BRIEFING | PF CHAIRPERSON MPANKANTA DECLARES LUBINDA’S DECISIONS “ILLEGAL” AS INTERNAL CRISIS DEEPENS
Patriotic Front Chairperson and Lupososhi MP Emmanuel Musonda Mpankanta has rejected Acting PF President Given Lubinda’s sweeping late-night purge, calling the decision “unfortunate, illegal and null and void,” in a direct challenge that pushes the party’s internal conflict into a sharper and more volatile phase.
In a statement released this morning, Mpankanta said the PF Constitution offers no authority for an Acting President to unilaterally dismiss Central Committee members or restructure senior party organs.
“The PF Constitution does not allow an Acting President to fire Central Committee members alone. Such decisions must be approved by the Central Committee or National Council,” he said. “Structural positions like Chairperson, SG and Deputy SG cannot be dissolved or reshuffled by one person.”
Mpankanta reminded members that courts have previously ruled against PF decisions made without full Central Committee ratification. “The removed officials legally remain in office and must continue their duties as protected by the PF Constitution,” he said, urging members to remain calm as they “embark on resolving this matter.”
He announced that he will hold a press conference to respond formally, emphasising that internal party disputes should no longer “parade themselves to the public gallery.”
Lubinda’s announcement, which came at 22:37 hours on Friday night, removed Mpankanta, Acting Secretary General Brenda Nyirenda, Milanzi MP Melessiana Phiri, former Secretary General Davies Mwila and four provincial chairpersons: Chomba Chipili of Northern, Christopher Shakafuswa of Lusaka, Abyud Kawangu of North Western and Tombi Tombi of Western Province.
In the same breath, Lubinda appointed former minister Jean Kapata as Acting National Chairperson, and named Matero MP Miles Sampa and lawyer Celestine Mukandila as Deputy Secretaries General for Politics and Administration.
Lubinda said he invoked Article 61(J) of the PF Constitution to make the changes, the same provision he cited when cancelling the Central Committee meeting that had been scheduled for Saturday, November 22, 2025.
The meeting was expected to resolve the venue, approve the delegate register, settle transport logistics and appoint the electoral commission for the long-awaited general conference.
The timing has intensified suspicion across factional lines. Lubinda and Brenda Nyirenda have insisted for days that they were never served with the Kabwe High Court injunction restraining the PF from holding its convention. They dismissed circulating copies as “social media material,” yet Nyirenda still filed an urgent application in the same Kabwe court to challenge the injunction she said had not been formally received.
Mpankanta’s declaration now sets the stage for a direct constitutional showdown inside PF. His stance effectively instructs party structures to ignore Lubinda’s actions until the matter is settled by the Central Committee or National Council.
With the convention already clouded by injunctions, factional mistrust and long-standing grievances, Lubinda’s purge has deepened uncertainty.
We will continue monitoring reactions from all PF camps. Send verified statements and developments to editor.peoplesbrief@gmail.com.
© The People’s Brief | Francine Lilu
Now are there any Zambians who still have hope in PF ? PF has killed itself not by HH or UPND . These guys have failed to keep PF in opposition intact. We in UPND we are worried because democracy has been interfered. The mistake was committed when they abandoned rebranding in preference of bringing back a useless politician Edgar. Now they are stranded and may not even participate in next year election ! Just imagine a former justice Minister acting like a mad man !
Won’t this pass through the court too? People are now able to note that PF is just killing itself, no outside hand.The truth is power struggle.We advised earlier we were told to shut up “praise singers”.We saw this coming but unfortunately they couldn’t.We advised against dark corner meetings, which started way back I presume.We can now see PF is on it’s knees.We told them their best enemy is themselves and not any party they have been accusing.