EX-SCHOOL BURSAR SUES HEADTEACHER, DEMANDS K3.5 MILLION OVER FACEBOOK POST
By Cecilia Kayaya Mporokoso
Theresa Lengwe, former bursar of Nsansa School Inter Education Trust, is seeking K3.5 million in damages from school head teacher Esther Sulamoyo over a Facebook post alleged to have harassed and humiliated her.
In her statement of claim filed before the Ndola High Court, Lengwe is also demanding K2 million in compensation for breach of confidentiality under her employment contract and K800,000 for mental torture, stress, and anguish.
She has cited Nsansa Trust School Headteacher Esther Sulamoyo as the first defendant and School Board Chairperson Peart Siwale as the second defendant.
Lengwe, an accountant who served as school bursar for about two years, states that she resigned on December 29, 2025, with January 2, 2026, as her last working day. However, the school rejected her resignation and requested that she remain employed for another month.
On January 21, 2026, the school made a Facebook post accusing her of resigning without proper notice and failing to complete handover procedures.
Lengwe argues that she fully complied with the handover procedure according to established guidelines.
Meanwhile, the Ndola High Court has granted Lengwe an interim injunction restraining the defendants from further posting and a permanent injunction prohibiting them from publishing defamatory statements about her on social media.
OVER 1,000 KENYANS ENLISTED TO FIGHT IN RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR, REPORT SAYS
A total of 1,000 Kenyans have been recruited to fight for Russia, according to a Kenyan intelligence report that details a network of rogue officials allegedly colluding with human trafficking syndicates.
The report, submitted to parliament on Wednesday by Kenya’s National Intelligence Service (NIS), said 89 Kenyans were on the front lines of the Russia–Ukraine war as of February this year.
At least one Kenyan has died, while several others have returned home injured or traumatised, it added.
The Kenyan government, which previously estimated that about 200 of its nationals had been recruited to fight for Russia, wants Moscow to bar the conscription of Kenyan soldiers.
Presenting the report to MPs, parliament majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah, revealed what he termed a “deeply disturbing” network of rogue state officials allegedly colluding with human trafficking syndicates to recruit and transport Kenyans to fight in the Russia–Ukraine war.
The spy agency detailed how recruitment agencies have allegedly been colluding with rogue Kenyan airport staff, immigration officers, officers at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), anti-narcotics officers and National Employment Authority officers to facilitate recruits’ travel.
Ichung’wah alleged that the agencies had also been colluding with staff at the Russian embassy in Nairobi and the Kenyan embassy in Moscow to help recruits get Russian visas.
In a statement on Thursday, the Russian embassy in Nairobi dismissed the allegations as “dangerous and misleading”, saying that its staff has never been involved in “rogue schemes” or engaged in illegal enlistment.
“At no point in time throughout the ongoing crisis in Ukraine [has] the Embassy ever issued visas to Kenyan citizens who sought to travel to Russia with the stated pose of participating in the Special Military Operation (SMO) in Ukraine.
“Nor the Embassy been encouraging any Kenyan citizen to do so.”
The embassy added that while it does not recruit foreigners, Russian law allows foreign nationals who are legally in Russia to voluntarily enlist in their armed forces.
While in parliament, Ichung’wah said that Kenya’s ambassador to Moscow “must be able to identify the officers within the embassy that may have colluded with these criminals. Our embassy must be beyond reproach. It must be the place where Kenyans can seek refuge, not exploitation.”
“Government offices are not to be used for criminal activities,” he added.
The report did not say what had happened to the majority of the recruits but said that in addition to those on the front line, another 35 had been sent to military camps in Russia, 39 are injured and 28 are missing.
According to the investigation, ex-military personnel, ex-police officers and unemployed Kenyans aged 20–50 are the main targets of the recruiters.
Recruits are promised a monthly pay of up to 350,000 Kenyan shillings ($2,400; £2,000), with bonuses ranging from KSh 900,000 to KSh 1.2 million ($6,200–$8,300;£5,200–£7,000).
However, upon arrival, many reportedly find themselves deployed to front-line combat roles after minimal military training.
“They are told you are going to work as a guard… only to get there and you are taken to military camps,” Ichung’wah said.
“You’ve only trained for three weeks. They are basically just giving you a gun to go and die,” he added.
Those undergoing explosives and weapons training are only required to attend training for nine days before being sent to the front line, the report said.
Ichung’wah said that, initially, recruits departed through Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) using tourist visas and travelled through Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
However, with heightened surveillance at JKIA, traffickers reportedly changed tactics, rerouting victims through South Africa, Uganda and other neighbouring states.
The report identified some of the rogue agencies behind the recruitment of Kenyans and the medical facilities used for testing.
Authorities say several suspects, including the alleged mastermind, remain under active investigation, with further arrests expected. Investigations continue as officials seek additional suspects and work to rescue Kenyans still caught in the conflict.
Speaking to the BBC last week, Kenya’s Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi said Nairobi had shut down more than 600 recruitment agencies suspected of duping Kenyans with promises of jobs overseas.
Mudavadi said Kenya was working closely with Russia on curbing illegal recruitment practices, including discussions on visa policy and bilateral labour agreements excluding military conscription.
The foreigner minister is due to visit Moscow next month to discuss the matter.
So far 27 Kenyans who had been fighting in Russia have been repatriated, he said, with authorities providing psychological care to address their trauma and “de-radicalise” them.
Pressure has been mounting on the Kenyan government to act after the recent discovery of more bodies of nationals of African countries who had been recruited to fight for Russian armed forces.
Last November, Ukraine’s foreign minister said that more than 1,400 people from 36 countries in Africa had been recruited to fight for Russia.
Ukraine has also previously come in for criticism for trying to recruit foreign nationals, including Africans, to fight on its side.
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly warned that anyone fighting for Russia will be treated as an enemy combatant, and that the only safe route out is to surrender and be treated as a prisoner of war.
TEN REASONS WHY UPND WILL LOSE THE AUGUST GENERAL ELECTIONS
By Sean Tembo – PeP President
1. Lack of Tangible Economic Development-: National economic development is in two parts. There’s theoretical economic development that is based on statistics such as GDP growth rate, amount of foreign reserves at BoZ, inflation rate etcetera.
And then there is visible economic development that the people can see and feel such as the cost of living, infrastructure development etcetera. Over the past 4 and half years, the national economic development goals which the UPND claim to have scored are all theoretical and have no positive impact on the living standards of the masses.
In the minds of the UPND, inflation is synonymous with the cost of living. In reality, the two are totally different. The masses expected their lives to improve, when UPND came into office in 2021. Today, their lives are worse off.
2. Lack of Vibrant Party Structures-: Unlike PF in 2011, UPND in 2021 was not propelled to victory on the basis of strong party structures across the country, but rather on the basis of a social media wave.
After winning elections, UPND still did not invest time or resources to build proper structures across the country. This was evident during the various by-elections outside Lusaka. They were forming structures at the time of the by-elections.
Therefore, UPND will definitely struggle to put up an effective countrywide campaign drive in this year’s general elections. More so that the positive social media wave that they enjoyed in 2021, is not available this year. If anything, they have to overcome a negative social media wave this year.
The cyber laws may have helped to prevent the masses from coming out as strongly against UPND as they did against PF in 2021, but there is a very strong undercurrent of negative social media wave against UPND.
3. Heavy-handed Use of Police-: Traditionally, the Zambian people have always harboured a resentment against any Government that has a high appetite of using the police against citizens. While the UPND Government managed to reduce (not eliminate) the high levels of public cadrerism that we witnessed during the PF regime, they replaced it with police harassment.
Generally, the Zambian people find it hard to swallow images of Police broking the Archbishop of Lusaka from accessing and entering his own office at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus, or with a grinder, trying to cut down the door at Sean Tembo’s house and ECL’s house.
As to what is more damaging to the image of a Government, between cadrerism and police harassment, my take is that police harassment is more damaging. That is because a Government can attempt to disown the actions of cadres, even arrest them to cleanse itself, but it cannot disown the actions of the Police, because the Police are Government itself.
Therefore, my take is that there is currently more public resentment against the UPND Government for the public harassment by its Police, than there was public resentment against the PF Government for it’s cadrerism prior to 2021 general elections.
4. Lack of Empathy and Kindness-: Culturally the Zambian people believe in empathy and kindness more than any other people that I know of in the whole world. It is only in Zambia that you can send your child to go and ask for mealie meal from a neighbor, and for sure, they’ll come back with mealie meal.
Our appetite for empathy and kindness is even more pronounced during times of funerals. Unlike other cultures, the Zambian people truly mourn and share the burden of the sorrow with the bereaved family. Therefore, the fact that the ECL’s body is today still lying frozen in a fridge, unburied, because of a disagreement between the Government and the family, has really exposed the UPND Government as lacking empathy and kindness.
In the eyes of the majority of the Zambian people, it is not about who is right or wrong between the family and the Government. Even if the family was wrong in it’s wishes of how to bury ECL, the Government should have complied with those wishes. It is called empathy and kindness towards the bereaved family.
That is what our Zambian culture demands. By being willing to keep ECL body frozen in a fridge for more than 8 months, unburied, the UPND Government has just demonstrated to the Zambian people, how bad-hearted it really is. Even if ECL was buried today, this impasse will still have a huge negative impact on the electoral performance of the UPND on 13th August this year.
5. Lack of Reliable Party Officials-: The UPND faces the same institutional challenge that other previous ruling parties faced … who to trust with the money needed to mobilization activities. The discontment among senior party officials, regarding the distribution of campaign money, was surprisingly registered in the media, during and after the recent Chawama parliamentary by-election. That is a typical challenge of any ruling party, especially one that has stayed in opposition for a prolonged period of time, and depended on the contributions and sacrifices of certain key members, who now feel entitled to recover their ‘investment’, and will therefore, unapologetically stuff their pockets with money meant for party mobilization activities.
I saw that after the fracas in Chawama, over campaign money, President Hakainde Hichilema decided to send his Political Advisor to camp in Kasama, for the mayoral by-election. Ostensibly to ensure that campaign money was properly distributed and reached the grassroots. But the question is; will the President clone his Political Advisor for the general elections in August?
6. Lack of Regional Balancing in Public Appointments-: The other day, I was going through the results of the 2021 general elections by ward. I was comparing those results to previous general elections since 1991. It then occured to me that the UPND in 2021 was more overwhelmingly voted into office, than even the MMD in 1991. The UPND enjoyed massive nationwide support in 2021. Even the ward seats that they lost, it was by a very small margin. And that was across the entire country. That is how much faith the Zambian people placed in the UPND in general and President Hakainde Hichilema in particular. In other words, they had a very good thing going. Had the UPND properly run the affairs of this country, they would have been in office for a very long time to come.
In my view, one of the biggest mistakes that President Hakainde Hichilema made from the onset, was to start talking about how his tribe was brutalized by the PF regime. That was a totally wrong and unnecessary narrative. The PF brutalized everyone and not just the Tonga people. I am a Tembo and an Easterner, but I was hacked with a panga by PF cadres in Cairo Road, on 18th November 2018. Therefore, the brutality of the PF was not directed at any particular tribe, but rather, on all their political opponents at the time.
However, for reasons best known to himself, the President still insists to this day that only his tribe was targeted. He has gone further to play victim and to tilt public appointments in favor of his tribe. In my view, that is a big mistake. Based on the results of the 2021 general elections, Mr Hakainde Hichilema’s presidency was more national in character than any other President in this history of Zambia.
Therefore, President Hakainde Hichilema does not have any right to complain that he was segregated against by the Zambian people, on the basis of his tribe. Maybe Mwanawasa or Sata or ECL may have had that right, but definitely not President Hakainde Hichilema. His unnecessary and persistent complaints that his tribe was victimized, together with his tilted public appointments in favor of his tribe, have had the overall effect of undermining public confidence of his ability to unite the nation. This will definitely have a significant adverse effect on UPND’s electoral performance this August.
7. A General Lack of Integrity Among Senior Government Officials-: The general public has a legitimate expectation that when a Government official says something, that something is true. However, the UPND Government has suffered a credibility crisis from the word go. One minute, a Government Minister says we have paid all the farmers. The next minute, another Government Minister apologizes for not having paid the farmers. Meanwhile, there is no explanation or apology for the conflicting statements. Just mere silence. The overall effect of such scenes, is that there is a general loss of public confidence in the entire Government. Once people lose confidence in you, they’ll treat whatever you say, however well-meaning, with scepticism. At the end of the day, it becomes very difficult for you to remain on office, as a Government, if the people that you govern don’t trust you. But for me, I perfectly understand the UPND on this issue. You see, the UPND is a party that ascended to office largely by a social media wave that was established by propaganda against the PF regime. Not that the PF didn’t do the things that they were accused of doing. Only that the UPND exaggerated those things. So, having ascended to office through propaganda, the UPND trust propaganda. It is their default solution for any problem that they encounter, in their governance of the nation. And they believe that the can stay in power through propaganda. But in this digital world, it is increasingly difficult to successfully lie to the people. After August, the UPND will likely agree with me.
8. Lack of Visible Infrastructure Development-: Although infrastructure development on its own, cannot win you an election, it actually helps those who want to support you, to justify why they should. Apart from the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriage way project, which is a scandal, the UPND Government has failed to put up any visible infrastructure. And yet, they have borrowed more than the PF did in 10 years. For example, the PF found domestic debt at about K28 billion in 2011, and they took it to K93 billion by 2021. On the other hand, the UPND have taken domestic debt from K93 billion to K253 billion within 4 and half years. While we were able to see what the PF did with the money that they borrowed, we cannot see what the UPND have done with the money that they have borrowed. Yet, with all it’s successful development of airports, roads, hospitals and universities, the people still decided to vote PF out of office in 2021. What more a barehanded UPND this August?
9. Internal Resentment Due to Selective Opulence-: The United Party for National Development was in opposition for more than 20 years. Like all political parties, some people joined, and some left, during this period. Just like some people contributed more than others, towards UPND’s ascendance to power. However, only selected members of UPND, are today enjoying the opulence of having their party in power. The rest are merely gleeing with envy. This problem is especially aggravated by today’s digital world, because when the party gifts former PF cadre Kalimanshi with a brand new vehicle, the rest of the party membership, across the country, are able to witness it. Much to their chagrin. This has inevitably created massive resentment within UPND circles. You think the opposition is not united? Well, the UPND is even more divided than the opposition. Only President Hakainde Hichilema is trying to keep the UPND together, but he is not succeeding. The true extent of how divided the UPND was, will only be seen when the results of the 13th August general elections begin to trickle in. It will be a disaster.
10. Stepping on Too Many People’s Toes-: After ascending to office in the 2021 general elections, the UPND Government started fights with too many powerful people in the country. They really wanted to flex their power. In my considered view, most of these fights were totally unnecessary. Am sure at this point, the UPND has forgotten about most of the people that they hounded. But the people that they hounded, have not forgotten. And they will do everything within their power, to ensure that UPND is kicked out of office this August.
In Eastern Province, we have a saying that “… mudya makoko saiwala, koma mudya nyemba aiwala…”. Loosely translated, this means “… when you do something wrong to someone, you may forget, but the person you did wrong will not forget …”. At this point, my advice to UPND members and supporters is that they should physically and psychologically start preparing for a life out of office, after August. The public’s desire to remove UPND is too strong, and will easily overcome the opposition’s weakness of lack of unity. Anyway, the Future is SET ✌🏼
PF DELIVERED BEYOND PEOPLE’S EXPECTATIONS, HH HAS FAILED TO FULFILL HIS BALLY WILL FIX IT’ PROMISE – MUMBI PHIRI
By: Thomas Afroman Mwale
Patriotic Front (PF) Member of the Central Committee Mumbi Phiri has accused President Hakainde Hichilema of failing to fulfil his 2021 campaign promises, arguing that the performance of the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) cannot surpass that of the PF during its time in government.
Ms. Phiri claimed that Minister of Health Elijah Muchima was not being truthful when he stated that President Hichilema had fulfilled his “Bally Will Fix It” campaign promise.
She alleged that Ikelengi Constituency, represented by Dr. Muchima, is evidence that UPND Members of Parliament have failed to develop their respective constituencies.
Speaking in an interview with Sun FM TV News, the former Munali Member of Parliament said the situation in Western Province remains unchanged, with roads still in a deplorable state.
She added that the condition of Mongu Correctional Facility reflects what she described as unfulfilled presidential promises to deliver development across the country.
Ms. Phiri further charged that President Hichilema should not rely on assurances from his Cabinet Ministers that he has delivered on his promises or that the party will be re-elected, maintaining that the President’s legacy so far does not match that of the former ruling PF.
REBUTTAL TO REV. SUMAILI—THE TRUTH ABOUT THE DELAY AND THE FAMILY’S LEGAL FIGHT
Dear Editor,
Rev. Godfridah Sumaili has once again taken to the media to spread misinformation about the delayed burial of Mr. Edgar Lungu. She blames the UPND government and claims a decline in national values. But the facts tell a very different story—one of a family engaged in a determined legal battle to keep Mr. Lungu’s body in South Africa, against multiple court rulings.
Let me present the facts that Rev. Sumaili conveniently omits.
THE REAL CAUSE OF THE DELAY: THE FAMILY’S APPEALS, NOT SAPS
First, let us correct the record. The eight-month delay in burying Mr. Edgar Lungu has nothing to do with the South African Police Service investigation, which is a development from just this week .
The delay is entirely the result of relentless legal appeals by the Lungu family to block the repatriation of the body to Zambia .
Timeline of facts:
August 8, 2025:
The Pretoria High Court ruled in favor of the Zambian government, ordering that Mr. Lungu’s body be handed over for repatriation and burial with full state honors in Zambia.
August 26, 2025:
The family’s attempt to appeal directly to the Constitutional Court failed.
September 16, 2025:
Their application for leave to appeal was dismissed.
December 23, 2025:
The Supreme Court of Appeal granted them leave to appeal but the family took no action for nearly two months.
February 9, 2026:
The family finally filed their appeal just one day after Zambia’s Economic and Financial Crimes Court ordered the forfeiture of 79 vehicles and 23 properties linked to the family.
February 11, 2026:
Lawyers confirm SAPS issued subpoenas for a poisoning investigation this is a new development, not the cause of the eight-month delay.
February 16, 2026:
The Constitutional Court rejected the family’s application for a direct appeal .
As of today, the family has an active appeal pending before the Supreme Court of Appeal . That is why the body remains in South Africa.
POINT-BY-POINT REBUTTAL TO REV. SUMAILI
SUMAILI’S CLAIM: “Zambia has failed to make progress in upholding national values during four years of UPND.”
REBUTTAL:
What national value is more important than respect for the rule of law? The UPND government has done exactly what a law-abiding nation should do—it has pursued legal channels through South African courts to secure the dignified return of a former president.
The government obtained a court order in June 2025 stopping a rushed burial . It won a full High Court judgment in August 2025 . It has respected every court process since.
If Rev. Sumaili wants to see a decline in values, she should look at a family that has ignored court timelines, filed appeals only when assets were seized, and used every legal tactic to avoid repatriation .
SUMAILI’S CLAIM:
“Adherence to morality would require President Hichilema to respect the wishes of the family.”
REBUTTAL:
Morality cuts both ways. Let us examine the family’s “wishes”:
They initially planned to bury Mr. Lungu in South Africa, claiming he did not want President Hichilema near his body.
The court rejected this, finding no credible evidence to support such claims.
The family has used the courts to delay, not to seek truth.
But here is the critical question Rev. Sumaili refuses to ask:
If the family is so certain about the cause of death and so opposed to the government’s involvement, why have they not provided any documentary evidence of Mr. Lungu’s remains?
No photo. No DNA confirmation. No independent postmortem report shared with the Zambian public. The family asks the nation to believe them on faith alone.
SUMAILI’S CLAIM:
“The delay exposes declining standards in governance and constitutionalism.”
REBUTTAL:
Let us examine the family’s own actions against constitutional standards:
Courts have consistently ruled in favor of the Zambian government.
The family was granted leave to appeal in December but only acted in February—after asset seizures.
The Constitutional Court has now rejected their direct appeal.
Yet the family continues to fight, through the Supreme Court of Appeal, to keep the body in South Africa .
Who is undermining constitutionalism? A government respecting court processes, or a family using every legal mechanism to defy multiple court rulings?
THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM: WHY SOUTH AFRICA?
Rev. Sumaili avoids the most uncomfortable question of all: Why was Mr. Lungu in South Africa in the first place?
Let us state the facts that the PF does not want discussed:
Mr. Lungu was safe and healthy in Zambia. He was jogging with citizens. He was not hospitalized. He was under no threat from the UPND government.
The PF pressured him to return to politics. Selfish party officials, desperate to use his name for fundraising and political relevance, pushed him to “bounce back.”
He traveled to South Africa under questionable circumstances. Reports indicate he used a false name and false passport to move in and out of South Africa for six months.
The PF leadership sent him into a situation where he was vulnerable. President Hichilema kept him safe in Zambia. The PF sent him abroad under false pretenses.
If Mr. Lungu is truly dead, the responsibility lies with those who pushed him to leave a country where he was safe.
THE SAPS INVESTIGATION: A RED HERRING
Rev. Sumaili and her PF colleagues are now seizing on the SAPS poisoning investigation to shift blame. But note the facts:
The investigation began less than a week ago.
The family denies the poisoning allegations and says they are “unfounded and unsupported by credible evidence”.
The family has complied with subpoenas but insists the body must remain with the funeral home pending their appeal.
There are two High Court orders directing that the body remain with Two Mountains Funeral Services until legal proceedings are finalized .
The investigation does not explain eight months of delay. The family’s legal appeals do.
THE TIMING THAT EXPOSES THE TRUTH
Perhaps the most telling detail comes from the AllAfrica report: the family finally filed their Supreme Court appeal on February 9, 2026—one day after Zambia’s Economic and Financial Crimes Court ordered the forfeiture of 79 vehicles and 23 properties, including a filling station and luxury apartments allegedly gifted to Mr. Lungu’s son .
As the report notes:
“For months after being granted leave to appeal in December, the family took no action. The sudden filing now comes only after the EFCC’s sweeping forfeiture order” .
This is not a family fighting for dignity. This is a family using a former president’s body as legal leverage while their financial empire crumbles.
CONCLUSION:
THE PF’S GUILTY CONSCIENCE
Rev. Sumaili’s statement is not about national values. It is about deflection.
The PF leadership knows that their greed and selfishness put Mr. Lungu in harm’s way. They forced him to leave a country where he was safe. They sent him abroad under false pretenses. And now, when questions arise and courts rule against them, they blame the UPND.
But the courts have spoken—repeatedly. The Pretoria High Court ruled in August 2025. The Constitutional Court rejected the family’s direct appeal just days ago . The only remaining legal hurdle is the family’s Supreme Court appeal.
If Rev. Sumaili truly wants Mr. Lungu buried with dignity, she should urge the family to:
Withdraw their endless appeals
Allow the body to be repatriated as courts have ordered
Cooperate with any investigations so the truth can emerge
Instead, she joins a campaign of disinformation designed to hide the truth: that the family’s legal strategy, not the Zambian government, is keeping Mr. Lungu from his final rest.
The truth will set us free—but only if we have the courage to seek it.
John Sangwa confident MNR will hit 1 million membership target before deadline!
Constitutional Lawyer John Sangwa has expressed confidence that the Movement for National Renewal-MNR will meet its target of registering one million members by the end of this month.
Mr. Sangwa launched MNR in October last year, a civic platform aimed at mobilizing citizens to rebuild the nation on the foundations of integrity, truth and constitutional discipline.
In an interview with Phoenix News, Mr. Sangwa says the party has already registered more than 600,000 members, placing the campaign slightly over halfway toward its goal.
Mr. Sangwa has emphasized that the February 28, 2026 deadline remains unchanged and will not be extended, despite the cut-off date drawing closer.
He adds that the ongoing membership registration drive will continue as scheduled, with logistical plans and mobilization programmes proceeding without any adjustments.
“THE OPPOSITION IS DEAD”, SAYS FORMER SP KASAMA MAYORAL ASPIRING CANDIDATE JOSEPH MUBANGA AS HE JOINS UPND.
By Justice Brigade Zambia.
In a dramatic yet anticipated turn of events as far as the continued collapse of the Socialist Party is concerned, it’s former Kasama mayoral candidate Mr Joseph Mubanga has with immediate ditched SP to join UPND as he nodes “Forward” for Zambia.
This comes barely weeks after prominent socialite lawyer Simon Mulenga also resigned from Fred M’membe”s Party. With only few months left to the general elections, the opposition seems to be on autopilot into extinction as it’s prominent structure members keep jumping ship to join the UPND.
During the defection ceremony, Mr Mufalali who was one of the UPND receiving officials said the defection underscores the UPND’s growing political dominance and increasing attractiveness to opposition figures ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Mr Mubanga in declaring his unwavering support for President Hakainde Hichilema and the ruling party’s national agenda, he clearly stated that his move to the UPND is driven by a firm belief in the party’s progressive policies and its commitment to inclusivity.
He went on to imply that the opposition, not even the PF in its united form stands a chance against the UPND in the coming general elections
In relating to his defection, Mr Mubanga highlited that joining the UPND presents an opportunity for him to actively participate in advancing democratic politics and strengthening the party’s grassroots structures in Kasama and beyond.
Mr Mubanga announced his defection during a press briefing held in Kasama, where he was officially received by Special Assistant to the President for Politics Levy Ngoma, UPND Deputy Elections Vice Chairperson Likando Mufalali, and UPND Northern Province Chairperson Nathan Ilunga.
He further congratulated Kasama Mayor Bywell Simposya on his leadership and pledged to work closely with the council in support of the UPND-led development agenda.
Meanwhile ,Mr Ngoma said the steady flow of opposition leaders into the UPND reflects rising national confidence in the party and President Hichilema’s vision, while Mr Ilunga expressed happiness at the development and called onBe party members to warmly receive Mr Mulenga, noting that such defections will further weaken the opposition and consolidate UPND support in the region.
UPND WON’T HAVE IT EASY TO RECLAIM MAMBWE LAND(MPULUNGU, MBALA , SENGA HILL) THIS AUGUST __________the urban ground is so hostile………..
By Jeromy Mwambazi- THE Reporter
It’s exactly 6 months away before Zambia goes to the polls to elect councillors, mayor’s, mps and president. The reporter is currently sampling the mood on the ground in most northern and muchinga constituencies.
Three constituencies largely dominated by mambwe speaking people are MPULUNGU, MBALA and SENGA HILL.
Usually the three act in unison politically that’s why in 2021 the trio overwhelmingly voted for the upnd at parliamentary and presidential
But things have not gone to the expectations of the people..
FOR TODAY I PICK MBALA……
HON njavwa simutowe who is also muchinga province minister will have a torrid time to convince electorates to give him second term.
Sampling the mood on the ground revealed that hon njavwa no longer commands the popularity he had in the run up to 2021 polls. Speaking to one of reporters sources, Voters in areas like kuma-round compound expressed displeasure with the area mp describing him as non performing.
They said that there was no visible development that the mp can proudly point at apart from the roads pf did a few years back.
The same sentiments were echoed by a number of electorates in areas around town centre, Chila view area and chilunguma village.
But when the reporter talked to one in the inner circle of mbala upnd he disputed all expressions that hon njavwa has done nothing in the area. He implored people to visit the rural side of the constituency and see for themselves the wonders cdf had done.
Prominent businessman called Gazah has emerged as a strong contender to challenge the current mp. Sources in the area told the reporter that Gazah stands a good chance of winning this August if the approval rating for hon njavwa continue being at its lowest.
It ajs become a new song among politicians; making Zambians dollar millionaires and billionaires is almost an impossible task.
But this is far harder to do than said.
This is because the wealth structure of our country is rigged to celebrate, benefit foreigners and foreign entities while systematically destroying local businesses through various schemes including shaming, arrests, denialism and shutting doors to opportunities for them.
Take for example Government procurement.
The Zambian government spends over US$3 billion annually on procuring goods and services, with public procurement estimated to range between 10% and 12% of the country’s GDP.
This expenditure represents approximately 37% to 40% of the national budget, covering large-scale acquisitions such as fertilizer, fuel, and infrastructure projects.
Sadly these monies benefit foreigners and foreign entities.
If Zambia had a policy to place Zambians first, it would translate to direct benefits to Zambians.
Therefore, the call by Golden Party Zambia President, Jackson Silavwe to reform the procurement process to benefit Zambians and make billionaires, is a just call.
Although projects of over $25 million are expected to use open bidding, while smaller amounts are advertised via local, often electronic, platforms, this entire system is rigged to avoid open and transparent processes and terms and conditions are designed in a way that a Zambian businessman or entrepreneur cannot match or benefit from the process.
Further it requires that key economic sectors should benefit local and Indigenous businesses including mining, tourism, agriculture, renewable energy, and natural resource management, which must demonstrate national stewardship, are all, sadly run by foreigners or foreign entities.
Additionally high-growth areas such as digital trade, infrastructure development, and arts/creative industries, are ran by outsiders
Unless a government designs and craft policies that support local businesses and targeted progressive procurement policies, it is folly to assume that Zambians will just wake up and become billionaires.
Infact a few Zambians that have survived this extremely hostile business environment,are constantly attacked, villified, scandalized and a systematic approach is set up to destroy them so that the status quo prevails.
LET ME EXPLAIN THE WORD “MUST” IN MY EARLIER ARTICLE “HH MUST MEET LUMUMBA”.
By Kellys Kaunda
Most of you who commented on this post in the past two days were preoccupied with the word “must”.
In your view, I was commanding a whole President to meet a ‘nobody’.
For you, the President doesn’t NEED anything from a ‘mere’ academician. It’s the other way around, you seem to reason.
But I understand where most of you are coming from while some of you innocently missed the role the word “must” was playing in my article.
The word can be highly nuanced as it serves different purposes in different contexts.
For me, let me illustrate what the word “must” stood for in my article.
Imagine yourself in an animated social intercourse with a friend.
He is telling you about this movie he thoroughly enjoyed. Then it dawns on you that you know this other movie that falls precisely in that genre.
To emphasize the point, you may say, “you MUST watch Homeland because it is exactly the kind you talking about”.
In this sentence, you are not commanding them. Instead, you are emphasizing and complementing what they are saying. It is their kind of movie.
Similarly, if I sat with Hichilema face-to-face, I would say, “Mr. President, you MUST meet Lumumba. You guys will get along very well”.
This is because I will have identified common grounds. Don’t you want to hear what academicians think about your work?
They use the work of politicians and turn it into a body of knowledge and teach it to students.
This is how a university in Scotland awarded Hichilema an Honorary doctorate. It was in recognition of his free education policy.
President Hichilema appreciates things academic. This is why you hear him use the word “methodical” so many times.
This is why you hear him repeatedly saying education is an equalizer. He is a living testimony of what education can do.
You think he only wants to meet business people because he is a businessman?
No, you read him wrongly. You don’t know him well enough to appreciate that he enjoys a good argument which an academic can engage with him respectfully and privately.
You don’t know that he has a good appreciation of geopolitics and their dynamics and that he, like Lumumba, is a Pan-Africanist.
Why do you think he is building a power interconnector with Tanzania; a multipurpose oil pipeline with Namibia, and transport corridors linking Zambia with the rest of the region?
Why do you think he now talks value-addition to get the most out of our minerals, the same policy many other Africans are pursuing?
Why do you think he wants to tap into the electric vehicle industry in Uganda?
Why do you think he signed all those MoUs with Ghana recently?
It is because Hichilema is a Pan-Africanist. It’s just that you, his supporters, can’t read him correctly.
In simple terms, a Pan-Africanist must look out for the continent’s interests in all they do.
They must do business with fellow Africans so that benefits circulate in and around the continent.
So, getting the two together – one, a Head of State while the other a Professor – can only be mutually beneficial.
Having listened to Lumumba while sitting in a casual set-up, I can confidently tell President Hichilema like a friend would to another, “You WANT to meet this guy, you MUST meet the man”
Politician Haive Hamududu has disclosed that his current net worth stands at K7 million, down from K11 million declared in 2021.
Speaking about his declaration of assets on ZNBC’s After 9, Mr. Hamududu said that at the time of the 2021 elections, his net worth was valued at K11 million.
However, shortly after the elections, he sold off some of his assets, which reduced his overall net worth to K7 million.
He explained that the change reflects asset disposals made following the electoral period and insisted that he is not broke.
THE UNCERTAINT FUTURE OF GIVEN LUBINDA TONSE ALLIANCE LED. By staffer Reporter/Political commentator. We know that the passed week had alot of issues ,the firings upon firings.
Those firings few months before general elections is a bad sign ,it means will go into elections with rotten eggs ,it is not an indication that the President had the reason for firing those no,it was only an act of blinding Zambians that he fights corruption.If he does we could have known why those cabinate ministers where fired.
This tells that in his last term there will be rampant corruption ,yes his final term because he is going to win but with a different cabinet ,because the current ones will be in the bin.
Let us now talk about them main rat in the in groundnuts. Brian Mundubile Tonse Alliance has moved on and there is no going back the coming in of ICHABAICHE boss Binwell Mpundu the ground is fetile because Mpundu is a house name in Zambia now ,this means he carries the northern youths with him,BM8 with the grassroots support he will be on the ballot competing with hh,Fred M’membe and Harry Kalaba ,Makebi Zulu is a question mark because he has no party,but one thing that you cant remove from MZ is patience,humility ,stead fast ,rule of law and upholding of the constitutuon,no wonder he has calculated his moves very well.
He was offered to be the NCP President ,but as it stands he never said yes or no but he is willing to stand on the NCP ticket,him and the Lubind led Tonse Alliance have two options ,if the courts will rule in fever of Miles Sampa on the forth coming judgement as weather Miles was dully elected as pf President on 24th October 2023 or not ,if the courts will no,pf will go for convention and elect the party President if yes GL group will go for NCP,which preferebly MZ is likely to carry the day.
Therefore,one thing for sure Peter Chanda the NCP President called upon MZ8 to talk to other pf members to find the ways on how to ride on NCP as the vehicle to the 2026 general elections.
The question could be ,who would be the main competitor to hh if BM8 under FDD and MZ8 under NCP? BM8 may have the upper hand because by now he has the structures the whole nation, mind you also both fdd and ncp have members of parliament through the influence of pf tag so if they can merge positive results may come up.
The only advise we continue to give to Given Lubinda led Tonse Alliance is to merge with BM8 alliance for you to be able to fight a good fight during the forth coming general elections.
In the other ways,it is good to compete in order to reduce the hh vote so that he could not grab the 50%+1 ,which in turn two brothers who went separate ways due to selfishness they can find ways of adding votes to destroy hh,men you have all the options at your disposal.
Niz is here to alert political players to use humanity to run their affairs ,because if BM8 and MZ8 are not careful, the upnd has already set up a trap using Nevers Mumba ,because the upnd knows of they cant use someone to split the votes in their favour from the northern region and Eastern region ,upnd will fall,so this was a very well calculated move by the upnd.
We are just hoping for the Zambians to see beyond tribal and regional lines when voting ,and the end of the integrity must put someone in state house.
We are praying for all Presidential candidates that are prepared to run the race for the big job God’s protection and blessings.
To our dear sisters Lillian Mutambo aka Lily Mtamz and Beverly Kunda aka The chair voice of Zambia ,your voices are two small to win a presidential candidate elections ,so it is important that you both help to unite the pf if you really mean what you say. By for now .
LEADERS FAIL THE MOMENT THEY BECOME DESPERATE TO LEAD- We currently have amateur and emotional politicians who psychologically think they’re powerful, that’s a serious weakness.
As elections are around the corner, it would be very wise and necessary for politicians to thoroughly analyze the August election’s probability, because most of the careers will be severely bruised and come to an end.
You might not agree that this is the last time PF members will ever depend on that party to win an election: this is their biggest experiment. In fact, to everyone wanting to cross the August river using the boat, will do so, because they don’t have the right time on their watches.
Regardless, after August: new political parties that would be formed by youthful Members of Parliament, will completely bury PF and take up it’s position.
Today, I saw posts of Hon. Binwell Mpundu joining Hon. Brian Mundubile and the Tonse Alliance: which is of course his democratic right. I believe his decision can only be measured after 13th August.
Otherwise, it’s very important to preserve yourself as a leader when you have aspirations beyond your current position. Because of not preserving oneself, today, Makebi Zulu has to convince citizens how he would win presidential elections after failing to win as a Member of Parliament in 2021. At the same time, he has to tell the people what he would do for the nation beyond being chosen by ECL. He has a lot to do, to win the trust of the voters in the remaining few months, mainly because his preparation to becoming president wasn’t a long-term one.
Similarly, Mundubile would be judged at constituency level, like what has he done for his constituents? Then he later have to prove that him being an opposition leader for months makes him a better candidate than HH who has been in opposition for over 15 years.
How do you analyze the decision made by Hon. Mpundu? Leave your thoughts.
TRANSPARENCY International Zambia Executive Director Maurice Nyambe has questioned the sudden clearance of ministers previously under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission, stressing that the matter leaves the door open for speculation.
Nyambe says the Commission should have handled the investigations more transparently by issuing regular public updates on the allegations and the basis for clearing the ministers.
On Thursday, the Commission said it had concluded investigations into Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matambo and established that the high-value vehicles previously linked to him were not his but belonged to another person who used his parking yard.
ACC Director General Daphne Chabu further said no other Cabinet Minister was under investigation, adding that the Commission only investigated Matambo and Information Permanent Secretary Thabo Kawana, who have both been cleared.
Reacting to this in a write up, Friday, Nyambe said the Commission’s decision raises more questions than answers because investigations were conducted under a “blackout”.
“We find the statement to be rather strange and one that raises more questions than answers. We note that the initial confirmation of cabinet ministers being under investigation was made under the previous ACC leadership and despite calls from several stakeholders for the names of these ministers to be made public in the interest of facilitating unhindered investigations, the Commission stood firm in refusing to disclose. This is also against a background of the Commission having essentially effected a complete blackout of the investigations when they were going on, in the sense that there were no regular updates about them. Our call for the names to be revealed back then was premised on the realisation that it is common practice for anyone in a senior position facing investigations to be suspended pending the outcome of the investigations. Given that that information was never revealed to the public, the speculation that arose over the case was hardly surprising,” stated Nyambe.
“But the sudden and blanket clearance of all the ministers who were being investigated while officially closing the matter leaves the door open for speculations, especially since the public was not told what exactly the allegations being investigated were, and what processes or measures were followed in coming to the decision to clear the ministers. Going forward, we urge the ACC to be a lot more open with the public and not to find itself in situations that may cause its independence to be doubted. So, while we acknowledge the decision made to close the investigations and clear everyone, we are of the view that the Commission could have done things more openly by demonstrating accountability to the Zambian public through regular updates on what was going on in the process and what has ultimately led to this outcome”.
AN OPEN LETTER TO HONORABLE GIVEN LUBINDA – BY MAZIMBA MAZEMBE, MPULUNGU DISTRICT.
Greetings, Honorable Given Lubinda. I bring you peace and love from Mpulungu District, Northern Province.
Honorable, I’ve decided to address you openly regarding Tonse Alliance matters, given your past roles as acting President of the Patriotic Front (now under Mr. Chabinga) and acting Chairperson of Tonse Alliance (now under President Brian Mundubile).
Sir, as one scholar once said, “It is better to lose a position than to lose your power.” This should inspire you. Today, you have another chance to contribute to governing Zambia by accepting the reality: rallying behind President Brian Mundubile, the current people’s choice in the opposition. The sooner you realize and accept this, the better.
However, if your intention is to remain an opposition figure for many years to come, providing checks and balances, well, we wish you the best!
You and I should accept the fact that President Brian Mundubile is the sole candidate who can give the incumbent a strong challenge and win, especially with opposition unity.
Honorable, remember it’s not about holding a position, but about being followed. Ask yourself: “Are PF structures nationwide rallying behind me or Brian Mundubile?” I’m telling you, in an event that you legally get PF papers with the aim to divide votes from President Brian Mundubile, believe me those PF structures have moved on and are following the Tonse Alliance/FDD vehicle. The Chawama by-election is a reminder: NCP thought they’d win based on their performance in Petauke and Chibulula ward by-elections when they got used as a vehicle of Tonse Alliance but lost in Chawama terribly despite claiming they were carrying the ECL legacy. This should remind you of the consequences if you go against President Brian Mundubile on the ballot.
Kindly emulate the spirit of Honorable Binwell Mpundu (Ichabaiche Movement); his stance shows strength, reckoning with other forces to achieve goals.
Please, rally behind President Brian Mundubile and provide leadership where you can.
Once again, it is better to lose a position than to lose your power!
Mazimba Justine, Aspiring Member of Parliament for Mpulungu (Central) Constituency,
Mpulungu District Tonse Alliance IPS/Spokesperson,
SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT: STRUCTURES ARE NOT FOR RENT
By Bwembya Mwaume
A direct response to Mr. Mazimba Justine and Team Mazembe regarding the leadership of Hon. Given Lubinda and the Patriotic Front (PF).
Let us shift the focus from manufactured breakaway narratives and confront the real issue: misinformation and political double standards.
1. WHO IS REALLY CONFUSED?
Mr. Mazimba and his team claim PF structures have abandoned Hon. Given Lubinda in favor of Hon. Brian Mundubile. Yet they continue issuing open letters and constant statements about Lubinda.
If he is irrelevant, why the obsession?
You do not campaign against someone who has no influence. The continuous attacks only confirm one thing, Hon. Lubinda remains politically significant.
2. BM8: A MOVEMENT OR A SHADOW?
Hon. Brian Mundubile has launched his own movement, BM8. That decision alone acknowledges separation.
If BM8 is strong and independent, why is there still an attempt to lay claim to PF structures? Why speak to members instead of recognized party structures? Why seek validation from the very organization you claim to have outgrown?
True political movements build their own identity. They do not survive by constantly referencing the leadership they claim to have surpassed.
3. STRUCTURES BELONG TO THE PARTY, NOT INDIVIDUALS
The Patriotic Front is not a personal asset. Its structures across Zambia remain intact under the leadership of Hon. Given Lubinda.
These are committed members who stood firm during political storms not seasonal actors who shift allegiance when convenient.
Structures are built through loyalty, sacrifice, and consistency. They are not for hire, nor are they transferred by press statements.
4. STOP MISLEADING MEMBERS
Engaging members while bypassing established party structures creates confusion. The PF remains organized and legally constituted.
Claims that structures have “moved” are simply narratives designed to create the appearance of momentum where there is none.
5. LEADERSHIP IS NOT NOISE
While some are busy talking, issuing open letters, and creating parallel formations, Hon. Given Lubinda continues to maintain and stabilize the party.
Real leadership is not measured by press conferences. It is measured by endurance, discipline, and constancy.
If BM8 believes it commands genuine national support, the path is simple: compete independently and prove it.
But attempting to discredit PF leadership while simultaneously seeking to benefit from its established structures exposes contradiction not strength.
Leadership is about conviction, not convenience. Consistency, not confusion.
Livingstone Patriotic Front condemns Mundubile over alleged ‘Constitutional Breach’
The Patriotic Front (PF) in Livingstone has condemned Porokoso Member of Parliament Brian Mundubile for allegedly flouting the party constitution by aligning with the opposition Tonse alliance.
PF Livingstone Constituency Chairman, Thomas Kabanda said the party operates strictly under its constitution, which guides the conduct of members and the election of leaders. He said the recent developments in the Tonse alliance, which saw the PF’s patriotic branch reportedly removed, raise serious legal and ethical concerns.
“The patriotic branch, which was an anchor party in the Tonse alliance, has been removed by Danipules, Zimba, and others. Now, one of our members of parliament has been elected to lead that alliance, yet the party that sponsored him does not belong there,” Mr Kabanda said.
He said the PF constitution requires the election of leadership through a convention, scheduled for later this month, and until that process is completed, collaboration with the Mundubile faction cannot be recognised.
“For now, the Brian Mundubile group and the PF are two different entities. We are not going to join the Brian Mundubile group because it is not recognised by the PF constitution,” he said.
Mr Kabanda questioned the credibility of members who disregard party rules. “If someone can easily break the constitution of their own party, how safe is the national constitution in their hands? Leadership is not a one-man show,” he said.
He reaffirmed the PF’s loyalty to the party’s founding principles, tracing leadership from the late President Michael Sata to his successor Dr Edgar Chagwarungu, and the current leadership under the central committee.
“The PF we belong to is the one founded by President Michael Sata, succeeded by Dr Chagwarungu, and currently guided by the central committee. Anything else is not one of us,” Mr Kabanda said.
He further criticised potential alliances led by figures outside the PF, questioning their ability to form credible governments. He singled out Davis Mwila, a supporter of Mundubile, as part of the forces that have weakened the party.
“Our loyalty in Livingstone remains with the PF, its rightful leaders, and the central committee. Any person who disrespects our constitution shows a lack of respect for the rule of law,” he added.
When did holding leaders to account become synonymous with begging for employment? When did asking uncomfortable questions translate into bitterness?
Since when did patriotism require a payslip? It is lazy, dangerously lazy to assume that every citizen who once supported the United Party for National Development did so with a CV in hand. That narrative is not only dishonest, it insults thousands of Zambians who invested time, resources and courage in the belief that the country could be governed better.
Let us reason this through.
Did people march, campaign and defend democratic space because they wanted a desk in an office?
Or because they wanted a nation anchored in integrity?
Did those in the diaspora mobilise support because they were angling for contracts?
Or because they believed Zambia deserved transparency, the rule of law and accountable leadership?
If loyalty to principles is now equated with job-seeking, then what exactly was the struggle to kick out PF about?
Support for reform was never meant to be transactional. It was moral. It was civic. It was anchored in the hope of functioning healthcare, reliable social protection, credible institutions and the dismantling of corruption networks. That hope was not for individuals, it was for the republic.
Criticism, when grounded in fact and principle, is not sabotage. It is participation.
A democracy without internal critics decays. A movement that cannot withstand scrutiny begins to resemble the very systems it once condemned. If we demanded accountability yesterday, we cannot criminalise it today simply because the colours of power have changed.
Let us also confront a deeper question:
Is patriotism only valid when it flatters authority? Those who contributed to political change whether in Lusaka, Kitwe, Mongu or London did so believing in a Zambia governed by ethical men and women, by institutions stronger than individuals, by a leadership that embraces oversight rather than resents it.
If calling out wrongdoing makes one bitter, then what do we call silence in the face of it? If raising concerns is job-seeking, then what is blind praise?
Democracy is not sustained by applause. It is strengthened by vigilance.
No one owes their conscience to any political party. Citizens do not mortgage their voice after an election. Support was given for good governance, not for permanent loyalty regardless of performance.
The real issue is not bitterness. The real issue is whether we still believe in the standards that were promised. Integrity does not expire after victory. The rule of law is not seasonal. Anti-corruption is not selective. Good governance is not optional.
Those who sacrificed at home and abroad did so for a better Zambia, not a better résumé.
If asking for accountability is now controversial, then perhaps the more urgent question is this:
Africa’s Call to Rise: PRO Lumumba’s Lusaka Manifesto
Amb. Anthony Mukwita wrote:
18 Feb 26. —– “The Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said, “Character is destiny.” If Zambia’s leaders choose gossip over intellect, poverty will persist. If they heed thinkers like Lumumba, destiny can change.” —–
At the Kenneth Kaunda International Wing of the Mulungushi International Conference Centre, an ultra-modern gift from the People’s Republic of China through the warm ties between President Edgar Lungu and President Xi Jinping, Professor Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba delivered a lecture that will reverberate across Africa’s intellectual corridors for years to come.
The Kenyan lawyer, activist, and former director of the Kenya School of Law and the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission spoke with the urgency of a prophet and the precision of a jurist.
Lumumba’s Profile: The Conscience of Africa Lumumba is no ordinary speaker. He is a man who has built his reputation on confronting corruption, mentoring lawyers, and speaking truth to power.
His tenure at the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (2010–2011) was marked by fearless confrontation of entrenched interests.
Today, he is celebrated as Africa’s most eloquent pan-Africanist. High five to Lumumba! Africa’s Poverty: A Leadership Choice Lumumba’s central thesis was stark: “Africa is poor because African leaders have chosen that path. They don’t take control.”
He pointed in my view, to the recent mining indaba in Cape Town, where African presidents, including Zambia’s Hakainde Hichilema, attended discussions on rare earth minerals—the future of global industry. Yet Africa, the custodian of these minerals, remains a passenger.
In December 2022, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a deal with the United States to develop an electric vehicle battery value chain.
Parliament in Lusaka was not consulted, even though the global rare earth market is projected to reach over $7 trillion by 2030. Lumumba’s lament was clear: Africa risks auctioning its future while others reap the rewards.
Misplaced Pride and Mental Colonization
Lumumba did not spare cultural critique. He lamented that Zambians and other Africans worship the English Premier League while ignoring local clubs like Mufulira Wanderers or Nkana.
This, he argued, is symptomatic of mental colonization. “We lack pride,” he said, urging Africans to reclaim cultural confidence and celebrate their own.
Borders and Unity: Lessons from the EU
Lumumba contrasted Africa’s fragmented borders with the European Union’s seamless integration.
The EU, with a GDP of around $19 trillion, thrives on the free movement of goods, services, and people. Africa, with a GDP of only $2.8 trillion despite a population of 1.4 billion, remains shackled by visas and borders. “We must be serious—too many visas, too many borders,” Lumumba declared.
He commended President Hichilema and Ghana’s John Dramani Mahama for visa-free initiatives but insisted that without economic agreements, such gestures remain hollow. Africa’s rise demands tangible integration, not symbolic acts.
Language and Identity
Lumumba reminded his audience that language itself is colonization. He urged Africans to promote Swahili as a continental lingua franca, just as China has elevated Mandarin. “English for the English, Mandarin for the Chinese, Swahili for Africans,” he said.
Land: The Pivot of History
In recent interviews, Lumumba has emphasized land as the fulcrum of Africa’s struggle. On Wode Maya’s platform, he declared that land is dignity.
He warned, recently, against Western neo-colonial encroachment.
At the Nyeri Youth Summit, he lamented Africa’s dependence on imported food despite vast arable land. His message is consistent: land is history, identity, and future. Africa must guard it against foreign encroachment.
The Absence of Leaders
Daily Revelation Newspaper
One disappointment loomed large: no recognizable political leaders attended Lumumba’s lecture; maybe they were ‘ at work.’
While dozens of university students gathered, the political class stayed away.
They flock to gossipy rallies but shun intellectual discourse.
This absence underscored Zambia’s malaise—an addiction to rumour over reason and issue-based discourse.
High Five to Lumumba
High five to Lumumba for daring to speak the truth. High five to Lumumba for insisting on unity. High five to Lumumba for defending Africa’s land.
Daily Nation Zambia
High five to Lumumba for challenging mental colonization. High five to Lumumba for reminding us that Africa’s rise begins now, not tomorrow.
Smart Eagles
Comparative Thinkers
Lumumba’s vision recalls Kwame Nkrumah, who declared that Africa must unite or perish. In Europe, Jean Monnet, the architect of the EU, believed integration was the path to prosperity.
Both men understood that fragmented states are weak, but united continents are formidable.
Zambia’s Lesson
As Zambia approaches six months to the polls on 13 August, Lumumba’s words should guide reflection.
The Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said, “Character is destiny.” If Zambia’s leaders choose gossip over intellect, poverty will persist. If they heed thinkers like Lumumba, destiny can change.
Kelvin Kaunda: The Unsung Patron
Kelvin Kaunda deserves heartfelt thanks for making Lumumba’s lecture possible. As founder of Eden University, he has created a platform for intellectual engagement.
Special thanks to Kelvin Kaunda! Special thanks to Kelvin Kaunda! His vision has given Zambia and SADC a university with thousands of students, shaping future leaders.
Equally, Ms. Chana Kaunda must be commended. Her dedication to Eden University’s brand as its public face is tireless, yet unsung. She embodies the quiet strength that sustains institutions.
Costa Mwansa: The Moderator Extraordinaire
No account of the Lusaka lecture would be complete without commending Costa Mwansa, CVO of Diamond TV, for his excellent moderation.
Mwansa’s deft handling of the event ensured that Lumumba’s fiery words were framed with clarity and respect.
His moderation was not passive; it was active stewardship of dialogue. In a continent where media often panders to gossip, Mwansa elevated discourse to the level of intellectual engagement. He will grow bigger in the field.
A Call to Leaders
African leaders must stop worshiping the West while ignoring local talent—from Lusaka to Nairobi, Johannesburg to Blantyre.
They must heed voices like Lumumba’s, and yes, voices like mine, and those of former Ambassadors, former service chiefs etc., who bring education and experience.
Treating intellectuals as enemies impoverishes nations, the current Zambia government is guilty of this phenomenon.
Former top government officials are regarded as ‘nuclear active,’ not treasure troves or repositories of wisdom.
Conclusion: Africa’s Destiny
Lumumba’s Lusaka lecture was more than an event; it was a manifesto.
Africa’s economic emancipation lies only in unity. The future of generations begins now, not tomorrow. If leaders continue to ignore this call, history will judge them harshly.
But if they embrace it, Africa can rise as a game-changer in the global order. High five to Lumumba, the conscience of our continent.
–Amb. Anthony Mukwita is a published Author and International Relations Analyst.
Books: China in Africa the Zambia Story: Against All Odds: Edgar Lungu’s Rough Journey to State House.
HON. GIVEN LUBINDA PAYS COURTESY CALL ON HER ROYAL HIGHNESS MBOWANJIKANA
KALABO: WESTERN PROVINCE
In a gesture reflecting deep-rooted tradition and mutual respect, Hon. Given Lubinda and his entourage comprised of Tonse Alliance leaders, PF MCC’s recently paid a courtesy call on Her Royal Highness Mbowanjikana in Kalabo. The visit was marked not only by the formal protocols of the Lozi tradition but by a palpable sense of warmth and homecoming.
Upon arrival, Hon. Lubinda and his team were received with the grace and hospitality synonymous with the royal household. Her Royal Highness welcomed the delegation with open arms, expressing her delight at their presence in the district.
The atmosphere was one of cordiality as the Princess emphasized the importance of maintaining open doors between the leadership and the traditional authorities.
The highlight of the encounter was the heartfelt message shared by Her Royal Highness. In a significant show of support and kinship, she encouraged Hon. Lubinda to:
Feel at Home: She reminded the entourage that they were among family and should regard the palace as a place of comfort. Visit Freely: HRH Mbowanjikana extended a standing invitation, urging the Honorable and his entourage to visit whenever they felt the need, without hesitation.
Hon. Lubinda expressed his profound gratitude for the warm reception, noting that such interactions are vital for social cohesion and the preservation of heritage. The visit concluded with a renewed sense of partnership and respect, leaving a lasting impression on all those in attendance.
KAZUNGULA BRIDGE AUTHORITY APPOINTS INAUGURAL BOARD TO DRIVE REGIONAL INTEGRATION.
The Kazungula Bridge Authority (KBA) is pleased to announce the appointment of its inaugural Board of Directors, comprising esteemed leaders from Botswana and Zambia.
The Board will provide strategic guidance and oversight, driving the KBA’s mission to promote regional integration, economic growth, and sustainable development.
Their expertise and commitment will be instrumental in shaping the Authority’s vision and ensuring its success.
The KBA looks forward to working with its Board of Directors to deliver on its mandate and serve the people of Botswana and Zambia
Robert Mugabe’s son collapses twice in custody as police still on the hunt for missing gun
Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, 28, the son of the late former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, collapsed twice at the Bramley police station after being detained on a charge of attempted murder.
Bellarmine was initially taken in for questioning before being formally arrested and charged with attempting to kill his gardener.
News24 understands that he collapsed on Thursday night and again in the early hours of Friday morning while being held in police cells.
OFFICIAL MEDIA STATEMENT BY THE FAMILY OF BELLARMINE CHATUNGA MUGABE
The family of Mr Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe notes with serious concern various statements and communications currently circulating in the media purporting to represent the views and position of the family.
The family wishes to state unequivocally that it has neither appointed, authorised, nor mandated any public relations firm, media consultant, spokesperson, or other third party to speak on its behalf.
Accordingly, any statements, commentary, or representations made by any individual or entity claiming to act for, represent, or speak on behalf of the family are false, unauthorised, and must be disregarded in their entirety
All media enquiries and requests for comment must be directed exclusively to the family’s legal representatives.
No other individual or entity is authorised to engage with the media or issue statements on behalf of the family.
The family expects that all media houses and stakeholders will respect this position and act accordingly.
The family further reserves all of its rights in relation to any unauthorised statements, misrepresentations, or conduct that may prejudice its interests.
The South African government has denied claims that Zimbabwe’s former first lady, Grace Mugabe, holds South African citizenship.
Clayson Monyela, Head of Public Diplomacy in South Africa, clarified that while Grace Mugabe was born in Benoni to Zimbabwean parents, she relocated to Zimbabwe at the age of five.
Monyela’s comments came in response to a social media post alleging that Grace Mugabe is South African, and that her children could therefore also claim South African citizenship.
“Not true. Madam Grace Mugabe is Zimbabwean. She was born in Benoni [South Africa] on 23 July 1965 to migrant parents (Both Zimbabweans). At the age of five, she moved to Zim with her mother, while her father remained in [South Africa] for work.”
The Mugabe family is back in the spotlight in South Africa after Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late President Robert Mugabe and Grace Mugabe, was allegedly involved in a shooting on Thursday.
A 23-year-old gardener was reportedly shot at the family’s Hyde Park property, an upmarket suburb of Johannesburg. Chatunga, 28, and another man, 33, were arrested and charged with attempted murder.
Police recovered bullet cartridges at the scene, but the firearm itself has not been found.
Reports suggest the dispute may have been linked to the victim’s absence from work, though investigations are ongoing.
The gardener remains in a critical condition in hospital, while Chatunga and his co-accused are expected to appear in court on Monday.
Grace Mugabe is unable to travel to South Africa due to an outstanding arrest warrant relating to a 2017 assault case.
In August that year, she was accused of attacking South African model Gabriella Engels with an extension cord at a Johannesburg hotel.
At the time, South Africa controversially granted Grace diplomatic immunity, allowing her to leave the country.
However, in 2018, the courts overturned that immunity, leaving her liable for prosecution should she re-enter South Africa.
$150K Tech Pro Replaced by AI, Now He’s Living in a Trailer
For two decades, Shawn K. built a solid career as a software engineer, earning $150,000 a year in upstate New York. But in April 2024, everything changed. His job, once considered secure in a booming tech industry, was replaced by artificial intelligence.
Since then, Shawn says he has applied for more than 800 positions, without landing a single offer. As interviews dried up and savings dwindled, the veteran coder was forced to downsize dramatically. Today, he lives in a trailer and delivers meals through DoorDash just to cover basic expenses.
His shocking fall from six-figure stability to gig-economy survival underscores a growing fear across America: if AI can displace highly experienced engineers, who is truly safe?
Shawn’s story is a stark warning from the front lines of the AI revolution and it may only be the beginning.
Zimbabwean man banned from parts of UK town for repeated begging
A Zimbabwean man has been banned from parts of the town of Amesbury in the United Kingdom after repeatedly begging in public.
Tatenda Mushandu (40) was given a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order by Salisbury Magistrates’ Court on February 10. He was found guilty of four counts of persistent begging.
Police said his actions caused harassment, alarm and distress to members of the public, especially people shopping and working in local shops. The order now stops him from begging in certain parts of the town for the next three years.
Chingola Businessman Denies Role in US$4 Million Senseli Mining Empowerment Fund
By Beverly Busanga Subeti
A Chingola businessman has denied claims that he is responsible for empowering local small-scale miners through a US$4 million fund released under a mining empowerment programme.
Baba Kabaso Mulenga, popularly known as Spax Mining, told Kokoliko FM that he is neither aware of nor involved in distributing the funds meant for small-scale miners, commonly known as jerabos.
Mulenga said he was taken by surprise when people began arriving at his home with photocopies of their National Registration Cards (NRCs), saying they had been directed there to benefit from the fund.
On 2 January 2026, Sensele Enterprises Limited announced the release of the US$4 million empowerment fund to support Chingola-based small-scale miners. The programme was intended to help beneficiaries transition into alternative livelihoods, but questions remain about communication, management, and accountability.
According to PACRA records, Chingola Resources Limited, the firm linked to the programme, is owned by a mix of local and foreign corporate entities and individuals, including Sensele Enterprises Limited, with no single individual holding direct control. Spax Mining Zm
VIRAL “ADRENOCHROME” CLAIMS RESURFACE ONLINE, BUT EXPERTS SAY NO SCIENTIFIC PROOF
By priscs chisenga
A fresh wave of social media posts has revived long-standing claims that certain celebrities maintain youthful appearances through a substance known as “adrenochrome,” a compound derived from adrenaline. The posts suggest links to elite networks, missing children, and decades-old mysteries but medical experts and investigators say there is no scientific evidence supporting such allegations.
Adrenochrome is a chemical compound formed when adrenaline oxidizes. It has been studied in laboratories since the 1950s, primarily in psychiatric research. However, scientists maintain that it has never been proven to reverse aging or act as a youth-preserving drug.
The modern myth surrounding the substance largely traces back to the 1971 novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by American journalist Hunter S. Thompson. In the book, adrenochrome is depicted as a powerful psychedelic substance harvested in extreme circumstances. Literary scholars widely regard the portrayal as fictional and exaggerated in line with Thompson’s “gonzo” style of writing.
Thompson’s death in 2005, officially ruled a suicide, has also been referenced in renewed online speculation. However, there is no verified evidence linking his final years to investigations into anti-aging conspiracies or secret chemical networks.
The online discussions also draw comparisons to experimental “young plasma” transfusion clinics that briefly gained attention in parts of the United States. Medical regulators, including U.S. health authorities, have warned that such procedures are unproven and not approved as legitimate anti-aging therapies.
Posts circulating online further reference the criminal cases of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and convicted associate Ghislaine Maxwell, suggesting broader hidden systems at play. While their cases exposed serious crimes involving sexual exploitation and trafficking, no credible investigations have produced evidence supporting claims of chemical harvesting for age reversal.
Child welfare organizations note that while hundreds of thousands of missing child reports are filed annually in some countries, the majority involve runaways or custody disputes, with most children located safely. Experts caution against conflating those statistics with unsupported theories circulating online.
Dermatologists and aging specialists point instead to more conventional explanations for why some public figures appear youthful into their later years. These include advanced cosmetic procedures, hormone treatments, skincare regimens, nutrition, fitness, and professional lighting and makeup techniques. Media analysts say the resurgence of the adrenochrome narrative highlights how easily fictional elements can merge with real-world scandals in the digital age.
“Conspiracy theories often combine a kernel of truth with speculation and emotionally charged claims,” one communications researcher noted. “That blend makes them persuasive, even when scientific evidence is absent.”
As the debate continues online, experts emphasize the importance of relying on verified research and credible investigations rather than viral speculation.
STARLINK TAKES OVER ZIM’S INTERNET! 80% OF INTERNATIONAL BANDWIDTH NOW VIA MUSK’S SATELLITES
Elon Musk’s satellite internet giant, Starlink, has stormed into Zimbabwe and it’s already dominating the digital space.
In just one year since launch, Starlink has signed up more than 50,000 customers, marking one of the fastest technology adoption rates in the country’s history. Even more striking, the service now accounts for a staggering 80% of Zimbabwe’s international internet bandwidth usage, reshaping how the nation connects to the world.
The government is also jumping on board, rolling out 8,000 Starlink units to schools nationwide in a major push to expand internet access to rural and underserved communities.
From homes to classrooms, Zimbabwe’s online future is increasingly powered from space and the satellite revolution shows no signs of slowing down.
🇺🇸 2028 SHOWDOWN: NEWSOM SURGES AHEAD OF VANCE IN EARLY WHITE HOUSE RACE
California Governor Gavin Newsom has jumped out to an early lead in the 2028 presidential race, topping Senator JD Vance in a new national survey of likely voters.
The poll shows Newsom at 46.2%, compared to Vance’s 40.3%, with 13.5% of voters still undecided a sizeable bloc that could shake up the race. But when undecided voters who are leaning toward a candidate are factored in, Newsom’s advantage widens to 53.2%, while Vance trails at 46.8%.
The survey, conducted by Big Data/@Peoples_Pundit for the 1776 Law Center between February 16–18, sampled 1,805 likely voters nationwide.
While 2028 is still years away, the numbers hint at an early battleground forming and a potentially fierce coast-to-heartland political clash ahead.
EFF IN TURMOIL: MEMBERS WANT NDLOZI BACK TO TAKE ON MASHABA IN JOBURG
Grassroots members of the Economic Freedom Fighters are calling for the dramatic return of former party heavyweight Mbuyiseni Ndlozi this time as the party’s mayoral candidate for Johannesburg.
Supporters say Ndlozi is the only leader with enough public appeal and political firepower to challenge former Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba in a high-stakes metropolitan battle.
The push comes months after Ndlozi was booted out of the party in a bitter internal fallout. The situation escalated when EFF leader Julius Malema publicly lashed out at Ndlozi and reportedly directed verbal attacks at both him and his wife.
Now, amid growing tensions and shifting political alliances in South Africa’s economic hub, some EFF members believe bringing Ndlozi back could reignite the party’s energy and set the stage for a bruising showdown in Johannesburg.
BE STINGY AND SECURE YOUR FUTURE — SPEND RECKLESS TO PLEASE WOMEN AND DIE POOR
Men, let’s be real for a second — the world doesn’t pity a broke man. You’ll be laughed at, ignored, and blamed for your own downfall. And do you know how most men end up broke? Trying to impress women who never cared about them in the first place.
You buy her a phone, she answers another man’s call on it. You pay her rent, she entertains another man inside it. You fund her lifestyle, she uses that comfort to look down on you. Wake up, King — you’re not her savior, you’re her sponsor.
Brutal Thread:
📌 STOP FINANCING YOUR OWN DISRESPECT A woman who truly values you will never demand you to prove your love with money. But most of these modern women will test your worth by how much you can spend. You’re not building love — you’re funding her comfort while killing your legacy.
📌 THE MORE YOU GIVE, THE LESS SHE RESPECTS YOU It’s a twisted truth — when you make yourself too available, too generous, and too soft, she stops seeing your worth. Respect doesn’t come from money; it comes from discipline. The more you spoil her, the faster she spoils the relationship.
📌 YOUR MONEY IS YOUR MASCULINE POWER A man’s financial discipline is his shield. Lose it, and you lose control over your life. Your goal should never be to impress women — it should be to build something that makes women want to impress you.
📌 WOMEN LOVE STABILITY, NOT SACRIFICE She might smile when you spend on her, but she won’t stay when the money dries up. Women are attracted to results, not excuses. When you start prioritizing peace, savings, and investments over pleasure, you become the kind of man who commands respect — not sympathy.
📌 BROKE MEN ARE INVISIBLE When you run out of money, the same people you were feeding will start ghosting you. Even the woman you thought you were building with will disappear like she was never there. Protect your wallet before you protect her feelings.
📌 INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE, NOT HER LIFESTYLE Instead of buying her luxury, buy yourself assets. Instead of renting her happiness, build your empire. The woman meant for you will meet you at your level — not drain you to keep up with hers.
FINAL WARNING: Be stingy with your money, your energy, and your time. You’re not a charity case — you’re a man building an empire. Spending recklessly for validation is financial suicide. Discipline now, freedom later — or pleasure now, regret forever. The choice is yours.
Jose Mourinho has been called out by Wayne Rooney and Clarence Seedorf for his reaction to the Vini Jr racism storm after he said, “it happens in every stadium where he plays.”
😳 Mourinho also revealed he told Vinicius Jr “when you score a goal like that you should just celebrate and walk back.”
Unsurprisingly, his comments were widely panned by pundits covering the game, including his former player Wayne Rooney.
https://youtu.be/Pm5SlzWauxE?si=FKFYnNBe0Fc8d-Jq
Rooney said: 🗣️ “It’s very unfair what he’s saying about Vinicius.”
Seedorf blasted the manager: 🗣️ “I think he made a big mistake today to justify racial abuse. He said wherever he goes these things happen, so he’s saying it’s okay when Vinicius provokes you, that is it okay to be racist and I think that is very wrong.
❌ “We should never, ever justify racial abuse. Vinicius has had enough of that unjustified behaviour from people. We should not be telling the people at home that someone does a dance after scoring, then it’s okay to be racist.”
Theft Of Money Won’t Stop PF Convention – Lubinda.
THE Patriotic Front (PF) will go ahead with the national convention at the end of this month despite the embezzlement of the money meant for the event, acting president Given Lubinda has said.
In an interview with The Mast recently, Lubinda said the party would go ahead with the said convention to choose a leader who would compete with President Hakainde Hichilema in the August 13 general elections.
He said a known individual had embezzled a substantial amount of money meant for the convention.
“Someone embezzled money meant for the convention, but what I can tell you is that the convention is going forward by the month end of this month,” Lubinda said.
He said the central committee would soon meet and come up with a tentative date for the said convention.
Time was running out for the party.
The convention was needed so that members could concentrate on the general elections.
Lubinda said the central committee was working in unison and was confident that convention would go as planned.
“We are just trying to finalise a few things but as things stand the convention is on cards and it will be held this month,” he said.
You Should Have Fired Ministers When You Were Stoned In Chingola Not now – Kalaba Tells HH.
Citizens First party President Harry Kalaba has taken a swipe at President Hakainde Hichilema over the sudden firing of Health Minister Dr. Elijah Muchima and Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Minister Elias Mubanga saying the move was ill timed.
Speaking when he featured on the ‘Hot Seat’ program on Hot FM radio in Lusaka this morning, Kalaba said the sacking of the two cabinet ministers has been done for political reasons.
He said President Hichilema should have acted to fire some erring ministers when Zambians made demands to do so.
“The reshuffles are surprising, they have been made at the late hour because this should have been done a long time ago. It will serve a limited purpose and it is merely an academic exercise.
“This has been done for political expedience and the two have been used as sacrificial lambs,” Kalaba said.
“We expected sweeping changes when President Hichilema was stoned in Chingola. Why didn’t he take action when Zambians made demands to President Hichilema to fire some ministers.
“The two ministers have been used as scapegoats and it’s for show, to show that President Hichilema can bite, but he has bitten too late,” he said.
And Kalaba said the nation should be given reasons behind the firing of Dr. Elijah Muchima and Elias Mubanga because their careers have been damaged.
“The nation should know why the dancing Muchima who has been dancing through out has been chucked out, Zambians want to know why Mubanga who has been to every by – election has been fired. It is even right that our corporating partners who have been helping us financially also know,” Kalaba said.
Meanwhile, Kalaba said the attempt by government to access late former President Edgar Lungu’s body at a morgue in South Africa is traumatic not only to his family but to the nation as a whole.
He said late President Lungu should be allowed to rest in peace by giving him a dignified burial.
“This speaks to the leadership we have in the country, if we have any. We are a laughing stock because we have failed to resolve our internal affairs and now we are rushing to the South African police, let former President Edgar Lungu rest in peace, his soul has been traumatized for along time and even the 21 gun salute that Government want to accord to him will not make sense,” Kalaba said.
And Kalaba said despite been close to former late President Edgar Lungu, he will not use his death for political expedience because it is offensive and the family is still mourning. -SmartEagles
IT IS not the Zambian government that is pushing for the autopsy and DNA test on the body of former president Edgar Lungu, the United Party for National Development (UPND) has said.
Deputy secretary general Gertrude Imenda said it was wrong for people to speculate that it was the Zambian government that was pushing its South African counterpart to access the remains.
“I can categorically say it is not the Zambian government that is pushing for an autopsy but the police in that area [South African],” Imenda said.
She said a very serious allegation was made that Lungu could have been poisoned in South Africa.
That is a “very serious” allegation that needed to be investigated.
Imenda said South Africa had laws that governed it, and a case of poisoning was very serious which needed to be investigated.
She gave an example of incidents where foreigners killed each other in Zambia and the matters were investigated and those involved were brought to book.
“I feel it is the obligation of the South African government to investigate the allegations of poisoning because if it is true then someone should be arrested for murder,” Imenda said.
She said the UPND and even government did not have a hand in what was happening in South Africa.
It was that country’s government trying to find the root cause of Lungu’s death.
Imenda said the South African government did not want to be blamed if the truth came out otherwise.
WE WILL BRING TO BOOK THOSE IN THE DIASPORA PUSHING LIES, FALSEHOODS AND HATE SPEECH-PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA
“We must all say NO to hate speech. No one should hide in a foreign country and push hate speech on our social platforms. Lies, (MPs shout Koswe…Mwamba) creating an environment, which we we are cleaning up for investment, and make investors think that there is trouble in Zambia, there is fire all over, we are working on it, slowly, we are working on it, slowly but sure, slowly but sure. Slowly but surely.
Because our country’s interest comes first. You can not have personal interest perched somewhere outside of our jurisdiction, and you are sending falsehoods and allowing our children to consume hate messages.
It is not right. We must all work together on this issue.
And some of these colleagues are known to us. Let’s just tell them, “Mmm.. Tekanya first, ” Madam Speaker, all Iam saying is slow down. Let us be responsible. This is our country. Our beloved country, is more important than anything. That’s all we have . This country.”
President Hakainde Hichilema made this remarks during his address to the National Assembly of Zambia on February 20, 2026, to report on the progress of applying national values and principles.
10 Days To Convergence: A Statesman’s Approach To Coalition Politics.
DR CHRIS Zumani Zimba’s article presenting President Brian Mundubile’s 12-day offer must be interpreted through the lens of mature leadership rather than narrow political calculation.
In divided seasons, responsibility demands initiative that seeks convergence instead of prolonging fragmentation and rivalry.
Mature leadership begins with recognising reality. The opposition landscape remains scattered, with overlapping ambitions and parallel consultations. In such conditions, delay benefits incumbency.
By initiating structured dialogue, Mundubile signals awareness that time, not rhetoric, determines electoral viability and national readiness.
Setting a 12-day engagement window reflects decisiveness. Open-ended invitations often dissolve into indefinite consultations. A timeline establishes seriousness and discipline. It communicates that unity is not symbolic but actionable, and that responsible leadership requires resolution within defined, reasonable parameters.
Critics may interpret deadlines as pressure. Yet mature leadership distinguishes between coercion and clarity. Clarity prevents ambiguity from fermenting distrust. By outlining a timeframe, Mundubile reduces speculation and encourages focused deliberation rather than prolonged uncertainty within supporter bases across structures.
Institutional legitimacy remains central. Leadership validated through congress and organised structures provides constitutional grounding. By emphasising procedural mandate, Mundubile reinforces democratic order.
Mature politics strengthens institutions rather than improvising authority through informal conclaves lacking defined membership and recognized accountability.
The invitation extended to Hon. Makebi Zulu and Hon. Given Lubinda acknowledges their stature. It identifies them as priority partners in dialogue, not peripheral actors. Mature leaders do not fear capable colleagues; they create structured avenues for collaboration and shared responsibility.
Offering consideration of a running mate position demonstrates confidence. Authority secure in mandate can afford inclusion. Sharing executive space signals stability, not insecurity. It reflects understanding that coalition politics demands partnership frameworks that transcend individual aspiration and emphasize collective advancement.
Political maturity also requires confronting internal stagnation. Endless parallel campaigns within the same political family exhaust resources and confuse supporters. By inviting consolidation, Mundubile attempts to redirect energy from intra-family rivalry toward structured preparation for national contestation.
Chinese wisdom teaches that harmony requires order. Stability emerges when hierarchy is clarified without humiliation. In this approach, Mundubile does not deny alternative ambitions; rather, he proposes alignment within an established framework capable of sustaining coordinated national mobilisation.
Public articulation of alliance breadth is often misunderstood. Confidence in support base is not arrogance when expressed responsibly. It reassures supporters that unity discussions rest upon tangible organisational foundations rather than abstract declarations detached from institutional strength.
The reconciliation language cited in the article reinforces maturity. Healing internal divisions requires moral framing that elevates dialogue above personal rivalry. Mature leadership appeals to shared history and common purpose, especially within political movements shaped by longstanding relationships.
Furthermore, leadership demands timing. Strategic windows do not remain open indefinitely. By defining a period for engagement, Mundubile communicates urgency without hostility. Elections approach steadily; preparation cannot wait upon indefinite internal negotiation or speculative convening.
Institutional credibility enhances national confidence. Voters observing fragmented opposition question governability. Consolidation under transparent structures signals readiness for state responsibility. Mature leadership understands that internal order projects external stability and reassures citizens seeking predictable governance.
Addressing alternative selection mechanisms critically should be viewed as defense of order. Leadership emerging outside recognised processes risks instability. By underscoring congress-based legitimacy, Mundubile reinforces commitment to constitutionalism within party and alliance structures.
Leadership maturity also recognises psychological dignity. Invitations must preserve respect for counterparts. By framing engagement as dialogue among equals rather than ultimatum to subordinates, the offer attempts to maintain relational balance essential for sustainable coalition.
Decisive initiatives inevitably invite scrutiny. Yet history favors leaders who act to unify rather than merely observe fragmentation. Proposing structured convergence reflects willingness to assume responsibility for alignment rather than waiting for spontaneous agreement to materialise.
Coalitions succeed when anchored in clarity. Ambiguous partnerships collapse under stress. By articulating institutional grounding, timeline, and potential executive configuration, Mundubile outlines parameters that reduce uncertainty and enhance predictability within alliance negotiations.
Leadership must balance confidence with humility. Strength demonstrated through formal mandate enables generous gestures. Extending opportunity from a position of stability avoids desperation optics and instead conveys deliberate, measured statesmanship conscious of national expectations.
Ultimately, mature leadership is defined by stewardship. It considers broader movement interests above individual trajectories. Whether accepted or declined, the offer reflects a leader attempting to organise opposition energies into coherent architecture capable of presenting credible national alternative.
The coming days will reveal responses. Yet regardless of outcome, initiating structured dialogue under defined parameters signals responsibility. In moments of fragmentation, leaders are remembered not for preserving rivalry but for creating pathways toward disciplined, dignified unity. News @Njemata Momo
GODAZA PRAISES HICHILEMA FOR STRONG NATIONAL LEADERSHIP
GOVERNANCE and Development Advocates Zambia has commended President Hakainde Hichilema’s address, stating that the future of the country is in good hands.
GODAZA Executive Director Elias Mulenga delivered these remarks following the President’s speech on the progress in applying National Values and Principles to the Fifth Session of the Thirteenth National Assembly on Friday, 20th February 2026.
Under governance, Mulenga noted the organisation is delighted to recognise the President’s disclosure that corruption prosecutions are now possible within five months, a marked improvement from previous delays spanning decades.
Mulenga further highlighted GODAZA’s appreciation for the unprecedented reduction in political violence and cadreism, with the firm stance that no one is above the law.
Mulenga also praised the constitutional amendments ensuring representation for women, youth, and persons with disabilities at all governance levels for the first time.
On development, Mulenga stated GODAZA observed the substantial rise in the Constituency Development Fund from K1.6 million in 2021 to K40 million per constituency in 2026, empowering communities nationwide.
Mulenga commended the free education policy enabling over 2.5 million children to return to school, backed by the recruitment of 41,917 teachers.
GODAZA also welcomed the provision of clean water to over 4.9 million citizens and the expansion of social cash transfers to 1.5 million households with doubled values.
Mulenga emphasised the positive economic trajectory, including the kwacha’s strong global performance and declining inflation, which will ease living costs for Zambians.
GODAZA urged all stakeholders to build on these achievements as Zambia approaches the general elections on 13th August 2026.
A Bruising Culture War Over Migrants, Morality And Power Has Left J.D. Vance Apologizing in Private While Doubling Down in Public.
The apology, when it came, was quiet. No cameras, no podium, no crowd of cheering supporters. Just J.D. Vance, the combative vice president who has built much of his political brand on confrontation, is sitting down with one of the most influential Catholic leaders in the United States and admitting he had gone too far.
According to Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the former archbishop of New York and a prominent conservative figure in the American church, Vance privately climbed down from an attack that had infuriated Catholic bishops only weeks earlier.
‘He and I had a little tête-à-tête, you probably know, when he suggested that bishops in the United States were pro-immigrant because we were making money,’ Dolan said in an interview published Thursday, 19 February. ‘And he apologized. He said, ‘That was out of line and that’s not true.”
For a politician who rarely backs away from a fight, even a private mea culpa is striking.
J.D. Vance, The Bishops And The Battle Over Migrants
The row began in January 2025, after the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a sharply worded statement condemning Donald Trump’s new executive order authorising immigration raids at schools and churches. For starters, the Conference is the powerful national body representing Catholic bishops across the United States, and its statements carry considerable moral and political weight.
Trump’s order effectively tore up long-standing informal norms that treated schools and houses of worship as off-limits for immigration enforcement. The bishops called it out. Vance, standing squarely behind his running mate, hit back hard.
He accused Catholic leaders of being less interested in defending human dignity than in defending their bank balance.
The bishops, he said at the time, should ‘look in the mirror a little bit and recognize that when they receive over $100 million to help resettle illegal immigrants, are they worried about humanitarian concerns? Or are they actually worried about their bottom line?’
The figure he cited refers to federal funds that go to Catholic charities and other faith-based organizations that, under U.S. law, partner with the government to resettle refugees and migrants. It is a long-standing arrangement, not a secret slush fund, but the insinuation was clear enough.
Dolan, who delivered the invocation at both of Trump’s inaugurations and is hardly a natural enemy of the Republican right, was livid. He called Vance’s remarks ‘very nasty’ and ‘inaccurate.’ It clearly stung that the attack came not from a secular liberal critic, but from inside the broader conservative camp.
Now, though, Dolan says he has made his peace with the man a heartbeat away from the presidency.
He describes Vance as a ‘very good guy’ and says they see eye to eye on what he calls ‘the family,’ ‘babies’ and ‘patriotism’ — shorthand for opposition to abortion, a traditional view of family life and a hawkish, flag-waving brand of nationalism that still resonates deeply across much of the American heartland.
He is less impressed by Vance’s skepticism over U.S. support for Ukraine as it fights off Russia’s invasion, saying he ‘wasn’t too happy’ with the vice president’s stance. For a church that includes large Ukrainian Catholic communities and has repeatedly warned against Russian aggression, that is more than a polite aside.
Church Raids, ICE And A Vice President Who Blames The Dead The flashpoint over the bishops’ statement did not come out of nowhere. Dolan has his own history with immigration enforcement.
He says he remains ‘very upset’ about Trump’s mass deportation push and particularly about Immigration and Customs Enforcement — ICE, the sprawling U.S. agency charged with deportations — ‘going into churches and harassing churches’ while he was leading the New York archdiocese. For many Americans, a church is supposed to be a place of sanctuary. Watching agents in body armor sweep into those spaces changed something.
The politics around immigration in the United States have since grown even more brutal, and J.D. Vance has been happy to stand at the sharp end of that shift.
Last month, he made headlines after weighing in on the death of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Good had been protesting the agency’s presence in the city when she was fatally shot. The incident has become a lightning rod in America’s culture war over policing, protest and migration.
Vance was unequivocal in his defense of the shooter and remarkably harsh toward the dead woman herself.
He said the ICE agent had acted in self-defense and branded Good a ‘victim of left-wing ideology.’
‘I can believe that her death is a tragedy while also recognizing that it is a tragedy of her own making,’ he said.
Pressed by reporters, he went further. ‘What I am certain of is that she violated the law,’ he insisted. ‘What I’m certain of is that the officer had every reason to think that he was under very serious threat for injury or, in fact, his life.’
‘This was an attack on law and order,’ Vance declared. ‘This was an attack on the American people.’
For Catholic bishops who still talk about migrants as ‘brothers and sisters’ and warn against the dehumanizing language of politics, there is an obvious tension in embracing a man who can talk about a dead protester in those terms yet still be welcomed back after a discreet apology over one particularly sweeping slur.
Dolan, for his part, appears willing to hold both views at once. Very upset about ICE in churches. Not too happy about Ukraine. Warmly disposed toward J.D. Vance on ‘babies’, ‘the family’ and ‘patriotism.’ And satisfied, at least for now, with an apology that most Americans will never hear for themselves.
