Trump embarrasses Netanyahu as US pushes diplomacy over War
Donald Trump has reportedly resisted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s calls for immediate military action against Iran, favouring negotiations with Tehran instead.
The position emerged after a high-stakes White House meeting, even as the United States continues reinforcing its military presence in the Gulf.
Trump later posted on Truth Social indicating talks should come first, while warning Iran there would be consequences if negotiations fail.
War lord Netanyahu, however, emphasised Israel’s security concerns and the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear programme, highlighting clear divisions between the two allies on how to confront Tehran.
With US–Iran discussions resuming in Oman and warships moving into position, the region faces a delicate moment balanced between diplomacy and possible escalation.
South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers on Thursday that it believes the teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is close to being designated as the country’s future leader as he moves to extend the family dynasty to a fourth generation.
The assessment by the National Intelligence Service comes as North Korea is preparing to hold its biggest political conference later this month, where Kim is expected to outline his major policy goals for the next five years and take steps to tighten his authoritarian grip.
In a closed-door briefing, NIS officials said they are closely monitoring whether Kim’s daughter — believed to be named Kim Ju Ae and around 13 years old — appears with him before thousands of delegates at the upcoming Workers’ Party Congress, said lawmaker Lee Seong Kweun, who attended the meeting.
First appearing in public at a long-range missile test in November 2022, Kim Ju Ae has since accompanied her father to an increasing number of events, including weapons tests, military parades and factory openings. She traveled with him to Beijing last September for Kim’s first summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in six years on the sidelines of a World War II event.
Speculation about her political future intensified last month when she joined her parents on a New Year’s Day visit to Pyongyang’s Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, a sacred family mausoleum displaying the embalmed bodies of her late grandfather and great-grandfather, the country’s first- and second-generation leaders. Some experts saw the visit as the clearest sign yet that she’s positioned to be the heir to her 42-year-old father.
South Korean officials initially expressed doubt that she could be chosen as a North Korean leader, citing the country’s deeply conservative culture and tradition of male-dominated leadership. But her increasingly prominent appearances in state media have prompted a reassessment.
In its previous assessment of Kim Ju Ae’s status in September, the NIS told lawmakers that Kim Jong Un’s decision to bring her along on his trip to China was likely part of an effort to build a “narrative” possibly paving the way for her succession.
“In the past, (NIS) described Kim Ju Ae as being in the midst of ‘successor training.’ What was notable today is that they used the term ‘successor-designate stage,’ a shift that’s quite significant,” Lee said.
According to Lee, the agency cited her growing presence at high-profile military events, her inclusion in the family visit to Kumsusan, and signs that Kim Jong Un was beginning to seek her input on certain policy matters.
Not much is known about Kim’s daughter Despite her increased visibility in propaganda, North Korean state media have never published the name of Kim Jong Un’s daughter, only referring to her as his “respected” or “most beloved” child.
The belief that she is named Kim Ju Ae is based on an account by former NBA star Dennis Rodman, in which he recalled holding Kim Jong Un’s baby daughter during a trip to Pyongyang in 2013. South Korean intelligence officials believe she was born sometime that year.
In 2023, South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers that Kim Jong Un and his wife also likely have an older son and a younger third child whose gender is unknown.
Since its foundation in 1948, North Korea has been ruled by male members of the Kim family, beginning with the country’s founder Kim Il Sung and followed by his son, Kim Jong Il.
Kim Jong Un was just 26 when he was officially named heir during a 2010 party conference, two years after Kim Jong Il suffered a debilitating stroke. Following his father’s death in December 2011, he was abruptly thrust into the throne with relatively little preparation.
Some analysts suggest that Kim Jong Un’s decision to debut his daughter early possibly reflects his own experience of being rushed into power.
Party congress may offer hints toward succession plans Kim Ju Ae’s first known visit to Kumsusan last month was also her father’s first visit to the site in three years. Given the palace’s status as a key symbol of the Kim family rule, the trip should be seen as a symbolic gesture by Kim Jong Un to present his daughter as his heir before his grandfather and father as he prepares for the major ruling party congress, said Cheong Seong-Chang, a senior analyst at South Korea’s Sejong Institute.
The Workers’ Party congress in late February, last held in 2016 and 2021, could provide a stage for Kim Jong Un to formalize his succession plans, possibly by giving his daughter the party’s first secretary post, its No. 2 job, although such a decision might not be immediately disclosed to the outside world, Cheong said.
Other analysts question whether she would receive such a high-profile post or any formal party role, given that party rules require members to be at least 18.
If Kim Jong Un does use the party congress to cement his daughter as successor, the signs would be more subtle, said Koh Yu-hwan, former president of South Korea’s Institute of National Unification.
For example, the party may issue self-praise about how North Korea has survived longer than most other Communist states and credit that to how the country established a “successful inheritance of the revolution,” he said.
“If you see comments like that, it would be reasonable to think that Ju Ae has been cemented,” as heir, Koh said.
Adam Mosseri, the head of Meta’s Instagram, testified Wednesday during a landmark social media trial in Los Angeles that he disagrees with the idea that people can be clinically addicted to social media platforms.
The question of addiction is a key pillar of the case, where plaintiffs seek to hold social media companies responsible for harms to children who use their platforms. Meta Platforms and Google’s YouTube are the two remaining defendants in the case, which TikTok and Snap have settled.
At the core of the Los Angeles case is a 20-year-old identified only by the initials “KGM,” whose lawsuit could determine how thousands of similar lawsuits against social media companies would play out. She and two other plaintiffs have been selected for bellwether trials — essentially test cases for both sides to see how their arguments play out before a jury.
Mosseri, who’s headed Instagram since 2018 said it’s important to differentiate between clinical addiction and what he called problematic use. The plaintiff’s lawyer, however, presented quotes directly from Mosseri in a podcast interview a few years ago where he used the term addiction in relation to social media use, but he clarified that he was probably using the term “too casually,” as people tend to do.
Mosseri said he was not claiming to be a medical expert when questioned about his qualifications to comment on the legitimacy of social media addiction, but said someone “very close” to him has experienced serious clinical addiction, which is why he said he was “being careful with my words.”
He said he and his colleagues use the term “problematic use” to refer to “someone spending more time on Instagram than they feel good about, and that definitely happens.”
It’s “not good for the company, over the long run, to make decisions that profit for us but are poor for people’s well-being,” Mosseri said.
Mosseri and the plaintiff’s lawyer, Mark Lanier, engaged in a lengthy back-and-forth about cosmetic filters on Instagram that changed people’s appearance in a way that seemed to promote plastic surgery.
“We are trying to be as safe as possible but also censor as little as possible,” Mosseri said.
In the courtroom, bereaved parents of children who have had social media struggles seemed visibly upset during a discussion around body dysmorphia and cosmetic filters. Meta shut down all third-party augmented reality filters in January 2025. The judge made an announcement to members of the public on Wednesday after the displays of emotion, reminding them not to make any indication of agreement or disagreement with testimony, saying that it would be “improper to indicate some position.”
During cross examination, Mosseri and Meta lawyer Phyllis Jones tried to reframe the idea that Lanier was suggesting in his questioning that the company is looking to profit off of teens specifically.
Mosseri said Instagram makes “less money from teens than from any other demographic on the app,” noting that teens don’t tend to click on ads and many don’t have disposable income that they spend on products from ads they receive. During his opportunity to question Mosseri for a second time, Lanier was quick to point to research that shows people who join social media platforms at a young age are more likely to stay on the platforms longer, which he said makes teen users prime for meaningful long-term profit.
“Often people try to frame things as you either prioritize safety or you prioritize revenue,” Mosseri said. “It’s really hard to imagine any instance where prioritizing safety isn’t good for revenue.”
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to take the stand next week.
In recent years, Instagram has added a slew of features and tools it says have made the platform safer for young people. But this does not always work. A report last year, for instance, found that teen accounts researchers created were recommended age-inappropriate sexual content, including “graphic sexual descriptions, the use of cartoons to describe demeaning sexual acts, and brief displays of nudity.”
In addition, Instagram also recommended a “range of self-harm, self-injury, and body image content” on teen accounts that the report says “would be reasonably likely to result in adverse impacts for young people, including teenagers experiencing poor mental health, or self-harm and suicidal ideation and behaviors.” Meta called the report “misleading, dangerously speculative” and said it misrepresents its efforts on teen safety.
Meta is also facing a separate trial in New Mexico that began this week.
Britney Spears has reportedly sold the rights to her music catalogue in a deal believed to be worth around $200 million, according to US media reports.
The agreement includes hits such as “…Baby One More Time” and “Oops!… I Did It Again,” songs that helped define late 1990s and early 2000s pop music. Celebrity news outlet TMZ cited sources familiar with the transaction, though it noted that the exact figure is not specified in the legal documents.
The reported sum places Spears’ deal in a similar range to that of Justin Bieber, who sold his catalogue in 2023. Spears, 44, joins a growing list of major artists who have monetised their music rights in recent years, including Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Shakira and KISS.
US outlets reported that the rights were acquired by Primary Wave, a music publisher whose portfolio includes works by Whitney Houston, Bob Marley and Prince.
Publishing rights entitle owners to receive royalties whenever songs are streamed, broadcast, sold, or used in films and advertising. The expanding music rights market has become increasingly attractive to investors in the streaming era, offering long-term revenue streams.
Major record companies such as Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group have also expanded their presence in the catalogue acquisition space, alongside specialist firms like Recognition Music Group and Concord Music Publishing.
Spears rose to global fame in the late 1990s but has largely stepped back from the music industry in recent years. In 2021, a US court ended a 13-year conservatorship that had given her father control over her financial affairs, an arrangement she had publicly described as abusive.
Zelensky rules out elections until ceasefire and security guarantees
Ukrainian despot Volodymyr Zelensky says no early elections will be held while the war continues.
With martial law in force, Ukraine’s constitution does not allow national elections, and Kyiv argues voting during active hostilities would be unsafe and legally invalid.
Zelensky stressed that a ceasefire and credible security guarantees must come first, after which preparations for elections could begin quickly.
The remarks follow growing international debate over Ukraine’s democratic timeline during wartime, while the government maintains stability and voter safety are prerequisites for any political process.
EU Imposes New EV Tariffs on China, Major Automaker Scores Breakthrough
The European Union has implemented new tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles as part of its ongoing trade dispute with China.
These tariffs are set to reshape the flow of EV imports, affecting pricing, market access, and competitiveness in Europe.
Amid these changes, a major automaker has achieved a key breakthrough, potentially giving it an advantage in navigating the evolving European EV market.
Analysts say the move could significantly impact trade dynamics and the future of EV sales across the continent.
Zanu-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa has ignited fierce debate within ruling party structures after calling for the late war veteran Blessed Runesu Geza to be accorded national hero status, despite his recent fallout with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration.
Geza, an outspoken liberation war fighter who later became a sharp critic of Mnangagwa, died at a hospital in South Africa last Friday. He had gone into self-imposed exile after reportedly skipping the border while police were seeking to arrest him over his calls for mass demonstrations against what he termed the Zanu-PF “2030 agenda”.
At the time of his death, Geza was facing treason charges linked to protests that caused widespread disruptions across the country. More than a dozen activists arrested in connection with the demonstrations remain in custody.
Despite the controversy surrounding Geza’s final months, Mutsvangwa told a local publication that the former central committee member deserved recognition for his role in the liberation struggle that led to Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980.
He reportedly argued that Geza’s attacks on Mnangagwa may have been influenced by deteriorating health, suggesting the late war veteran was not thinking clearly at the time.
The remarks have reportedly divided opinion within Zanu-PF and its affiliates, exposing simmering tensions over how to interpret Geza’s legacy — as a liberation stalwart or a political renegade.
An organisation aligned to the ruling party, the Movement for Economic Freedom (MEF), has publicly rejected Mutsvangwa’s position, insisting that Geza’s actions disqualify him from national hero status.
In an interview yesterday, MEF national chairperson Agripa Guti said the youth-driven affiliate did not support the proposal.
“We respect Christopher Mutsvangwa’s opinion, but as patriotic youth advocating for Vision 2030, we do not agree that Geza should be a national hero,” said Guti.
“His actions calling for illegal demonstrations to remove a constitutionally-elected President contradict the liberation values we once fought for.
“Let us uphold principles of democracy and rule of law. National hero status should reflect integrity and alignment with current national values and we urge a balanced consideration of his legacy.”
Guti added that while Geza contributed to the liberation war, his recent political conduct overshadowed that record in the eyes of the organisation.
“As a patriotic youth movement that is in full support of Vision 2030, we are not mourning Blessed Geza despite his contribution in the war. Just like any other, his recent efforts undermining our President, destabilising the country and trying to remove a constitutionally-elected government is our main reason,” he said.
He further described Geza as a “distraction” to national development efforts, claiming that those he allegedly attacked and labelled zvigananda were the same individuals driving the Vision 2030 agenda.
MEF describes itself as a national youth-driven organisation committed to supporting Mnangagwa and the Vision 2030 agenda by championing development, unity and national pride.
Under Zimbabwe’s tradition, national hero status is conferred by the ruling party’s politburo, often reflecting both liberation war credentials and contemporary political considerations.
With divisions now surfacing publicly, the debate over Geza’s legacy appears set to test Zanu-PF’s internal cohesion — and its interpretation of loyalty, dissent and liberation history.
A 21-year-old woman, Evelyn Rodrick, is awaiting sentencing after being found guilty of multiple counts of housebreaking and theft in Mulanje District.
The convict appeared before the Mulanje Magistrate’s Court where she admitted to committing the crimes earlier this month.
State Prosecutor Hartwell Kachikonga told the court that Rodrick broke into two separate houses on February 5 and 6, 2026. During the robberies, she reportedly stole various electronic gadgets and other household items.
In her mitigation, Rodrick pleaded with the court for a lenient sentence, arguing that she is currently pregnant. She further claimed to be a caregiver for several orphans, stating that a custodial sentence would bring hardship to those under her care.
However, the State has asked the court to consider the gravity of the offences and the threat posed to community security.
Senior Resident Magistrate Glory Mwatiwamba has since adjourned the matter to February 16, 2026, when she is expected to deliver her sentence.
Malawi’s internet has been buzzing over the past 24 hours after images and videos surfaced showing a Tesla Cybertruck reportedly spotted in the country.
The futuristic electric vehicle, first seen in the Northern Region, quickly became a trending topic as many Malawians shared photos and speculated about its presence.
While the Cybertruck is familiar to many internet users who have seen it abroad, the unusual design surprised others who were seeing the vehicle for the first time. The excitement triggered widespread speculation online, with some social media users suggesting the vehicle was a specialised machine brought into the country to track cyclones.
However, the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services has dismissed the claims, saying the Cybertruck is simply a vehicle and not used for monitoring weather or cyclones. The department explained that it relies on satellite imagery and weather models to track storms and climate patterns.
Meanwhile, it has been established that the vehicle belongs to Cyberlocos, a travel and social media brand run by Alan and his friend. The duo, known for exploring unique cultural and creative destinations around the world, recently arrived in Malawi after visiting other 58 countries.
A biology teacher at a Louisiana Catholic all-girls school was fired and arrested after allegedly having s£x and trading explicit texts and photos with her student, according to reports.
Teddi Page, 29, was arrested on Thursday, Feb. 5, for allegedly starting an intimate relationship with her teen student last August after she was hired to teach biology at the Academy of Sacred Heart in New Orleans, according to The Times-Picayune.
During classroom introductions in August, the then 17-year-old student described feeling “a ‘spark’ between her and Page,” according to a police affidavit obtained by the outlet.
“Personal and intimate” conversations between the female student and the teacher continued for at least two months, and in November, Page allegedly kissed and had s£x with the teen at her apartment and in the victim’s vehicle, court documents obtained by the outlet said.
The mother of the teen began noticing her daughter, then an 18-year-old senior, had developed a short temper and had started locking herself away during family vacations to video chat with someone, the outlet reported.
The student’s mother then accessed her social media accounts and discovered texts between Page and the victim, including lewd images of both of them, the police affidavit said.
By Monday, Feb. 2, the mother came to Sacred Heart’s principal and showed the texts and images, leading the school to immediately fire Page and escort her off campus.
Cops then obtained a warrant on Tuesday, Feb. 3, for Page’s arrest on a count of s£x between an educator and a student, the outlet reported.
Page’s bond was set at $15,000 at her first court appearance, court records showed.
A supporter, who was only identified as a relative of the biology teacher, described Page on social media as an “award-nominated teacher, beloved by her students,” the outlet reported.
“The situation has been completely misrepresented,” the woman wrote, according to the outlet. “She does not deserve to be portrayed as a p£dophile or s£x offender.”
Academy of the Sacred Heart Head of School Gretchen Zibilich Kane said in a statement that Page’s background check and references showed no red flags, and that students, faculty, and staff have been trained to observe appropriate boundaries.
“We are supporting the student and her family who have come forward and are providing resources and counseling for our students who may be upset about these developments,” Kane said.
Sir Keir Starmer has described comments made by Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe about immigration as “offensive and wrong”, and called on the billionaire to apologise.
Sir Jim, founder and chair of INEOS, told Sky News that the UK had been “colonised by immigrants” and suggested the prime minister was “too nice” to take the difficult decisions needed to stabilise the economy. He argued that high immigration levels, combined with what he described as nine million people on benefits, were placing strain on the country.
“You can’t have an economy with nine million people on benefits and huge levels of immigrants coming in,” he said. “The UK has been colonised. It’s costing too much money.”
Responding, Keir Starmer said Britain is “a proud, tolerant and diverse country” and urged Sir Jim to retract his remarks. A Downing Street spokesperson added that such language “plays into the hands of those who want to divide our country”.
Sir Jim also claimed the UK population had risen from 58 million in 2020 to 70 million, an increase of 12 million. However, figures from the Office for National Statistics estimate the population was around 66.7 million in mid-2020 and 69.4 million in mid-2025. The population was last close to 58 million around the year 2000.
The comments were made during an interview with Sky News economic editor Ed Conway at the European Industry Summit in Antwerp. Sir Jim compared running the country to his stewardship of Manchester United, saying leaders must sometimes be prepared to be unpopular to address major issues. He said he had taken difficult and unpopular decisions at the football club to tackle what he saw as underlying problems.
Fan groups and anti-racism organisations strongly criticised his remarks. The Manchester United Supporters Trust said no supporter should feel excluded because of their race, religion or nationality and that comments from senior leadership should unite rather than divide. The Manchester United Muslim Supporters Club said the term “colonised” echoed language often associated with far-right narratives. Anti-racism charity Kick It Out described the comments as “disgraceful and deeply divisive”.
Sir Jim, who acquired a 27.7% stake in Manchester United in 2024, has overseen significant restructuring at the club, including job cuts and changes in senior management. According to the Sunday Times Rich List, he is one of the wealthiest individuals in the UK. He moved to Monaco in 2020, a jurisdiction that does not levy personal income or capital gains tax.
During the same interview, Sir Jim described Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as an “intelligent man” with “good intentions”, while adding that similar sentiments could once have been expressed about Sir Keir when he entered government. He reiterated that tackling immigration and welfare dependency would require political courage and a willingness to take unpopular decisions.
The number of British troops deployed to Norway will double as part of a move to strengthen defences in the High North amid growing tensions with Russia.
Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed the UK will increase its troop presence from 1,000 to 2,000 personnel over the next three years. He also pledged that British forces will take part in Nato’s Arctic Sentry mission, the alliance’s initiative aimed at reinforcing security in the Arctic region.
The announcement was made during Mr Healey’s visit to Royal Marines stationed at Camp Viking in the Norwegian Arctic. He is expected to discuss the proposals with Nato counterparts at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels.
Mr Healey said: “Demands on defence are rising, and Russia poses the greatest threat to Arctic and High North security that we have seen since the Cold War.
“We see Putin rapidly re-establishing military presence in the region, including reopening old Cold War bases. The UK is stepping up to protect the Arctic and High North, doubling the number of troops we have in Norway and scaling up joint exercises with Nato allies.”
Around 1,500 British commandos are set to deploy to Norway in March for Nato’s Exercise Cold Response, designed to test allied forces in extreme winter conditions.
In September, the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force will conduct large-scale exercises across the region, involving air, land and naval units training to defend critical infrastructure against attacks and sabotage.
The move comes as Nick Carter, the former head of the British armed forces, called for deeper European cooperation to counter Moscow and continue support for Ukraine. Writing in a paper for the Tony Blair Institute, he warned of an ongoing campaign of disruption linked to Russian intelligence services.
He said: “We’re all aware that Russia and the GRU at the tip of the spear, that’s Russia’s intelligence services, are waging a campaign of sabotage and subversion in Europe, including incursions into our Nato airspace.
“Now we’ve got to be able to impose credible costs on this campaign, because otherwise it will continue.”
Sir Nick argued that Europe must urgently strengthen its military capabilities after years of under-investment, warning that failure to act would leave the continent vulnerable in an increasingly unstable global order.
“Europe faces a growing external threat in an evolving world order at the same time as its political, fiscal and industrial systems are struggling to respond,” he said.
“After decades of under-investment in defence, this is no longer merely inefficient, it is dangerous. The path ahead for Europe’s leaders will not be easy; they cannot afford to fail. Drift is no longer a neutral option.”
Wife of media personality Nkubi has shared a disturbing experience she had with a doctor during her pregnancy.
Speaking in an interview with Pulse, about her abnormality scan appointment, she said after handing over the results, the doctor asked if there was any history of dwarfism in her family.
She responded that yes, her husband has dwarfism.
According to her, the doctor then asked why she didn’t consider getting pregnant by her brother-in-law or someone else outside her marriage instead of her husband. She also alleged that the doctor suggested she could have used a sperm donor.
The statement left her shocked.
She described the encounter as discriminatory, adding that people with dwarfism are not given equal respect and rights.
The sho0ter who k!lled eight people in British Columbia has been named as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar by Canadian police.
The horrifying attack, one of the deadliest sho0tings in Canada’s history, began Tuesday, at a residence in the sleepy rural community of Tumbler Ridge in the western province and concluded at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School,
Van Rootselaar, who also went by Jesse Strang, was found de@d from a self-inflicted gunsh0t wound inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on Tuesday, having killed five students and a 39-year-old teacher.
The transgender student opened fire in the school library, k!lling three girls, all 12, and two boys, aged 12 and 13.
Van Rootselaar also killed their 39-year-old mother, Jennifer, and 11-year-old step-sibling, Emmett.
A Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) spokesperson said they believe Jesse worked alone.
RCMP added that Jesse began identifying as female six years ago, aged 12 and said there had been multiple call-outs to his home related to his mental health.
Strang stopped attending school four years ago aged just 14, the spokesman said.
A total of 25 people were injured in the massacre. Maya Gebala, 12, was sh0t in the neck and head and is currently being treated in hospital. She is the only victim named so far.
Deputy Commissioner McDonald confirmed Van Rootselarr identified as a woman, but was born male.
Deputy Commissioner McDonald confirmed during a press conference that law enforcement had been in contact with Jesse within the past year.
When asked if the suspect had a gun licence, McDonald told reporters: “I believe she had a license which had expired in 2024; she did not have any firearms registered to her”.
US President Donald Trump has seemingly hit back at allegations of racism, showcasing his friendships with high-profile black celebrities following his r@cist video of Barack and Michelle Obama.
This comes after the President received backlash over his recent promotion of an AI-generated video of Barack and Michelle Obama featured as monkeys, along with other lawmakers as animals in a jungle setting.
After refusing to tender an apology, Trump has chosen to share photos with black stars such as Mike Tyson, Oprah Winfrey, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, and Michael Jackson.
‘How quickly people forget. So Sad! President DJT,’ Trump wrote on the social media platform.
One post highlights a TikTok video with images of Trump shaking Will Smith’s hand, kissing black babies, hugging Winfrey, and hanging out with Snoop Dogg.
The post is ironically captioned: ‘A Timeline of Trump’s bigotry.’
One video showed Trump with Michael Jackson, who was accused of molesting several young boys before his death, with the caption: “Donald Trump values loyalty greatly and he was extremely loyal to Michael Jackson.”
Formula 1 star Lewis Hamilton, has had a number of high-profile relationships and links over the years, though he has kept much of his private life out of the spotlight.
Across his dating history, the one relationship Hamilton has openly acknowledged remains the long-term one with Nicole Scherzinger.
Many of the others have been described as “rumoured,” friendly, or speculative rather than confirmed partnerships.
Danielle Lloyd (2002)
Earlier in his life, Hamilton dated Danielle Lloyd for about six months in 2002 when he was an up-and-coming racer. They met at a nightclub and remained amicable after their breakup
Jodia Ma (2003 to 2007) From 2003 to 2007, he was in a relationship with Jodia Ma, whom he met while studying. Their four-year relationship ended as his racing career took off.
Nicole Scherzinger (2007 to 2015) Hamilton’s longest and most public relationship was with singer Nicole Scherzinger. The couple were together on and off from 2007 until 2015, and were often seen at events and races together. Their split was described as mutual, and Scherzinger has spoken kindly about him since.
2015 to 2026 scandal Since his 2015 split from Scherzinger, Hamilton has been linked to several high-profile figures — though most of these relationships were never officially confirmed as serious romances.
Among the women he’s been linked to or seen with are models Gigi Hadid, Barbara Palvin, Winnie Harlow, and Sofia Richie, as well as music stars Rihanna and Nicki Minaj.
In 2023, he was spotted with Colombian singer Shakira on a few occasions, including dinners and a boat outing, prompting speculation.
Reports also linked him to Camila Kendra in 2021, and there have been occasional publicised outings with others but none were confirmed as long-term relationships.
In early 2025, Hamilton was reported to have briefly been involved with Brazilian model Juliana Nalu, though that relationship appeared to be short-lived.
Most recently, in early 2026, Hamilton has been at the centre of intense media attention amid reports and public appearances with Kim Kardashian, sparking speculation about a potential romantic connection.
They were seen together at Super Bowl LX and in Paris, fueling talk of a budding relationship — though neither has publicly labelled it confirmed.
Hamilton himself has said that he has focused heavily on his racing career in recent years, and at times acknowledged that having a long-term partner can be difficult given his schedule.
During a social program on a Kumasi-based radio station, Sompa Nkoma on Sompa FM, the host started a phone-in segment for her listening audience to share a regrettable experience anonymously.
One of the callers dropped a chilling secret she had been keeping for a very long time.
The host, Oheneni Adazoa, who rose to fame by solving social issues such as marital problems, disagreements between siblings, disputes between two families, disputes over property,s and other important pressing issues between entities.
She recently decided to shift the paradigm of her show from one-on-one interviews with people going through a lot to opening the phone lines.
People started calling to make wild confessions about the recent and past relationships, but this viral one is more shocking than every other confession.
An anonymous caller on Sompa FM’s Sompa Nkomo has confessed to deliberately infecting at least twenty(20) men with HIV, after discovering that she had been infected by an abroad based lover she met on Facebook. pic.twitter.com/dGsDjljdT5
An unknown lady called to share some details about her encounter with a young man she met on Facebook. After months of talking, they started liking each other, and so when the man arrived in Ghana, they made out.
Per her narration, she noticed some unusual changes in her body, but ignored them till it got worse. Results from her check-up revealed she had contracted HIV/AIDS, and that frightened her, but the worst had already happened.
According to this anonymous lady, over 20 men who proposed to her have all been infected, but some don’t believe her. She said her actions are regretted, and she hopes to be forgiven.
Furious WhatsApp narrates how their system almost got shut down in Russia in an attempt to drive the people to a state-owned surveillance app.
WhatsApp has been the biggest communication network across the world since 2009 and has since evolved to meet the needs of the users by adding different features.
Before WhatsApp, the only two modes of communication with people far away were phone calls and SMS, but WhatsApp crept in and took over the market.
Some people still prefer SMS, but the number is very small.
The software has over 10 billion downloads on the Google Play Store for WHATSAPP alone, and after several reviews by users who urged the creators to introduce a separate app for business owners to meet the target audience and marketing easier by displaying your product or service on your profile, the creators created WHATSAPP BUSINESS, which has over 1 billion downloads.
Just as every software has its flaws, some users in Russia believe their communication is not safe on the app, so the government tried to shut down the company and drive the people to a state-owned surveillance app.
WhatsApp posted this information on their official X handle for users in the mentioned area to be aware in case sending and receiving messages is hard.
According to the communication network, the Russian government is trying to disconnect almost 100 million WhatsApp users in Russia to drive them to a state-owned app called MAX to enable surveillance.
Today the Russian government attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to drive people to a state-owned surveillance app. Trying to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication is a backwards step and can only lead to less safety for people in Russia.…
Is Edgar Chagwa Lungu dead — or is this political speculation? In this explosive update, Jay Jay Banda shocks the nation by boldly calling Edgar Lungu to stand as Vice President in the upcoming 2026 elections, strongly opposing rumors claiming that the former president is no more.
Is this a strategic political move? A confirmation that Edgar Lungu is still alive? Or part of a bigger “Plan B” in Zambian politics?
The Dalitso Lungu case: Why was former president Lungu’s immunity not lifted?
By Sishuwa Sishuwa
On 9 February 2026, the Lusaka High Court ordered the forfeiture of properties worth K31 million belonging to former president Edgar Lungu’s son, Dalitso. According to court records, Dalitso, who earned a total income of K137, 803 before Lungu became president in 2015, explained that the wealth was given to him by his father. The order was issued following an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions who had sought the forfeiture of about 71 vehicles and 21 properties, which included a filling station, to the state.
There are several lessons that emerge from this case. I will highlight only four.
The first is the need for governments to fight corruption in real time. A key reason why we are only now uncovering the corruption of the Edgar Lungu era is that successive governments tend to focus on fighting corruption of the past while ignoring or paying lip service to the rampant corruption that is happening under their own watch. As a result of this practice, Zambians will only get to know the grand corruption that may be taking place under President Hakainde Hichilema only after the UPND is out of office. There is need to identify and address the factors, both structural and otherwise, that prevent anti-corruption bodies from fighting corruption in real time.
In addition to creating supportive or empowering legislation and appointing independent professionals with a clear track record of fighting corruption to the board and management positions of the Anti-Corruption Commission, a successful anti-corruption campaign requires having a president who shows a clear or demonstrable will to fight past and especially present corruption. Such political will can be expressed in several ways: by strengthening anti‑corruption laws, by acting decisively against wrongdoing among officials and associates, including those closest to power, and by leading through personal example.
Lungu fell short on all three fronts, and Hichilema has, regrettably, mirrored his predecessor with equal distinction. A brief review of his four and a half years in office reveals a striking failure across each dimension. He has introduced no meaningful reforms to the Anti‑Corruption Act, nor has he sought to align it with Article 216 of the Constitution, which sets out the guiding principles for commissions. Hichilema has likewise shown an incriminating reluctance to dismiss ministers and other senior government officials accused of involvement in corruption. Few Zambians have forgotten how the president went out of his way to protect high-level officials accused of corruption in the Ministry of Health, to shield his associates who were implicated in the infamous airport gold scandal, or how he has overly protected Solicitor General Marshal Muchende from possible prosecution for alleged corruption.
As the current US Ambassador to Zambia, Michael Gonzales, argued in November 2023, “There must be consequences for individuals who abuse their public positions for personal gain. They must lose their jobs, their assets, and/or their freedom. The costs of corruption must exceed the financial gain if we are going to stem corrupt practices.” Gonzales—whose prior diplomatic postings show a traceable record of calling governments to account for violating their own laws or advancing personal interests at the expense of their citizens—continued:
“Investigating and arresting former officials is appropriate and expected when there is convincing evidence. And over the past decade during which corruption was effectively industrialized by senior officials in government, there is a deep, deep pool of former officials to be held accountable. Because, let’s be honest, when you go into public office having a modest house in a compound, and you leave office with $400,000 in cash laying around the house that you need to pass it to your niece for safe keeping, it calls into question where that money came from, because it wasn’t just your government salary! And if it came from corrupt practices or abuse of office, there must be accountability.” In addition to drawing attention to the Lungu-era corruption and the importance of holding former officials to account, Gonzales also emphasised the need for Hichilema to decisively deal with the corruption that is happening under his administration:
“But it’s important there be comparable attention and investigations to ensure accountable government among current administration officials and political leaders as well. We are still waiting to see convictions of current administration officials for corruption. When the PS repeatedly cancels and re-issues the high-value procurement, selecting a limited cohort of allowed bidders, it’s a problem. When a minister’s son or nephew routinely pressures companies in his father’s or uncle’s sector to give them money to secure licenses or concessions, it’s a problem. Let us demonstrate that indeed there are no sacred cows and that no one is above the law. But we all know that despite the lovely words, the Zambian people are only going to believe it when accountability is held, when corrupt officials lose their jobs, their assets, and their freedom.”
The second lesson is that any politically exposed person whose wealth exceeds their known means should be required to account for it. That principle is simply fair. By the same measure, if credible evidence were to emerge tomorrow suggesting that members of President Hichilema’s family possessed assets far beyond their legitimate and verifiable income, it would be reasonable to expect them to explain the source of that wealth. Those family members might include Maurice Hichilema, the President’s brother and current Director of Human Resources at Cabinet Office; Constance Hichilema, his sister and now Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police responsible for the Paramilitary Unit; and Habwela Hichilema, his son, who was controversially appointed to a position in the Zambia National Service, where we are told he serves without pay.
Other family members who may be questioned in future are Albert Halwampa, the president’s brother in law who is ZDA Director General; Kennedy Shepande, the president’s brother in law who is Zambia’s High Commissioner to Canada; Machacha Shepande, the president’s brother in law who is General Secretary of the Football Association of Zambia; Marshal Muchende, the president’s nephew who is Solicitor General; and several others too numerous to mention who populate public positions. Requesting that these or other individuals associated with the president clarify the sources of any wealth beyond their established income does not imply guilt. It ensures they are afforded the chance to be heard and to demonstrate that their assets were obtained lawfully.
The third lesson is the importance of declaring and publishing assets when one is a public officer. If Lungu had published the assets and liabilities that he declared to the Electoral Commission of Zambia in 2021, it may have been easy for the public to believe the possibility that the money and other forms of wealth he is said to have donated to his family members may have been legitimately acquired. After all, there is nothing wrong with parents giving gifts to their children or family members. But when a parent is a public officer, even his or her gifts or businesses are subject to public scrutiny.
There are significant lessons on this score for President Hichilema, who boasts of extensive business interests in several sectors of Zambia’s economy but has to date refused to publicly declare his assets and liabilities as a show of his commitment to transparency and accountability. This makes it difficult to work out to what extent his administration’s policies are designed to benefit companies in which he has an interest or retains beneficial ownership. If Hichilema has nothing to hide or if the origins of his wealth is not open to question, then he should have no difficulties with publishing his assets or explaining how he obtained it.
Supporters often insist that Hichilema was wealthy long before assuming office, but without an independent, verifiable declaration, the public is left with only his own self‑presentation—shaped by a man known for projecting an image that does not always align with reality—and a series of unverified claims about his supposed wealth. Hichilema and his supporters also often argue that there is no law that requires him to publish his assets and liabilities, but as Ambassador Gonzales again correctly noted recently, “Leadership is not about only doing the bare minimum that is absolutely required by law, but going beyond and doing what is right and needed to lead and shape reforms.”
If President Hichilema genuinely possesses the political will to confront corruption, then, after four and a half years in office, what has prevented his administration from enacting legislation that would require annual asset declaration and publication for himself and other senior officials? As constitutional law professor Cephas Lumina wrote recently, “In a country where corruption remains a chronic threat to development and public trust, nothing signals seriousness more powerfully than the President publicly declaring his or her assets, liabilities, and business interests.”
Moreover, the Constitution of Zambia, as amended in January 2016, states in Article 263 that “A person holding a public office shall, before assuming office or leaving office, make a declaration of their assets and liabilities, as prescribed.” The use of the phrase “as prescribed” means that Parliament is required to enact a law to operationalise this provision. Over a decade after the country amended its Constitution to include an explicit requirement for public officials to declare their assets and liabilities, no law has been passed to make this happen. In opposition, Hichilema blamed Lungu for this legal and moral abdication that represents a serious weakness in the fight against corruption. What excuse does Hichilema have now that he is president?
Some people have tried to cast doubt on whether the President is among those considered as a person holding a ‘public office’, but Article 266 of the Constitution erases any ambiguity. It defines a ‘public office’ as: ‘…an office whose emoluments and expenses are a charge on the Consolidated Fund or other prescribed public fund and includes a State office…’ It then defines ‘State office’ to include: ‘..the office of President, Vice-President, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Member of Parliament, Minister and Provincial Minister.’ This removes any confusion: the President holds a public office and is therefore bound by Article 263.
Prof Lumina also explained why asset declarations matter: “Asset declarations serve multiple public interest goals. First, they deter corruption by exposing illicit enrichment. By comparing pre- and post-office declarations, authorities and the public can assess whether a public officer has improperly gained wealth while in office. Second, declarations expose potential conflicts — such as interests in companies seeking government contracts — that could compromise the decision-making process. Third, they enhance public trust in the integrity of public officials. In societies where corruption is rampant, public trust in institutions is eroded. Asset disclosure restores some of that trust by demonstrating transparency. Fourth, they empower oversight bodies, civil society, and the media to hold leaders accountable.”
“Without these disclosures”, Lumina added, “the door remains wide open to grand corruption — unchecked, unmonitored, and unpunished. Also, when public asset disclosures are missing, it creates suspicion, increases cynicism, and enables the accumulation of unexplained wealth, often at the public’s expense. The continued failure to pass asset declaration laws sends a dangerous message: that accountability is optional, and that constitutional obligations can be ignored. This weakens the rule of law and emboldens corrupt actors at all levels of government. Moreover, each new president who enters office without declaring their assets sets a precedent for opacity — one that could lead to a culture of impunity at the highest levels of the state. Worse still, the constitutional ambiguity created by the failure to enact a supporting law makes enforcement of Article 263 virtually impossible. In turn, this weakens public trust in the Constitution and the way the country is governed.”
The fourth lesson is in form of a question: why wasn’t Edgar Lungu tried together with his family? Why did the UPND fail to investigate and possibly lift the former president’s immunity from prosecution long before he died? If the government found any evidence that members of Lungu’s family were wealthier beyond their means, then the family’s wealth should have been used as evidence of the extent of Lungu’s possible corruption, especially since some of them have confirmed that they got the money from him. For instance, during trial, Dalitso Lungu stated that he was given the wealth in his possession by his father when he was president.
Because the conditions of service for a Zambian president are prescribed by law, Edgar Lungu should have been called to testify and explain the source of the money and property he allegedly distributed to members of his family. In fact, the former president had publicly indicated his willingness to testify during the trial. Despite this offer, the State opposed efforts to summon the former president, even though the accused family member maintained that the contested assets came from him. The question that remains is why the State resisted allowing his testimony. Earlier, in December 2021, the former president challenged the government to arrest him if it believed or had any evidence that he had stolen anything. Hichilema and his friends in power refused to even investigate Lungu for possible corruption.
If the UPND were genuinely committed to fighting corruption, President Hichilema’s first major step after taking office in 2021 should have been to initiate formal investigations into the presidency of Lungu, whom many Zambians believe ran a corrupt administration. Those investigations would have laid the groundwork for seeking the removal of his immunity so that he could face trial for alleged corruption. Whether the government could ultimately secure the two‑thirds parliamentary majority required to lift his immunity was a secondary question (though Hichilema has since shown the lengths to which he is prepared to go to get even opposition lawmakers to support what he wants). What mattered first was the need for the government to fulfill its own responsibility: conduct thorough investigations and, if evidence of wrongdoing emerged, present a motion to Parliament requesting that his immunity be lifted.
In the end, the record speaks for itself. A president genuinely committed to confronting corruption would have allowed—indeed, encouraged—a full investigation into Edgar Lungu long before his death. Instead, President Hichilema offered early assurances that Lungu need not fear prosecution, a promise that was both inappropriate and inconsistent with the principles of accountability. Any alleged offenses were committed against the Zambian people, not against Hichilema personally, and it is the public—through the institutions established to uphold justice—that should have determined Lungu’s fate. If wrongdoing occurred, it was the nation, not an individual leader, that was owed the truth.
THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA OR THE EXCLUSION COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA- A PERSPECTIVE
By Jonas Zimba
INTRODUCTION
Zambia being a constitutional democracy is founded on the principle of a participatorydemocracy. This means, selection of leaders is done by way of elections and people are free to participate in the said process by way of contesting seats.
The body mandate to carry out such functions is known as the Electoral Commission of Zambia alias ECZ. Christopher Phiri, (6th July, 2022) opines that the Electoral Commission of Zambia is mandated to carry out elections in Zambia
The role of the Electoral Commission of Zambia is often either misunderstood or overstated. One would ask, is it the role of the Electoral Commission of Zambia to conduct elections or to exclude others from participating in elections? Are they the exclusion commission of Zambia or the Electoral Commission of Zambia? Which is which?
This paper discusses the foundation and role of the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the vantage position it has in Zambia’s democracy. The paper further tries to examine whether the electoral commission of Zambia is now a tool for exclusion of opposition participation or a tool for promotion of democracy in Zambia.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA The Electoral Commission of Zambia is a creature of the Constitution. Article 2292 of the constitution creates the Electoral Commission of Zambia and provides as follows: “There is established the Electoral Commission of Zambia which shall have offices in provinces and progressively in districts”
The reason behind the establishment of the Electoral Commission is not one that remains speculative. Zambia by its very nature is a constitutional democracy and elections are inevitable.
The view taken here is that the Commission is an independent body established to conduct and manage elections in Zambia. It was established in 1996 for the purpose of conducting and managing elections
FUNCTIONS OF THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA The functions of the Electoral Commission of Zambia are both set out in the Constitution and an Act of Parliament. Article 229 of the Constitution sets out the functions of the Commission and it states thus: ‘The Electoral Commission shall: (a) Implement the Electoral Process Act (b) Conduct elections and referenda (c) Register voters (d) Settle minor electoral disputes as prescribed (e) Regulate the conduct of voters and candidates (f) Accredit observers and election agents, as prescribed (g) Delimit electoral boundaries and (h) Preform such other functions as prescribed” 4 The functions of the Electoral Commissions are further expanded in the Electoral Commission Act5 which piece of legislation was assented to on the 6th June, 2016 and came into force the very next day being the 7th day of June, 2016.
The long title of the Act provides that: “An Act to provide for the membership, functions, operations and financial management of the Electoral Commission of Zambia, repeal and replace the Electoral Commission Act, 1996, and provide for matters connected with, or incidental to, the foregoing”
The core function of the commission is set out in section 4 of the Act which provides that: “subject to the Constitution, the Commission shall direct, supervise and control elections in a fair and impartial manner” The function of the commission is therefore to conduct elections in a fair and impartial manner period.
The commission has nothing to do with regulating political parties or political players in so far as their registration or internal affairs are concerned. Put simply, the vantage point that the commission has in the democracy of Zambia is that it is there to conduct elections and it is an independent body. It assumes the role of a referee in Zambia’s electoral system. The commission is the official announcer of both the winner and the losers in any election conducted in Zambia
THE PERCEIVED ROLE OF THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF ZAMBIA Over the past few years, specifically from the years 2021 to date, the Electoral Commission of Zambia has issued statements and one of such statements relates to who should sign the adoption certificate of a candidate sponsored by a political party issued on the 31st of January, 2026 and withdrawn or disowned the same day.
These acts started off by some confusion that was seen in the Kwacha and Kabushi by elections involving Mr. J. Malanji and Mr. B. Lusambo . On about 31st January, 2026, it was alleged that the Commission had issued a letter wherein it indicated that only documents signed by the Secretary General and the President of a political party registered at registrar of societies shall be accepted by the Commission. On the very day this was issued, the commission quickly disowned it and stated that it was fake.
In this time of cybercrimes and punitive cyber laws, no one has been prosecuted or even called in for investigations in relation to such a serious matter. We can only imagine that the Commission was testing the waters and upon seeing a backlash, they pulled back the notice with some interesting excuse, it is fake! How can an entire Commission give such an excuse? In our present times, the Commission seems to think or is perceived to have an overreaching arm such that they can do anything they want in so far as they feel it is right.
The commission today is perceived to be a regulator of political parties, they are perceived to be a body that can decide who one can associate with or not and so on and so forth. Going by the pieces of legislation that cover what the commission has set out as its functions, it has no power to regulate how political parties conduct their affairs.
The commission is now perceived to be a tool for the ruling party which has been deployed to exclude all competition and disadvantage any opposition party from any form of participation in the electoral process.
This can be seen from the various illegal notices which so far have not received any challenge and the proposed amendments to the Electoral Process Act 20267 which include a proposed amendment in the definition section as regards what will amount to an adoption certificate. The proposal being that it should read, a document signed by the Secretary General of a Political Party who is registered with the Registrar of Societies, sponsoring a candidate for an election to the office of President, Member of Parliament, Mayor, Council Chairperson or Councilor.
The Commission has further gone ahead to propose the repeal of section 17 of the Act and propose that they are the ones to determine the period within which the voter register is to be inspected and as such issued even before the amendment is effected a letter dated 5th February, 2026 to all Town Clerks effecting the provision as if it were law and yet it is not. This in short is an illegality being perpetrated by a body mandated to preserve the democracy of this country.
🇿🇲 VIEWPOINT | Kasama is Shifting, and PF Knows It
Kasama has become one of the most politically contested spaces of Zambia’s election year.
For decades, the Northern region was treated as natural opposition territory, a zone where the Patriotic Front could speak with inherited confidence while ruling parties often struggled to penetrate meaningfully. That assumption is now under strain.
The recent mayoral breakthrough by the ruling UPND in Kasama was not a routine local upset. It signalled something deeper: the old regional certainties are weakening. Kasama is no longer guaranteed ground. It is now competitive ground.
This is the backdrop to why PF figures and alliance actors are suddenly frequenting the area with urgency.
Makebi Zulu’s engagements in Kasama this week are not accidental. They reflect a party aware that if the North becomes contested, PF risks losing the last psychological idea of a fortress. Zulu has been meeting clergy, traditional voices, and party structures, positioning himself as a unifier at a moment when the former ruling party remains fractured and exposed.
It was in this context that Archbishop Ignatius Chama, the Catholic Archbishop of Kasama and one of the most influential church voices in the Northern Province, delivered a blunt political warning: “Time is not on your side. The Patriotic Front must put its house in order by uniting and electing a substantive leader.”
That was more than pastoral counsel. It was a diagnosis of opposition drift.
Because PF’s crisis is no longer only internal. It is geographic.
A party can survive leadership disputes. It struggles to survive when its presumed base begins to shift. The Kasama result suggests Zambia is entering a phase where voting patterns are becoming more fluid, less tied to historical loyalties, and more open to competitive mobilisation.
That changes the opposition arithmetic entirely.
PF is fragmented across competing factions, alliance boutiques, and multiple presidential ambitions. If that division persists while UPND expands into former opposition bedrooms, the 2026 contest becomes structurally tilted before campaigns even peak.
A divided opposition does not simply lose votes. It loses terrain.
The clergy factor matters, but it has limits. Catholic civic spaces have historically provided moral pressure points in moments of national tension, including recent church-state frictions around constitutional debates such as Bill 7 and the wider unease involving senior figures like Archbishop Alick Banda.
But Kasama’s electoral shift is the reminder: moral influence cannot substitute for electoral machinery. The pulpit can warn. It cannot organise a national coalition.
Zulu has promised that PF will elect a substantive leader before month-end. He speaks of external destabilisation and frames himself as positioned to unify the party. But PF’s deeper problem is institutional. It remains trapped in succession mythology.
After Sata’s death, legitimacy became a contest of “anointment.” After Lungu’s death, the same narrative has returned, with multiple camps claiming inheritance of a legacy never formally assigned. Politics cannot be built on funeral symbolism.
Kasama has exposed that sharply.
And there is another strategic danger PF has not answered. While it concentrates energy in Northern spaces it once assumed were safe, it has not demonstrated serious ground-breaking capacity in regions where UPND remains dominant: the South, Western Province, parts of North-Western, and key stretches of Central Province.
Elections are not won by defending shrinking bedrooms. They are won by expanding maps.
If PF is now forced to fight even in areas it once treated as automatic, then the opposition enters 2026 with no guaranteed stronghold, only contested space and divided command.
Kasama is shifting. PF knows it. That is why they are there.
The question is whether organisation can arrive faster than erosion.
Response to the Recent Political Claims by Francis Sampa Regarding Brian Mundubile and the PF
1. The Voluntary Exit of Brian Mundubile Brian Mundubile was never “hounded out” of the Patriotic Front (PF). He made a conscious, strategic choice to abandon the party to pursue the presidency of the Dunamis Alliance. His departure was a matter of personal convenience, not external pressure.
2. Judicial Outcome and Party Cohesion The upcoming court ruling will serve as the ultimate glue for the PF. It will cement the resolve of loyal members and act as a beacon for those who were previously coerced into leaving under Mundubile’s influence. A favorable judgment will validate the party’s direction; if Mundubile finds himself sidelined, he has no one to blame but himself for his blatant disregard for the PF and Tonse Alliance constitutions
3. The Myth of UPND Interference The narrative that President Hakainde Hichilema (HH) and the UPND are “withholding” the PF from its rightful owners is true but a convenient smokescreen for team Mundubile. This rhetoric is exactly what Mundubile and his associates are banking on to mask their own failures.
4. Mundubile’s Lack of Political Weight The idea that HH fears Mundubile is laughable. Politically, Mundubile is one of the weakest opponents on the field, lacking both national character and household recognition.
The Popularity Test: A true presidential contender should be able to win a seat anywhere in Zambia. Mundubile failed this test even in his home region during the recent Kasama Mayoral by-election, where the UPND emerged victorious.
A History of Losses: History is not kind to him; he lost twice in his hometown of Mporokoso, only gaining a seat in 2016 through a political deal between Rupiah Banda and Edgar Lungu.
5. Fabricated Structures and Public Denials There is no “majority” following Mundubile. He is currently attempting to build a facade by appointing individuals to structures without their consent—many of whom have already publicly distanced themselves from his appointments.
6. The Chawama Victory vs. The Kasama Failure Claims that Mundubile’s team won in Chawama are a total fabrication. Mundubile never set foot in Chawama. That victory belonged to the tireless campaign team led by PF President Given Lubinda. Conversely, where Mundubile and his team actually camped—in Kasama —the results were dismal. If Mundubile claims the Chawama victory, he should be challenged to produce a single shred of footage showing him on the ground. His current affiliation is with the FDD and Dunamis Alliance, not the PF.
7. Miscalculations and the “Adonijah” Complex To suggest the February 25th judgment depends on Mundubile’s exit is a desperate attempt to mask a massive political miscalculation. He left the PF because he believed the party was dead. Now that the reality of his isolation has set in, he is resorting to “Adonijah-style” tactics to grab power, but like the biblical figure, his political end is near.
8. Looking Toward August 13, 2026
The judgment on February 25, 2026, has nothing to do with HH “saving face.” It is about the law. Regardless of the outcome, the legitimate PF leadership will not be deterred. They are fully prepared to contest and win the August 13, 2026, General Elections—whether as the PF or through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) designed to carry their mandate forward
BRIAN MUNDUBILE BEGINS TO CHASE NORTHERN LEADERS FROM HIS CAMPAIGN TEAM.
Embattled Ex PF Presidential candidate Brian Mundubile has began a mass expulsion of PF members from his infamous BM Campaign Team in northern province after they mobilised Kasama Party Structures to meet Presidential Candidate Makebi Zulu.
Mr Mundubile through his Provincial Campaign Team coordinator has written to the leaders to remove them from the his campaign team .
The People’s Pact has raised alarm over the Electoral Commission of Zambia’s revised roadmap for the 2026 elections.
Speaking during a press briefing this morning, Pact Vice President Strategy Peter Sinkamba, said the absence of clear delimitation timelines creates a dangerous procedural void.
Mr Sinkamba, stressed that while the Constitutional Court dismissed their interim application, substantive issues are still pending further emphasizing that respect for the Judiciary remains paramount.
He highlighted that attending the consultative meeting shows their commitment to constitutional order.
Mr. Sinkamba observed that the compressed schedule between consultations and voter register inspections undermines credibility.
He warned that the legal life of the current 156 constituencies expires just before the election.
Mr. Sinkamba, underscored that without urgent delimitation, voters risk disenfranchisement.
He cautioned that candidates may face a nomination crisis if boundaries are not finalized by May arguing that ignoring census data creates constitutional uncertainty.
He reaffirmed their petition before the Constitutional Court to prevent a defective electoral map from being cemented.
FDD URGES CHURCH, CIVIL SOCIETY TO RESIST CONTROVERSIAL 2026 ELECTORAL AMENDMENT BILL.
The FDD wishes to call upon the church, civil societies and the general citizenry to take keen interest and fight to the core the Proposed Electoral Process ( Amendment ) BILL 2026 which has been designed to cripple the rights of citizens and organisations in the electoral processes as acceptable in a democratic environment.
The proposed amendments in the electoral process bill such as giving the party secretary general inherent powers to single handedly decide the fate of an organization, the proposal that a voter leaves the polling stations immediately they cast their vote and that the official mark be removed from a ballot paper are some of the dangerous things which must not be entertained in our Electoral Process .
The FDD is fully aware that just like Bill 7 , where President Hakainde Hichilema has confessed to having dribbled the Members of Parliament to vote For Bill 7, the UPND together with their cadres at ECZ are desperately putting the Mingalato ( criminality) in our legal frameworks with particular focus to entrench their hold on to power.
As a party, we want to warn Mr Hichilema and all his surrogates at ECZ that zambians will not be held hostage because the UPND and ECZ want to satisfy the ego of one man. The law is not made for President Hichilema but for every zambian whom it must serve justiciably.
The FDD hence demands that the Bill be postponed until after the general elections scheduled for 13 August 2026. We know that the UPND are in high gear to push for laws which stifle competition and fairness in elections and other democratic processes.
It is so worrying that Mr Hichilema and the UPND are determined to start fixing things such as the official mark on the ballot which are not broken. This shows insincerity on the man who ascended to presidency on the promise of adherence to rule of law and respect for Democratic processes. It is however shameful that the Angel as transitioned into the devil himself who is racking havoc all over.
In a properly run society, enactment of laws are smooth and not contested. Consensus is not forced but achieved through a common interest.
We will fight the delimitation of Zambezi East Constituency-Hon.Brian Kambita
“We shall ensure that the proposed Zambezi Central constituency in Zambezi district is not created,” vows Zambezi East MP Brian Kambita.
The MP stated that he is taking all necessary measures to prevent the creation of the proposed constituency, noting that “a lion marks its territory” in reference to his Lunda tribe, who have strongly opposed the proposal due to concerns that it would be dominated by the Luvale.
He has labeled the proposed Zambezi central constituency as a tribal agenda.
Bowman, Munir, Chilangwa, Chitotela are political prisoners – Fube By Mubanga Mubanga Chilubi member of parliament Mulenga Fube (PF) says former MPs for Kawambwa, Pabambashe and Lumezi, Nickson Chilangwa, Ronald Chitotela and Munir Zulu respectively, are political prisoners who have been jailed using trumped-up charges.
In an interview with Daily Revelation over the weekend, Fube said the current administration did not want the three to be part of the political mobilisation ahead of the August 13 general elections, hence the decision to jail them using trumped-up charges.
“And l think this is now becoming very frustrating. And l think we cannot have certain laws apply to certain citizens, while some other citizens cannot even see the four walls of the police cell, when they have committed serious crimes,” Fube said.
“We know that, many of these are, starting with Mr Chitotela, Bena Bowman Lusambo, Chitotela and the like, they have been given https://dailyrevelationzambia.com/bowman-munir-chilangwa-chitotela-are-political-prisoners-fube/
BREAKING: Filmmaker Wyclif Mwamba Loses Major Deals Following Misconduct Allegations by Kondwani Banda
Zambian filmmaker Wyclify Mwamba is facing a massive career setback after explosive allegations of sexual misconduct and professional malpractice surfaced online. The claims, posted by controversial blogger @Kondwani Banda (Uncle Koko), have reportedly led to the immediate collapse of high-profile business partnerships.
The Massive Financial & Professional Loss According to a series of emotional posts by the filmmaker, the fallout from these allegations has been devastating: NGO Ambassadorship Lost: Mwamba revealed he has officially lost a brand ambassadorship job with an unnamed NGO.
Ruth Kadiri Movie Cancelled: A major film project featuring Nigerian superstar Ruth Kadiri is now in jeopardy after sponsors pulled out citing the social media scandal.
️ Summary of the Allegations The blogger, Kondwani Banda, alleged a pattern of abuse and financial mismanagement based on “inbox complaints,” including: Sexual Misconduct: Claims of inappropriate behavior with housemaids and members of his movie cast.
Financial Disputes: Allegations that Mwamba failed to pay his crew and cast, provided poor meals on set, and blocked investors like Precious Chichi instead of repaying them.
⚖️ Wyclif Mwamba’s Defiant Response Mwamba has vehemently denied all accusations, labeling them as defamatory. He has taken the following actions:
Police Report: The filmmaker has officially reported the matter to the Zambia Police Service in Ndola, stating, “The law will set us free”.
Internal Investigation: Mwamba claims he is targeting the former crew members who allegedly leaked false information to Banda rather than going after the blogger directly.
Personal Strain: He shared that the drama has caused extreme stress at home, including an alleged assault of one of his maids by her husband and severe tension with his wife.
Background on Kondwani Banda This incident follows Kondwani Banda’s recent release from detention in Kenya, where he has since resumed a series of “exposés” targeting various Zambian public figures.
What are your thoughts on this development? Is “cancel culture” moving too fast before the law steps in?
UPPZ CALLS FOR LOAN REFORMS FOR CIVIL SERVANTS AHEAD OF AUGUST ELECTIONS
Lusaka… Thursday February 12, 2026
United Prosperous and Peaceful Zambia (UPPZ) President Charles Chanda has called for urgent reforms in the way civil servants access and repay loans, highlighting the growing debt burden among government workers.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Chanda noted that private financial institutions often consider civil servants to be low-risk borrowers due to their stable employment, making it easier for them to access credit.
However, he expressed concern that many of these loans carry high interest rates, which make repayment difficult and leave many workers trapped in debt.
“Private banks see civil servants as low risk, so loans are easy to obtain,” Mr. Chanda said.
“However, the high interest rates attached to many of these loans make them difficult to repay.”
Mr. Chanda outlined a proposal to address the issue after the August general elections, stating that a UPPZ-led government would introduce a deliberate policy aimed at easing civil service debt through a government-run Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).
According to Mr. Chanda, the SPV would work in partnership with financial institutions to provide more manageable loan terms and fairer interest rates for civil servants.
He added that the initiative would be guided by clear regulations and independent oversight to ensure transparency and public trust.
“Our SPV will collaborate with banks to offer simpler terms and fair rates,” he said.
“We will publish clear rules and provide independent oversight so that people can have confidence in the system.”
He further emphasized that the policy would be structured to remain affordable for the government while safeguarding taxpayer interests.
Mr. Chanda noted that detailed consultations with financial partners and civil service representatives would take place after the elections to refine the proposal.
ECZ URGED TO CLARIFY BALLOT PAPER SECURITY CHANGES
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Spokesperson Wilson Banda has called on the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to provide clear and transparent justification regarding proposed changes to ballot paper security, emphasizing that electoral safeguards are central to public confidence in the democratic process.
Speaking on concerns surrounding the removal of the official mark on ballot papers, Mr. Banda said matters affecting ballot security must be treated with utmost seriousness, as they directly impact the credibility of elections.
“Matters concerning ballot paper security are not minor administrative details; they go to the very heart of public trust in our democracy.”
Mr. Banda explained that many citizens view the official mark as an important security feature used to authenticate documents and prevent forgery, adding that public concern over its possible removal was therefore understandable.
“It is therefore reasonable for citizens to question the removal of such a feature and to seek clear, transparent justification for that decision,” he noted.
The DPP spokesperson further urged the ECZ to assure citizens that any reforms would strengthen rather than weaken electoral safeguards.
He said the Commission should demonstrate how it intends to modernize and enhance ballot protection measures if existing features are to be changed.
“Rather than appearing to scale back protective features, the ECZ should be reassuring the nation by demonstrating how it intends to strengthen ballot security through enhanced and modern safeguards,” Mr. Banda stated.
He emphasized that any adjustments to electoral procedures must prioritize preventing forgery and reinforcing public trust in election outcomes.
Mr. Banda added that citizens deserve clarity on alternative safeguards that would replace the official mark.
“The ECZ must engage the public openly, clarify its position, and ensure that any changes to electoral procedures enhance, not diminish, the credibility of Zambia’s electoral system,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Mr. Banda urged the Commission to maintain transparency in its electoral reforms, stating that open communication remains essential to sustaining confidence in Zambia’s democratic institutions.
A Mass Shooting in Canada Claims a Zambian National
On February 10, 2026, a mass shooting occurred in the remote community of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, leaving eight people dead plus the suspect. It is being described as one of the deadliest gun attacks in Canadian history and the deadliest school shooting in decades.
In a gut-wrenching incident, a Zambian couple who relocated to Canada just two years ago has lost their young son, Abel, in a horrific school shooting.
Apostle Abel Mwansa, a pastor, shared a heartbreaking tribute on social media: “Our son went to school this morning, and someone came to school with a gun, went to my kid’s classroom, shot some kids, and my son was killed too, just like that. Your mom, Shakainah, Jasail and I will greatly miss you, Abel J.”
The family, seeking a brighter future abroad, has now been left mourning.
Pastor Abel Mwansa wrote;
Few weeks ago took my son for dinner, this is a child that I have raised to respect elders, answer to one call, be strong, work hard put a smile on the face like I do, focus on his studies never miss school and to be a good kid. One day I came up with an idea that he should do home school but he cried that I love being at school.
He left home 10th Feb, 2026 saying when daddy comes bad from work tell him to come and pick me from church I will be attending youth meeting for he loved the Lord. And picked up his back pack 08:20 A.M and went to school, a call followed me at work as I was having lunch that your son want you to go and picking him from Church at 6pm and I said I will go and pick him.
Not knowing that my son will be shot like a stray dog murdered in cold blood. My son I treasured the moment I spent with you, you were a great son still remains a great one to me. I wonder why you told your sister 4 days ago to sing a song in titled DIE WITH A SMILE I don’t know what you meant and I don’t think you died with a smile the pain of a bullet.
This cut is the deepest.
LORD I THANK YOU FOR 12 YEARS 11 MONTHS WE SPENT WITH YOU, AND I KNOW GOD STILL LOVE US AND HE DIDN’T TAKE HIM BUT DEATH DID.
OURS IS TO IMPROVE THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF ZAMBIANS – NJOBVU
… urges Zambians to get involved in the development of the country.
LUSAKA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2026 (SMART EAGLES)
DEMOCRATIC Union party president Anthony Ackim Njobvu has called on Zambians to be part and parcel of the development agenda of the country.
Speaking when he featured on ‘ Sky Forum’ this evening, Mr. Njobvu said his party’s agenda after the August general elections is to improve the lives of Zambians and not engaging in politicking.
He said currently the country does not appear to be doing well interms of development.
“Ours is to improve the living conditions of the people and not engaging in politicking. We don’t appear to be doing the best as we should. As zambians after every general election we have the duty to contribute to development of the country and not politic throughout. I think Zambians have possesed a bit of business skills and should be able to do well,” Mr. Njobvu said.
And Mr. Njobvu said it it unfair for the UPND and its sympathizers to label every Zambian who is not working as being lazy.
He said job opportunities should be made available for everyone instead of the select few.
“We need youths to be available at the table where resources are being distributed. We need to create meaningful employment for everyone and not the select few, because everyone is feeling the bad economic impact under the UPND, ” He said.
Meanwhile Mr. Njobvu said the delimitation process is ill timed and will cost the treasury alot of national resources.
He said having a huge number of members of parliament will be costly adding that government should have instead prioritised increasing the Constituency Development Fund.
” This will have a huge cost burden to the country. Already we have failed to sustain the Constituency Development Fund with the current number of members of parliament,” He said.
STRENGTHENING GOVERNMENT REGULATION OF LENDING IN ZAMBIA: PROTECTING CIVIL SERVANTS FROM OVER-INDEBTEDNESS- A PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE
Aside from the latest salary increment for public service employees, it is on record that Zambia has experienced significant growth in the microfinance and lending sector, increasing access to credit for many citizens, particularly civil servants. While financial inclusion is an important driver of economic participation, the expansion of payroll based lending and easy access to loans has resulted in rising levels of over indebtedness among government employees. Civil servants, increasingly face financial stress due to multiple loan commitments that reduce disposable income and affect productivity, wellbeing and service delivery.
Although regulatory mechanisms such as the 40% payroll deduction threshold exist, current realities suggest that stronger and more coordinated government intervention is needed to ensure responsible lending practices and protect employees from excessive debt.
THE ZAMBIAN LENDING LANDSCAPE AND ITS IMPACT ON CIVIL SERVANTS
The growth of microfinance institutions and payroll lenders has transformed access to credit in Zambia. Many lenders target civil servants because of their stable salaries and structured payroll systems, making loan recovery relatively secure. However, several challenges have emerged;
• Multiple lenders providing concurrent loans to the same employee. • Aggressive marketing strategies targeting government workers. • High effective interest rates and administrative charges. • Loan refinancing practices that trap borrowers in long-term debt cycles. • Reduced take home pay among civil servants, sometimes leaving employees financially vulnerable despite stable employment. In sectors such as health, where employees already face demanding working conditions, financial stress caused by over borrowing can negatively affect morale, performance, and retention.
LIMITATIONS OF THE CURRENT 40% THRESHOLD
The existing policy that limits loan deductions to approximately 40% of an employee’s salary is an important safeguard. However, several weaknesses reduce its effectiveness: • Lack of centralized monitoring across all lending institutions. • Loans obtained outside payroll deduction systems, including mobile and informal lenders. • Weak enforcement and inconsistent compliance among institutions. • Limited real time data sharing between employers, lenders, and regulators. As a result, some civil servants accumulate debt beyond safe affordability levels despite the presence of formal thresholds.
POLICY STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVED REGULATION
1. With the existing government payroll systems, it will be important to serious monitor the following to ensure real time compliance: • Verify total debt exposure before loan approval. • Prevent approval of loans that exceed allowed thresholds. • Improve coordination between employers, lenders, and regulators, if anything lenders to be engaging the Human Resource Officers who are in direct contact with the employees for guidance before loan approval.
2. Strengthen Regulation of Microfinance Institutions The Bank of Zambia and relevant regulatory bodies should enhance oversight of microfinance institutions through: • Standardized affordability assessment requirements. • Clear interest rate and fee transparency rules. • Limits on refinancing practices that extend debt cycles. • Strong penalties for non-compliance. This ensures that lending institutions prioritize responsible lending rather than volume based profit models.
3. Review and Enhance the 40% Deduction Policy While the 40% threshold provides protection, government may consider: • Evaluating whether the threshold adequately protects lower-income workers. • Introducing tiered deduction limits based on income level. • Limiting the number of concurrent payroll loans allowed per employee. These adjustments could provide more targeted protection for vulnerable employees.
4. Regulate Digital and Informal Lending Platforms With the rise of mobile lending applications and informal lenders, government should: • Require registration and licensing of all digital lenders operating in Zambia. • Enforce transparent pricing structures. • Protect employee data privacy. • Prevent lenders from bypassing payroll safeguards.
5. Promote Financial Wellness Programs in the Civil Service
Government ministries, including the Ministry of Health, can introduce financial wellness initiatives such as: • Mandatory financial literacy training during staff induction. • Debt counselling services for over indebted employees. • Partnerships with financial institutions offering responsible credit products. These initiatives empower employees to make informed financial decisions.
6. Strengthen Collaboration Between Employers and Regulators
Government institutions should work closely with regulators and lending institutions to ensure: • Regular audits of payroll deductions. • Monitoring of employee financial stress indicators. • Early intervention when debt levels become excessive. Such collaboration ensures a proactive rather than reactive approach to financial risk.
BALANCING FINANCIAL INCLUSION WITH EMPLOYEE PROTECTION
Access to credit remains essential for many Zambians, particularly for managing emergencies, education costs, or investments. The objective of regulation should therefore not be to eliminate lending but to ensure that it is sustainable, transparent, and aligned with employee welfare.
A balanced regulatory framework can promote financial inclusion while preventing exploitation and long-term indebtedness among civil servants otherwise it’s a sad story on the ground.
#fabianthehr follow for more HR related information
NIGERIA’S AVIATION NIGHTMARE: Arik Air Passengers Cheat Death After Mid-Air Engine Failure!
A Lagos-Port Harcourt Arik Air flight made a dramatic emergency landing in Benin City today after suffering catastrophic engine damage mid-flight. Passengers reportedly screamed and prayed as the aircraft fought to stay airborne. Minutes longer in the sky could have meant mass tragedy.
President Tinubu, Nigerian lives are NOT expendable!
When will our aviation authorities prioritize MANDATORY rigorous aircraft inspections over profit? When will aging planes be grounded before they become flying coffins?
Every Nigerian boarding a domestic flight is playing Russian roulette with their life. We deserve the same safety standards as any other nation on earth.
THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR :
Prayer is powerful, but PREVENTION is our responsibility. No more excuses. No more “thank God.” We need ACTION.
Ground every aircraft that doesn’t meet international safety standards. NOW.
How many near-misses before an actual disaster? How many lives lost before change happens?
Sibonelo Nomvalo Presses Paul O’Sullivan Over The Claims That Jacob Zuma Had A Child With Dudu Myeni
As expected, a showdown took place between Umkhonto WeSizwe Party (MKP) member of Parliament Sibonelo Nomvalo and controversial Forensic Investigator Paul O’Sullivan.
The showdown took place after O’Sullivan claimed that MK Party leader Jacob Zuma had an affair with the late Dudu Myeni.
As if that was not enough, the Irish born O’Sullivan further claimed that Zuma and Myeni together have a son.
But O’Sullivan insisted that he had no DNA proof back up his claims that Myeni was Zuma’s “mistress”.
Nomvalo criticised O’Sullivan for labelling a deceased woman based on alleged romantic ties without concrete evidence
The heated exchange centred on O’Sullivan’s repeated description of the late former SAA chairperson Myeni as Zuma’s “mistress.”
Myeni died of cancer on 14 June 2024 at the age of 60.
O’Sullivan stood by his claim, arguing that the alleged existence of a shared son, Thalente Myeni, was “living proof” of what he described as a conjugal (non-marital romantic) relationship.
When pressed further for evidence, O’Sullivan cited what he described as circumstantial factors.
He claimed the alleged son lived at Zuma’s Forest Town residence after 2009, had reportedly referred to Zuma as his father on multiple occasions, and that it was “common cause in the public domain” that he is Zuma’s son.
MNAGAGWA KILLS DEMOCRACY: ZIMBABWE’S CABINET APPROVES CONSTITUTIONAL COUP TO STEAL THE PEOPLE’S VOTE
Zimbabwe’s cabinet has approved constitutional changes that would: – EXTEND the presidential term – Let PARLIAMENT choose the president instead of the people – Strip Zimbabweans of their right to vote for their leader
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is literally rewriting the rules to keep power. This isn’t democracy—this is a CONSTITUTIONAL COUP happening in broad daylight.
After Mugabe’s 37 years of dictatorship, Zimbabweans thought they were finally free. But here we are again, watching another leader dismantle democracy piece by piece to cling to power.
When leaders stop trusting the people to vote, they stop being presidents and become dictators.
ZIMBABWE, THIS IS YOUR COUNTRY, NOT MNANGAGWA’S INHERITANCE.
The “youth are leaders of tomorrow” has always been a LIE told by old men who refuse to leave today. How can the youth lead tomorrow when these leaders are changing constitutions to stay forever?
Mnangagwa is 82 YEARS OLD. Instead of building a legacy and making way for the next generation, he’s rigging the system so parliament—which he controls—picks the president. No more elections. No more people power.
This is how dictatorships are born.
AFRICAN UNION, are you watching? SADC, where are you? African presidents, will you speak up or stay silent while another African nation loses its democracy?
Zimbabwe fought too hard for independence to lose it to constitutional manipulation. The people’s vote is sacred. Parliament is not a coronation chamber.
ZIMBABWEANS DESERVE BETTER. Africa’s youth deserve better. Democracy is not negotiable.
President Mnangagwa, history is watching. Will you be remembered as the man who gave Zimbabwe freedom or the one who stole it back?
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa is planning to fundamentally change the Constitution in a way last seen in 1987 when ZANU-PF brought the executive presidency.
The Sweeping constitutional changes are being proposed that fundamentally alter how Zimbabwe is governed, how its President is elected, and how key democratic institutions function.
These proposals signal a far-reaching restructuring of the State that consolidates executive power, weakens electoral accountability, and extends political tenure beyond what is currently provided for in the Constitution.
1. Removal of direct presidential elections.
Shifting the election of the President from a public vote to Parliament removes citizens’ direct say in choosing the Head of State. In a dominant-party system, this effectively guarantees that the ruling party’s parliamentary majority decides the presidency, reducing electoral competitiveness and public legitimacy.
2. Extension of presidential and parliamentary terms.
Moving from five to seven years lengthens the period voters must wait to remove an underperforming government. Longer terms entrench incumbents, reduce accountability cycles, and delay democratic renewal, especially where institutions are already weak.
3. Increased presidential influence in Parliament.
Allowing the President to appoint ten more senators expands executive influence over the legislature. Appointed senators often vote with the appointing authority, weakening parliamentary independence and oversight.
4. Transfer of voters’ roll to the Registrar-General.
Moving custody of the voters’ roll from the electoral commission to the Registrar-General raises credibility concerns. The Registrar-General’s office has historically been viewed as executive-aligned, so this shift will undermine confidence in electoral transparency and independence.
5. Fragmentation of electoral management.
Creating a separate Delimitation Commission removes boundary delimitation from ZEC. While framed as reducing overlap, splitting electoral functions will create coordination problems and open space for political manipulation of constituency boundaries.
6. Weakening judicial appointment transparency.
Removing the public interview process for judicial appointments reduces openness. Public interviews were designed to enhance scrutiny, merit assessment, and public trust in the judiciary. Their removal will now politicise appointments.
7. Security sector constitutional dilution.
Changing the Defence Forces’ duty from “to uphold this Constitution” to acting “in accordance with the Constitution” weakens the strength of their constitutional obligation. The original wording imposed an active guardianship role, while the new wording is more passive.
8. Abolition of the Gender Commission Scrapping the Zimbabwe Gender.
Commission and merging its functions into the Human Rights Commission risks downgrading gender-specific oversight. Dedicated institutions exist because gender equality requires focused monitoring and enforcement.
Taken together, the amendments centralise authority around the executive, extend tenure, influence Parliament, reshape electoral systems, and dilute independent oversight.
BREAKING: Six Republican reps bravely stab Trump in the back by voting with Democrats to pass a resolution blocking his destructive Canada tariffs.
Donald Trump just got handed a stinging, very public rebuke — and it came from his own party.
In a 219–211 vote, the House passed a resolution to cancel Trump’s 25% tariffs on Canada, with six Republicans breaking ranks to join Democrats. The measure, led by Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), formally rejects Trump’s use of a so-called “national emergency” to justify slapping punitive levies on one of America’s closest allies.
And Trump is furious.
As the vote unfolded, he took to Truth Social to threaten any Republican who dared oppose him: “Any Republican… that votes against TARIFFS will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time, and that includes Primaries!”
It didn’t work.
Reps. Don Bacon, Thomas Massie, Kevin Kiley, Jeff Hurd, Dan Newhouse, and Brian Fitzpatrick refused to cave. They joined nearly every Democrat in delivering a rare blow to Trump’s signature trade policy — and to Speaker Mike Johnson, who had spent a year manipulating House rules to shield Republicans from having to vote on the issue.
But this week, the dam broke.
For months, Trump has claimed his tariffs were necessary to combat drugs and border chaos. Yet less than 0.1% of fentanyl entering the U.S. comes from Canada. Meanwhile, businesses and farmers in red and blue districts alike have warned the tariffs are driving up prices and threatening jobs.
“There is not a national emergency,” Meeks declared on the House floor. He called Trump’s tariff strategy not a plan, but an “impulse.”
The vote is largely symbolic — Trump will almost certainly veto it — but the politics are real. Republicans in swing districts were forced to go on record backing tariffs many of their constituents fear could hurt them economically.
Even the Supreme Court is now weighing whether Trump overstepped his authority by using emergency powers to impose tariffs unilaterally.
For decades, Republicans championed free trade. Under Trump, they’ve largely fallen in line. But Wednesday proved something important: cracks are forming.
Trump threatened primaries. He demanded loyalty. Six Republicans chose their voters instead.
China has reportedly instructed banks to reduce exposure to United States government bonds.
Officials cited concerns that U.S. debt levels and potential volatility could pose risks to Chinese lenders and the broader financial system. The move, if confirmed, would represent a further step in Beijing’s long-term strategy to diversify foreign reserves away from heavy reliance on dollar-denominated assets.
China has been gradually adjusting its foreign reserve composition in recent years, with steady increases in gold holdings, euro and other currency allocations, and reductions in U.S. Treasury positions.
Official data from the U.S. Treasury Department already shows China’s holdings of Treasuries declining from peak levels above $1.3 trillion in the mid-2010s to around $750–800 billion by early 2026. Any accelerated reduction in exposure—whether through outright sales, maturity roll-offs without reinvestment, or hedging—could exert selling pressure on the Treasury market and influence yields.
However, global demand for U.S. bonds remains deep and resilient. Treasuries continue to serve as the world’s premier safe-haven asset, supported by institutional investors, foreign central banks, pension funds, and the dollar’s status as the dominant reserve currency. Even meaningful sales from China would likely be absorbed without dramatic disruption unless accompanied by coordinated moves from other major holders or sudden shifts in risk sentiment.
Central bank portfolio moves are often incremental rather than sudden, driven by a combination of currency strategy, yield considerations, geopolitical hedging, and balance-of-payments needs. Markets will watch closely for confirmation through official data releases, including monthly U.S. Treasury International Capital (TIC) reports, People’s Bank of China balance-sheet updates, and gold reserve announcements.
The report adds to the ongoing debate about the future of dollar-denominated assets, de-dollarization trends, and the durability of the U.S. dollar’s reserve status amid rising great-power competition and geopolitical fragmentation.
References U.S. Department of the Treasury – Treasury International Capital (TIC) System: Major Foreign Holders of Treasury Securities (monthly reports, 2025–2026) People’s Bank of China – Foreign Exchange Reserves and Asset Composition Updates (2025–2026)
World Gold Council – Central Bank Gold Reserves: China Tracker (February 2026) Reuters – China reportedly directs banks to cut U.S. Treasury exposure (February 2026)
Financial Times – Beijing accelerates reserve diversification amid U.S. debt concerns (February 2026) Bloomberg – Markets on watch for signs of accelerated Chinese Treasury sales (February 2026)
