Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights icon, Baptist minister, and two-time Democratic presidential candidate, has d!ed at the age of 84.
The Jackson family confirmed his passing in a statement on Tuesday morning, Febuary 17.
“His unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and human rights helped shape a global movement for freedom and dignity. A tireless change agent, he elevated the voices of the voiceless – from his Presidential campaigns in the 1980s to mobilizing millions to register to vote – leaving an indelible mark on history,” the statement read.
Jackson had been hospitalized in recent months and was under observation for progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), the Rainbow PUSH Coalition has said.
His tireless dedication to racial equality spanned more than six decades and helped shape the modern Civil Rights Movement.
A protégé of Martin Luther King Jr., Jackson fought on the front lines of the battle against Jim Crow segregation laws as a college student. He stood out for his rousing speeches, radical ideas, and passion for racial equality. Jackson would become a key figure in the civil rights movement that pressed for broader economic opportunities for Black people through the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, or SCLC, and more recently, his organization, the Rainbow PUSH coalition.
Jackson profoundly shaped American politics, inspiring a generation of minority leaders and moving the Democratic Party’s platform toward social and economic progressivism as it entered the 21st century.
He was born Jesse Louis Burns October 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, to Helen Burns, 16, and Noah Louis Robinson, a 33-year-old married neighbor. However Jackson would not learn the identity of his biological father until he was 7 years-old.
Later in his childhood, Jackson took the last name of his stepfather, Charles Jackson, whom his mother married when he was an infant. Jackson considered both men to be his fathers.
Growing up in poverty in the Jim Crow era, facing societal judgment for being born out of wedlock and personal challenges with his biological father, Jackson learned to channel his fears into excellence.
“I was afraid to fail,” Jackson told the Chicago Tribune in 1996. “An all-around excellence in sports and academics, being a first-string athlete and an honor student, could protect you from feeling a certain form of rejection. People don’t laugh at you when you get A’s.”
From his early adolescence, Jackson was defined by his charisma and intelligence, being elected class president of Sterling High School and graduating with honors.
Jackson rejected an offer from a minor league baseball team and instead took a football scholarship at the University of Illinois. He later transferred to North Carolina A&T State University.
While attending A&T, Jackson became active in the civil rights movement, joining his local Congress of Racial Equality chapter and taking a leadership role in organizing sit-ins.
Among those was a sit-in Jackson organized on July 16, 1960, at the “whites only” Greenville County Public Library, which would later land Jackson and seven other Black students with the nickname the “Greenville Eight.”
After Jackson was turned away from the library while attempting to acquire a book for a school report, he and the other Black students entered the library and read quietly. When they refused to leave, they were arrested.
As a result of the Greenville Eight’s sit-in, the library closed down its segregated branches and later opened a single integrated one.
It was then that Jackson attracted the attention of King.
Jackson began studying theology at the Chicago Theological Seminary, but deferred to work full-time with King during the Civil Rights Movement. He was ordained a minister in 1968 and was later given a Master of Divinity from the school in 2000.
King recruited Jackson to be an organizer with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and soon appointed him director of the Operation Breadbasket program, dedicated to improving the economic conditions of Black communities.
Using his political momentum from PUSH, Jackson launched what many perceived as a long-shot bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984.
Campaigning on liberal policies, many of which were considered radical for the time, Jackson was largely thought of as a “fringe” candidate.
Although Jackson lost the Democratic primary, he outperformed expectations, earning 18 percent of the primary vote and winning two states.
He ran for president again in 1988, this time earning 29 percent of Democratic primary votes and winning 13 states. Despite his overall loss, his campaigns were historic, becoming the first Black candidate to win the nationwide Democratic youth vote.
“So many leaders of the African-American community have come from that campaign. He was the one,” Tina Flournoy, the ex-chief of staff to former Vice President Kamala Harris, told Politico in 2007.
Jackson maintained a powerful political figure throughout the 1990s and 2000s, albeit not in an official capacity.
From 1991 until 1997, Jackson served as D.C.’s “shadow senator” an unofficial, unpaid position with no voting power in Congress that is primarily focused on advocating for D.C.’s statehood.
BM Offers Makebi Zulu & Given Lubinda 12 Days to Engage & Consider Being Running Mate under Tonse Alliance
……….“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool”, Isaiah 1:18. This is President Brian Mundubile’s honest call and offer to Hon. Makebi Zulu and Hon. Given Lubinda in the spirit of ECL brotherhood, dialogue and PF opposition unity except that it will expire after 12 days from today……
By Dr. Chris Zumani Zimba
1. It is now official that President BM has extended this brotherly offer to specifically the two PF presidential candidates captioned following feedback, advice and guidance from different stakeholders within PF, the church, traditional leaders, academics, media and within Tonse Alliance. This media notice is a transparent gesture and public process with a view of allowing different stakeholders to appreciate that BM is magnanimous, inclusive, responsive and accommodative with the goal of fostering opposition unity.
2. Comparably, BM has so far emerged as top notch national political brand that is openly being endorsed by hundreds and thousands PF leadership structures and members across Zambia. This is political fortune and endorsement support base is what he wants to share with everyone. By accepting to be his running mate, either Hon. Makebi Zulu or Hon. Given Lubinda may fast track their chances of being in government as Republican Vice President this coming August under BM’s leadership. The offer is on the table and open to the two for now.
3. Through political lenses, BM is a duly elected President of Tonse Alliance with a legitimate mandate to contest August 2026 elections as the alliance’s flag bearer on any SPV. Both Makebi Zulu and Given Lubinda are still merely talking and visiting people without a physical political platform or legitimate mandate from any registered party. As Tonse Alliance, we believe that by joining BM who has multiple possible SPVs will politically sanitize them with institutional credibility and public legitimacy they so much need.
4. Officially, BM is President of an alliance backed by 10 political parties and 15 civil society organizations as we speak. With 25 organizations and leaders endorsing him for August elections, BM has the highest stakeholders political approval in Zambia so far as he surpasses even President HH whose UPND Alliance has less then 7 member organizations. Hence, Makebi Zulu or Given Lubinda may kiss political fortune by speedily joining hands with BM for running mate when the door is still wide open for any of them.
5. So far, we have seen that Hon. Makebi Zulu and Hon. Given Lubinda are repeatedly wasting each other’s political opportunities like by endlessly walking political journeys to nowhere. They paid K200,000 to contest the vanity PF convention which never took place in November, 2025. To date in February, 2026, they are still talking about a PF national convention when Robert Chabinga is keeping PF certificate papers under the Indian ocean in gilled Shoprite plastic bags. Hence, we feel that joining BM under Tonse Alliance is their practical cure for all their political traps and crises outside Chabinga.
6. Tonse Alliance has noted with sadness that Hon. Makebi Zulu and Hon. Given Lubinda were recently misled and “fooled” by some PF political gamblers that one of them shall be chosen as 2026 flag bearer using the “PF CONCLAVE OF PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES”. But as soon as BM withdrew, the PF conclave produced yellow, black, purple and red smoke in clashing like a titanic ship. This confirmed that only BM matters more politically as we speak both in PF and outside PF. So, joining BM will practically redeem them from such manipulations and time wasting episodes.
7. In like manner, Tonse Alliance has also seen that Hon. Makebi Zulu and Hon. Given Lubinda being politically abused misled that a “Council of Elders” can anoint any of them as 2026 Presidential candidate. This approach is equally political offside and it is a wrong as well as false path to State House. Through a General Congress, BM has already passed this democratic political test and joining him as running mate may save time and resources for MZ and GL.
8. We in Tonse Alliance believe that Presidential candidates must be legitimately elected by their own party national conventions as well as their own members as we did last month for Hon. Brian Mundubile. We think that it is anarchical for a gang of youth, women, men, elders or minors outside established political institutions to misled mature politicians that they can arbitrarily choose a Presidential Flag Bearer for 2026. For our Makebi Zulu or Given Lubinda, joining BM as running mate is politically more intelligent and safer than waste more time, energy or resources with such illegitimate political experiments like “Council of Elders” conclave.
9. From our end, we view this “Council of Elders” project to be politically misplaced as well as biasely aligned and will only waste time for our Makebi Zulu or Given Lubinda for nothing. Tonse Alliance fears that another “compromised conclave” without established membership, political order and institutional legitimacy will make both MZ and GL vulnerable to more unnecessary experiments and street political exploitations. By considering to work with BM as running mate, we believe that any of the two PF leaders will redeem themselves and their supporters politically.
10. Under the leadership of BM, Tonse Alliance has prioritized to promote political dialogue, reconciliation, peace and unity with fellow PF leaders and the entire opposition front. It is against this backdrop that Hon. Makebi Zulu and Hon. Given Lubinda have been identified as priority partners to seek dialogue and explore the possibility of securing this proposed political marriage within 12 days. Tonse Alliance is still operating on the principle of open dialogue and opposition unity as championed by BM.
11. Moreover, BM is PF and he will remain PF at heart and character just like Makebi Zulu or Given Lubinda. This in itself helps either Makebi Zulu or Given Lubinda to easily engage, openly dialogue and unanimously agree to work together. When we look back as Tonse Alliance, we dont see any reason why Makebi Zulu or Given Lubinda should insist to push closed doors politically elsewhere when BM has widely opened one for them. We hope that they do not listen to their selfish handlers and grredy followers because they may regret when it is too late.
12. In Psalms 118: 22, the Bible guides that “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone of the house”. In PF, BM has religiously been fought since 2021 when he emerged as one of the Presidential candidates. But consistently, God is raising him as the main opposition rival to unseat HH in August 2026. For Makebi Zulu or Given Lubinda who only showed up October 2025 in the PF Presidential race, joining BM becomes their free shortcut to win power and form government.
Tonse Alliance has extended this dialogue offer to the two and the 12 days countdown starts today. Either themselves or their trusted teams, they are free to contact Hon. Stephen Kampyongo, Hon. Mutotwe Kafyaya, Counsel Debby Kambwa Aongola, SC Chifumu Banda or President BM himself and cordially engage. In Tonse Alliance, we believe in everyone for everyone and mother Zambia!
🇿🇲 VIEWPOINT | Lungu Probe: The Dangerous Export of Zambian Politics into South Africa
We are watching an unusual and sobering development unfold in South Africa: a criminal investigation linked to the death of former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, nearly eight months after he died in a clinic in June 2025.
What makes this moment significant is not simply the word “poisoning,” which has circulated loosely in political spaces for months. It is the fact that the matter has now entered the formal machinery of South African law enforcement, where sentiment does not substitute for procedure, and where grief does not override court orders.
A letter dated 11 February 2026 from Mashele Attorneys Inc, acting for members of the Lungu family, confirms that the South African Police Service has issued five subpoenas in connection with an alleged poisoning investigation. The lawyers state that the family has complied and that statements have been delivered “in accordance with the criminal proceedings instituted.”
This is the first clear documentary indication that the issue is no longer a Zambian political talking point. It is now a South African criminal file.
The same letter also records something even more sensitive: a subpoena issued to Two Mountains Funeral Services, directing that the former president’s body be released into SAPS custody. The family’s lawyers object, citing two existing High Court orders that the body must remain with the funeral home pending the finalisation of the appeal process.
This detail matters. Because it shows the investigation is intersecting directly with the unresolved repatriation dispute, which has already turned the former president’s remains into a political and legal battleground.
This is where we must pause.
For months, Lusaka’s opposition ecosystem has framed the entire standoff as persecution. The narrative has travelled from courtrooms into WhatsApp groups, from mourning into mobilisation. Some have alleged rituals. Others have claimed the state wants access to the body for sinister purposes. No independent evidence has been presented to support such claims, but the rumours have grown louder precisely because the body has remained out of public view.
But South Africa does not operate on PF political mythology.
South African institutions will not recognise “PF grief and ritual narratives” or “UPND noise.” They recognise subpoenas, forensic standards, court orders, and chain of custody. If there is a poisoning allegation, the answer will not come from a rally podium in Lusaka. It will come from toxicology, evidence, and judicial oversight.
It is also important to underline what the lawyers themselves say: their clients deny the poisoning allegations and maintain they are “unfounded and unsupported by credible evidence.” That is a crucial admission. The family is cooperating, but also placing on record that the allegation is not proven.
But back home, political actors are already attempting to weaponise the probe.
Figures like Sean Tembo are reportedly floating extreme claims of “manslaughter” against government officials, arguing that the former president was blocked from accessing medical care. This is not serious legal reasoning. It is campaign theatre dressed as prosecution. A state cannot be run through speculative indictments issued from Facebook manifestos.
The deeper danger is that Lungu is slowly being transformed from a former president into a political symbol beyond accountability, beyond evidence, beyond closure. In death, he is becoming a vessel into which every faction pours its agenda: the family’s legal fight, PF’s persecution script, opposition fundraising, and succession contests over his legacy.
This is not how republics bury leaders. This is how republics destabilise themselves.
We must resist the temptation to turn South Africa into an extension of our domestic disorder. If SAPS is investigating, let SAPS investigate. If the courts have issued orders, let those orders stand. If forensic clarity is required, let forensic clarity come.
A mature democracy does not fear truth. It fears myth replacing truth.
And Zambia cannot afford, in an election year, to build national politics on a corpse, a rumour, and a permanent grievance industry.
MAKEBI ZULU PLEDGES TO CONTINUE PF CASHEW INITIATIVE ONCE IN STATE HOUSE
Patriotic Front (PF) Presidential Candidate Makebi Zulu says his administration, once elected into office this year, will continue where the PF left off in investing in the cashew nut value chain.
Speaking to journalists after meeting the King of Barotse land Litunga Lubosi Imwiko II at the Barotse Royal Establishment in Limulunga District, Western Province, Mr Zulu explained that the PF had initiated a cashew plantation programme.
Mr. Zulu said his administration will work hard to actualise it by continuing where it left off.
He emphasised that he has the advantage of age and sufficient energy to run with plans to develop Zambia.
Mr. Zulu stressed that he will not only focus on development now but also for posterity.
He mentioned that after serving his term, 54 years of age by then, he would still have enough time to live.
Mr. Zulu expressed that he does not want to live with embarrassment after retirement from the presidency, so he must deliver on the promises made to the people and change the way things are done.
He highlighted that he has the advantage of being a lawyer and understands that governance starts with amending laws that make people too powerful and arrogant.
The PF Presidential Candidate stressed that office holders must exercise power for the people.
Responding to a question as to whether there have been any good things under UPND, Mr. Zulu argued that there has been no gain from the UPND government so far because it has divided the country.
He observed that the country is more divided now than ever before.
The PF Presidential Candidate added that it does not matter what is done if one presides over a divided nation.
Mr. Zulu urged that everyone must respect all tribes and regions in the country, if development is to be appreciated.
LUNGU IS LOSING NATIONAL RELEVANCE: His Family And PF Presidential Hopefuls At The Centre Of Confusion:
By Wiseman Henry Zulu
The late former president Edgar Lungu may be dead, but the drama surrounding his death continues — and much of it comes from his own family.
Eight months after his passing in a South African clinic, his remains are still in a foreign mortuary. Legal disputes, court orders, and family resistance have stalled repatriation.
It is of great importance to note , that in all this, the leadership of Hakainde Hichilema and government has maintained remarkable patience. Officials have repeatedly emphasised lawful repatriation, respect for institutional processes, and diplomacy with South Africa.
This patience has been evident even as the family continues to resist closure and challenge legal processes, turning what should have been a solemn moment into a protracted standoff.
The situation escalated this week when the South African Police Service formally questioned five family members in an alleged poisoning investigation.
The family denies the claims, but the probe has intensified scrutiny over how they are managing both the burial and public narrative surrounding the late president.
At the centre of the controversy is the family’s former spokesperson, Makebi Zulu. Once tasked with telling the “Lungu story,” he has abandoned that role and pivoted into campaign mode.
Zulu is touring the country as a presidential hopeful for 2026, claiming the late Lungu personally anointed him. Critics note he has no recognised political party, no organisational structure, and not even a one-paragraph manifesto to present to the Zambian people.
Meanwhile, Brian Mundubile claims endorsement, and Raphael Nakachinda, speaking from prison, accuses others of exploiting his absence for political advantage.
Multiple voices now claim authority from a man who can no longer confirm or deny these assertions.
The result is a leadership vacuum and a contest over Lungu’s political legacy. If Lungu was truly the leader he was said to be, how can PF aspirants now use his legacy as a platform?
He left no guidance, no order, no harmony. Instead, he left confusion and a faction of individuals so mistrustful of one another that even the idea of credible succession seems impossible.
The burial itself mirrors this uncertainty. Months after his death, Lungu’s remains remain in South Africa amid ongoing legal disputes with the Zambian government.
Court proceedings continue, while the family’s resistance has turned what should have been a solemn moment of national mourning into a protracted legal and diplomatic standoff.
Zambia’s bilateral relations with South Africa remain intact. This demonstrates that state institutions operate above personal grievances.
Observers note that the dead must ultimately be buried by the living. Dignity for a former head of state requires closure, reconciliation, and adherence to legal processes — not political contestation or protracted legal battles.
Allegations of mistreatment against Lungu by the current administration were never substantiated in court, nor widely accepted by citizens. Yet the dispute continues, unnecessarily prolonging national uncertainty.
The stalled burial, competing claims of political inheritance, and unresolved family tensions underscore a painful truth: Lungu left no clear direction.
Personal ambitions and political manoeuvring now overshadow both his legacy and national unity. Those invoking his name must confront the uncomfortable reality: a legacy built on confusion, mistrust, and disorder is not a mantle to wield proudly.
For Zambia, the lesson is clear. Institutions, law, and national interest must take precedence over personal and familial disputes.
The pressing question remains: Will the Lungu family choose dignity and closure — or allow uncertainty surrounding their late patriarch’s legacy to continue losing the national relevance.
— ENDS/17/02/2026 WISEMAN HENRY ZULU Director – Digital Media UPND Presidential Support System
THIS PERHAPS MAY LEAD US TO WHY SOME PEOPLE DIDN’T WANT GRZ TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE BODY …WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED !
South African police investigate Lungu’s alleged poisoning!
The South African Police Service (SAPS) is investigating the alleged poisoning of former President Edgar Lungu, who died on June 5, 2025.
Mr. Lungu remains unburied amid a protracted legal battle between the Zambian Government and the Lungu family regarding his burial site.
In a letter dated February 11, 2026, lawyers representing the Lungu family from Mmashele Attorneys denied the poisoning allegations, describing them as unfounded and unsupported by credible evidence.
The lawyers further stated that it has come to their attention that a subpoena was issued to Mr. Mpho Mnisi of Two Mountains Funeral Services, directing that the body of the late former President be released into the custody of SAPS.
The Lungu family’s lawyers described the subpoena as concerning, noting that there are existing court orders directing that possession and custody of Mr. Lungu’s body remain with Two Mountains Funeral Services pending the finalisation of legal proceedings.
They stated that the court orders are binding and remain in force.
Additionally, they submitted that leave to appeal has been granted by the Supreme Court of Appeal, and that the appeal remains active.
The lawyers argued that in the absence of a judicial variation or further order authorising removal, no person or entity is legally permitted to act inconsistently with those directives.
The Lungu family has since threatened to take legal action should the court orders be contravened.
Seeking to Access the Body and Conducting Postmortem
Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha Must Stop These Games
It has emerged that there have been concerted pressure to retrieve and access the body of the late president, Zambia’s Sixth President Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu..
This follows a complaint from the South African pressure group Progressive Forces of South Africa (PFSA), an entity that State House and Mulilo Kabesha have been using as the primary civil activist organization, conducting protests and press conferences, demanding the repatriation of the remains to Zambia and now demanding a postmortem and criminal investigation into the death of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu.
They are relying on interview that was earlier made and attributed to Patriotic Front Secretary General, Rapahel Nakacinda.
The courts in South Africa have restricted access to the body but Kabesha and his surrogates are determined to access the body in whichever way they can.
This is why suspicions are raised about the intentions!
This evil charade must come to an end and dignity, even this late hour must be given to honour the late President.
THIS IS LONG BUT WORTH IT. HERE IS MY PROPOSAL TO THE ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT & President Hakainde Hichilema 🇿🇲
If we are serious about transforming Zambia, then we must start thinking beyond elections, beyond parties, and beyond five year cycles. We must think GENERATIONAL.
1: EXTEND THE PRESIDENTIAL TERM TO 7 YEARS WITH A TWO TERM LIMIT
Serious development requires policy continuity.
Major infrastructure, energy projects, industrialisation programs and deep economic reforms do not mature in five years. By the time a government begins to gain momentum, it is already preparing for the next election.
Constant election cycles create short term thinking. Leaders focus on survival instead of legacy. Policy implementation becomes rushed. National focus becomes divided.
A 7 year term, while maintaining a strict two term limit and strong democratic oversight, would help to
Reduce constant election cycles Lower election costs Improve policy stability Strengthen long term national planning Allow transformational projects to reach maturity
This must not be rushed. It must go through a proper constitutional review process and mature national dialogue. The goal is not to weaken democracy. The goal is to strengthen DEVELOPMENT.
2: ZAMBIA NEEDS A 100 YEAR NATIONAL PLAN
We need a fixed long term national vision that outlives political parties.
Countries like China and Japan operate with long term strategic goals that remain steady regardless of who is in office. Leadership changes, but the NATIONAL DIRECTION does not change.
Zambia needs a 100 year development blueprint with clear 25 year milestones. Core strategic sectors such as energy, agriculture, education, defense, technology and industrialisation must be protected from political interference.
When a new party comes into power, they should continue the national goals, not restart the country from zero.
Development must outlive politics. Vision must be bigger than parties.
3: CLASSIFY GRAND CORRUPTION AS TREASON
When public officials steal millions meant for hospitals, schools, roads and national security, that is not just corruption. That is ECONOMIC SABOTAGE.
Grand corruption destroys lives. It weakens sovereignty. It delays progress. It steals from generations unborn.
If betraying the nation politically is treason, then looting the nation economically should be treated with the same seriousness.
Large scale corruption involving strategic national resources should be classified as TREASON or ECONOMIC TREASON under the law.
No sacred cows. No untouchables. Accountability must be real, not selective.
4: INTRODUCE A NATIONAL WASTE AND URBAN MAINTENANCE LEVY
Let us be honest. Our cities need discipline and a culture shift.
Illegal dumping, littering, abandoned buildings and deteriorating unpainted properties affect tourism, public health, investor confidence and national pride.
A structured environmental and urban maintenance levy could fund
Efficient waste collection systems Strict anti litter enforcement Urban beautification programs Mandatory building maintenance standards Rehabilitation of neglected public spaces
Clean cities are not a luxury. They reflect the mindset of a nation. Zambia is not poor. It is under managed.
If we want serious development, we must be willing to discuss serious reforms.
This is not about politics,It is about the FUTURE.
EXPLAINING THE PeP MANIFESTO: PART A – TOP 5 DELIVERABLES OF A SEAN E. TEMBO PRESIDENCY ON INAUGURATION DAY
By Sean E. Tembo – PeP President
1. A few days ago, the Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) released a summary of it’s 2026 elections Manifesto, in which we outlined the top 5 deliverables that we would present to the Zambian people on inauguration day, 100 days in office, 3 years in office, 5 years in office and 10 years in office. Although the response from the general public was generally positive and overwhelming, the underlying concern was that the “how” was missing. How will you do it? Where will you get the money to do it? Those were the questions from many well-meaning Zambians.
2. In response to the public call for more details and clarity on the PeP Manifesto Summary, we are going to run a series of articles in which we shall explain the rationale, the “how” and the funding for each and every key deliverable that we presented in the PeP 2026 Manifesto Summary. In this article, we shall deal with part A, which talks about the top 5 deliverables of a Sean E. Tembo presidency on inauguration day. For ease of reference, an excerpt is presented below:
i) Tax holidays given to the mines by the UPND administration, shall be revoked;
ii) All students admitted to Government and private universities will be given student loans;
iii) Volunteer medical personnel will be employed by Government and paid arrears for work already done;
iv) All farmers who suffered from delayed FRA payments shall receive interest payments, and Government to announce FRA purchase price for crops 3 months before commencement of farming season;
v) All persons who prevented ECL from leaving the country to seek medical attention, shall be investigated and prosecuted for manslaughter.
3. Tax Holidays Given to the Mines by the UPND Government Shall be Revoked -: This deliverable of a Sean E. Tembo presidency which will be made on inauguration day, is designed to ensure that everyone contributes a fair share to the national tax basket.
There’s no morality in over-taxing poor and vulnerable citizens while giving tax holidays to big corporates such as the mines. The public feedback on this policy position was generally positive, and the objections largely came from our colleagues that support the ruling UPND party. Their argument was that the UPND Government has not given out any tax holidays, therefore, how can you say that you’ll revoke something that is not there in the first place?
Well, we would like to refer our colleagues to paragraph 195 on page 45 of the 2022 National Budget that was presented to the National Assembly by the Minister of Finance, Hon. Situmbeko Musokotwane on Friday, 29th October 2021, which reads “…to attract investment and boost production in the mining sector, I propose to introduce the deductibility of mineral royalty for corporate income tax assessment…the revenue loss from this measure is projected at K3.2 billion per annum…” That means for the past 4 and half years, we have lost more than K14.4 billion because of tax holidays given to the mines, although our calculations indicate that the revenue loss to the nation, ever since the UPND Government came into office, is around K23.8 billion. This is money that could have been used in other needy social sectors. A Sean E. Tembo presidency will bring this to an end on day one.
4. All Students Admitted to Government and Private Universities will be given Student Loans-: When I was admitted to the Copperbelt University to pursue my Bachelor of Accountancy in 1999, Government used to give grants, through the Bursaries Committee. Therefore, it was understood why only a limited number of students were given Government sponsorship. Because Government had limited resources and could not give grants to everyone.
However, along the way, Government policy changed, and instead of grants, Government started giving student loans, which are recovered once someone graduates. In other words, this is a revolving fund. Therefore, there is no justifiable reason why anyone who needs a student loan should not be given one, provided they have been admitted to a university.
Regardless of whether it is a Government university or a private university. If it is properly run, there is no need of pumping in Government funds into this revolving fund every fiscal year, because it is supposed to sustain itself.
The only reason that the UPND administration is pumping in Government funds into the student loan system, every fiscal year, and therefore limiting the number of students that are given Student Loans, is because the student loan system is being poorly run. They’re failing to recover loans from the people that they gave to. It is a loan system in name only. In reality, it is still a grant system. At the moment, only graduates that work in Government and quasi-government institutions have student loan deductions, which also tend to be very high.
The unreasonably high instalments make a lot of graduates to hide and not pay back. A Sean E. Tembo presidency will reform this revolving fund so that collections are not less than 90 percent. Ultimately, the goal will be to ensure than in about 5 years time, not only will university students from both Government and Private Universities get a student loan when they need one, but also tertiary students in colleges as well. However, a student loan will strictly be that: a student loan. It will not be a grant.
6. Volunteer Medical Personnel will be Employed by Government and Paid Arrears for Work Already Done -: I am a firm believer that people who do the same job should be paid the same salary. Therefore, I find it unconscionable that two people who were classmates at medical school and are now working as Doctors at Chilenje Level 1 Hospital, can be in a situation whereby one is earning a salary and the other is working for free. As a leader, you need to have very low principles for justice, equity and fairness to find such a situation tolerable. Under a Sean E. Tembo presidency, everyone who volunteered as a medical personnel will be paid in arrears, because that is what justice demands. Those that will be volunteering on the day of inauguration shall be employed. And we shall never ask anyone to volunteer for free. If we cannot afford to employ you, we shall allow you to do other things to earn a living. A Sean E. Tembo Government will not exploit you.
7. All Farmers who Suffered from Delayed FRA Payments shall Receive Interest Payments, and Government to Announce FRA Purchase Price for Crops 3 months before Commencement of Farming Season -: People who lend money to Government through Treasury Bills and Government Bonds are paid interest without any argument. When FRA delays paying a farmer by 8 months, the farmer is effectively lending money to Government. So why should an investor who lends money to Government even for 30 days through Treasury Bills, be paid interest, but a farmer who lends money to Government for 8 months not be paid interest? Where is the justice? Where is the equity? Where is the fairness? A Sean E. Tembo presidency will be a just, equitable and fair administration. We shall not exploit any citizen simply because they are weak and vulnerable. Just as we shall not be shy to hold citizens accountable simply because they are strong and powerful. Each citizen shall be treated fairly and equitably. No one will be superior over the other. Additionally, to assist farmers to plan, a Sean E. Tembo presidency will announce the FRA floor price for all crops, at least 3 months before the commencement of the farming season.
That will enable farmers to decide whether they want to plant maize or soya beans or cotton or tobacco. Additionally, FRA under a Sean E. Tembo presidency, will not only be restricted to buying maize, but will also buy soya beans, sunflower, tobacco, rice, beans, cotton, sorghum and wheat. The job of the farmer will be to produce the crops as efficiently as possible. The job of the Government will be to source the market for the crops, both locally and internationally, at as good a price as possible.
8. All persons who prevented ECL from leaving the country to seek medical attention, shall be investigated and prosecuted for manslaughter -: We all saw the videos of the late 6th Republican President, His Excellency Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, being prevented from boarding a flight at KKIA on multiple occasions. ECL had not been arrested and was therefore neither on bail nor on Police Bond. He was also not under house arrest of any kind. So on what basis did the UPND Government prevent him from boarding his flight? That is called impunity and it needs to be nipped in the bud. If ECL had not been prevented from traveling abroad to seek medical attention, at the time he wished to travel, would he have survived his cancer? Did the people that prevented ECL from leaving the country contribute to his death? Are they culpable for manslaughter? Those are the questions which a court of law will need to answer. The law gives powers to each an every officer of Government. Those government officers who decide to operate over and above the powers given to them by the law, are on their own. The same law shall visit them and remind them that Zambia is a constitutional democracy, and that impunity shall never be tolerated.
JUST EDUCATE YOUR POLLING AGENTS, DON’T TEMPER WITH SECURITY MARKING, ECZ TOLD
Several stakeholders have advised the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to just adequately educate and train its polling agents instead of removing the security mark from the ballot which could compromise the electoral integrity.
Earlier, Tonse Alliance outrightly rejected the proposal through a media statement released today.
And political commentator, Thandiwe Ketiš Ngoma wrote:
“Electoral Commission of Zambia says the proposal has come from the people, yet the very people she claims to represent have already said no to it.”
“Madam Mwangala Zaloumis, Zambia is a democratic republic. You cannot simply sit down with President HH and create your own rules to favour your party. Please do the right thing for once. We are tired of your commission’s partisan position. Zambians are crying out, saying that under your watch, we cannot have free and fair elections.”
257 days After His Death, ECL’s Burial Dispute Deepens as South African Court Ruling Looms
By: Sun FM TV Reporter
257 days after the death of former President Edgar Lungu, controversy surrounding his burial continues to intensify, with legal proceedings in South Africa now central to determining his final resting place.
The world is awaiting a judgement from the Supreme Court of South Africa in a repatriation case that will decide whether Mr. Lungu’s remains should be returned to Zambia by the Government or the will Family will hold Supreme.
Mr. Lungu died on June 5, 2025, in South Africa, where he had been receiving medical treatment. However, he remains unburied due to an ongoing dispute between the Zambian Government and his family.
His family maintains that the former Head of State deserves a dignified send-off in accordance with his personal wishes. In contrast, the Zambian Government argues that he should be laid to rest in Zambia with full military honours, in recognition of the office he once held.
Meanwhile, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has launched an investigation into allegations that Mr. Lungu may have been poisoned a development that has further heightened public interest and speculation surrounding the case.
The protracted legal and political standoff continues to draw attention both in Zambia and internationally, as the final chapter of the former president’s burial arrangements remains unresolved.
It’s not the South African Police, It’s Zambian Government
A complaint was laid to the South African Police by a South African pressure group Progressive Forces of South Africa (PFSA), an entity that State House and Mulilo Kabesha have been using as the primary civil activist organization, conducting protests and press conferences, demanding the repatriation of the remains to Zambia and now demanding a postmortem and criminal investigation into the death of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu.
Dont hide in the South African Police.
The family’s lawyers; Masheke Attorneys have since responded with the following;
“Your office is aware that two extant High Court orders expressly direct that possession and custody of the body remain with Two Mountains Funeral Services pending the finalisation of the legal proceedings”.
“Those orders are binding and operative. In addition, leave to appeal has been granted by the Supreme Court of Appeal. The appeal is therefore alive, and at this juncture the operative court orders remain in force and must be respected pending the outcome of the appellate process. In the absence of a judicial variation or further order authorising removal, no person or entity is legally permitted to act inconsistently with those directives”
“In light of the above, our clients instruct us to demand strict compliance with the existing court orders. Any action taken in contravention thereof would be unlawful and subject to appropriate legal action”
Harry Kalaba’s Appearance on Laka FM: A Sharp Critique of UPND Policies and a Vision for Zambia’s Future
By the Independent Political Correspondent
Monday, 16th February, 2026
On Monday, the Citizens First (CF) President, Harry Kalaba, appeared on Laka FM’s Breakfast Show, where he addressed several pressing national issues and sharply critiqued the policies of the United Party for National Development (UPND). Kalaba, a presidential hopeful in Zambia’s upcoming elections, did not hold back in calling out the current government’s failures while outlining his own vision for Zambia’s development under CF leadership.
A Call for Accountability: The UPND’s Betrayal of the Zambian People
Kalaba began by cautioning Zambians not to allow themselves to be misled again by the UPND, especially in light of their recent actions and broken promises. He pointed out a glaring inconsistency in the government’s approach to Zambia’s electricity needs, asking: “If the UPND meant well, why have they been ignoring our call to stop the export of electricity only to resume imports six months before elections?” According to Kalaba, this reflects a troubling pattern of opportunism, with the UPND reversing key policies for short-term political gain as they prepare for the 2026 elections.
The CF leader emphasized that under his leadership, the first priority would be to realign Zambia’s economy to ensure that ordinary Zambians, not foreign entities, are given a fair chance to thrive. “The current situation is unacceptable. Zambians are wallowing in poverty while foreigners continue to benefit,” Kalaba said. He proposed a policy framework where incentives would be directed towards local businesses and industries, with certain sectors exclusively reserved for Zambian citizens. His aim, he said, was to create an environment that fosters Zambian entrepreneurship and enhances the competitiveness of local industries.
A Nation Still Struggling: The Failure to Empower Zambians
Kalaba lamented that 62 years after independence, Zambia has not produced a single millionaire among its citizens, while foreign companies continue to amass wealth. He expressed frustration at the government’s policies, which he believes are designed to benefit foreign businesses rather than local citizens. He particularly took issue with the government’s eagerness to provide incentives to foreign companies while offering little support to Zambia’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which are the backbone of any thriving economy.
Kalaba pledged that under CF, Zambians would be given access to cheaper raw materials to reduce production costs and improve competitiveness. This, he argued, would help to address the long-standing issue of poverty and inequality in the country. “The government’s policies have been working against Zambians for too long. It’s time to make a real change,” he asserted.
Addressing Civil Servants’ Struggles: A Promise of Debt Relief and Fair Pay
Kalaba also addressed the plight of civil servants, who have been hit hard by the high cost of living and stagnant wages. He criticized the paltry K700 wage increment recently awarded to civil servants, describing it as a “joke” that does not reflect the rising costs of living. “How do you justify an increase of K700 when every commodity across the board quadrupled in price over the last four years?” Kalaba asked, emphasizing that civil servants deserve better.
In response to this, Kalaba outlined a plan for a debt swap program aimed at helping civil servants reduce their debt burden. “Under the CF government, we will create headroom for civil servants and provide breathing space,” he promised. He also pledged to implement a policy that would provide rural-based civil servants with double their salaries as a hardship allowance to make working in rural areas more attractive and equitable.
The UPND’s Broken Promises and the Path Forward
Kalaba did not shy away from pointing out the numerous broken promises made by the UPND, which he referred to as a “failed project.” He sharply criticized their track record, particularly on issues of food security, fuel prices, and power supply. He noted that the UPND had promised affordable fertilizer at K400, yet the cheapest fertilizer today costs over K1,100. Likewise, the promise of cheaper fuel has not materialized, with fuel prices continuing to skyrocket. Perhaps most glaringly, Kalaba highlighted the unfulfilled promise of 24-hour uninterrupted power supply, which has instead led to the worst power cuts in Zambia’s history, with some regions experiencing up to 72 hours of load shedding.
Kalaba also mocked the UPND’s self-proclaimed “Premier League” status, asking how the country could be in such a league when basic necessities are failing to reach the people. “What kind of Premier League is it when you can’t even deliver basic services like consistent power, affordable fertilizer, or reliable telephone connectivity?” he questioned.
A Vision for Industrialization and Economic Growth
When asked about how the CF government would fund its ambitious industrialization plan, Kalaba pointed to Ghana as a model. Ghana, he said, had successfully structured its informal gold mining sector, allowing youth to sell gold in a regulated market. This system not only helped reduce illegal mining activities but also brought in an additional US$4 billion in tax revenue. In contrast, Kalaba criticized the current government for deploying Special Forces to harass its own citizens involved in illegal mining, instead of creating a system that could benefit both the government and the youths.
Kalaba pledged that under the CF government, Zambia will establish a Metal Marketing Board to oversee the mining sector and ensure that Zambians benefit more from their natural resources. He specifically mentioned copper, cobalt, gold, and emeralds — commodities that have made a select few extremely rich without benefiting local communities or traditional leaders in the mining areas. He promised to emphasize value addition in the mining sector, which would help Zambia generate more revenue from its natural wealth.
Kalaba’s Call to Action: A Promise to Serve with Integrity
Throughout the interview, Kalaba emphasized his commitment to serving the Zambian people with integrity and transparency. He reminded listeners that his values — which earned him the moniker “Kalaba Talaba” — were rooted in a genuine desire to improve the lives of ordinary Zambians, not to enrich himself. “I was chosen by President Sata because of my values, and I intend to stick to those values,” Kalaba assured the listeners.
Several callers expressed hope that Kalaba would remain true to his principles when elected, and the CF leader promised that he would never depart from his commitment to serving the Zambian people. His focus, he said, would be on lifting Zambians out of poverty and ensuring that the country’s resources work for the benefit of its citizens.
Conclusion: A Vision of Change
Kalaba’s appearance on Laka FM gave Zambians a clearer understanding of the stark contrast between his vision for the country and the policies of the UPND. His critique of the UPND’s failures and his proposals for economic reform painted a picture of a nation on the brink of transformation, should he take the helm. With just months to go before the 2026 election, Kalaba’s message of integrity, empowerment, and economic independence resonates with many who are disillusioned with the current government’s broken promises.
For Zambia, the choice in August 2026 could be a defining moment. As Kalaba himself said, “It’s time to vote out a government that has only made Zambians poorer.” If the Citizens First promises come to fruition, Zambia will indeed see a new chapter in its post-independence history — one where Zambians are given the tools to succeed in their own land.
REMOVE PRESIDENT FROM APPOINTING CHIEF JUSTICE AND JUDGES. To restore public confidence, radical reforms are needed both in the appointment of judges and operations of the judicial system.
In the GPZ RESET VISION, we strongly advocate for an independent judiciary that is free from executive influence or political biases.
1. Republican President must not appoint the Chief Justice or any other Judges. 2. All positions in the judiciary should be advertised and those qualified to apply.
3. Permanent judges at provincial level as opposed to the current situation where judges stay in Lusaka and do mobile court. 4. The supreme court to be the highest court at provincial level and the high court shall be the highest court at district level with sitting judges.
5. Decentralizing the office of public prosecutions authority, to be in line with the above court restructuring. i.e Director General of Public prosecutions (National), Provincial Director of Public Prosecutions, District Director of Public Prosecutions.
A judiciary that is independent will contribute meaningfully towards the development of Zambia.
ATTORNEY GENERAL DISMISSES CLAIMS OF SECRET GOVT DEALS
By Nelson Zulu
Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha has denied allegations of secret government transactions.
Mr. Kabesha says his office is aware of rumors surrounding deals like the Mopani-IRH transaction and energy-sector contracts.
He has told Phoenix News in an interview that scrutiny around these arrangements is misplaced and has urged citizens to seek clarification directly from his office through official channels.
Mr. Kabesha explains that government business is conducted with openness and documented processes, except where genuine confidentiality is legally required and has confirmed that relevant contracts and paperwork are held in official repositories, available for inspection by interested parties following proper request procedures.
He adds that the Attorney General’s Chambers has exhibited high levels of transparency at all costs in dealing with government transactions.
WE WERE FASTING FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS, YOUR MAJESTY
MBABANE: Members of the public have expressed anger over the 40-day fasting announced by King Mswati III.
The King said the fasting would mark a significant moment of spiritual renewal after his 40 years on the throne. He is also expected to spend millions celebrating his Ruby Jubilee together with his 58th birthday on 24 April 2026.
Reacting to the King’s announcement, some social media users took to various platforms to express their opinions.
“Tsine asidli lutfo, sahlala sikufasting ngesimo semphilo,” said one social media user.
Eswatini, a tiny Southern African nation, has about 70% of its population living below the poverty line. Citizens in rural areas sometimes survive on rice donations from Taiwan.
Eswatini is the only African nation that recognises Taiwan as an independent state, contrary to the One China Policy and United Nations Resolution 2758 of 1971, which recognises the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate representative of China at the UN.
SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY SAYS GOVT TO REALIGN BUDGET FOR ELECTION SHORTFALL
By Nelson Zulu
Secretary to the Treasury Felix Nkulukusa has disclosed that government will realign the current budgetary allocations to cover a funding shortfall in this year’s election.
Mr. Nkulukusa has told Phoenix News in an interview that the K1.2 billion allocated for the election is insufficient due to the recent constitutional amendment expanding parliamentary representation, adding new constituencies and Members of Parliament.
He explains that the expansion increases election logistics and operational costs, including printing ballot boxes and papers, arranging polling materials, and funding newly created parliamentary salaries and allowances.
Mr. Nkulukusa notes that these unplanned items place pressure on the election envelope, prompting government to adjust budget allocations to ensure uninterrupted preparations.
A tense Cabinet meeting last Tuesday reportedly descended into open confrontation after Vice President Constantino Chiwenga angrily interrupted Attorney-General Virginia Mabhiza during deliberations on the proposed Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill, 2026.
According to sources briefed on the meeting, Chiwenga cut in as Mabhiza outlined the legal framework of the sweeping constitutional changes, which include extending President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s final term from 2028 to 2030 and replacing direct presidential elections with a system where Members of Parliament elect the head of state.
Mabhiza reportedly cited South Africa and Botswana as comparative models – a reference that triggered Chiwenga’s outburst. Witnesses say he objected strongly to any comparison with South Africa, arguing it should not be mentioned alongside liberation movements that fought for independence. The mood in the room shifted immediately.
President Mnangagwa is said to have intervened, cautioning Chiwenga over both the interruption and his remarks. At one point, Mnangagwa reportedly snapped, “I’m the president!” as Chiwenga insisted on finishing prepared notes he had brought to the meeting.
Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi had presented the amendment proposals before ministers were invited to contribute. Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe reportedly spoke in support, along with Energy Minister July Moyo, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerayi Moyo, Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe and ICT Minister Tatenda Matevera, though Matevera objected to the proposed abolition of the Gender Commission. Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube reportedly sought to speak but was not recognised.
Chiwenga and Sports Minister Anselem Sanyatwe – the recently retired army commander – were said to be the only ministers who forcefully opposed key aspects of the bill. Their objections centred particularly on amending section 92 to remove direct presidential elections, a change Chiwenga allegedly warned would undermine the “one man, one vote” principle rooted in the liberation struggle.
Sources say Chiwenga fears that shifting the vote to Parliament could weaken the authority of the party leader and open succession politics to manipulation by powerful internal factions.
Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri reportedly challenged both Chiwenga and Sanyatwe during the exchanges, disputing their claims to superior liberation credentials.
Beyond extending presidential terms from five to seven years, the amendment bill proposes aligning the electoral calendar with the longer tenure, restructuring succession mechanisms and abolishing the Gender Commission and the Peace and Reconciliation Commission. Critics argue the changes would significantly alter the balance between voters, Parliament and the executive.
Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda is expected to table the bill soon, triggering a mandatory 90-day public consultation period before lawmakers vote. With Zanu PF holding a two-thirds majority, passage is widely anticipated if party discipline holds, though legal experts say the breadth of the changes could require a national referendum.
Constitutional scholar Lovemore Madhuku has argued that altering the method of electing a president strikes at the core structure of the 2013 Constitution. Advocate Thabani Mpofu has similarly questioned whether Parliament’s amendment powers extend to transforming a five-year electoral mandate into seven years.
The explosive Cabinet exchanges suggest that despite its parliamentary dominance, the ruling party remains divided over how Zimbabwe’s constitutional future — and eventual succession politics — should unfold.
Dominic Nosacek, who is from Wisconsin, is facing murder charges after he allegedly shot and killed his Black neighbor, Angelo Nelson, because he believed he was a “terrorist.” He later returned home to do his taxes before turning himself in to the authorities.
The victim was found dead in the hallway of their Milwaukee apartment building on February 2. He suffered a single gunshot wound to the head. Nelson’s family said he was on his way to do laundry and had just started a new job that day.
According to Atlanta Black Star, court documents stated that Nosacek, 31, walked into a Department of Homeland Security office the same day and told a security guard, “I just killed a militia, I shot him in the head.” He told investigators that he thought his neighbors were “militia men” harassing or blackmailing him.
Nosacek also told police he saw Nelson standing in the hallway and believed he was waiting to attack him, so he shot him even though Nelson wasn’t armed and they never spoke. Investigators noted that Nosacek has a history of psychosis, depression, and previous domestic violence incidents.
Family and friends remembered Nelson, who just recently turned 50 years old, as “funny” and a “people person.” His best friend, D’Juan Hill, said, “It was someone’s own personal mental stability that took my friend from me. I want the world to know about Angelo Nelson.”
A GoFundMe was launched to help the family with funeral costs. It has so far raised over $6,000.
Nosacek remains in custody with bail set at $251,000 while facing first-degree intentional homicide and bail-jumping charges from a previous case.
BREAKING: TERM EXTENSION STORM: MUDENDA GAZETTES BILL TO ADD 2 YEARS TO MNANGAGWA RULE
A political firestorm is brewing after Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda gazetted the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3), triggering a 90-day public consultation process that could ultimately extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term by two years.
The controversial Bill now heads for public hearings before a decisive vote in Parliament and the Senate but critics say the clock is ticking on democracy itself.
Leading advocate Thabani Mpofu last week launched a fierce attack on the ruling ZANU-PF, accusing it of attempting to smuggle in sweeping constitutional changes without proper public consent or a referendum.
Mpofu argues Parliament has no mandate to alter the supreme law in such a fundamental way, insisting a constitution belongs to the people not a single party. He also claims the governing party lacks the moral and electoral authority for such drastic reforms.
With tensions rising, Zimbabwe now braces for a high-stakes constitutional showdown.
Lance Cpl. Chukwuemeka E. Oforah, a 21-year-old African American Marine, fell overboard during a U.S. military operation in the Caribbean and was declared dead after a three-day search. His death is the first U.S. military casualty linked to President Trump’s mission to control Venezuela.
According to ABC 7, Oforah was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He went missing Saturday from the USS Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship that played a central role in Operation Southern Spear, Trump’s military buildup in the Caribbean targeting Maduro.
The operation has so far included the capture of Maduro and his wife, who were flown to Iwo Jima before being transferred to U.S. custody. Oforah’s death is the first casualty directly associated with the mission.
The search for Oforah lasted three days and involved ships, aircraft, drones, and dozens of personnel. The cause of his fall remains under investigation.
Col. Tom Trimble, commander of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, expressed deep sorrow over the loss. “The loss of Lance Cpl. Oforah is deeply felt across the entire Navy-Marine Corps team. He will be profoundly missed, and his dedicated service will not be forgotten,” he said
Oforah joined the Marines in October 2023 and graduated from boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, in February 2024. His brief service ended in tragedy during a major U.S. military operation.
AFTER U.S. EXTENDS AGOA, CHINA FINALLY AGREES ZERO TARIFF ACCESS FOR 53 AFRICAN NATIONS
….The new measure broadens the regime to nearly the entire continent, extending duty-free access to all African countries except eSwatini
By Olamilekan Okebiorun (Business Insider)
China has decided to implement zero-tariff treatment for imports from 53 African countries, a move that comes amid lingering uncertainty over the renewal of the United States’ African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and continued trade tensions between African nations and the European Union over Economic Partnership Agreements.
Until now, duty-free access had applied only to selected African countries. Beijing had granted zero-tariff treatment on 97% to 98% of tariff lines for 33 African least developed countries (LDCs), before expanding that coverage in 2024 to include all products originating from African LDCs.
The new measure broadens the regime to nearly the entire continent, extending duty-free access to all African countries except Eswatini, which maintains diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
The decision follows sustained diplomatic engagement by African leaders. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa recently travelled to China to advance trade discussions.
Subsequently, a non-binding framework agreement was signed by South Africa’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, and China’s Minister of Commerce, Wang Wentao, during a Joint Economic and Trade Commission meeting, making South Africa the 33rd African country to conclude such a framework.
Negotiations on an Early Harvest Agreement are expected to be finalised by March 2026. Once concluded, the deal will provide zero-tariff access for South African exports to the Chinese market.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has also repeatedly urged measures to address structural trade imbalances between China and African economies.
Trade growth continues but imbalance persists Trade between China and Africa has grown rapidly but remains heavily skewed. Bilateral trade reached $222.05 billion between January and August 2025, up 15.4% year-on-year, according to China’s General Administration of Customs.
Chinese exports to Africa surged 24.7% to $140.79 billion, while imports from Africa rose just 2.3% to $81.25 billion.
Africa’s trade deficit with China widened to $59.55 billion in the first eight months of 2025, nearly matching the full-year 2024 deficit of $61.93 billion.
The imbalance reflects Africa’s reliance on raw materials such as crude oil, copper, cobalt and iron ore, while importing higher value-added manufactured goods from China.
Mineral resources accounted for roughly 40% of China’s imports from African LDCs in 2023, followed by non-edible raw materials and semi-processed goods.
Chinese exports have included machinery, electronics and renewable energy equipment. Africa imported 15,032 megawatts of Chinese solar panels between July 2024 and June 2025, up 60% from the previous 12 months.
Strategic positioning and revenue trade-off Beijing says the zero-tariff regime is designed to boost African exports and rebalance trade flows.
Economists estimate China will forgo around $1.4 billion in tariff revenue under the expanded scheme, strengthening its economic diplomacy and soft power on the continent.
The move also positions China in contrast with Western trade programmes. The European Union’s “Everything But Arms” scheme offers duty-free access only to LDCs, while non-LDC African countries must negotiate Economic Partnership Agreements.
The United States’ African Growth and Opportunity Act provides selective duty-free access but remains subject to periodic renewal and potential suspension.
Structural constraints remain Despite the tariff removal, analysts caution that structural barriers remain. Non-tariff barriers, including regulatory standards, logistics constraints and financing gaps, continue to limit African exporters’ ability to penetrate the Chinese market.
Beijing has pledged additional trade facilitation measures, including dedicated funds and financial products to support enterprises operating in Africa.
While tariffs may fall to zero, narrowing the trade gap will depend on whether African economies can diversify exports beyond primary commodities and build competitive manufacturing capacity.
King Dalindyebo Attempts to Dethrone Mandla Mandela Over Gaza Stance
A video circulating on social media has ignited a firestorm in the Eastern Cape, showing AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo announcing the removal of Mandla Mandela as the chief of Mvezo, along with two other Amakhosi.
The dramatic declaration, made over the weekend at the king’s residential complex in Mthatha, has prompted the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa (Contralesa) to appeal for calm amid what it terms a “traditional leadership feud”.
At the centre of the conflict lies a deep geopolitical rift: Mandela’s outspoken support for Palestine clashes directly with the king’s increasingly vocal backing of Israel.
“Today I am pronouncing that Mandla Mandela is no longer the chief of Mvezo, out,” Dalindyebo is heard saying in the video. “While we are busy trying to save our own children here, he is saving children in Palestine. Let Palestine give him chieftaincy. He is no longer welcome here”. The king’s spokesperson, Mayibuye Mandela, confirmed the decision, stating that a formal statement would follow
Mandla Mandela, a grandson of Nelson Mandela and an ANC MP, was installed as chief of the Mvezo Traditional Council in 2007. He has previously threatened to lead a campaign to remove Dalindyebo as king, accusing him of betraying South Africa’s longstanding policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The grandson of Madiba has been a fervent advocate for the Palestinian cause, recently calling for a gathering at the Mvezo Great Place to express solidarity with Palestine .
However, Contralesa has moved quickly to pour cold water on the king’s decree, asserting that he lacks the authority to unilaterally dismiss traditional leaders. Contralesa President Kgosi Larmeck Mokoena emphasised that customary law and the constitution mandate a strict process for both the recognition and removal of a chief.
“You cannot just wake up one morning and say, ‘Kgosi Mokoena is no longer a Kgosi’,” Mokoena stated. He explained that a traditional leader is identified by the royal family, which then recommends the individual to the government, after which the premier issues a certificate of r
Motsepe Steps Down as ARM Executive Chairman to Comply with New JSE Rules
Billionaire businessman Patrice Motsepe has stepped down as executive chairman of African Rainbow Minerals (ARM), the diversified mining group he founded, in response to new governance rules implemented by the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).
The change, which took effect on Monday, 16 February 2026, sees Motsepe transition from his executive role to become non-executive chairman of the company.
He also retired as an employee of ARM, the company confirmed in a stock exchange news service announcement.
The move follows amendments to the JSE’s Listings Requirements under its “Simplification Project,” which became operational on the same day.
According to paragraph 5.7(d) of the new rules, the chair of a listed company may no longer serve as an executive director. The reform is designed to strengthen corporate governance by enforcing a clearer separation between board oversight and day-to-day management.
“I have undertaken my new role as non-executive chairman to ensure compliance with the Listings Requirements,”
Motsepe said in a statement. “I look forward to continue contributing to the global competitiveness of ARM in my new capacity”.
Motsepe, who founded ARM in 2003 and is South Africa’s only Black dollar billionaire with an estimated net worth of $3.1 billion, will maintain his influence over the company’s strategic direction from the board .
He also serves as president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
In a concurrent leadership restructure, ARM announced the appointment of Jacob van der Bijl as its new Chief Operating Officer, also effective 16 February . Motsepe described Van der Bijl, a long-serving company veteran, as a “world-class mining engineer” . David Noko will continue in his role as the company’s lead independent non-executive director.
ARM, which has a market capitalisation of approximately $2.7 billion, holds interests in iron ore, platinum group metals, and coal . The company is expected to publish its full-year results on 5 March.
IRANIAN GENERAL THREATENS TRUMP: “WE WILL CUT OFF HIS HAND AND FINGER”
Tensions between Iran and the United States are exploding as Iranian military leaders issue direct threats against President Donald Trump.
WHAT IRANIAN OFFICIALS ACTUALLY SAID:
IRGC General Mohsen Rezaei: “We will cut off his hand and his finger” warning that Iran would not accept a ceasefire if attacked.
Army Chief Major General Amir Hatami: Threatened pre-emptive military action over Trump’s rhetoric targeting Tehran.
Foreign Minister Araghchi: Iran’s armed forces are “with their fingers on the trigger” ready to “immediately and powerfully respond to ANY aggression.”
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf: All American centers and forces in the region would be “legitimate targets” in response to any attack.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei: Any US attack would spark a “regional war.”
THE REALITY CHECK:
Iran is making bold threats, but let’s face the facts:
MILITARY COMPARISON:
– US military budget: ~$850 billion – Iran military budget: ~$25 billion
The gap is massive. The United States has the world’s most advanced air force, navy, and military technology.
RECENT HISTORY PROVES IT:
Last June 2025, Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war. Israel gained air superiority quickly, with the US also conducting strikes against Iranian nuclear sites during that period.
If small Israel could dominate Iran’s airspace in days, imagine what the world’s strongest military could do.
THE BIGGER PICTURE:
While Iranian generals make threats, Iran is facing massive internal problems:
Since December 28, 2025, nationwide protests over economic collapse have resulted in 116 people dead and 2,600 detained according to activists.
Iran’s economy is in crisis. Their people are protesting. And now they’re threatening the most powerful military on earth.
Trump is reportedly sending what he calls a “massive armada” toward Iran and has threatened new attacks.
THE TRUTH ABOUT WAR:
I do not support war. War is deadly and destructive just look at World War I and World War II.
But statements like “we will cut off his hand” sound unprofessional and reckless, especially from government officials.
A war between Iran and the United States would be devastating particularly for Iran.
Iran has weapons and regional influence, yes. But military capability? It’s not even close.
This is about deterrence and posturing for domestic audiences, not actual military strength.
THE LESSON:
Threatening the United States won’t solve Iran’s economic crisis or stop the protests in their streets.
Bold words don’t equal military power.
War benefits no one but if it happens, the cost to Iran would be catastrophic.
Leaders should focus on diplomacy, not threats. The world has seen enough bloodshed.
BREAKING: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney blindsides Trump by forming a super alliance of 40 powerful countries to defeat his disastrous MAGA agenda.
Carney has become one of Trump’s most brilliant adversaries…
According to Politico, the European Union, composed of 27 nations, as well as a geopolitical bloc of 12 Indo-Pacific countries, have begun negotiations to form one of the largest economic alliances in the entire world. This historic pivot comes as Trump continues to wage erratic tariff wars on close allies, turning the once-stable United States into a deeply unreliable partner.
The talks are being led by Canada and will be the fruit of Carney’s vision of a world in which the so-called “middle powers” unite to undermine Trump’s tariffs and make themselves immune to his bullying coercion.
If successful — and it certainly appears to be heading in that direction — the supply chains of countries as far off as Canada, Malaysia, and Germany could be intwined into one super supply chain.
“The work is definitely coming along,” a Canadian government official said to POLITICO. “We’ve had very fruitful discussions on it with other partners around the world.”
“We see a lot of value in increasing trade among the EU and [Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership] parties, which would also contribute to enhancing supply chain resilience,” stated a Japanese trade official.
Last month, Carney gave an astonishing speech at the Davos World Economic Forum during which he announced the end of American dominance, stating that the “bargain no longer” works for the rest of the world. American hegemony once offered benefits, now it offers only chaos.
“Let me be direct, we are in the midst of a rupture not a transition,” Carney said during that speech. “Over the past two decades a series of crises in finance, health, energy, and geopolitics have laid the bare risks of extreme global integration.”
“But more recently, great powers have begun using economic integration as weapons,” he said, referring to Trump. “Tariffs as leverage. Financial infrastructures as coercion. Supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited. You cannot live within the lie of mutual benefit through integration when integration becomes the source of your subordination.”
He predicted that allied nations would “diversify to hedge against uncertainty” and “rebuild sovereignty” and that’s exactly what’s happening with this nascent trade alliance. Carney said that the deal will “create a new trading bloc of 1.5 billion people.”
Left out in the cold would be the American people, who will be forced to stand by as the citizens of other nations enjoy easier, cheaper access to reliable goods. Trump has made us a world pariah, and the price will be shouldered by your wallet.
“We hope that if that’s a success, if you can see tangible benefits in different areas, that could also entice other countries to join in and team up in a positive sense,” said Klemens Kober, the Director of Trade Policy, EU Customs, Transatlantic Relations at the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce.
“So the more the merrier,” Kober added.
This is what happens when you elect an ignorant conman and give him unilateral power over foreign policy. Trump and his MAGA sycophants thought that the rest of the world would simply roll over as America proceeded to pillage and ransack their coffers. Instead, they’e banding together to completely shatter the balance of power forever.
The Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Nakuru, Kenya has fired 19 pastors over alleged misconduct and formation of a parallel apostasy group.
The Central Rift Valley Conference claims the pastors defied church doctrine and organised under an unrecognised Mid Rift Valley Union of Churches Conference.
The pastors, including Daniel Kerochi, deny the allegations, saying they remain faithful to SDA policies and answer to the global headquarters in Maryland, USA.
The CRVC circular bars the pastors from preaching, teaching, collecting tithes, or representing the church, echoing past splits within Kenya’s Adventist community.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has sparked mixed reaction online after referring to his Zimbabwean counterpart, Emmerson Mnangagwa, as “my brother” during a meeting on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa.
Ramaphosa, who was attending the 39th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, shared images of the engagement on X and Facebook, describing the interaction as a warm exchange between the two leaders.
“Good catching up with my brother President @edmnangagwa on the margins of the #AUSummit,” Ramaphosa posted.
The South African Presidency also circulated photographs of the meeting, stating that the two Heads of State met at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa and appending the hashtag #BetterAfricaBetterWorld.
However, it was not only the wording of the post that drew attention. Social media users dissected the images accompanying the message, with some commenting on the body language and facial expressions captured during the brief encounter. While supporters viewed the meeting as a routine diplomatic engagement reflecting regional solidarity, critics questioned the optics given ongoing political and economic challenges in Zimbabwe.
The summit itself has been dominated by discussions on peace, governance and security across the continent. In his address to fellow leaders, Ramaphosa raised concerns about unconstitutional changes of government and persistent instability in countries such as Sudan, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to constitutional order, democratic governance and continental stability, in line with the AU’s long-term development blueprint, Agenda 2063.
The interaction between Ramaphosa and Mnangagwa comes amid continued scrutiny over relations between Pretoria and Harare, particularly on issues of migration, economic cooperation and political reform.
While the Presidency framed the meeting as a positive step in strengthening bilateral ties, online reaction suggests that symbolism and perception remain powerful factors in regional diplomacy.
The trial of Walter Magaya, leader of Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries (PHD Ministries), failed to commence on Monday after the State successfully applied for the matter to be heard in a Victim Friendly Court.
Magaya is facing four counts of rape.
Prosecutors argued that the complainants are vulnerable and traumatised, submitting that testifying in open court could further affect their wellbeing. The State maintained that conducting proceedings in a Victim-Friendly Court would safeguard the complainants and enable them to give evidence freely.
The defence team, led by Mr Admire Rubaya, opposed the application, contending that it violated legal provisions. Mr Rubaya argued that the complainants could not be intimidated by the nature of the proceedings, citing their ages.
However, the court ruled in favour of the State and ordered that the trial be held in a Victim Friendly Court and away from the public to protect the complainants.
Following the ruling, Mr Rubaya indicated that the defence intends to seek referral of the matter to the Constitutional Court, alleging constitutional breaches.
The case was deferred to Tuesday to allow the defence to file its application for referral.
Gavin Newsom BLASTS Donald Trump: “He’s in RETREAT and Getting Weaker by the Day!”
California Governor Gavin Newsom has launched a blistering attack on President Donald Trump, claiming the once dominant political force is now “in retreat” and sinking fast in the polls.
In a fiery statement, Newsom declared that Trump is “historically unpopular” across the United States and struggling in every major approval category even on immigration, long considered his strongest issue.
According to Newsom, Trump is now “underwater” with voters and looking increasingly vulnerable. “He’s getting weaker,” the governor insisted, adding that the signs of political decline are becoming impossible to ignore.
The gloves are off and the 2028 battle lines are burning bright.
“SECRET STARLINK SCOOP!” Trump Team Allegedly Smuggled Thousands of Satellite Kits Into Iran!
The latest Wall Street Journal bombshell claims the United States Department of State quietly slipped about 6,000 Starlink satellite internet terminals into Iran amid brutal crackdowns and internet blackouts to help protesters stay connected.
According to U.S. officials cited in the report, this covert move the first direct shipment of the Elon Musk-backed tech into the country was aimed at countering Tehran’s digital blackout during widespread unrest.
The State Department reportedly bought nearly 7,000 of the devices in recent months, most delivered in January, though possession of Starlink equipment is illegal in Iran and punishable by prison.
President Donald Trump was said to be aware of the operation, though it’s unclear who signed off on the plan.
President Trump criticized Rep. Ilhan Omar after she posted remarks that appeared to call for his execution, citing alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The White House said her comments spread false claims and could encourage violence against the President.
Omar, a Democratic congresswoman from Minnesota, wrote on social media, “The leader of the Pedophile Protection Party is trying to deflect attention from his name being all over the Epstein files. At least in Somalia, they execute pedophiles, not elect them.” The post quickly drew a sharp response from Trump’s team.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told TMZ, “It should deeply concern every single American that Congresswoman Omar is spreading such egregious lies and calling for the execution of President Trump, who has already survived two assassination attempts.
“Democrats should immediately condemn this post and urge their colleague to stop lying and inciting political violence against the sitting President.”
Trump also called Omar a “fake ‘congresswoman’” in remarks Tuesday night, though he did not explain the term. The clash highlights ongoing tension between Trump and Democratic lawmakers.
The controversy comes as Trump’s past links to Epstein remain under scrutiny. Epstein’s files reportedly mention Trump multiple times, though the former president has denied any wrongdoing and says he ended his relationship with Epstein decades ago.
Meloni Slams Migration at AU, As Italy Quietly Opens Doors to Half a Million Workers
At the African Union summit in Addis Ababa on February 13, 2026, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni delivered a fiery warning on migration even as Italy faces a looming labour crisis at home.
Addressing leaders at the African Union, Meloni declared that those who claim migration is “necessary and indispensable” are acting selfishly. If Africa’s young people leave, she asked, what becomes of their nations’ history, culture and very existence?
Yet back in Rome, a different story is unfolding. Italy has approved nearly 498,000 non-EU work visas between 2026 and 2028 under its Flow Decree, scrambling to plug labour shortages.
Long-term projections suggest the country could need up to 280,000 foreign workers a year as its workforce shrinks l, with the OECD warning of a 34% drop in working-age citizens by 2060.
Tough talk abroad. Open doors at home. Italy’s migration paradox is on full display.
BREAKING: WAR DRUMS BEAT LOUDER: 18 More US F-35s Storm Into Middle East After Trump’s Iran Warning
Tensions are soaring as the United States has deployed an additional 18 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets to the Middle East in a dramatic show of force.
The move follows a stark warning from Donald Trump, who threatened Iran with possible military strikes if it refuses to abandon its nuclear enrichment program.
The cutting-edge stealth aircraft, operated by the United States Air Force, are among the most advanced combat jets in the world capable of evading radar and delivering precision strikes.
Defense watchers say the deployment signals rising pressure on Tehran, as diplomatic tensions simmer and military readiness ramps up. With fighter jets now positioned in the region, the message from Washington appears clear: the stakes are escalating, and all options are on the table.
WISHING DEATH UPON A SITTING PRESIDENT IS UNETHICAL, UNPROFESSIONAL AND MORALLY INDEFENSIBLE By Shalala Oliver Sepiso
Recent remarks attributed to historian Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa, in which he is quoted as stating that he “would not miss” President Hakainde Hichilema if he were to die today, represent a deeply troubling departure from ethical and professional standards.
Whether Dr Sishuwa would personally miss the President is entirely his prerogative and not the substance of this discussion. The far more serious concern is the casual normalisation of rhetoric that appears to trivialise, if not tacitly wish for, the death of a fellow citizen, and a democratically elected Head of State at that.
President Hichilema did not impose himself upon the people of Zambia. He is the product of a constitutional and democratic process, pursued lawfully over several electoral cycles until he secured the mandate of the majority. To indulge in language that entertains or appears to welcome his death is not merely an attack on an individual; it is an affront to the millions of Zambians who entrusted him with leadership.
It is particularly disturbing that such rhetoric emanates from a scholar whose noble vocation is to inform, educate and guide young minds. The academy demands integrity. A lecturer cannot wear the jacket of a professor in the classroom and then don the garment of recklessness and moral indifference in the public square. Scholarship carries with it a duty of intellectual discipline, ethical consistency and civic responsibility, not inflammatory insinuation.
Citizens will also recall that this is the same individual who previously circulated allegations regarding the President’s health during a working visit to his farm in Choma, allegations that were decisively disproved upon the President’s return to Lusaka in good health. Such episodes underscore a pattern of conduct that raises legitimate questions about motive and judgement.
Zambia deserves issue-based discourse. The President and his administration have consistently called for reasoned debate grounded in policy differences, not personalised hostility or divisive rhetoric. Democracy thrives on disagreement; it deteriorates when discourse descends into dehumanisation.
Beyond politics, President Hichilema is a human being, a husband, a father and a fellow citizen. Our national values rooted in faith, morality and respect for human dignity, do not sanction the wish for another’s death. Life and death are matters beyond human manipulation.
We therefore urge Dr Sishuwa and others in positions of influence to reflect seriously on the weight of their words. Zambia’s intellectual class must elevate public conversation, not corrode it.
In a democratic society, criticism is legitimate. Wishing death upon an opponent is not.
Sishuwa Sishuwa writes:
If this president left office or died today, I won’t miss him
I know that the title of this article alone may easily trigger some people, who, without reading further or beyond it, may either jump to premature conclusions which they will deploy in the service of the expression of uninformed opinions or rush to accusing me of harboring hatred.
Such is the age in which we live that many people find no shame in confidently commenting on what they have neither read nor understood and in proudly showcasing their inability to read long posts by demanding that the writer must learn to summarise their output, as if the article comes with the legal requirement that everyone who comes across it must read it.
People who are busy, surface readers, or those with limited attention span are free and most welcome to scroll past my writings in search of shorter posts. There is a reason why I am not on TikTok. I write. I write for those who read. I write long reads and that is part of my identity. I write to express myself on matters of public interest.
I know that I do sometimes express opinions that make some people feel uncomfortable. In my view, what the uncomfortables should deal with is the source of their discomfort, not my drawing attention to the need to discuss even uncomfortable truths or subjects. I speak to express my opinions, not to nurse anyone’s emotions, to make them comfortable, or to secure anyone’s validation, respect, support, or favour. I insist that I have the right to think and express my opinions.
My pen, as does my voice, runs on with my truth. I must either say what is in me or remain silent. In the service of impartial but certainly not neutral political commentary, I test the limits of freedom of expression and have a particularly proven knack of irritating supporters of successive ruling parties, especially those whose support for presidents has anointed itself with the sanctity of a religious faith.
I do not simply express myself. I also let others express themselves freely including on my only social media account. I actively listen to what other people say and pay greater attention to content-based criticism.
All this is to say that I believe in freedom of expression. I live or practice this belief. I believe that free speech is not just for the people or thoughts we like or agree with; it is also for people we despise and opinions that we do not support. This explains why I do not easily take offence when those who comment on what I have shared, even when they have evidently not read the content of the post to which they are responding, resort to abuse, insults, and whatever else in response to what I have put out. I consider even insults a form of democratic expression.
I believe that free speech is intended to protect the expression of ideas in public, to enable us to communicate with each other about what we understand to be true, and to share opinions, debate differing viewpoints, and challenge the status quo. I believe that every person has the right to express themselves in any way, to share opinions that diverge from my own or the prevailing narrative, and to say whatever they want or think including when responding to what I share. In turn, I can choose to respond or ignore, although I welcome and make every effort to read and understand the reactions, rebuttals, or concerns that other people express in response to what I have said.
Having claimed and exercised my freedom of expression, I am only all too aware of the right of others to exercise the same right on any matter, including when commenting on my public commentaries. Being human, it is natural that we will have varying lines of thought on any given topic. Flexibility in slant of views is in keeping up with our humanness. I believe that it is only through many conversations that we can reconsider our positions, challenge our assumptions, question our convictions, and come to appreciate our own ignorance.
One thing I will never do in response to any criticism of my opinions or of me as a person is to block any person, to mute them on social media and consequently shut myself from the knowledge of their views, however warped those views might be, or to interfere in any way with their right to express themselves fully, even in instances where the person is saying nothing substantive or rational. The right to free speech would be meaningless if it was accompanied by a requirement to only give expression to reasonable or sensible thoughts.
To illustrate my commitment to free speech: I receive a lot of flak, nasty responses, insults or ad hominem attacks over the opinions or ideas I express. As is true of my rather indifferent attitude towards praise, these things do not get to me. They do not bother me at all. If they did, I would have long ago stopped expressing myself on public issues. What easily gets to me is reason, logic, or a good argument, displayed by an ability to show weakness in my stated point of view, not to tell me that there exists a particular view on it that is supported by the majority, against which dissent is prohibited.
I believe that we must never knowingly make anyone feel less for not having attained our level – be it of awareness, understanding, education, status, or any other arbitrary considerations. I am an advocate for the free sharing of views and ideas, without any inhibitions or hierarchies. If the only thing that the other person can say in response to what we have said is to call us names, we should understand that outcome as a true reflection of their state and quality of mind. We should not get easily offended. I personally bear sympathies and special understanding for those among us whose only capacity to reason is never beyond an ad hominem attack. I suppose they cannot help it, even if they tried. Let us be charitable. The world can do with a little bit of more tolerance, more understanding.
Now to the content or substance of the title. I do not hate the President. I hate his bad leadership. I will explain what bad leadership in this context means to me.
Bad leadership means representing nearly everything he spent 15 years in opposition fighting against. I hate this.
Bad leadership means his tribalism, regionalism, and sectarian tendencies that have found expression through skewed distribution of appointments to public office and the regular issuance of divisive speech by him. I hate this.
Bad leadership means his tolerance for corruption including the kind that has facilitated the ongoing plunder in the mining, health, agricultural, and energy sectors, and one that explains why he has to date refused to publish his asset declarations. I hate this.
Bad leadership means his compulsive lying that erodes public trust in elected public officials and gives politics a bad name. I hate this.
Bad leadership means his vindictiveness and restraint-lacking character that has found expression in ways that I do not need to explain to any sane Zambian with an open mind. I hate this.
Bad leadership means his unbridled faith in the IMF and outsiders as the panacea to our foremost economic challenges. I hate this.
Bad leadership means his anti-democratic behavior, his failure to enact constitutional and legal reforms that would have prevented his incremental destruction of the guardrails and norms that have long kept executive power in check or within its constitutional constraints. I hate this.
Bad leadership means wasting money on useless ventures while failing to adequately fund higher education so that the University of Zambia and other public universities can manage to pay gratuities and pensions owed to long-suffering workers dating to as far back as 2011. I hate this.
Bad leadership means his decision to pack institutions that are vital to democratic consolidation – such as the judiciary, the electoral commission, the police, and security services – with loyalists who primarily see themselves as existing to serve his partisan agenda, not the interests of the Republic. I hate this.
Bad leadership means the consequences of his Uncle Tom syndrome on public policy, his clear contempt for black ordinary Zambians whom he regularly presents as poor because they are lazy and not smart (with himself as the model for hard work and ingenuity, my foot!), and his apparent lack of consequential exposure, which might help explain his limited worldview and why he gets excited whenever he meets people of a different colour. I hate this.
Bad leadership means his poor record on governance including the continued violations of human rights and the systematic destruction of institutions that are essential to the promotion of vertical, horizontal, and social accountability. I hate this.
Bad leadership means his loyalty to self-gain and private business interests, his deliberate failure to put together a team of independent minded and competent men and women who are patriots, can help him generate a feasible national plan, and are committed to restoring the nation’s dignity, where they come from notwithstanding. I hate this.
Bad leadership means his deeply embarrassing, misguided, anti-human rights, anti-peace, pro-colonialism, and pro-war foreign policy that represents a clear departure from Zambia’s traditional and forward-looking foreign policy whose foundations were laid by Kenneth Kaunda and whose consistent implementation by successive presidents before this one earned the country the respect of much of southern Africa, the continent, and the Global South. I hate this.
Bad leadership means the constant reference to the PF as the standard against which he measures his leadership ignoring the fact that we voted them out because they were bad leaders. I hate this.
Bad leadership means constantly congratulating oneself for the isolated, few, perfectly normal government deeds that should never be a source of pride for a more sane president. I hate this.
Bad leadership means… I hate that too.
Argh, I weep for Zambia. The light is dimming. Darkness is slowly engulfing the flicker of light that has remained. The weather and the speed of the wind is almost extinguishing this light that explains why we have avoided an epic calamity.
I miss the opposition leader I voted for on 12 August 2021: the one who could actively listen and learn, who identified with the people and their needs, who appeared as a decent political leader outraged by anti-democratic or repressive legislation, abuse, injustice, lies, corruption, and ethnic-regional divisions, and presented himself as a steady pair of hands who could help restore Zambia’s democratic tradition and resuscitate the faltering economy – not through graphs or meaningless macro indicators that have no meaning to the lives of ordinary people.
The person ruling today is completely different and one I no longer recognise. This is because this president has gone against his word on the many promises he made and so easily found comfort in the company of nearly all the vices he denounced in opposition that one may think his conscience has been stolen. I sometimes ask myself: What would his former self think of him now? Whatever happened to the one we had in opposition, may we never again be subjected to a similar scam.
In a sense, the blame is on me. Whatever has come out is on me, not him. I did not fully interrogate his character, so I take responsibility for helping to put him in power in the last election. I should have listened to President Levy Mwanawasa who once said this about this same person: “His understanding of politics is that it doesn’t matter; you can cheat, provided you get your goals. The problem [with] Mr Hichilema is…that he wants to cheat, to mislead, to show that he is what he is not”.
I owe Levy an apology. I did not conduct due diligence on this man. He has not changed at all. In 2021, he remained what he had been all along, since 2006 when Levy made that prescient observation: a fraud who fooled many into believing that he was a bankable candidate only to show his true colours after assuming State power; an ethnic-regional, inept political leader with limited depth whose many weaknesses we overlooked in our quest to get rid of his predecessor, and a compulsive liar who made various promises which he had no intention of implementing and, in many cases, had the definite intention of doing exactly the opposite. His strategy was simple: to propose popular policies in order to get elected, and then to drop them after his election.
If this president left office or died today, I will not miss him. I won’t miss him because of all the illustrated bad leadership traits he is displaying. If he left office today, I would rejoice with relief, for Zambia. If he died today, I will be sad, at a personal level, that a fellow human being has died and even extend my condolences to his grieving family, relatives, and friends – including the many currently in government. However, unless he abandons his bad leadership and changes for the better, I will not miss him as president. And I do not think I am the only one who feels that way.
I am convinced that there are many who are quietly appalled by his divisive and dreadful leadership to the point of silently wishing this president dead, not because they hate him as a person but because they, as I do, love Zambia more; people who will be happy to see this president live up to 110 years old if they were not subjected to a subhuman existence emanating from his unpatriotic policies in the mining industry, the institutionalisation of his mediocre leadership, and the strain that can result from the frightening possibility that his poor presidency may continue beyond 13 August, if he is not stopped from stealing the election.
I have tried – really tried – to give this president the benefit of the doubt. I have hoped, like many Zambians, that somewhere in there was a shred of concern for the country. But he keeps stifling my optimism. Time and again, his leadership actions make it clear there is never any real concern for the country – only ego, recklessness, self-interest, and partisan, ethnic, regional, and business, mainly foreign, considerations. The repercussions are stacking up and their combined weight, I fear, may pull down the Republic.
If I was ignorant and of limited world view like many of his supporters, I would shut up and understand. If I was a tribalist, who sees this president as one who comes from our region and therefore choose to shut my eyes to all his pitfalls or transgressions out of herd mentality and the fear that the Bembas and Easterners might come back to power, I would shut up and understand.
If I did not vote for this president and could therefore comfort myself with the consideration that I am not among those who helped put him in power, I would shut up and understand. If I did not come from the country of James Skinner, Akashambatwa Lewanika, Edith Nawakwi and Mbita Chitala (all preceding three as MMD founders), Fred M’membe (the journalist), Alfred Chanda, Justice Clever Musumali, Lucy Sichone, Senior Chief Bright Nalubamba, Brebner Changala, Telesphore Mpundu, Godfrey Miyanda (the opposition leader), Muna Ndulo, Laura Miti (the pre-2021 version), Linda Kasonde, Musa Mwenye, John Sangwa, Chama Fumba (the artist), Sitali Alibuzwi, Cephas Lumina, Beauty Katebe, and many other outstanding patriots of our country who have, at one time or another, illuminated light, spoken truth to power, or demonstrated an inspiring commitment to principle that serves as the heritage for present and later generations, I would shut up and understand.
I can’t wait for the day when Zambians would learn to support their elected public leaders by holding them to account with the same zeal that supporters of successive presidents, including this president’s, show when holding me to account for daring to criticise the leaders they support. Although they probably deserve empathy and understanding, it saddens me greatly that many of those who support this president to a point of fanatism are the very people whose subhuman existence stand to benefit greatly from increased public accountability.
We must attack the chronic syndrome of low expectations, which has become our lot. Our crises are a testimony to how little we Zambians expect and demand from our public leaders, from life, for ourselves. I know from personal experience the cost of speaking out can be high, but we will not see a better Zambia in our lifetime if we let our elected public leaders get away with it or if we leave the task of holding our leaders to account to only a few people.
In addition to conquering fear, all that any citizen with an active conscience needs to speak out is a voice, a pen, a mind, and a platform. For instance, while I have the academic tools, I do not speak out because I am an academic. I speak out because it is my responsibility as a citizen – my primary identity – to hold the government to account, to promote the ideals and objectives of Zambia’s constitution. I insist that every citizen needs to take these duties, imposed on all citizens regardless of their location, seriously. To be silent in the face of democracy erosion, human rights violations, the expression of sectarian tendencies, abuse, injustice, inequality, and corruption is to actively participate in sustaining the status quo.
We all do not have to be in government to participate in the affairs of, or to make a meaningful contribution to, our country. In fact, I sometimes sit quietly, alone, and wonder what would have become of me had I ended up in government under the current or any of the past two administrations. Yes, President Michael Sata, as did President Edgar Lungu, once offered me a government job and there are several people who are still alive today who can testify to this truth. Even under the current government, I have twice been offered but respectfully declined presidential appointments, with the last offer coming on 4 April 2022. I mention this record not to betray confidentiality – I have minimum values and will not say more on this subject unless this president, who personally knows the truth, were to publicly repeat the nonsense that third parties spew out.
I mention the innocuous record to illustrate a wider point: when I criticise a president’s actions, I do so in the interest of the public good, the belief that a better Zambia is possible, and the pursuit of the ideal effective leadership, one that is highly competent, sufficiently educated and is in possession of ethical values – courage, compassion and love for fellow human beings, moral force of character, integrity, genuine humility, honesty, a predilection for consultation, consensus-building, communication, co-operation, active listening, and the selfless pursuit of the public good, and not the selfish striving for personal gain. It is hardly possible to look at, say, the current president’s leadership today without being struck by the calamity of the absence of these qualities.
We Zambians deserve and must demand better. We have a long way to go to get to a better future, but we must go there! In my view, the first step towards that desired future is to demand better from our elected public leaders. Unfortunately, many of us mistake criticism of the actions or policies of our elected public leaders for dislike, hate, support for the opposition, or some other adhominem attack. There must be many and complex and interrelated social, economic, political, cultural, religious, and spiritual forces combining with our entire history as a people that have moulded and continue to shape the current psychology and character structure of the ‘typical Zambian’, one who generally reveres authority, is unquestioning in attitude, and mistakes presidents in a democracy for traditional rulers who must be shown respect even when their conduct demands alternative treatment! Our challenge is to unravel these forces, understand them, and reshape them to build a different and genuinely alive Zambian. We must understand all this as they relate to our place in the whole world.
It is not, in a sense, a Hichilema, Lungu, Sata, Banda, Mwanawasa, Chiluba or Kaunda problem: these leaders have definitely played a part in generating the psychological and material conditions which have created us as a cowardly, zombie-like, easy to manipulate, naive, and quite superstitious people. None of these and more negative qualities are biological, however. They have their roots in our complex history with all the social forces that have shaped this history, including a dominant fawning, ingratiating, degraded Christian theology and practice (largely pacifist) to which we so often appeal to resolve our perfectly manmade problems. Our political and religious leaders simply feast on this historical banquet!
This social milieu or context explains why I often insist on structural change as the route to a truly radical transformation of Zambia, not merely replacing one set of individuals with another. We must desist from thinking that merely changing “presidents” and “parties” will lead to any meaningful changes in our cultures, lives, and country.
I am extremely optimistic, however, that there is potential for a new national consciousness to emerge in Zambia. In fact, our current deep seated systemic and structural social, economic, and cultural crises are a perfect foundation to begin to build a new consciousness, to begin to resurrect the human being in the Zambian. The first port of call is us, first as individual Zambians, I must maintain. As an individual, one must refuse to be reduced to the subhuman status our current situation confines all of us to. We must peacefully rebel against this status. Then, in our many millions of personal life activities, we must transmit this rebellion to others.
So far, the main platform for criticism of our lives is in the media, and largely confined to the deplorable social and economic conditions we now suffer. It need not be confined to this terrain. Ethically, morally, spiritually, intellectually, culturally, and yes, ultimately, philosophically, we must also wage a war against influences in these spheres which define and confine us to subhuman existence. To be who we are is a reflection of inferior qualities in us of all the human essences I have listed. We must question everything and everyone, fearlessly, especially if they are leading us or making claims to want to lead us.
We must stand up for other people who are facing injustice from the government and demand positive change, even if that positive change does not bring us direct personal benefits. Some among us, perhaps because they cannot imagine being motivated to do anything except for material gain, will always think that those who hold the government to account do so in anticipation of material gain, political or personal favours, now or when governments change. This is regrettable. It is my belief that we all must act out of conviction, based on understandable reasons and the intrinsic value of our actions.
Of course, many won’t understand this devotion to principle when we do so and will seek to judge us using their rotten standards. It is the only thing they know. We must retain comfort in the conviction that what is said about us is not as important as what we know about ourselves, how we respond to what has been said, and the weight that we attach to that sentiment.
This is the attitude that has helped me to survive or overcome torrential abuse from supporters of successive ruling parties. Under the MMD and the two PF administrations, supporters of the incumbent presidents called me bitter, tribalist, a hater of the leaders they supported, a job seeker, or someone sponsored by or supporting the opposition whenever I criticised the leadership. I see and hear praise singers repeating the same drivel today.
As I did previously, I simply ignore them because I know that I do not speak out because I seek a job from the government. With a University of Zambia degree, two Oxford postgraduate qualifications to my name and the honour of being a Rhodes Scholar, I consider myself sufficiently educated and marketable enough to easily secure a professional job in any part of the world. Even after Oxford and spurred by the belief that the acquisition of specialist knowledge should result in its application to causes and communities that need it most, I deliberately returned home to impart that which I had learnt. It was only after the situation or conditions made it difficult for me to continue that I left Zambia, which explains why I am where I am now. As I write this article, I am in my office at Harvard University not because of any government power but because of my formal education.
I am genuinely anguished as much by the deplorable state of our country and the conditions of life for most ordinary citizens as I am by the extent to which many have resigned and seemingly accepted the status quo as a given. Minor steps towards progress are cheered as if they are major. This poverty of ambition frightens me. I speak out on matters of governance out of love for Zambia, out of principle, out of the belief that we must dare to dream, to aspire for more than the little we celebrate as triumphs. I do not have to. I can stop writing public political commentaries today and will not lose a penny because there are no benefits attached to what I do.
Although I do not live in affluence and it will never be my aspiration to, I also do not feel poor. As the former president of Uruguay Jose Mujica once said, “poor people are those who only work to try to keep an expensive lifestyle and always want more and more.” I lead a simple life and my basic salary alone – which is higher than the gazetted salary of the president of Zambia – is enough to meet my basic needs. I do not need a government job from this president or the one who will come after him, just like I did not need one from those who came before.
The only thing I need is a functioning government that works for the many, not the few. I want to live and thrive in a Zambia with a president who CARES, one who will restore our cherished democracy, get the best out of Zambia’s mineral wealth (not merely celebrating increased mineral output when public revenue from the industry is insignificant), respect the constitution and the rule of law, fight corruption in real time beyond rhetoric, promote genuine national unity and equitable distribution of publics service positions, build a professional civil service including a diplomatic cadre of staff that will outlive changes in government, and address the cost of living crisis and the deplorable conditions of life for most ordinary Zambians. None of these needs has ME in it and if this president achieves these things, I will join the praise team.
One day, hopefully soon, and like those who came before him, this president will be gone. His party will be gone too. Even the praise singers who carry his banner will be gone and pretend they did not mean it, that they opposed his bad leadership. Sooner than later, they will all be gone. But the damage they are doing to this country will take decades to repair. I do not know if this president realises the danger he is creating. When people are unfairly targeted and pushed to the margins, it breeds anger and hardened positions. Power used vindictively today can create something far worse tomorrow. And if the cycle continues, those who eventually take over may govern with even less restraint than the current rulers. That is why leadership must be fair, consistent, and blind to partisanship or political convenience. Otherwise, we are simply laying the groundwork for a more toxic future. Unfortunately, like dominant cultures, those who benefit from it often fail to see the status quo as one that is open to challenge, analysis, or change.
BREAKING: SA Police quizz Lungu’s family in poisoning investigation
SOUTH AFRICAN Police have quizzed five members of Edgar Lungu’s family in an investigation that suggests that the former president may have been poisoned.
Lungu died on June 5 last year in a South African clinic, but his body remains stuck in a morgue that country, eight months on due to an ongoing repatriation-related legal battle between the Zambian government and the former president’s family.
However, the matter has now taken a dramatic twist as South African Police Service (SAPS) has formally summoned and recorded statements from five family members as part of a criminal probe into the alleged poisoning.
This is according to a letter seen by Kalemba, written by Mashele Attorneys Inc, the law firm representing the former first family.
In the letter, the lawyers confirm that they had complied with five subpoenas issued in connection with the poisoning investigation.
The lawyers did not state who exactly from the Lungu had been brought in for questioning.
“Our office has complied with five subpoenas issued in connection with the criminal investigation concerning the alleged poisoning of the late former President Edgar Lungu,” reads the letter.
The lawyers said statements requested from their clients had been delivered in accordance with the criminal proceedings and that the family remains committed to cooperating with the investigation within the bounds of the law.
The family has since denied the poisoning allegations.
The lawyers stated that their clients maintain the allegations are unfounded and unsupported by credible evidence and that this position has already been placed on official record.
The letter also reveals that the police have issued a subpoena to Two Mountains Funeral Services where Lungu’s body lies, directing that the body of the late former president be released into police custody.
However, the family’s lawyers have objected to the move, arguing that two existing High Court orders clearly state that the body must remain with the funeral home pending the finalisation of the legal proceedings.
They further noted that leave to appeal has already been granted by the Supreme Court of Appeal.
“Your office is aware that two extant High Court orders expressly direct that possession and custody of the body remain with Two Mountains Funeral Services pending the finalisation of the legal proceedings. Those orders are binding and operative. In addition, leave to appeal has been granted by the Supreme Court of Appeal.”
“The appeal is therefore alive, and at this juncture the operative court orders remain in force and must be respected pending the outcome of the appellate process. In the absence of a judicial variation or further order authorising removal, no person or entity is legally permitted to act inconsistently with those directives,” reads the document.
The lawyers further said the family demand strict compliance with the existing court orders and that any action taken in contravention thereof would be unlawful and subject to appropriate legal action.
“We trust that this correspondence clarifies our clients’ position and look forward to continued co-operation within the confines of the law,” stated the lawyers.
An attempt by Kalemba to get more details on the matter met temporal road block as the phone of Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, the South Africa Police spokesperson went unanswered multiple times.
FDD IS 70% ALREADY OUR SPV FOR THE GENERAL ELECTIONS – ZIMBA
TONSE Alliance faction Secretary General Chris Zumani Zimba says that FDD is already positioned as the alliance’s special purpose vehicle for the August 2026 elections.
The Tonse Alliance is currently divided between two factions claiming legitimacy. The Given Lubinda faction, who is also acting PF president and the Brian Mundubile faction, who was elected Tonse president last month.
In an interview, Friday, Zimba said Mundubile had engaged with the FDD leadership team as part of the efforts to secure the alliance’s special purpose vehicle.
“I want to put it on record that the fact that FDD is our provisional special purpose vehicle as Tonse Alliance and we are using it for by-elections, it simply entails us that FDD is 60-70 percent already our special purpose vehicle for 2026 August. What is remaining is the actual 30 and the actual ratification by the council of leaders. The fact that we are collectively comfortable with FDD as an alliance so far, it’s a clear indication that even as much as we have not yet ratified it as a final one for August this year, FDD is far a step ahead than all the political parties in the Alliance as our special purpose vehicle by 60 or 70 percent. What is remaining as I said is that we are going to present a motion by the end of this month before the council of leaders and question will start with FDD, how many will be confirming to support FDD as a special purpose vehicle?” he asked.
“If the vote will be overwhelmingly and by majority result on FDD, then we shall not open it to other parties in the alliance to pick, we’ll just settle on FDD. President Brian Mundubile has engaged the FDD leadership team consistently and even this week, we had discussions to that effect. So, we believe that we are on the right path under the leadership of BM in terms of securing the special purpose vehicle. As I said, FDD is a frontrunner by 60 or 70 percent and if most alliance partners and members are comfortable with that position, it means by the end of this month we shall unanimously ratify and approve FDD us our special purpose vehicle. If some council alliance members will have problems or other proposals on the table then we shall open the motion of special purpose vehicle to other political parties within the alliance and thereafter we shall still have a democratic discussion and a democratic decision to choose one”.
He added that Mundubile had brought order, political stability, and credible leadership to the Tonse Alliance.
“So, BM has brought order to the alliance, BM has brought political sanity to the alliance, BM has brought credible leadership to Tonse Alliance. BM has brought vision and policy direction, so the Tonse Alliance now is in safe hands that we have a credible, competent and experienced leader in Brian Mundubile.
And as you have seen, Tonse Alliance now is attracting different players, organisations and stakeholder joining as alliance members, it’s because of the nature and the stature of the leader that was duly elected and put in place to lead the alliance. Going into 2026 August we are very confident as Tonse Alliance that our flag bearer president Brian Mundubile and his running mate will triumph over UPND and President Hakainde Hichilema,” Zimba said.
Asked whether the decision would cause conflict with the other faction, Zimba said there would be none because, in his view, there is only one Tonse Alliance.
He added that they didn’t recognise political spoilers and political comedians imitating to be the Tonse Alliance.
“There will be no friction because there is only one Tonse Alliance, we don’t recognise political spoilers, we don’t recognise political comedians on the street out there imitating to be Tonse Alliance, we don’t recognise them.
We only have one Tonse Alliance where we belong ourselves, who created Tonse Alliance, there is only alliance led by president Brian Mundubile and where myself I’m secretary general, as the architect of Tonse Alliance.
So, we don’t recognise them and there shall be no conflict whatsoever between them and us because those don’t have anything. They are intellectually bankrupt that’s why they are imitating what others have, we won’t be shocked if tomorrow they start imitating WOZA or claiming to be UKA or People’s Pact because intellectually they are dwarfs,” said Zimba.
… says the UPND is a failed project and it is not the standard Zambians should use to compare to CF.
LUSAKA, MONDAY,FEBRUARY, 16,2026 [SMART EAGLES]
CITIZENS First party President Harry Kalaba says the UPND Government has been sleeping on duty and all they know is to victimize citizens.
Speaking when he featured on Laka FM radio in Lusaka this morning, Mr. Kalaba said the UPND is a failed project and should not be used as a yardstick for good leadership.
He said Zambians should stop costly experiments by voting out the UPND and usher in the CF in the August 13th General elections.
“UPND is a failed project, its should not be used as a standard to compare with us. If we are going to use UPND as a standard, then Zambiais not going anywhere, they are good at talking but doing nothing. CF is putting up a model that is superior. Zambians hear us,take time to listen to us because what we are saying is in the interest of the country, ” Mr. Kalaba said.
“We want to empower Zambians and create billionaires. When I was in government, I was doing real work and the results are there for everyone to see,” the CF leader said.
And Mr. Kalaba said prior to the August 12, 2021 general elections, the UPND didn’t know how to run Government adding that they are now doing the exact things they condemned under the PF regime.
” …they are now enjoying what they condemned the PF government for. They say things without thinking and it’s high time Zambians stopped doing costly experiments with leadership. I am being realistic with a country that is breeding from misrule. For UPND it is business as usual and they have no shame. They have been sleeping on duty and all they know is to victimize people, these jokes are coming to and end this year, ” Mr. Kalaba said.
“We will make sure Zambians are protected and we will fear no one, so Zambians should use this time to vote for CF in August this year. Zambians should also know that the sustained power supply is artificial and in unlikely event that the UPND wins elections this year, Zambians will be subjected to loadsheding they have endured the last four years of UPND’s rule,” He said.
Meanwhile Mr. Kalaba said he does not regret resigning from the PF as a cabinet minister and member.
He said the decision to resign was reached at after realizing that the former ruling party detached itself from what founding President late Michael Chilufya Sata stood for immediately after he died.
Mr. Kalaba adds that he and the Citizens First party will carry on late Michael Sata’s legacy.
SEAN ‘ZERO’ TEMBO VOWS MANSLAUGHTER CHARGES OVER BLOCKED MEDICAL TRAVEL OF FORMER PRESIDENT THIS AUGUST WHEN HE BECOMES PRESIDENT
Leader of the Patriots for Economic Progress, Sean ‘Zero’ Tembo, has issued a stark warning: those accused of obstructing urgent medical care for the late former President Edgar Lungu will face the full weight of the law.
Unveiling his top five priorities for his t day in office, Tembo declared that any individual found to have participated in preventing Lungu from seeking medical treatment abroad would be pursued, prosecuted, and charged with manslaughter.
Framing the matter as one of justice rather than politics, Tembo vowed that accountability would be relentless—promising a sweeping legal reckoning for what he described as a grave denial of care with fatal consequences.
PATRIOTS FOR ECONOMIC PROGRESS (PeP) 2026 MANIFESTO SUMMARY
A. Top 5 Deliverables of a Sean E. Tembo Presidency – On Inauguration Day
i) Tax holidays given to the mines by the UPND administration, shall be revoked;
ii) All students admitted to Government and private universities will be given student loans;
iii) Volunteer medical personnel will be employed by Government and paid arrears for work already done;
iv) All farmers who suffered from delayed FRA payments shall receive interest payments, and Government to announce FRA purchase price for crops 3 months before commencement of farming season;
v) All persons who prevented ECL from leaving the country to seek medical attention, shall be investigated and prosecuted for manslaughter.
B. Top 5 Deliverables of a Sean E. Tembo Presidency – 100 Days in Office
i) Work permits for foreign employees will be reviewed and revoked unless in very exceptional cases;
ii) An independent tribunal will be established to review all court convictions in the past 5 years;
iii) All Government contracts below K1 billion will be awarded to 100% Zambian owned companies only;
iv) The contract for the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriage way project will be reviewed and renegotiated;
v) All compensations awarded to UPND members and supporters through consent judgments shall be reviewed and revoked, and the money recovered, on account of conflict of interest.
C. Top 5 Deliverables of a Sean E. Tembo Presidency – 3 Years in Office
i) The Constitution shall be amended to reduce the number of MPs to 100; being 10 per province;
ii) CDF shall be replaced with a Ward Development Fund (WDF) and managed by Local Authorities;
iii) The Constitution shall be amended so that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Director General of the ACC shall be elected for a 3 year term by members of the Law Association of Zambia and the Auditor General and the Director General of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) shall be elected into office for a 3 year term by members of the Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants (ZiCA);
iv) The Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) shall be reformed by limiting the maximum loan amount to K20,000, opening a branch in each district and providing mentorship services;
v) The Constitution to be amended so that all Ministers shall be appointed from outside Parliament.
D. Top 5 Deliverables of a Sean E. Tembo Presidency – 5 Years in Office
i) National universities will have been built in the 6 provincial centres that currently do not have a Government university, being; Mongu, Kasama, Chipata, Choma, Mansa and Solwezi;
ii) Dual carriage-way tarred roads will have been constructed from Lusaka to each provincial capital;
iii) The capacity for NCZ will have been enhanced and price of fertilizer reduced to K300 per 50kg bag;
iv) Government will be buying all the gold produced locally in order to enhance gold reserves at BoZ;
v) The exchange rate to the US dollar will be less than K10, and the inflation rate less than 5 percent.
E. Top 5 Deliverables of a Sean E. Tembo Presidency – 10 Years in Office
i) Tarred roads would have been constructed linking each and every Chief’s Palace across the country;
ii) Electricity generation capacity will have been increased to double the demand;
iii) School classroom infrastructure would have been increased to a ratio of 1 classroom to 30 learners;
iv) A state-owned company will be producing at least of 50% of all minerals mined in Zambia by value;
v) University Teaching Hospitals will have been established in each and every provincial centre
🇿🇲 BRIEFING | Political Exodus Deepens As PF Loses 12 Councillors in Kasama
A fresh political exodus is unfolding in the northern capital after twelve councillors in Kasama District defected from the Patriotic Front (PF) to the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND), further underlining the shifting ground in what has historically been PF-friendly territory.
The councillors have endorsed President Hakainde Hichilema ahead of the 2026 general elections, a move that adds to the growing narrative of flipping loyalty as the opposition struggles to stabilise its base.
UPND Vice Chairperson for Elections Likando Mufalali, who received the group, urged party structures in Northern Province to accelerate recruitment efforts, saying the ruling party still has room to absorb more entrants as the electoral season tightens.
Special Assistant to the President for Political Affairs Levy Ngoma described the defections as a sign of rising confidence in the UPND’s national appeal, arguing that government’s development agenda continues to draw support across the political divide.
The developments in Kasama reinforce a broader political reality: the PF appears to be in free fall even in regions once viewed as reliable strongholds, as councillors and local actors reposition themselves in the run-up to August 2026.
