Mbita Chitala, Neo Simutanyi Accused of Pushing Regime-Change Agenda Through Shadowy Group Founder member of the MMD, Mbita Chitala, and academic Neo Simutanyi have emerged at the centre of what appears to be a coordinated regime-change effort, operating through a little-known organisation styling itself as the Centre for Policy Dialogue.
A leaked letter shows the two inviting selected individuals “to be Presidential Flag Bearer” at a so-called Conference of National Renewal and Transformative Leadership in Lusaka, scheduled for 6–7 March 2026.
The correspondence further demands K30,000 from male aspirants and K25,000 from female aspirants as “nomination fees”, while calling on political parties, civil society, traditional leaders, and the Church to help “elect a flag bearer who shall be the Presidential candidate” for the 13 August 2026 election.
This shadowy formation, following in the footsteps of another loosely-assembled elders’ group led by former Acting Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda, has raised significant concern. Its hegemonic posture and orchestrated appearance, seemingly driven by long-standing political agitators from the Northern Region, suggest an attempt to manufacture a parallel political authority outside the constitutional order.
Crucially, only registered political parties may lawfully select or sponsor a Presidential candidate under the laws of Zambia. Any private group or unregistered formation purporting to “elect” or “install” a Presidential flag bearer falls outside the constitutional framework and bears the hallmarks of an attempted usurpation of State authority.
Observers have noted that non-political actors with no registered party backing have no legal mandate to organise Presidential selection processes. Such actions, particularly when advanced under opaque structures, risk resembling acts of subversion that warrant thorough investigation for potential treasonous intent, especially when aimed at dislodging a democratically elected Head of State.
WHY THE DIASPORA WANTS PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA TO CONTINUE LEADING ZAMBIA
By Dr. Andrew Mwape, PhD – Secretary General, UPND USA/Canada Chapter
22nd February, 2026
As Zambians living in the diaspora, we often measure leadership not just by speeches, but by how policies affect our families back home, our ability to invest with confidence, and the pride we carry when we identify ourselves as Zambians abroad. Under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema, Zambia has undergone a transformation that has directly benefited many of us economically, socially, and emotionally.
I write this article from my leadership position within the UPND USA/Canada community, but more importantly, as a Zambian who has watched our country regain stability, credibility, and opportunity. So here’s a brief 5point breakdown:
1. Restoring Zambia’s Economic Dignity on the Global Stage:
For a long time, many of us in the diaspora hesitated to proudly associate with our own country in professional and financial spaces because of economic instability, rising (defaulting) debt, and lost investor confidence. Today, that story has changed. Under President HH’s leadership, Zambia has regained global credibility, stabilized key economic indicators, and re-engaged the international community; making both local and global investments safer and our country trusted again as a place to do business.
You won’t believe this… I can’t tell you how many fellow Africans from other countries have recently told me how they wish they were Zambians right now! That’s the kind of pride and respect Zambia has earned once more.
2. Free Education, Employment, CDF: A Lifeline for Everyone:
For years, many of us in the diaspora became the lifeline for our families back home; paying school fees, covering healthcare, and stepping in whenever needs arose. President HH’s CDF bursaries, skills trainings, and free education policy has lifted a huge burden off households across Zambia, bringing real relief to families and to those of us abroad who carried that responsibility. It has reduced constant financial pressure and allowed us to finally channel our resources into investments, businesses, home building, and long-term savings. Within the UPND USA/Canada chapter alone, we’ve supported hundreds of children and families over the with their education and healthcare needs, so these policies truly feels like a breath of fresh air; real empowerment for our people.
As if not enough, government’s recruitment of tens of thousands of teachers, nurses, among other civil servants since 2021 has put steady incomes into communities nationwide, reducing dependence on diaspora support and strengthening local economies. This is what sustainable growth looks like, empowering families today while building a stronger Zambia for tomorrow.
3. Peace, Political Tolerance, and the Freedom to Come Home:
One of the most valuable experiences under President HH’s leadership is the peace of mind Zambians now feel about home. For many of us in the diaspora, there was a time when speaking your mind meant fearing to return, when families worried during every election season, and when disagreement felt dangerous. Today, Zambia is open, calm, and free; a country where you can travel home proudly, speak freely, and live without fear. This peace is more than quiet streets; it is freedom restored, and it has reconnected so many of us with the Zambia we love.
4. Dollar Investment Facilities – A Game-Changer for the Diaspora:
One of the most impactful reforms for Zambians in the diaspora has been the opening of dollar-friendly investment pathways. For example, the NAPSA Zambia Kuchalo wealth creation fund now allows citizens at home and abroad to co-invest in national development projects and earn the same returns as NAPSA itself in dollars! Previously, you could only invest in kwacha with low-ball interest rates. Now we don’t have to worry about the Kwacha eroding in value; facilities like this one promise more secure, growth-oriented deals that protects earnings, builds local ownership, and strengthens Zambia’s economy.
5. Investor Confidence – When the World Lines Up to Lend Zambia Money:
One of the strongest signs that Zambia’s economy is back on track is the growing trust from global investors. Recently, government bonds were oversubscribed (meaning that investors offered more money than Zambia even asked for), a powerful signal of confidence in our economic management, fiscal discipline, and ability to repay. Make no mistake, global investors put their money where they trust. Strong economies attract this kind of trust, and under President HH’s leadership, Zambia has restored its financial credibility in a way that benefits every Zambian, both at home and in the diaspora.
For the first time in many years, Zambia feels hopeful, credible, peaceful, and open for opportunity. As Zambians living abroad, we see the difference clearly; in our investments, in the lives of our families, and in the pride we carry. President HH has not just improved Zambia’s economy. He has restored Zambia’s dignity.
And that is leadership worth renewing.
@followers Hakainde Hichilema W.K Mutale Nalumango Hon. Elvis Nkandu, MP Jito Kayumba Brian Mwiinga Fredrick Misebezi Chibamba Kanyama Mwebantu UPND YOUTHS OFFICIAL GROUP UPND Zambia UPND Hon. Paul CC Kabuswe Times of Zambia – TOZ
MAKEBI ZULU, HARRY KALABA POLL STRONGLY ON EMV POLLS
Monday 23rd February 2026
With thousands of online comments and live phone-in calls, Patriotic Front presidential aspirant, Makebi Zulu emerged winner in the first poll run by the Emmanuel Mwamba Verified (EMV) Podcast closely followed by Citizen First President, Harry Kalaba.
EMV is running a 3-part series poll called “Zambia Decides,” in which phone callers and online audience vote for the candidate of their choice.
On Monday, the opinion opened and attracted over 56,000 impressions on Mwamba’s Facebook page alone, although he was broadcasting simultaneously across various platforms, including X (Twitter), TikTok and Youtube and various Facebook pages.
On the live program, Mwamba answered 340 phone calls.
On the phone polling, Makebi Zulu scored 42.8%, Harry Kalaba scored 38.8%, and Brian Mundubile scored 12.2%.
On online voting on Mwamba’ s page alone which attracted 5,400 comments , Makebi Zulu scored 47.7%, Harry Kalaba polled 27.2% while Brian Mundubile polled 14.2%.
The next polling process will be done live on Wednesday, 25th February 2026.
Catholic priest hails President Hichilema’s Ndola’s Catholic church visit as a blessing!
Catholic priest, Fr. Andrew Mukosa has described President Hakainde Hichilema’s recent visit to the Catholic Church in Ndola as a profound blessing, one that should inspire unity rather than division among Zambians.
Speaking in the wake of mixed reactions from some stakeholders who expressed displeasure over the Bishops invitation to the President’s, Fr. Mukosa,Director Dignitatis Humanea Social Teacher, strongly condemned sentiments seeking to politicise the visit.
He emphasised that the Head of State’s interaction with the Church should not be viewed through partisan lenses, but as a symbol of cooperation anchored in national development and shared values.
“The visit should unite us as a people,” Fr. Mukosa stated. “We may hold different views, but we can unite in Christ, harmonise, and work together for the betterment of the Zambian people.”
The clergyman underscored that the Church and the State have distinct yet complementary roles.
According to him, the Church cannot operate in isolation from government structures, especially in areas that directly touch people’s lives
He observed that Catholic-run hospitals, clinics, schools, orphanages and other human dignity initiatives thrive largely because of collaboration and support from the State.
Fr. Mukosa further noted that any political party, regardless of affiliation, should prioritise working hand in hand with the government of the day to achieve socio-economic development objectives.
He cautioned against mixing partisan politics with the Church’s core mission of promoting justice, human rights, and human dignity.
He also extended gratitude to Fr. Lewis Mutachila, Vicar General of the Ndola Archdiocese, Fr Matthew Kasongo and Fr Steven Chishala for warmly welcoming the President to the Church, describing the gesture as a demonstration of the Church’s openness and commitment to constructive engagement.
Fr. Mukosa stressed that the relationship between the Church and the State is founded on mutual respect, collaboration, and self-governance.
Such engagement, he explained, enables the Church to fulfil its prophetic mission while encouraging transparency, accountability, and good governance in public life.
A few years ago, while in Kitwe, as I was working on a documentary, someone took me to the District Commissioner’s office.
That was the first time I met Binwell Mpundu. I had heard of him though.
There were several people who had come to see him.
Some were waiting outside while others were inside his office.
They included both men and women of varying ages.
In his office, there was a sizeable number of people sitting relaxed like everyone was at home and not in a hurry to leave.
From his facial expression, Binwell looked unbothered by his guests. It was as though it was their office as much as it was his.
Nobody was cleared out of the office because I had been ushered in. Not because they were being impolite, but because Binwell didn’t seem to hide anything from them.
It was a public office. It was the people’s office. So, if you had anything to say to Binwell, you said it in their presence.
The significance of that atmosphere wasn’t lost on me.
I played that picture over and over again when I was alone. My conclusion was that the young man was a people’s person.
He knew how to live with people. They liked him and he genuinely loved them.
That office, I concluded, wasn’t going to be the end of his career. It was the beginning of a journey of public service.
So, I wasn’t surprised that he decided to run for parliamentary office. And I wasn’t surprised that he won.
When I heard that he had thrown his weight behind Brian Mundubile in the Tonse Alliance, I saw something politically significant emerging.
It may not have been sensed by some but the political tectonic plate had just shifted.
Underestimate that move at your own peril if you are on the opposite side of Binwell Mpundu.
His performance in parliament is something to watch. He doesn’t always get his facts right but his willingness to push the envelope is the quality you need to face off against a determined UPND.
Even though Speaker Nelly Mutti has been the Iron Lady of the legislature, not hesitating to crack her whip, Binwell hasn’t been one to be fazed by that.
His attitude has been, “bring it on”.
Now, he has to take his political resources outside parliament onto the mother of all platforms – the August 13, 2026 elections.
I see the young man giving this assignment every ounce of his being.
His going into this fight like a boxer who is calm, cool and collected because he is not in a hurry.
Such a posture helps one read the opponent well. He’s young and a whole future ahead of him.
So, he will be fighting with strategic reserves of political resources safely stored away to be tapped into as and when need arises.
I am taking a front role seat to this fight because it’s promising to be the mother of all fights.
THE TONSE ALLIANCE OFFICIALS WHO WERE ARRESTED IN KALULUSHI HAVE FINALLY BEEN RELEASED ON POLICE BOND.
My opinion is that in an election year it is not possible for political parties to be getting permits let alone writing notification letters to the police to gather up because it is just not feasible,especially if such meetings are in doors, I’m not sure what threat to the public an indoor meeting would pose.
The other concern is that the UPND are all over having all manner of poltical gatherings without any notices but the police will not get bothered.
I think as a country we need to mature to play fair politics not poltics yamu colonial
In 2026, the trending Zambian phrase “salt sana” (often spelled “salt saana”) is a youth-driven slang term used to express that something makes sense, is impressive, or is highly agreeable.
While “sana” is a Swahili-derived intensifier meaning “very” or “too much,” the slang usage of “salt” in this context refers to something that adds essential flavor or value, similar to how salt enhances a meal.
It is used to describe something awesome, well-done, or “dope”.
The phrase gained significant viral traction in February 2026 following President Hakainde Hichilema’s visit to the Copperbelt (Kopala), where it was used as a slogan to rally support and appreciate government initiatives like free education.
https://youtu.be/XKocNo0EXpc?si=pJkljVglibZXNJpY
It is heavily associated with “Kopala” (Copperbelt) lingo, often paired with the phrase “Ni salt sana” (It is very salt) to indicate that a situation or person is “solid” or “legit”.
The phrase has also been popularized through TikTok trends and local music, referred to as a “musical sensation” in early 2026.
ECZ PROPOSES ROMA AND MAKENI CONSTITUENCIES IN LUSAKA
THE Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) has proposed the creation of two new constituencies in Lusaka as part of the ongoing delimitation exercise.
Under the proposal, Roma Constituency will be carved out of Mandevu, while Makeni Constituency will be created from Kanyama.
The move forms part of a nationwide plan to increase constituency-based seats in the National Assembly.
Speaking during the district delimitation sitting, District Electoral Officer Liftery Ndaba urged stakeholders to provide constructive input to ensure the proposed changes reflect the needs of residents.
Stakeholders present at the meeting welcomed the opportunity to make submissions on the proposed boundaries.
🇿🇲 EXCLUSIVE | From Rural Plates to Urban Tables: Hichilema Expands School Feeding Programme
When President Hakainde Hichilema stood behind serving tables at Kabulonga Boys Secondary School and dished food onto pupils’ plates, the symbolism was deliberate. This was not merely a ceremonial launch. It was a political statement about the architecture of his education reforms and the evolution of free education into a broader social investment programme.
The school feeding initiative, first rolled out in 2022 in rural and vulnerable communities, has now entered urban public schools. The expansion marks a strategic shift. Government is moving from access alone to quality, from enrolment figures to retention and performance metrics.
Addressing learners, officials and education stakeholders today, President Hichilema framed the programme as reinforcement of free education rather than an isolated welfare measure.
“Quality education is not just about sitting in a classroom,” he emphasised.
Nutrition, attendance, concentration and dignity are interconnected pillars in learning outcomes.
The logic is grounded in global evidence. School feeding programmes across Africa and Latin America have consistently improved attendance rates, reduced dropout levels and enhanced cognitive performance.
Within the Zambian context where free education has already pushed enrolment beyond 2.5 million learners, the next policy challenge is sustaining classroom participation while managing pressure on infrastructure and teaching capacity.
By introducing home-grown food procurement into the programme, government is also tying agriculture into education. The multiplier effect matters. Local farmers supply produce. Schools create predictable demand.
Communities benefit from structured markets. It is a policy design that merges social protection with productive value chains.
The Lusaka urban roll-out signals confidence in fiscal space. With improved domestic revenues, stabilising inflation and mining receipts rising, the administration appears willing to deepen flagship reforms ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Education remains one of the clearest political differentiators of the New Dawn government.
The imagery of pupils chanting the now-familiar youth phrase “Salt Sana” reflects more than campaign energy. It illustrates how education policy has become a generational identity marker in current politics. Free education and expanded bursary schemes have altered household economics. For many families, school fees were once a structural barrier.
Today, nutrition is being integrated into the same reform pipeline.
Critics will question sustainability. Feeding programmes require predictable funding streams, efficient supply chains and oversight mechanisms to avoid leakages. Urban scale presents logistical complexity that rural pilots did not fully encounter. The success of this expansion will depend on procurement transparency and consistent budget allocation.
But politically and economically, the signal is clear. Government is repositioning education as a full ecosystem intervention. Access, affordability, nutrition and long-term human capital formation are being woven into a single policy narrative.
If the first phase of free education was about opening classroom doors, this second phase is about ensuring learners stay inside, focused, nourished and prepared.
While economic debates dominate, the school feeding expansion becomes both a social programme and a strategic investment in Zambia’s demographic future.
HICHILEMA DECLARES WAR ON CLASSROOM HUNGER, EXPANDS NATIONWIDE SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME
Lusaka 23rd February 2026
By Jack Makayi
President Hakainde Hichilema has declared that no child in Zambia should be forced to stay out of school because of hunger, as he officiated at the implementation of the School Feeding Programme at Kabulonga Boys Secondary School.
Speaking during the event, President Hichilema described education as the most fundamental pillar in Zambia’s transformation agenda, emphasizing that his administration’s reform programme is being executed methodically across key sectors of the economy.
The Head of State said his government has deliberately reclassified education from being viewed merely as a social sector to being treated as a strategic economic investment. He noted that education remains the greatest inheritance any society can give its children.
“Wealth without knowledge often dissipates within a generation,but education sustains families and nations across decades,” President Hakainde said.
He reminded the audience that upon assuming office in 2021, he exercised his constitutional authority to abolish examination fees to prevent pupils from being blocked from graduating due to financial constraints.
The President further disclosed that by the end of this year, the government will have recruited nearly 48,000 teachers within five years — a figure he contrasted with cumulative recruitment under previous administrations.
On the School Feeding Programme, President Hichilema said it has been rolled out countrywide to eliminate geographical discrimination and ensure equal access for all learners. He stressed that the initiative is not only a social protection measure but also an economic catalyst.
“No child must stay out of school because of hunger,”he said, adding that well-nourished leaners are more attentive , productive and likely to complete their education.
The President called for stronger coordination between the Ministry of Education, Agriculture, and Livestock to ensure that food supplied to schools is sourced locally, thereby supporting farmers and stimulating rural economies
In a personal gesture, President Hichilema pledged to donate durable food plates to pupils at Kabulonga Boys Secondary School after observing disparities in the quality of utensils learners brought from home. He said no pupil should feel inferior to another, reinforcing his administration’s commitment to equal treatment regardless of background.
He also warned that excluding young people from school risks long-term social instability, citing early pregnancies, child marriages, and delinquency as potential consequences of systemic neglect.
The School Feeding Programme forms part of the government’s broader strategy to enhance access to education, improve retention rates, and promote inclusive national development.
KENNETH KAUNDA AND TOLERANCE – LESSONS FROM HIS LAST DAYS IN OFFICE
In the early days shortly after he left office, Kaunda held a press conference at Mulungushi International Conference Center.
A journalist asked him a question, “aren’t your allegations of corruption against the MMD government tantamount to bitting the finger that feeds you?”
Kaunda reacted angrily and emotionally while crediting his party and his family of being responsible for his welfare.
Then he added something that directly challenged the media.
“You journalists are warped in your souls”, he began.
“Sata addressed a public rally and lied that my wife Betty had poured hot porridge on a woman who I was supposed to be having an affair with”, he continued.
“Sata claimed that the woman was admitted to UTH and went ahead to give the ward and bed numbers”, Kaunda further explained.
He said the media went ahead and printed the story even without verifying Sata’s claims.
This reminded me of other claims Sata made during some public rallies in which he claimed that UNIP officials were busy switching GRZ number plates on GRZ vehicles to personal numbers.
He gave out the numbers to back his claims.
Kaunda told the Press Conference that if he had arrested Sata, he was going to be accused of harassing political opponents or suppressing freedom of expression.
Kaunda understood the times. He knew that a new political dispensation had arrived.
He needed to exercise tolerance because it is the holy grail of democracy along with freedom of expression.
Sata was practicing misinformation and disinformation.
Kaunda knew that it was not going to threaten national stability. They were mere political statements.
Not with President Hakainde Hichilema. He contradicts Kaunda by arresting his critics and opponents who equally make political statements.
If you look at the kind and weight of allegations Sata made against Kaunda, how different are they from the kind made against Hichilema and his government?
The only difference here is that Kaunda understood the times and acted accordingly.
We needed to sustain this culture of tolerance because it is the bedrock of multiparty politics.
Unfortunately, that is not the case.
Progressively, with each new government, tolerance has been eroding and wearing thin.
The victims are often non-members and non-supporters of the ruling party.
Two commentators on my Facebook page yesterday used such terms as “foolish, ukutumpa, ifyabupuba, you have the mind of a child”.
I can bet if I used similar terms on the Facebook page of any member or supporter of the ruling party, minister, the Vice President, the President or that of the DPP, ZICTA would have been informed, and the police would have picked me up.
But, who am I to be treated the same as our premier league fellow citizens?
I am, like many others, a second class citizen in my own country.
The Minister of Education described us from Luapula as suffering from the poverty of the mind.
Despite our protest, Hichilema didn’t see anything wrong in the statement.
But Nakachinda makes a similar remark about the people of Bweengwa, he is in prison.
Do you know what this implies? Your guess is as good as mine.
A catholic priest was called a Lucifer but because the remark was made by the boss of the ruling party, it was perfectly alright with President Hichilema and his government.
We can be insulted and called all sorts of names. As long as Hichilema is concerned, we are not worth his constitutional duty to protect.
The double standards are so glaringly arrogant, Hichilema is literally telling us to go to hell because his criminal justice system is not meant to cover our complaints.
As long as President Hichilema is in office, those of us who do not identify with UPND must resign to a life of subservience or leave the country until the day they will choose to leave office if we shall be alive then.
However, Zambians have been forced to choose this painful option because they have observed the following:
Hichilema’s brand of justice, painful though it may be, is not worth fighting over;
The demeaning remarks by his minister of education calling the people of Luapula as suffering from the poverty of the mind, painful though they may have been are not worthy of attention;
The insults of the ruling party chief calling Bishop Alick Banda a Lucifer, painful though they may be must be contemptuously dismissed from our national discourse;
But most importantly, all the above are not worth fighting over and not worth destroying our common heritage – mother Zambia because as a people, we shall survive this and we shall overcome.
A quiet transformation is unfolding in Kanchibiya Constituency — one meal at a time.
Member of Parliament Sunday Chanda has hailed the Government of the Republic of Zambia, under the leadership of Hakainde Hichilema, for the sustained expansion of the National School Feeding Program — a policy he says is reshaping the future of an entire generation.
Across Kanchibiya’s schools, the impact is visible and profound. Classrooms once shadowed by hunger are now filled with alert, engaged learners. Attendance has surged. Absenteeism is falling. Teachers report renewed energy in their classrooms, as pupils arrive nourished, focused, and ready to learn.
For many vulnerable households, the program has delivered more than meals — it has restored dignity and hope. The assurance that every child will receive nutritious food at school has strengthened enrollment, stabilized families, and removed one of the most persistent barriers to education.
Determined to deepen these gains, the constituency — working alongside the District Education Board Secretary’s Office — is now advancing a bold next phase: school-based production units. Through agricultural projects embedded within primary and secondary schools, learners will not only sustain the feeding program but also acquire practical farming and entrepreneurial skills, linking education directly to productivity and community resilience.
This vision extends beyond nourishment. It is about building self-reliance, strengthening food security, and cultivating a generation equipped to shape its own destiny.
Chanda affirms that the School Feeding Program — together with free education, infrastructure expansion, desk provision, and teacher recruitment — stands as powerful evidence that strategic investment in education is delivering measurable, life-changing results.
“Education is the great equalizer,” he emphasizes. “By feeding our learners today, we are securing the future of Kanchibiya and the nation.”
CHISUKU LEADS STRONG CALL FOR NAMBALA CONSTITUENCY AT MUMBWA DELIMITATION MEETING
By Dennis Sikazwe Jr
Mumbwa District today witnessed a significant moment during the District Delimitation Stakeholders Meeting held at Mumbwa Secondary School Hall, as Clarence Chisuku took a leading role in advocating for equitable representation and development.
Representing a group of concerned stakeholders, Mr. Chisuku confidently presented a well-structured proposal to divide Mumbwa Central Constituency and create a new constituency to be called Nambala Constituency.
In his submission, Mr. Chisuku clearly outlined the need for change, citing the vast geographical coverage of Mumbwa Central Constituency, the growing population and the increasing demand for public services. He emphasized that the current size of the constituency makes it difficult to effectively coordinate development programmes and adequately serve all communities.
The proposed Nambala Constituency would comprise six wards namely Nalusanga, Lutale, Chibolyo, Nambala, Shimbizhi and Nalavwi. Mumbwa Central Constituency would remain with six wards namely Kalwanyembe, Mpusu, Kamilambo, Mumba, Mupona and Makebo, while Nangoma Constituency would remain unchanged.
Mr. Chisuku stressed that the creation of Nambala Constituency would not only enhance effective parliamentary representation but would also bring government services closer to the people. He noted that decentralization is meaningful only when communities have accessible leadership and improved service delivery structures.
Stakeholders present at the meeting acknowledged the depth and clarity of his submission, describing it as forward-thinking and development-oriented. His intervention placed him at the center of discussions on how Mumbwa can achieve balanced growth and stronger representation.
As the delimitation process progresses toward the provincial sitting scheduled for 6th March 2026, Mr. Chisuku’s proposal stands as a bold step toward shaping a more inclusive and development-focused future for Mumbwa District.
Just as food becomes unhealthy when it has too much salt, a country’s economy becomes unhealthy when the systems that support growth are weakened. Salt, in small amounts, brings flavour. But too much becomes destructive, raising blood pressure, straining the heart, and damaging vital organs.
In the same way, many citizens argue that certain national challenges have acted like salt sana (too much salt) sprinkled over the economy, affecting institutions, fairness, and opportunities:
1. Load Shedding – The High Blood Pressure of the Economy
Too much salt raises blood pressure; too much load shedding raises business pressure. Small enterprises cannot function reliably. Machines stop. Shops close early. Productivity collapses. Just like salt slowly harms the heart, power instability slowly harms the heart of the nation’s private sector.
2. High Fuel Prices – Salt in Every Wound
Salt stings when it enters cuts. High fuel prices sting every business transaction: • transport becomes expensive • goods become unaffordable • profit margins shrink
Even the slightest disruption, a delayed truck, a price shift, becomes painful.
3. Concerns About Tribalism, Nepotism, and Uneven Access – A Sour Aftertaste
People often say too much salt removes the natural taste of food. Likewise, public concerns about tribalism and nepotism can remove the sense of fairness from national life. When citizens believe opportunities depend on connections and your last name rather than competence, confidence in institutions erodes.
4. Public Concerns About Corruption – The Salt That Slowly Damages the System
Just as excess salt weakens vital organs over time, practices of corruption weaken national institutions.
Commonly discussed concerns include:
a) Procurement Concerns in the Health Sector
Most, if not all, medicine-supply contracts linked to the Ministry of Health (Zambia) repeatedly go to the same networks, raising questions about transparency.
b) Mining Licences and Concessions
In the Ministry of Mines (Zambia), public debate often focuses on licences or concessions allegedly favouring individuals perceived to be close to political power.
c) Energy Pricing and Power Trade Fuel is expensive, and many citizens believe inflated pricing creates room for hidden beneficiaries.
Concerns have also been raised about the pricing of electricity sold Petrodex and Kanona Energy, and how it is later resold to the Democratic Republic of the Congo at a higher premium.
People often ask: Who benefits? Those close to power, salt sana.
5. Fewer Opportunities for Local Businesses – A Restricted Diet
A diet overloaded with salt is unhealthy, but a diet with no nourishment is just as dangerous.
When locals struggle to access meaningful opportunities, the “meal” of the economy feels empty. Entrepreneurs feel starved of support, networks, and capital.
6. Limited Investment in Capital Projects – Malnutrition for National Growth
Salt sana does not build muscle, bone, or strength. Capital projects, roads, factories, energy infrastructure, irrigation, and technology, are the nutrients that build a strong economy.
Without consistent investment, growth becomes malnourished, fragile, and slow.
A nation cannot grow on oversalted promises.
Empty seasoning does not build roads, power industries, or feed families. It only masks the bitterness of failure.
A nation needs truth.
It needs justice. It needs leaders who season with care, leaders who understand that every decision should benefit the lives of millions not their friends.
What it does not need
are rulers who drown the pot to feed their friends, who sprinkle opportunity only on the plates of the well-connected, and expect the rest of the country to smile through the bitterness.
Zambia deserves a meal cooked with honesty, fairness, and vision, not one oversalted by greed and carelessness.
CALL TO DIVIDE MATERO GAINS SUPPORT AT ECZ STAKEHOLDERS CONSULTATIVE MEETING
Lusaka 23rd February 2026
By Jack Makayi
Stakeholders in Matero have backed a proposal to split the constituency into two, as the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) conducted a delimitation consultative meeting for constituencies in Lusaka District.
The exercise follows the enactment of constitutional amendments under Bill 7, which paved the way for constituency delimitation aimed at enhancing representation and broadening participation in governance, including for women, youths and persons with disabilities.
UPND aspiring Member of Parliament for Matero Constituency, Mr. Nawa Nawa, made submissions advocating for the division of Matero, citing its growing population of more than 300,000 and five wards as justification for the move.
He proposed that Mwembehi Ward, Lima Ward and Kapwepwe Ward be merged to form a new constituency to be called Lilanda Constituency, with an estimated population of 198,270. According to Mr. Nawa, the new constituency would enhance service delivery and accelerate development in the area.
Under the second proposal, Muchinga Ward 28, Matero Ward 32 and Silwizya Ward (currently under Lusaka Central) would form the restructured Matero Constituency, with a projected population of 127,442.
Mr. Nawa argued that splitting the constituency would allow for more focused development programmes, improved representation and equitable distribution of national resources.
During the consultative meeting, stakeholders reportedly raised no objections to the proposal, with participants seconding the submissions for the delimitation of Matero
In his closing remarks, Mr. Nawa thanked Members of Parliament who supported Bill 7, stating that the constitutional amendments had created an opportunity for larger constituencies like Matero to be subdivided in order to enhance governance and development outcomes.
The ECZ is expected to review submissions from stakeholders before making final recommendations on the delimitation process.
Mrs Orlean Y. Moyo took over as the Board Chairperson of Indo Zambia Bank in February, 2002.
Mrs. Moyo had a Bachelor of Arts Degree from University of Zambia and a Diploma holder in Banking from Manchestor Business School, U.K. Mrs. Moyo had over 40 years of rich experience in the Banking and Financial Industry.
She was also a Fund Manager – National Housing Board, Chairperson – People Act Foundation and Director on Alexander Forbes, National Housing Bonds Trusts and other organisations.
DR. MUTUMBA MAINGA BULL; AN UNDERSTATED WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE – A TRIBUTE
ACADEMIC OR SCHOLAR? [PART ONE]
By Eugene Makai
INTRODUCTION
If one were to say that Mutumba Mainga Bull was an exceptional person, it would be an understatement. Quite to the contrary, she was an EXTRAORDINARY person.
Dr. Bull passed away on the 13th of February, 2026 aged 88 and was put to rest at Leopards Hill Memorial Park in Lusaka on Thursday 19th February, 2026.
For many people and sadly for most of our younger generation, she was just another politician from the past whom the older generation can remember. This is the tragedy of our nation that its builders are mere statistics and passing references. Her world was a world of FIRSTS because she carried an extraordinary head on her shoulders competing in one where being female and also an African had extreme disadvantages and challenges – she won on both accounts.
Dr. Bull’s life is an extraordinary contribution to both nation building and academia in very important ways that have not been acknowledged.
Her public life cannot just be assigned token applause as has been the case. Consequently, my tribute to her will though inadequate be dealt with in several parts highlighting her exemplary academic life and her brilliant contribution in governance and as a politician.
ACADEMIC OR SCHOLAR?
There is no better way to begin to tackle this question than to reiterate the words of Professor B.S. Krishnamurthy a distinguished scholar then at the University of Zambia, when in his paper presentation titled ‘History Research at the University of Zambia’ at the experts meeting on ‘The Historiography of Southern Africa’ held in Gaborone, Botswana, from the 7th to 11th March, 1977 he said and I quote:
❝The Department at the moment is unfortunately expatriate-dominated since the departure of Mutumba Bull to serve Zambia in other capacities, which has been a great loss. However, the department is pursuing an active policy in Zambianization…❞
This was more than 3 years after Mutumba Bull had left academia and contested in the 5th December 1973 general elections for a seat of the newly established Nalolo Constituency as Member of Parliament. She was the Constituency’s FIRST Member of Parliament and its first woman member. Inonge Mutukwa Wina the First Woman Vice-President of the Republic came to be its second woman Member of Parliament 29 years later.
Fourteen years after Mutumba Bull left academia, academics and scholars still made her a subject of reference, this time as an exception to the rule in political leadership. Presenting a paper at the 8th Professors World Peace Academy for Central and Southern Africa, Zambia Chapter held between 3rd and 6th July, 1987 in Siavonga titled ‘Constraints on Women’s political participation in Zambia’, Bathsheba Ng’andu then with the Library at the University of Zambia said and I quote:
❝Perhaps another greatest disaster as far as women representation is concerned is at Government level where there has not been any woman Cabinet Minister since the Honourable Mutumba Bull who was the first and last woman Cabinet Minister. However, there had been few Ministers of State during the Fourth National Assembly, and these have dwindled to only two during the Fifth National Assembly.
In Parliament itself, the situation had greatly improved during the Fourth National Assembly when there were six women out of the one hundred and thirty-five strong Parliament. However, the situation deteriorated during the Fifth National Assembly as the six were reduced to four. No woman since Lily Monze during the Third National Assembly has ever been nominated to parliament.
However, in spite of the above picture, the Party continues to paint a rosy picture of women’s political participation in Zambia. As evidence of this His Excellency The President in his address to the Second Regional Conference for the Integration of Women in Development in 1979, reiterated:
“In the political field, too, Zambian women sat on the highest decision-making bodies including the Cabinet and the Central Committee of the Party” (Women’s League Council, 1980).
Yes they sit on these bodies, but their effective participation is being curtailed by their number compared to that of men. At the time this statement was made, there was no woman in the Cabinet. ❞
Dr. Mutumba Mainga Bull held a BA Hons (History, 1963) and a Ph.D (History, 1969) from the University of London and had a year of postgraduate research at the University of Cambridge.
She lectured in History at the University of Zambia from 1969 to 1973. After her sabbatical from academia, she rejoined the University of Zambia as a Senior Research Fellow in 1996, and was the Director of the Institute of Economic and Social Research at the University of Zambia from 2005 to 2008. In 2010 she continued at the Institute as a Senior Research Fellow and Coordinator of the Governance Research Programme of the Institute.
Her credentials in academia were not just a ‘copy-and-paste’ affair. Mutumba Mainga Bull is probably one of the most accomplished indigenous Zambian Historians and Anthropologists of our era.
REWIND TO INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM
Dr. Bull was an internationally acclaimed scholar and sat on the INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE FOR THE DRAFTING OF A GENERAL HISTORY OF AFRICA. She sat alongside fellow scholars and academics of renown such as Senegalese Anthropologist and Afrocentrist Historian Cheik Anta Diop, Nigerian Historian and founding father of modern African historiography Professor Jacob Festus Adeniyi Ajayi, Ghanaian Academic and Historian Professor Albert Adu Boahen, French Africanist Historian Jean Devisse, British Professor of African History John Donnelly Fage, Cuban Historian Professor Jose Luciano Franco, Somali polymath, Anthropologist, Historian and Linguist Musa Haji Ismail Galal, Italian Ethnologist Vinigi Lorenzo Grottanelli, German Philologist and Anthropologist Eike Haberland, Czech Orientalist and Historian Ivan Hrbek, Liberian Historian Abeodu Jones who like Mutumba Bull was the first woman in her country to obtain a PhD. And, like Mutumba Bull was the only woman in the Cabinet of William Tubman in the 1970s, Rwandan Catholic priest, Historian, Linguist and Philosopher Abbé Alexis Kagame, Soviet Russian Historian Artem Borisovich Letnev, American Africanist and Emeritus Professor of Anthropology Daniel McCall, Egyptologist Gamal ed-Din Mokhtar, Prominent Motswana (Botswana) Historian Leonard Diniso Ngcongco, Guinean Historian Djibril Tamsir Niane, Kenyan Historian and Academic Bethwell Allan Ogot, Sudanese Professor Mekki Shibeika, Congolese-Zairian Theologian and Emeritus Catholic Archbishop of Mbuji-Mayi Tharcisse Tshibangu Tshishiku to name a few.
These were the lofty circles in Academia and Scholarship that Mutumba Mainga Bull dwelt in before she joined politics. If you feel all this is already exhausting, I haven’t begun yet.
An important Academic highlight that had Mutumba Bull beaming with pride was when Zambia hosted the 2nd Plenary Session of the INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE FOR THE DRAFTING OF A GENERAL HISTORY OF AFRICA in Lusaka from 21st to 26th May, 1973.
The second session of the Committee was opened by Honourable Wesley Pillsbury Nyirenda, the First indigenous Zambian Speaker of the National Assembly but at the time Minister of Education and Culture.
The meeting opened with a one minute’s silence in memory of Kenyan-British Paleoanthropologist and Archeologist Professor Louis Leakey who had died 7 months earlier on 1st October, 1972 in London.
During the committee meeting Dr. Bull and Professor Ngcongco stressed the importance of making an effort in Southern Africa to bring historical research up to an adequate level of output. In response the Committee suggested two measures, which were that when the States of the region concerned have agreed on a specific project, Unesco should help them to set up a regional centre for the study of traditions; And that Professor Bull and Professor Ngcongco should submit, before September, 1973, a plan for concerted action at the regional scientific level which might lead to the organization of a symposium during the 1975-1976 biennium.
COMING UP: ACADEMIC OR SCHOLAR? [PART TWO]
• The author is an Anthropologist and Scholar in Comparative Religion and Scriptural Linguistics.
NO CHILD MUST STAY OUT OF SCHOOL BECAUSE OF HUNGER – PRESIDENT HICHILEMA
TODAY, President Hakainde Hichilema graced the implementation of the School Feeding programme at Kabulonga Boys Secondary School.
Below are the highlights:
✅️ Described education as the most fundamental sector in Zambia’s transformation agenda noting that his administration’s reform agenda is being executed methodically across key sectors of the economy.
✅️ Indicated that Government has deliberately reclassified education from being viewed merely as a ‘social sector’ to being treated as an economic investment.
✅️ Described education as the greatest inheritance any society can give its children, warning that wealth without knowledge often dissipates within a generation, while education sustains families and nations across decades.
✅️ Stated that upon taking office in 2021, President Hichilema immediately exercised constitutional authority to abolish examination fees to prevent pupils from being blocked from graduating.
✅️ Disclosed that by the end of this year, Government will have recruited nearly 48,000 teachers within five years, a figure the President contrasted with cumulative recruitment under previous administrations.
✅️ Indicated that the School Feeding programme has been rolled out countrywide to avoid to discrimination by geography.
✅️ Noted that the programme is being positioned as an economic catalyst noting that no child must stay out of school because of hunger
✅️ Called for stronger coordination between the Ministries of Education, Agriculture and Livestock to ensure food supplied to schools is sourced locally.
✅️ Meanwhile, President Hichilema pledged, in his personal capacity, to donate durable food plates to pupils at Kabulonga Boys after observing disparities in the quality of utensils learners brought from home.
✅️He said no pupil should feel less than the one next door, reinforcing his administration’s commitment to equal treatment regardless of background.
✅️ Warned that excluding young people from school risks long-term social instability, citing early pregnancies, child marriages and delinquency as consequences of systemic neglect.
TWO MEN CHARGED WITH SEDITIOUS PRACTICE OVER FACEBOOK POST
The Zambia Police Service has confirmed the arrest of two men in connection with a Facebook post.
Police Spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi explained that the suspects, Richard Kaunda Mulenga aged 40 and Stephen Mukuka Kabuswe aged 38, have been formally charged.
Chilabi outlined that the charges relate to seditious practice, contrary to Section 57(1) as read with Section 60(d) of the Penal Code, Chapter 87 of the Laws of Zambia.
He emphasised that assertions circulating on social media claiming that Mulenga has died are false.
Chilabi stressed that police officers handled the matter professionally while respecting the suspects’ human rights.
He underscored that both men have since been released on police bond and are awaiting their court appearance.
Isaac Mule Mutambo NORTEC PRINCIPAL DISMISSES REPORTS OF STUDENT PROTEST OVER MONEY
NORTEC Principal Martin Kasonso has dismissed social media reports suggesting that students protested over lunch allowances after attending an engagement meeting with the President in Kitwe.
Mr. Kasonso said all students who travelled to Kitwe to support President Hakainde Hichilema were paid their lunch allowances by the institution.
He explained that while a few students allegedly misbehaved after receiving false information regarding the payments, there was no major disturbance at the college as suggested in some social media reports.
Mr. Kasonso added that students at NORTEC will continue to support the Republican President, noting that many have been given an opportunity to be in college through government bursaries and the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
He said through CDF, a number of students are now able to afford and remain in class.
Videos circulating on social media show some students burning materials in the NORTEC car park while waiting to be paid their lunch money after meeting the President in Kitwe.
AN INDIAN YOUTH SUES HIS PARENTS FOR GIVING BIRTH TO HIM WITHOUT HIS CONSENT.
At 27 years old, Raphael Samuel, a businessman from Mumbai, India, stunned the internet with a philosophical stand that has drawn global attention and intense debate.
Rather than chasing a typical career, Raphael publicly declared he would not work in the conventional sense and even threatened to sue his parents because he was brought into the world without his consent.
His case has become one of the most unusual expressions of a controversial worldview known as anti-natalism; the belief that births should be minimized because life inevitably involves suffering. The story first broke when Raphael shared a YouTube video explaining his stance: if humans are born without ever agreeing to exist, he said, they shouldn’t be obligated to work or contribute to systems that assume consent to life and labour.
“I want everyone in the world to realize that they are born without their consent,” he said in the viral video. “We do not owe our parents anything. If we are born without our consent, we should be maintained for our life.”
Raphael’s views are rooted in anti-natalism, a philosophy that questions the morality of procreation. Anti-natalists argue that bringing a person into a world filled with pain, hardship, and inequality cannot be justified if the individual never agreed to be born in the first place.
Raphael has taken this idea further by suggesting that parents owe their children lifelong support, a notion most critics say is unrealistic and legally unfounded. In interviews with various news outlets, Raphael admitted he knows it is impossible to obtain consent from someone who hasn’t yet been conceived.
Still, he said that acknowledging this lack of consent is essential if society is ever to rethink assumptions about life, purpose, and responsibility. His message has been polarizing. Some people online applaud his courage to raise existential questions rarely asked publicly, while others dismiss his arguments as impractical or self-indulgent.
Despite the intensity of the debates sparked by his statements, Raphael has also emphasized that his intent isn’t to harm his parents or attack his relationship with them.
In previous interviews, his mother, who is a lawyer like his father, responded with disbelief. She reportedly said she would accept fault if anyone could explain how she could have asked for his consent before he was born, an admission that highlights the philosophical, rather than legal, nature of Raphael’s protest.
France has officially handed over the sacred Djidji Ayokwe talking drum to Côte d’Ivoire in a historic restitution ceremony in Paris, marking the return of the cultural artefact more than 110 years after it was seized during the colonial era.
The ceremony on 20 February 2026 took place at the Musée du Quai Branly–Jacques Chirac, where French Culture Minister Rachida Dati and her Ivorian counterpart Françoise Remarck signed the official transfer of ownership of the drum — a symbol of spiritual and communal communication used by the Ébrié people.
The Djidji Ayokwe — weighing about 430 kg and over three metres long — was taken by French colonial troops from Ébrié territory in 1916 and later displayed in Paris. It was historically used to transmit ritual messages and warnings over long distances among villages.
Minister Remarck describes the return as deeply emotional for her country, saying that the drum’s return “finally brings this symbol back to its homeland.” The instrument is slated to be exhibited permanently in a new museum in Abidjan, currently under construction.
The restitution follows years of diplomatic engagement. Côte d’Ivoire first made an official request in 2019, and French lawmakers passed specific legislation in 2025 allowing the drum to be removed from public museum collections — an exception to France’s usual inalienability rules for cultural property. This transfer is part of a broader wave of artefact restitutions from European museums to former colonies.
For Ivorians, the drum is far more than an artefact: it is a symbol of identity, memory, and cultural continuity for the Ébrié community and the wider nation. Plans are underway for a nationwide celebration in Abidjan upon its physical arrival.
Tinashe Sambiri– During the Buhera Central Constituency victory celebrations over the weekend, ZANU PF National Chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri urged the Party’s leadership and members to prioritise unity, warning that internal divisions were threatening the realisation of Vision 2030.
“The Party must remain cohesive if we are to consolidate our gains and achieve the goals of Vision 2030,” she said, addressing the crowd in Buhera.
Muchinguri-Kashiri also encouraged party members to contribute to national development through productive economic activities.
She highlighted agriculture as a key sector, noting that Zimbabwe is emerging as a leading wheat exporter in the Southern African region.
“The Constitution of Zimbabwe can be amended at any time — do not be misled by those without a proper understanding,” Muchinguri-Kashiri added, emphasising the need for informed participation in governance.
Her remarks came amid growing concerns over factionalism within ZANU PF, which she acknowledged is undermining the Party’s effectiveness and cohesion.-ZimEye
South Africa-Six years after the death of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, the Mugabe family remains entangled in controversy — this time in South Africa, where legal troubles threaten to pull both mother and son deeper into the courts. While Chatunga Bellarmine Mugabe faces attempted murder charges following a dramatic shooting at the family’s Johannesburg home, his mother, Grace Mugabe, remains unable to intervene directly because of her own unresolved legal battles in the country.
The latest storm erupted on Thursday when Chatunga and a second suspect, believed to be his bodyguard, were arrested on attempted murder charges after a man was shot at the Mugabe residence in Johannesburg.
Police said preliminary investigations pointed to a labour dispute between the gardener and one of the suspects as the possible trigger for the shooting. Initial reports suggested that Chatunga barricaded himself inside his room after the gunshots rang out before later cooperating with officers. A cartridge was recovered at the scene, but the firearm allegedly used in the shooting has not been found. The property was placed under lockdown as investigators searched for the missing weapon.
But the case has since taken a dramatic twist.
According to sources cited by City Press, Chatunga disputes the police’s version of events. He allegedly told officers that the injured man was not a gardener but a security guard who shot himself. The claim has raised eyebrows, particularly as reports indicate the victim sustained two gunshot wounds to the back — injuries that may prove difficult to reconcile with a self-inflicted shooting.
Chatunga further claimed that tensions escalated after he dismissed the guard for allegedly performing traditional rituals on the property. He told police that the firearm disappeared because the injured man arrived with accomplices who were waiting outside the gate and removed the weapon while he was being rushed to hospital.
Police, however, reportedly suspect that the crime scene may have been tampered with by friends of Chatunga who arrived before officers secured the premises.
The controversy is compounded by previous firearm allegations. A neighbour has claimed that Chatunga once pointed a gun at him during an altercation at a shopping mall, although there are suggestions that the complaint may have been linked to an attempted scam.
Meanwhile, News24 reported that Chatunga fainted twice while in custody, allegedly due to an undisclosed medical condition.
“We swiftly attended to him. He has revealed to us his medical condition. We immediately informed his lawyers and those close to him to quickly bring in his medication,” an officer was quoted as saying.
As Chatunga prepares for a bail application expected on Monday, prosecutors may argue that he poses a flight risk — particularly given his family’s history with South African authorities.
His mother, Grace Mugabe, cannot travel to South Africa due to an outstanding arrest warrant stemming from a 2017 incident in which she allegedly assaulted a 20-year-old woman with an extension cord at a Johannesburg hotel after reportedly finding her in a room with her sons, Robert Jnr and Chatunga. Although she was initially granted diplomatic immunity, the decision was later declared unlawful and unconstitutional. Grace subsequently left South Africa and has not returned to face the charges.
Sources quoted by City Press say Grace, reportedly based in Singapore, is anxious about her son’s conduct in South Africa and wants him back in Zimbabwe — but her own legal constraints prevent her from intervening directly.
Whether Chatunga’s claim that the victim shot himself withstands forensic scrutiny will likely determine his immediate fate. But the broader picture is clear: in South Africa, the Mugabe name offers no shield against prosecution. As the court process unfolds, both mother and son remain shadowed by the law — a powerful political dynasty now navigating a legal terrain far removed from the authority it once commanded.-ZimEye
President Mnangagwa’s Gamble: Will Zimbabwe’s President Risk It All for Another Term?
By Dr Masimba Mavaza | Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa is facing criticism for his government’s proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3, which critics say aims to extend his tenure beyond the constitutionally set two terms. The bill, which proposes sweeping changes to the constitution, including scrapping direct presidential elections, has sparked fierce opposition from Mnangagwa’s critics.
Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa claims Mnangagwa is aware of the dangers of prolonged incumbency without popular support, citing the downfall of his predecessor Robert Mugabe as a cautionary lesson. However, critics argue the bill is a power grab, and the proposed changes would undermine democracy and the constitution.
The bill has been met with legal challenges, including a Constitutional Court application filed by six war veterans, who argue the changes would prolong Mnangagwa’s incumbency and violate the constitution. Former British MP Kate Hoey has also condemned the bill as an “attack on democracy.-ZimEye
There was an attempt to remove Iran’s supreme leader from power.
Ex-President and Top Diplomat Tried to Sideline Khamenei — And Failed Big Time! Who’s Really Running the Show Now?
According to a bombshell report in the French newspaper Le Figaro, former Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and ex-Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif launched a secret move in early January 2026 — right at the peak of massive nationwide protests — to strip Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of crisis decision-making power.
Their goal was to pull him out of the loop to allegedly save the regime from total collapse amid economic meltdown and deadly crackdowns.
However, it backfired spectacularly. Hardliner Ali Larijani — a loyal Khamenei ally — refused to back the plan and helped shut it down.
As a result, Rouhani and Zarif reportedly faced days of house arrest.
Reformist allies were briefly detained. Now, Larijani has emerged as Iran’s de facto leader, handling security, economy, diplomacy, nuclear talks, and even war preparations as tensions with the US and Israel skyrocket.
BREAKING: The UK ARRESTS its former ambassador to the U.S. as the Epstein files fallout spreads.
The scandal surrounding Jeffrey Epstein continues to detonate political explosions overseas — with consequences far beyond what’s transpired so far in the United States.
The U.K. police have now arrested Peter Mandelson, the former British ambassador to the United States, on suspicion of “misconduct in public office” tied to his dealings with Epstein. According to London’s Metropolitan Police, a 72-year-old former government minister was taken into custody and formally interviewed after properties in Wiltshire and north London were searched.
While British police rules prevented authorities from naming him outright, officials confirmed the suspect was a former minister connected to those properties. Mandelson, 72, fits the description — and he was already fired from his ambassadorial post in Washington last September when the extent of his friendship with Epstein came to light.
This wasn’t some passing acquaintance. The controversy erupted after documents raised questions about whether Mandelson may have shared confidential government information with Epstein — allegations that triggered an official investigation earlier this month.
Mandelson has previously insisted that Department of Justice files did not “indicate wrongdoing or misdemeanor” on his part. He has not commented publicly since news of the arrest broke.
The optics, however, are devastating.
Epstein’s web of influence once stretched across Wall Street, Silicon Valley, royalty, and Washington. Now it’s dragging in a former British ambassador to America — a senior figure in U.K. politics with decades of influence.
The arrest underscores what survivors and advocates have been saying for years: the full scope of Epstein’s connections and enablers has never been fully exposed.
British authorities have not yet filed charges, and Mandelson is presumed innocent unless proven otherwise. But the fact that police have escalated the matter to an arrest signals that investigators believe there are serious grounds to examine the disgraced former ambassador’s activities.
The Epstein saga refuses to die quietly. Instead, it keeps resurfacing — crossing borders, toppling reputations, and raising the same haunting question: Who knew what? And who helped him get away with it?
Hopefully, the United States will take some action against the people implicated in the Epstein files, although any serious prosecutions are unlikely as long as Trump is in office.
Hopefully, the United States will take some action against the people implicated in the Epstein files, although any action is unlikely as long as Trump is in office.
Zimbabwean Prophet Uebert Angel says the Malawi Congress Party leadership did not reclaim power in elections because it did not respect Men of God including Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and that the Heavens we’re angry.
The Zimbabwean made his views at Bushiri’s birthday celebration in the capital Lilongwe.
According to Angel, leaders who do not respect prophets will not progress in anything.
Angel gave the example of meeting former President Lazarus Chakwera in the United States, and they discussed the issue of respecting Prophet Bushiri.
He highlighted the arrest of Prophet Bushiri and his wife, who he said were repeatedly arrested during the MCP regime.
He went on to say that the discussions did not go well and Prophet Bushiri continued to appear in court, which he said was why the MCP government could not continue.
And Uebert Angel thanked President Peter Mutharika for respecting Prophet Bushiri.
The Zimbabwean also said that former vice president Michael Usi should forget about running in the 2030 elections because he will not win.
BREAKING: SHOCKING new report says Jeffrey Epstein rented secret storage units that may hold unseen evidence.
Just when you thought the Jeffrey Epstein saga couldn’t get more disturbing, a new investigative report suggests he may have hidden computers, photographs, and other materials in secret storage units across the United States — and authorities may never have searched them.
According to documents uncovered by the British newspaper The Telegraph, Epstein allegedly paid private detectives to remove equipment from his Florida mansion ahead of a mid-2000s police raid — potentially explaining why investigators later said the house appeared “cleaned up.”
Even more explosive: Epstein reportedly rented at least six storage units around the country, including facilities near Palm Beach, New York City, and elsewhere, storing computers and electronic equipment from his properties — including from Little Saint James, his notorious private island.
Credit card records show regular payments for some of these units stretching from the early 2000s all the way through 2019 — the year of his death.
And here’s the kicker: search warrants reviewed by the paper reportedly show no evidence that federal authorities ever raided the external storage lockers.
If true, that raises a chilling possibility — that unseen evidence related to Epstein and his powerful associates could still be sitting in boxes somewhere… or may have disappeared altogether.
The documents suggest private investigators were instructed to clone hard drives, move computers into storage, and even wipe equipment. Emails from 2009 reference computers locked away in storage just as attorneys were requesting materials in civil lawsuits filed by survivors like Virginia Giuffre.
Authorities have long maintained there is “no credible evidence” that Epstein kept a “client list” or blackmailed powerful figures. The FBI has said it found no videos depicting abuse by anyone other than Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
But the existence of hidden storage units — combined with evidence that materials were moved ahead of raids — fuels lingering questions.
Epstein moved in elite social circles that included figures such as Donald Trump, as well as members of British high society. The scope of what he documented — and what may have vanished — remains murky.
Were these lockups ever subpoenaed? Were contents destroyed? Auctioned off? Quietly removed? For survivors seeking accountability, and for a public still demanding transparency, the idea that potential evidence may have slipped through the cracks is infuriating.
Epstein is gone. But the secrets? They may still be out there — sitting behind a red roller shutter somewhere, waiting to be opened.
SIU Reveals South Africa’s Immigration System Was Treated as a Marketplace
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has uncovered a disturbing reality in which South Africa’s immigration system is treated as a marketplace, where permits and visas are sold to the highest bidder.
Officials entrusted with safeguarding the integrity of the Department of Home Affairs instead turned their positions into profit-making schemes, aided by external actors, including Prophet Shepherd Bushiri, Kudakwashe Mpofu, and Nigerian rapper Prince Daniel Obioma, also known as 3GAR.
According to SIU Spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago, the latter is accused of using their influence, fabricated documentation, and manipulated systemic weaknesses to secure fraudulent residence permits.
Kganyago said such acts cost the Department of Home Affairs over R150 million.
“The investigation reveals that the country’s borders were not protected by law but auctioned off through corruption. South Africa was being sold one permit at a time.
“The investigation into the affairs of Home Affairs was authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa under Proclamation 154 of 2024. An interim report outlining the outcomes of our investigation has been submitted to the President, and we are now making the findings publicly available,” he said.
MAN ARRESTED AFTER CHECKING INTO LODGE WITH 16-YEAR-OLD GIRL
A lodge security officer in Balaka alerted police after noticing that an older man had checked into one of the rooms with an 16-year-old girl.
Before the man could proceed with what authorities believe were his intentions, he reportedly began engaging in inappropriate physical contact with the girl. However, moments later, there was a knock at the door.
When he opened it, he was surprised to find police officers standing outside. The man has since been taken into custody and is facing charges. Although he claims he had not yet engaged in sexual intercourse with the girl and had only “touched” her, police informed him that such physical contact can still amount to physical harassment under the law.
Authorities are also investigating whether there were previous instances in the relationship where he may have engaged in inappropriate or unlawful conduct with the young girl.
In his defense, the man reportedly stated that this was their first encounter and that he had never previously been intimate with her.
He further claimed that although he had taken her to the lodge and was found in possession of 13 condoms, this was supposedly their first time meeting in such circumstances.
Starlink remains unlicensed in South Africa 🇿🇦 despite offering a R500 million deal to connect 5,000 rural schools, due to regulatory hurdles.
South Africa’s ICASA is cracking down on unauthorized Starlink use, while an estimated 14,000 people access the service via foreign-registered roaming packages.
Elon Musk has expressed frustration as South Africa has not approved Starlink, citing strict local ownership requirements and economic empowerment rules.
Although demand among rural communities is growing, analysts say the service may not be legally launched before late 2026, with possible delays up to 2030 due to regulatory and legal challenges.
Four years after launching its invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s economy has not collapsed but it has fundamentally transformed.
Western sanctions did not deliver a knockout blow. Instead, Moscow adapted through wartime restructuring, military-driven industrial growth, strict financial controls and a major redirection of trade toward Asia, the Middle East and the Global South.
Despite restrictions, luxury goods and high-end vehicles continue entering Russia through parallel imports and third-party trade routes. Premium European car brands that officially exited the market are now imported via intermediary countries, while Chinese manufacturers have rapidly expanded to fill gaps left by Western automakers.
Major Western companies that withdrew were replaced by domestic firms or rebranded operations. Former foreign-owned factories were taken over by Russian investors, relaunched under local brands, or partnered with non-Western suppliers. In retail, food chains and consumer goods, Russian equivalents quickly stepped in to maintain supply chains and employment.
Energy exports were rerouted, parallel import systems expanded, and the state increased intervention across banking, manufacturing and strategic sectors. Defense production now plays a central role in economic activity, supporting short-term growth.
While sanctions have raised costs, restricted technology access and reduced foreign investment, the overall impact has been less immediately devastating than many predicted. However, economists warn that long-term structural weaknesses…including reliance on military spending, technological isolation and demographic decline…could weigh heavily over time.
Russia’s economy did not collapse. It adapted…but in ways that tie its future more closely to state control and wartime economics.
Iran has reportedly finalized a €500 million weapons agreement with Russia to rebuild and modernize its air defense network, according to the Financial Times.
The deal allegedly includes 500 launch units of the 9K333 Verba man-portable air defense system and 2,500 9M336 missiles. The Verba is designed to intercept drones, helicopters and low-flying aircraft, strengthening Iran’s short-range protection.
The move follows damage to Iranian air defense infrastructure during the 2025 conflict and signals expanding military cooperation between Moscow and Tehran. Analysts say strengthening Iran’s defensive systems would make any potential external strike far more complex and risky.
The development adds to rising tensions in the Middle East as geopolitical rivalries between the United States, Russia and regional powers intensify.
BREAKING: Nicki Minaj’s MAGA social media empire built on army of 18,000 bots, explosive new report reveals
According to exclusive reporting by Politico, a bombshell new analysis has exposed what may be the most coordinated celebrity disinformation campaign in modern American politics — and it has Nicki Minaj’s name all over it.
Disinformation detection firm Cyabra identified a network of more than 18,000 fake accounts working in near-perfect coordination to artificially amplify Minaj’s conservative political content on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. The analysis covered activity from mid-November through late December of last year, a period during which Minaj was rapidly cementing herself as one of the Trump administration’s most high-profile celebrity allies.
The findings are staggering. Fake profiles made up 33 percent of all accounts evaluated in the study — a level of inauthentic activity typically seen during active war zones and presidential elections, not celebrity social media feeds. On one single day, December 26th, fake profiles accounted for 56 percent of all comments on Minaj’s political posts. For context, inauthentic accounts typically represent just 7 to 10 percent of organic social media discourse under normal conditions.
The coordinated bot activity wasn’t subtle. Researchers found that fake accounts flooded comment sections with “brief, repetitive, and low in semantic complexity” praise — particularly when real users were criticizing Minaj.
The bots deployed “highly similar language,” recycled positive hashtags, and in some cases posted longer, more elaborate comments designed to pass as genuine engagement. One fake account gushed about Minaj being “brave for living your truth” in language researchers flagged as artificial.
The purpose goes beyond simply making Minaj look popular. As University of Maryland computer science professor Jen Golbeck explained, bot interactions signal high engagement to social media algorithms, which then push the content to exponentially wider audiences far beyond Minaj’s existing follower base. The manufactured popularity becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy — and a powerful political weapon.
The report also found troubling overlap between accounts amplifying Minaj’s content and those amplifying Turning Point USA, the right-wing youth organization where Minaj made a high-profile appearance in December. Cyabra’s CEO noted that real human influencers were also “behaving the exact same way” as the bots — riding coordinated narrative waves in patterns consistent with a professionally run political influence campaign.
None of this happened in a vacuum. Trump personally invited Minaj on stage at his Treasury Department summit last month, lavishing her with praise and recording a TikTok with her afterward. Conservative influencers with large followings amplified her every post. And behind the scenes, thousands of fake accounts ensured her content reached millions of eyeballs it never would have reached organically.
Governor Newsom’s office, whose boss was one of Minaj’s most frequent targets during the analysis period, did not hold back. “Like most MAGA mouthpieces, we are not surprised Nicki Minaj needs bots to stay relevant,” a spokesperson said.
The deeper story here isn’t really about Nicki Minaj. It’s about a political movement that has become so dependent on manufactured consensus, artificial amplification, and coordinated deception that it can no longer tell the difference between genuine popularity and a well-funded bot network. The MAGA machine didn’t just recruit a celebrity.
It built her an army of ghosts to make her seem unstoppable — and hoped no one would notice.
Netflix CEO Claps Back at Trump’s Demand to Fire Board Member Susan Rice
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos is not backing down after President Trump unleashed a social media tirade demanding the streaming giant fire board member Susan Rice “IMMEDIATELY, or pay the consequences.” In a calm and cutting appearance on the BBC’s Today program, Sarandos made one thing crystal clear: this is a business deal, not a political one, and Trump’s tantrums will not be dictating corporate decisions.
When host Amol Rajan pressed Sarandos directly about Trump’s threats, the CEO coolly brushed them aside. “This is a business deal. It’s not a political deal. This deal is run by the Department of Justice in the U.S. and regulators throughout Europe and around the world,” he said. When Rajan noted how strange it was for a sitting president to be meddling in corporate affairs this way, Sarandos delivered a perfectly understated burn: “Yeah, he likes to do a lot of things on social media.”
Trump’s original post on Truth Social was vintage unhinged, reading: “Netflix should fire racist, Trump Deranged Susan Rice, IMMEDIATELY, or pay the consequences. She’s got no talent or skills – Purely a political hack! HER POWER IS GONE, AND WILL NEVER BE BACK.” The outburst came after far-right agitator Laura Loomer targeted Rice on X, upset over comments Rice made suggesting Democrats should hold accountable the corporations that “bent the knee” to Trump.
The attack is widely seen as more than just personal. Trump has reportedly been pushing for MAGA ally David Ellison’s Paramount to beat out Netflix in the bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery. Netflix has proposed an $82.7 billion takeover of the Warner library, while Paramount launched a rival $108.4 billion hostile bid. The DOJ is currently reviewing the Netflix deal, giving Trump’s threats a particularly sinister edge given his pattern of using federal agencies as political weapons.
Susan Rice, a former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and director of Biden’s Domestic Policy Council, rejoined Netflix’s board in 2023 and sits on its nominating and governance committee. Her only apparent crime, as far as Trump is concerned, is existing and refusing to be silent.
Sarandos, for his part, isn’t flinching. He defended the deal as a growth opportunity for the entertainment industry and made clear that Netflix is moving forward on its own terms regardless of what the president posts online at 3am.
Trump tried to bully one of the most powerful media companies in the world into firing a distinguished Black woman from its board. The CEO laughed it off on international television. That’s the story.
BREAKING: Netherlands swears in its youngest-ever PM as pro-EU, openly gay leader defeats far-right populist
The Netherlands just made history, and the world is watching. Rob Jetten was formally sworn in as prime minister by King Willem-Alexander on Monday, becoming the country’s youngest and first openly gay head of government at just 38 years old. His center-right minority coalition claimed victory over anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders in one of the most closely watched elections in Dutch history, and the contrast could not be starker.
Jetten is everything the global far-right is not. He is pro-EU, socially liberal, upbeat, and unabashedly modern. His party, Democrats 66, beat back the wave of hard-right nationalism that has consumed so much of the Western political conversation, and he did it by speaking directly to voters about building something better rather than tearing things down.
Standing on the palace steps beside the king after his swearing in, Jetten posted a single photo with a brisk, confident caption: “Let’s get to work.”
The coalition Jetten leads is a minority government, meaning every major policy reform will require painstaking negotiation in the two parliamentary chambers. The agenda includes a significant increase in defense spending, difficult cuts to healthcare and social benefits, and stricter asylum rules. None of it will be easy.
But the sheer symbolism of the moment is impossible to dismiss. In a political era defined by aging authoritarian strongmen and grievance-fueled nationalism, the Netherlands just handed the keys to a 38-year-old openly gay progressive who ran on hope and collaboration. For millions of LGBTQ+ people living in countries where coming out still carries serious personal risk, watching Jetten take the oath of office is a genuinely powerful moment.
Geert Wilders, whose own right-wing coalition collapsed spectacularly earlier this year, has already vowed to oppose every initiative Jetten puts forward. Opposition voices on the left have raised concerns about the fairness of the coalition’s financial plans, arguing ordinary workers will bear a disproportionate burden while the wealthiest are left untouched.
Jetten has heard the criticism and appears unbothered. He has spent years shaking off a reputation for being too polished and too rehearsed. On election night, in a packed music venue in Leiden, none of that stiffness was visible. He was confident, connected, and in command.
The world, increasingly exhausted by the politics of chaos and cruelty, may have just found a new face to watch.
BREAKING: New poll shows 6 in 10 Americans disapprove of Trump ahead of State of the Union
A new poll released just days before President Trump’s State of the Union address paints a damning picture of a presidency hemorrhaging public support at a critical moment.
The Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, conducted February 12 through 17 among 2,589 respondents, found that 60 percent of Americans disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president, with the majority of those expressing strong disapproval.
Only 39 percent said they approve of his performance, and polling averages from Decision Desk HQ put his approval even lower at 43.1 percent, with disapproval hitting 54.5 percent.
The numbers arrive as Trump and the Republican Party find themselves buried under an avalanche of self-inflicted wounds. Voters are increasingly alarmed by the administration’s failure to address the affordability crisis gripping American families, their deeply suspicious handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, and a string of Democratic electoral victories that signal growing resistance to the MAGA agenda.
The week only got worse for Trump on Friday when the Supreme Court struck down the bulk of his sweeping tariff regime, dealing a significant blow to the centerpiece of his economic strategy.
Those tariffs had already done considerable damage, fracturing relationships with key allies like Canada and the European Union, sending global markets into a tailspin, and injecting deep uncertainty into an economy Americans were counting on him to stabilize.
Despite the collapsing poll numbers, Trump will take the podium before Congress on Tuesday to deliver his address.
He will do so knowing that a significant number of Democratic lawmakers are refusing to even show up, opting instead for counterprogramming events near the Capitol designed to highlight the real-world consequences of his administration’s policies on everyday Americans.
The message from the American people is becoming impossible to ignore. Six in ten have seen enough.
North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party of Korea has reappointed Kim Jong Un as its general secretary during a party congress held in Pyongyang, according to state media.
The decision, announced on Sunday at the Ninth Party Congress, was widely expected, as the Kim family has ruled the country since the late 1940s. State news agency KCNA said that under Kim’s leadership, North Korea had “radically improved” its war deterrence capabilities, with nuclear forces at the center of its strategy.
Despite years of international sanctions, Pyongyang has continued to expand its nuclear weapons programme, regularly conducting tests of banned intercontinental ballistic missiles. Ahead of the congress, North Korea unveiled what it described as nuclear-capable rocket launchers. Kim is expected to outline the next phase of the country’s weapons development during the gathering.
The congress, held every five years, is considered the most important political event in North Korea and offers rare insight into the country’s opaque power structure. According to KCNA, around 5,000 party members are attending this year’s meeting. More than half of the 39-member presidium, the party’s executive committee, has reportedly been reshuffled since the last congress in 2021.
In his opening speech, Kim pledged to strengthen the country’s economy and improve living standards, calling them “heavy and urgent historic tasks.”
Attention has also focused on whether Kim’s daughter, Ju Ae, believed to be around 13 years old, will make an appearance at the congress. South Korea’s intelligence agency recently suggested she may have been chosen as his successor. Ju Ae has increasingly appeared alongside her father at major state events, including military inspections and a recent parade in Beijing attended by leaders from China and Russia.
Following Kim’s reappointment, Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly congratulated him, pledging to strengthen bilateral ties. China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and key ally, though it has expressed concern over Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions and its deepening relations with Russia.
EDITORIAL | PF Must Confront Reality Before 2026 Does It for Them
The Patriotic Front says it will hold a convention this Saturday. It says it will proceed even if the court rules against it. It is even considering using a Special Purpose Vehicle to bypass legal uncertainty.
Pause there.
A party that governed Zambia for ten years is now debating whether to use an SPV to hold its own convention. That alone tells the story of institutional collapse.
Let us be blunt. The PF crisis is no longer about factions. It is about time. February is ending. Parliament will soon dissolve. The 2026 general election clock is ticking. While President Hakainde Hichilema consolidates incumbency, stabilizes the economy and builds electoral structures, PF is still arguing about who holds the certificate.
Politics punishes hesitation.
Given Lubinda’s faction insists it has authority. Robert Chabinga holds the legal documents. Brian Mundubile has built an alternative Tonse Alliance structure. Others are waiting for court judgments. The result is paralysis.
Meanwhile, voters are moving.
Let us confront the elephant in the room. Edgar Lungu lost the 2021 election by over one million votes. That margin was not cosmetic. It was a decisive national verdict. Yet nearly five years later, PF remains trapped in the psychology of that loss. His name dominates internal mobilization. His burial dispute defines opposition messaging. His shadow hovers over leadership succession.
Ghost politics will not win 2026.
If PF leaders truly believe, as they often say, that “PF is in the hearts of the people and not in symbols or buildings,” then the logical step is obvious. Leave the carcass of litigation behind. Register a new party. Rebrand. Reset. Reorganize without court injunctions, certificate disputes and parallel conventions.
Political capital lies in structure, not nostalgia.
The longer PF fights over legal technicalities, the more its provincial strongholds fracture. Northern circuit voting patterns are no longer guaranteed. MPs are already signaling quiet exits. Some are tilting toward Mundubile’s Tonse. Others are flirting with UPND. Once Parliament dissolves, the PF brand may shrink from a national vehicle to a historical reference.
And here is the strategic reality. Hichilema is ahead of the game. He controls incumbency. He commands fiscal policy. He has regained macroeconomic credibility. Copper production is rising. Inflation has retreated into single digits. Education and CDF remain politically potent. Whether one supports him or not, he is operating from structural advantage.
Opposition fragmentation only widens that gap.
To the Lubinda camp: holding a convention under legal cloud does not signal strength. It signals desperation. To those considering SPVs: political legitimacy cannot be engineered through technical maneuvers. To all factions: the electorate will not reward a party that appears unable to govern itself.
Zambia’s opposition must decide whether it wants to be a government-in-waiting or a movement-in-mourning.
The advice is simple and harsh. Close the PF chapter with dignity. Allow Edgar Lungu’s legacy to rest. Stop weaponizing burial disputes. Stop litigating leadership in public. Build a new, legally clean platform that competes on ideas, economic alternatives and institutional credibility.
Politics is not sentimental. It is structural. If PF refuses to evolve, 2026 will not be competitive. It will be confirmatory.
The country deserves a serious opposition. Whether PF can still become one depends on what it does next.
