports”, local authorities said.
Most were eventually allowed in after intervention from a local charity and because of the government’s “empathy [and] compassion”, Ramaphosa said.
The circumstances of their departure from Gaza and travel to South Africa remain unclear.
South Africa has maintained strong support for the Palestinian cause throughout the war between Hamas and Israel in Gaza.
Ramaphosa said the group “somehow mysteriously were put on a plane that passed by Nairobi” and flew to South Africa, reports the News24 site.
Israeli military body Cogat, which controls Gaza’s crossings, said in a statement: “The residents left the Gaza Strip after Cogat received approval from a third country to receive them.” It did not specify the country.
According to the Palestinian embassy in South Africa, the group left Israel’s Ramon Airport and flew to the country via the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, “without any prior note or coordination”.
A statement from the embassy said “an unregistered and misleading organisation [had] exploited the tragic humanitarian conditions of our people in Gaza, deceived families, collected money from them, and facilitated their travel in an irregular and irresponsible manner”.
Of the 153, 23 managed to fly on to other destinations, leaving 130 who were admitted into the country, South African authorities say.
Ramaphosa, speaking during an event in Johannesburg, said he was informed of the unfolding crisis by the home affairs minister.
In response, the president said “we cannot turn them back”, according to News24.
“Even though they do not have the necessary documents and papers, these are people from a strife-torn, a war-torn country.”
The president also told reporters the South African government would carry out a “proper evaluation” of the matter and update the public on “what is happening and how this matter came to be where it is”, according to public broadcaster SABC.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said that while Palestinian passport-holders qualified for 90-day visa-exempt access to South Africa, the lack of departure stamps, return tickets or accommodation addresses in some of the travellers’ documentation resulted in the initial refusal to let them into the country.
Once it was established that the absence of this information “did not indicate that the travellers wished to apply for asylum” and their accommodation was confirmed, they were granted entry.
“All of the travellers are in possession of valid passports and, at present, none of them have applied for asylum,” he said.
South African charity Gift of the Givers has said it will provide the group with accommodation in the country.
Civil societies in South Africa have called for investigations into the conditions the Palestinians had fled in Gaza and the exact route of the aircraft.
One of the Palestinians who spoke to local eNCA TV expressed his relief to be in South Africa, describing it as a country of “peace, laws and justice”.
“We came from Gaza where we’ve faced death on daily basis. We have survived a war of two years and we are lucky to be here,” said one man who had fled with his wife and two children.
Gift of the Givers has since called for Ramaphosa to investigate the home affairs ministry and border authority for the “humiliation they’ve caused” the Palestinians.
The organisation’s founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman said this treatment included being forced to wait for hours on the tarmac at the airport, being denied food provided by the group and “using every excuse in the book to prevent these passengers from disembarking”.
South Africa has been highly critical of Israel’s military operation in Gaza.
The country’s sympathy for the Palestinian fight for an independent state goes back decades, particularly the early 1990s when anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela pledged support for the Palestinian cause.
Large pro-Palestinian marches have been held around South Africa since the conflict began.
Smaller pro-Israel marches and rallies have been held in the country, which hosts the largest Jewish community in sub-Saharan Africa.
In 2023, the South African government filed a case against Israel with the International Court of Justice, accusing it of genocide in Gaza. Israel has strongly rejected the South African claim, calling it “baseless”.
The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) wishes to inform its members and stakeholders that Chipolopolo coach Moses Sichone and some members of his team have been ruled out of this afternoon’s FIFA International Friendly Match due to suspected food poisoning.
FAZ General Secretary Machacha Shepande says Technical Committee Vice Chairperson Kalusha Bwalya has remained behind at the hotel with medics attending to him and the affected players and staff.
“We wish to inform our members and stakeholders that our Head Coach Mr. Moses Sichone, Video Analyst Elias Chipota and some players will not participate in the friendly game due to suspected food poisoning,” says Shepande.
“However, the game will go on as scheduled with assistant coach Perry Mutapa taking charge alongside Noel Mwandila, Kennedy Mweene and Joseph Musonda.”
Shepande says some team members have recovered in good time to participate in the game that kicks off at 15h at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Shepande has prayed for the quick recovery of the players. For and on behalf of:
Football Association of Zambia Nkweto Tembwe Head of Communications and Media
🚨 BRIEFING| Suspected Food Poisoning Hits Chipolopolo Camp Ahead of Friendly Match
Zambia’s national football team has been hit by suspected food poisoning hours before their FIFA international friendly, forcing head coach Moses Sichone and several members of the squad out of today’s match.
The Football Association of Zambia confirmed the development in a statement issued by General Secretary Machacha Shepande, who said the situation unfolded at the team’s hotel in Port Elizabeth.
“We wish to inform our members and stakeholders that our Head Coach Mr. Moses Sichone, Video Analyst Elias Chipota and some players will not participate in the friendly game due to suspected food poisoning,” Shepande said.
FAZ revealed that Technical Committee Vice Chairperson Kalusha Bwalya also remained behind under medical supervision, together with affected players and staff. Shepande stressed that health teams were “attending to him and the affected players and staff.”
Despite the setback, FAZ confirmed the match would proceed as planned at 15:00 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
Assistant coach Perry Mutapa takes charge of the team, supported by Noel Mwandila, Kennedy Mweene, and Joseph Musonda.
Shepande added that some players “have recovered in good time to participate,” indicating that the squad will still field a competitive lineup.
The association says its priority remains the health and safety of the team, with Shepande expressing hope for a swift recovery of the affected members.
“I pray for the quick recovery of the players,” he said.
The cause of the suspected food poisoning has not yet been disclosed, and FAZ has not announced whether investigations are underway.
Load-shedding, a PF/UPND collective problem; we should’ve invested in energy too, says Dr. Chilufya
FORMER Minister of Health in the PF government Dr. Chitalu Chilufya says the Patriotic Front-PF government can not be removed from blame amidst current energy crisis as it too, should have sufficiently invested in energy infrastructure.
Dr. Chilufya who is also Mansa Central PF Member of Parliament and Party presidential hopeful says, “The demographics of yesteryear may have matched the investment in the energy sector but with the demographic expansion, we did not see much in investment in energy infrastructure.”
He says it however is incumbent upon the current UPND government to invest in diversified energy infrastructure and resolve the energy crisis.
“It does not exonerate those of us who were in power before, we should have also looked at investing sufficiently in energy. However, it is a collective problem that we need to address as a people. We must look at various solutions on the table,” Dr Chitalu Chilufya told listeners as he featured on Emmanuel Mwamba’s EMV, last evening.
He says the blame on the current energy crisis cannot squarely be shoved on the current government.
“We could have done better previously in investing in infrastructure for energy,” Dr. Chilufya says, adding that, there is need for the country to move towards investigating in an energy mix.
“Let’s look at accelerating towards a time we can have an energy mix that brings in solar power, coal powered electricity, hydro power; we have so many waterfalls in the country and if we didn’t invest yesterday, it’s time now to forge strategic partnerships to invest in energy,” he says.
⬆️ THE CANDIDATES | Given Lubinda: The Loyalist With No Base
Given Lubinda enters the PF leadership race with one of the longest political CVs in the field. His career spans twenty years in Parliament, four senior Cabinet ministries, and a decade of visibility as one of the most recognisable faces of the Patriotic Front. He is not a newcomer and he does not sell himself as one. His message is stability. His pitch is experience.
Born in 1963, Lubinda’s training is in agriculture, with added credentials in business management, strategic planning and natural resource management. He built his political footprint in Kabwata, where he held the parliamentary seat from 2001 to 2021, surviving the MMD wave, the Sata populist rise, the Lungu consolidation, and two decades of Lusaka’s shifting political mood.
His ministerial record is broad. Information. Foreign Affairs. Agriculture and Livestock. Justice. These are not minor roles. They place him among the few PF aspirants who understand how policy is drafted, funded, implemented and defended in Parliament. That institutional memory gives him leverage within PF structures now fractured by parallel conventions, legal fights and factional command posts.
As acting PF President and acting Chair of the Tonse Alliance, Lubinda holds a unique dual portfolio. He is the face of PF internally and the bridge into a wider coalition externally. That gives him strategic reach but also creates pressure. Acting roles are temporary. They carry authority but not mandate. Unless the convention endorses him, his influence will remain contested.
His strength lies in being seen as the adult in a room filled with feuding camps. His weakness is the same thing. PF is not in a technocratic mood. It is a party searching for a fighter, a symbol, a lightning rod. Lubinda speaks the language of institutional discipline at a time when cadres, MPs and delegates crave a political brawler who can match UPND’s messaging and reclaim lost ground in urban strongholds.
This challenge becomes sharper in the shadow of PF’s informal tribal geometry. Lubinda is ethnically from Western Province. PF’s delegate map is dominated by Muchinga, Northern, Luapula and Eastern. This is the northern circuit and eastern enclave that has shaped PF leadership calculations for years. It is the same pattern that delivered Sata and Lungu and the same calculus that Makebi and Mundubile are now exploiting.
Mumbi Phiri, once PF’s deputy secretary general and now a loud Makebi supporter, has been blunt for months now: “PF president must be Bemba, running mate must be Easterner.” It is not written in the constitution, but it is embedded in PF’s political culture. That unwritten ideology is Lubinda’s biggest structural hurdle. His experience is respected. His loyalty is not doubted. But the delegate arithmetic limits his ceiling before voting even begins.
Lubinda’s campaign attempts to break this ceiling by framing himself as the unity candidate, a figure who can stabilise the party, negotiate alliances and restore internal order after years of legal battles and leadership chaos. Whether this message resonates with a convention dominated by regions outside his own remains uncertain.
What is clear is this: if PF wants institutional stability, Lubinda is the natural choice. If PF wants a populist fightback, the delegates may look elsewhere. His candidacy will test whether PF has matured into a national party or remains tethered to its original ethnic circuitry. In a race defined by factional heat, legal disputes, and regional politics, Lubinda stands out not because he shouts the loudest, but because he understands the machinery he hopes to lead.
Next in The Candidates: Populists, pragmatists, and the dark horses redefining Zambia’s 2026 battle.
Our planes sometimes stray into Zimbabwe, but they are friendly, Hichilema tells Mnangagwa
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has apologised to his Zimbabwean counterpart President Emmerson Mnangagwa for instances where Zambian aircraft conducting mineral surveys have accidentally crossed into Zimbabwean airspace.
President Hichilema assured that the flights are friendly and part of efforts to develop the country’s natural resources.
Speaking during the Bi-National Commission meeting with President Mnangagwa yesterday, President Hichilema said Zambia has started a high-resolution geophysical mapping exercise covering the entire 752,000 square kilometers of the country.
The survey aims to identify mineral deposits and other resources that can drive economic growth.
The Head of State explained that some mineral veins extend across the border into Zimbabwe, while some Zimbabwean minerals also appear in Zambian territory.
The President this presents an opportunity for the two countries to cooperate in managing and exploiting these resources for the benefit of both economies.
President Hichilema assured that the mapping flights are not a threat and are being carried out purely for development purposes.
“I want to apologize that sometimes, you see [our] airplanes straying into Zimbabwe territory. They are friendly planes,” President Hichilema said.
“Just to let you know, Mr. President, we are doing a high-resolution geophysical mapping.”
He further called on Zambia and Zimbabwe to work together to ensure that the shared mineral wealth is harnessed effectively to support social services in both countries.
BWEENGWA LAWMARKER CLARIFIES “CARDERISM IS BACK” REMARKS.
By Marcus Phillip Mhlanga
BWEENGWA Member of Parliament, Honourable Michelo Kasauta, has moved to clarify his recent use of the phrase “Carderism is back,” asserting that his comments were taken out of context and were not an endorsement of political violence.
The lawmaker, who is widely known in Monze District for his diligence,hard work, good relations and care for his supporters has earned himself a nickname “potopoto-upotene kumilimo,” issued the statement following public reaction to his remarks.
In his clarification, Hon. Kasauta, who also serves as the United Party for National Development (UPND) Monze District Chairperson, explained that his utterances were a reflection on past struggles and the loyalty shared with Republican President Hakainde Hichilema during their time in opposition.
He stated that his words were emotionally charged and rooted in the shared history of moments spent at the Community House, driven by what he described as “love, loyalty, and commitment” to President Hichilema.
“It was that history, that context, and that emotion that influenced my words,” Kasauta stated. “Let me be clear: carderism is condemned by His Excellency President Hichilema, and I fully stand with him on this agenda.”
Offering a measure of contrition, the lawmaker added, “If my words were misunderstood by the Zambian people, that was not my intention. I take responsibility for the interpretation of those words by anyone who felt affected.”
Hon. Kasauta acknowledged that his statement was made “in the heat of the moment” but reaffirmed his party’s core principles.
“Yes, I spoke emotionally, but as the UPND, we remain a law-abiding and peace-loving political party,” he said, Ends…
STATE HOUSE DENOUNCES BWEENGWA MP, THUGGERY IS OVER
STATE House Chief Communications Specialist Clayson Hamasaka says the cadreism that took place under the PF government will never again be allowed in the country.
Meanwhile, Chief Government Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa says any statement that has been made in contradiction with President Hakainde Hichilema’s stance on cadreism is not a representation of the party or the government.
Earlier this week, Bweengwa UPND MP Kasauta Michelo said the UPND was ready to protect President Hichilema and would unleash cadres on criminals who want to kill him.
Reacting to these remarks in an interview, Thursday, Hamasaka reaffirmed that thuggery, in the name of cadreism, would never be allowed.
“The problem also is we have messed up the word ‘cadre’. Who is a cadre? I’m sure you have seen even the President sometimes says ‘I’m also a cadre,’ you’ve seen that? He says that. The problem has been, this cadre terminology has been messed up, ‘cadre’ is synonymous to thuggery.
Let me tell you the truth, there will be no thuggery in this country in the name of cadres. Let’s get the correct context. I want to emphasise on that one. I don’t know the platform the MP was using there. If it’s the cadreism that was under PF, that one will never happen, not under this regime,” said Hamasaka.
“Get it from me, if the MP meant cadreism as it was under PF, that will never happen. But there will be cadres, yes, civil cadres. I’m also a cadre, I can’t hide, I’m a cadre [and] the President is also a cadre, but not thuggery. Thuggery will never be allowed in this country, never again. The cadreism which is synonymous with what PF were doing, that will never come back in this country”.
Meanwhile, Mweetwa noted that Michelo may have been speaking from a place of anger, which was inexcusable, but government’s stance remained that cadreism was not allowed.
“As a party, we have already come out very clear. Immediately he made that statement, the following day, the Secretary General held a presser to let the nation know that the position of the President that there’ll be no cadreism remains unchanged.
I think that he has to be understood that he must have been speaking with passion given the annoyance that engulfed the country relating to that regrettable and unfortunate incident. You will not be surprised that such a thing happened because we have lately, due to social media, a culture where the young people are primed to insult adults, including insulting the President, and now to a level of throwing stones at a President,” said Mweetwa.
“When you throw stones at a President, you are throwing stones at the seat of power of the nation, that is unacceptable anywhere in the world. There can be no justification, whether it is Senseli mine, whether it is anything else, there is no justification. So, you find that some people had so much passion and anger that they ended up saying certain things which otherwise are not representative of either the party and/or the government”.
ELECTIONS SHOULD NEVER BECOME A TIME OF FEAR, VIOLENCE, OR HATRED -ZCCB
The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) has urged all political actors, leaders, and citizens to conduct themselves with maturity, tolerance, and restraint ahead of the 2026 general elections.
ZCCB Secretary General Francis Mukosa said Elections should never become a season of fear, violence, or hatred, but rather an opportunity to strengthen democracy and reaffirm unity as one people in diversity.
Fr. Mukosa said the Church condemns the stoning of President Hakainde Hichilema in Chingola.
In a statement, Fr. Mukosa said the Church further condemns UPND Monze District Chairperson Michelo Kasauta for declaring the return of cadrelism in reaction to the attacks on President Hichilema in Chingola.
BELOW IS THE FULL STATEMENT —————————————– PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
“See that none render evil for evil to any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.” (1Thessalonians 5:15)
13th November 2025
ZCCB Condemns Chingola Violence against President Hakainde Hichilema and the Declaration of the Return of Cadreism by UPND officials: Calls for Peace, Dialogue, and Responsible Leadership. The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) expresses deep concern over the recent events that have disturbed the peace and moral fabric of our beloved nation.
We have noted with sadness the circulating video showing Republican President Hakainde Hichilema being forced to abandon his address at Chiwempala Market in Chingola, after some alleged angry Senseli small-scale miners began throwing stones at the stage where the President was speaking.
Equally disturbing is another video in which United Party for National Development (UPND) Monze District Chairperson, Mr. Michelo Kasauta, declares the return of cadreism, warning that the ruling party will not remain passive in the face of actions believed to threaten national peace and the safety of the President. These developments are alarming and risk undermining the values of peace, mutual respect, and dialogue that have long been the hallmark of our nation.
ZCCB strongly condemn all acts of violence, provocation, and lawlessness. No grievance, political or otherwise, should ever justify aggression or hostility. We call upon all citizens to embrace dialogue and peaceful engagement as the most effective means of addressing grievances and building understanding.
What transpired in Chingola reflects a lack of respect for the Office of the President, which must be condemned in the strongest terms. Regardless of who occupies it, the Office of the President deserves respect from all Zambian citizens and beyond. We commend the Zambia Police Service for their swift action and professional conduct during the incident, especially that no single life was lost, and for the subsequent arrest of some suspects connected to the crime.
However, the resurgence of violence, cadreism, and retaliatory behavior is not the direction the Zambian people should take. This calls for justice that is impartial and not selective. We, therefore, urge law enforcement agencies to also take a keen interest in the case involving the public declaration of the return of cadreism, as seen in the circulating video.
With general elections approaching next year, we urge all political actors, leaders, and citizens to conduct themselves with maturity, tolerance, and restraint. Elections should never become a season of fear, violence, or hatred, but rather an opportunity to strengthen our democracy and reaffirm our unity as one people in diversity.
These recent incidents are a wake-up call that more needs to be done as a nation to prevent violence and promote peace ahead of the 2026 elections. Dialogue, respect and adherence to the rule of law is the way to go.
The resort to violence is counterproductive, endangers lives, destabilizes public order and undermines the very democratic space it seeks to influence. We therefore appeal to all political actors, supporters, and the general public to exercise maximum restraint in the wake of this incident. The temptation for revenge or retaliation must be resisted.
An eye for an eye will only deepen political divisions and lead the nation down a dangerous path of instability. The ZCCB also calls on fellow spiritual leaders to intensify their efforts in providing moral guidance and civic education. The Church and all faith communities have a sacred duty to foster harmony, mutual respect, and moral integrity during this critical period.
Finally, we implore every Zambian to reflect on our nation’s past experiences with cadreism and violence, and to recognize how far we have come as a people.
Let us value and protect the peace we have continued to enjoy, remembering that our nation does not deserve to be taken back to those dark days of fear and political violence. Let us all work together to preserve this peace, cast off every form of violence, cadreism, and hate speech, and continue building a Zambia where reconciliation, dignity, and hope guide our way forward. May the God of peace guide our nation and grant wisdom to all our leaders as we journey toward the 2026 General Elections in unity and fraternity.
-END-
Issued and signed on behalf of the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB). – Rev. Fr. Francis Mukosa, ZCCB Secretary General. Catholic Secretariat, Kapingila House, Lusaka.
The emails have not stopped reaching us since the Chingola stoning fiasco. They come in long paragraphs and short bursts of anger wrapped in frustration. The message is the same. UPND cadres believe President Hakainde Hichilema has not “taken care of them.” They compare their lives to PF cadres who once commanded cars, land, cash and a frightening level of influence. They insist that they deserve something because they campaigned. They insist that politics owes them. They insist that power must feed them.
They are wrong.
What PF built between 2015 and 2021 was not empowerment. It was a patronage pyramid that rewarded thuggery with land plots, bus stations, market stalls, mining sites and cash collected from fear. It destroyed institutions. It weakened policing. It enriched a few. It impoverished many. And it extracted a price from Zambia that the country is still paying for today through debt, collapsed services, weak revenue and the cost of cleaning up corruption.
The deadliest part of this system is the mindset it leaves behind. A belief that political support must translate into personal enrichment. A belief that proximity to the ruling party is an economic plan. A belief that cadreship is employment.
The Chingola stoning incident exposed how dangerous this mindset has become.
Among those reportedly linked to the violence is a known UPND cadre who was quietly aligned to internal networks unhappy with the President’s refusal to open the treasury for party loyalists. His arrest has shaken parts of the ruling party’s grassroots. It has revived the whisper that some cadres are sabotaging their own government because, according to them, “Hichilema is favouring professionals over us.” These voices forget that the President campaigned on dismantling the very cartel system they admired under PF.
They forget that if cadres alone determined political power, PF would still be ruling Zambia. PF had the most formidable cadre network. A network more powerful than the police. But we we flushed them out of power like human waste
The idea that any President should hand out houses, plots and patronage is the fastest route back to the disorder that nearly broke the country. It is also the fastest way to collapse the same government they claim to love. Zambia cannot return to a politics where markets are controlled by gangs, where councils operate in fear, where police officers take instructions from “commanders” with no rank, and where citizens must show party colours to access opportunity.
UPND supporters asking for the same benefits PF cadres enjoyed are not asking for empowerment. They are asking for a return to criminal privilege.
This is why the Chingola incident must be viewed with sober eyes. It was not only about opposition agitation. It was also about internal frustration. That frustration is being weaponised by individuals who want a return to the old order where chaos delivered personal income. The fact that a ruling party cadre has been implicated shows that lawlessness does not wear only one colour. It grows wherever entitlement is allowed to breathe.
President Hichilema’s refusal to feed cadre politics is not a betrayal. It is the only path that can keep Zambia standing.
The country needs markets free of gangs, police who answer to the law, councils that operate without fear, and an economy where citizens succeed through work, not violence. The people who voted in 2021 did not vote for a new version of PF-style cadre rule. They voted to end it.
Our message to the cadres sending emails is simple:
You are citizens, not owners of the state.
You deserve opportunities that come from a growing economy, not from illegal land allocations. You deserve skills, jobs, clean governance and institutions that protect every Zambian. But no cadre, in any party, deserves to be paid for loyalty with state resources
And our message to the political class is equally clear:
Stop flirting with the idea of cadre appeasement. It is a dangerous path. It invites violence. It corrodes institutions. It will swallow any government that entertains it.
Zambia’s democracy cannot survive another era of political militias masquerading as party structures. The lesson from Chingola and UPND cadres messages to us is not only about security. It is about the urgent need to confront the entitlement culture that is poisoning our politics from within.
The state must act. Parties must reform. Citizens must demand better.
The Patriotic Front is now running two parallel scripts, two centres of authority, and two futures. Given Lubinda sharpened that divide in Livingstone when he dismissed Robert Chabinga’s court-backed directive and declared that “the PF does not reside in the Registrar of Societies, but in the hearts and commitment of its members.”
It was a deliberate political punch, delivered with the confidence of a man who believes he still commands the party’s emotional core.
Lubinda framed the convention as an act of survival. He told supporters that the PF belongs to those who “live its daily struggles” and that no individual, including Chabinga, can stand in the way of the party’s renewal. The message was designed to project continuity and momentum after a bruising week of factional blows.
Chabinga’s camp, however, has the only court order in the room. He declared on Thursday that “there shall be no convention this year,” insisting that the last valid one was in 2023 and the next is due in 2027. He is leaning heavily on the ruling that recognised him in PF filings, and his faction argues that any convention outside this legal framework is null.
The police, Registrar of Societies, and the courts now sit at the centre of a rapidly escalating internal conflict.
Lubinda’s rebuttal signals that his faction is ready to test how far that legal position can stretch when confronted with political mobilisation on the ground. He is betting that delegates, district structures, and long-standing party loyalty outweigh procedural arguments.
His tone was assertive, almost declaratory, mirroring the energy of candidates filing nominations at the Secretariat despite the injunction.
The weeks ahead will depend on where state institutions tilt. If the injunction is enforced, the Lubinda-led convention becomes vulnerable. If delegates gather anyway, the party risks more chaos.
For now, one truth stands out. PF’s battle is no longer about who becomes president. It is about who is allowed to hold an election at all.
