BRIEFING | PF Questions Logic and Cost of Tasila Lungu Ousting
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Nelly Mutti, declared the Chawama parliamentary seat vacant following the prolonged absence of MP Tasila Lungu. The decision, announced on Friday, invokes Article 72 of the Constitution after Ms Lungu failed to attend parliamentary business for nearly five months and did not respond to formal directives requiring her return.
Speaker Mutti noted that Tasila was instructed to resume duties within fourteen days after her father’s burial, or within fourteen days of the opening of the Fifth Session.
She did not appear before the Committee on Privileges and Absences and did not seek written permission for her continued absence, prompting the vacancy declaration.
PF party presidential candidate Brian Mundubile has questioned both the timing and financial implications of the decision.
Speaking at the Oasis Forum prayer gathering, Mundubile argued that calling a by-election six months before Parliament dissolves would impose an unnecessary burden on the Treasury.
“It costs poor taxpayers about K30 million to conduct a parliamentary election,” he said. “Where will the money come from when government cannot buy drugs in hospitals, pay farmers for the maize they sold to FRA, or import electricity?”
Under electoral law, a by-election must be held within ninety days of a vacancy. A new MP for Chawama would likely sit for a very short period before the House dissolves ahead of the 13 August 2026 elections.
PF officials have signalled that they will challenge the decision.
Tasila Lungu, who has remained in South Africa since the death of her father, former President Edgar Lungu, issued a statement to constituents acknowledging the development.
She said she continued to participate virtually in Parliament and highlighted ongoing community work led by councillors and constituency staff.
“We have made every effort to represent you, including virtually, during this deeply painful mourning period as we have not yet laid Dad to rest,” she wrote.
Ms Lungu thanked residents for their support and said the team would “fight to keep our Chawama family strong and united.”
The vacancy comes as tensions remain relatively active over the unresolved burial dispute of the former head of state, now before the South African courts.
It also places Chawama, a historically competitive constituency, back into the national spotlight ahead of the 2026 campaign cycle.
© The People’s Brief | Goran Handya
If we were operating under the bill 7 that you have thoroughly demonised, Chawama constituency would have belonged to PF until the 5 year term expires.
This is one of the changes contained in bill 7 that except for constituencies under an independent MP, the constituency belongs to the party of the victorious MP for the full 5 year term. If that MP dies or is unable to carry out their duties, the party owning the constituency will carry out an internal election that will be monitored by Electoral Commission of Zambia.
But you guys are so busy “revenging” for the rejection of bill 10, you haven’t even bothered to read and understand the direction of the proposed amendments in bill 7. Let’s behave like grown ups, not like toddlers. Bill 7 is there to patch such loop holes as the one where we are faced with a by-election less than a year before the dissolution of parliament.
We are our own worst enemies.
It is not about the cost but the costly precedent that will arise if action is not taken like it has been taken, without such action, many MP’s will become absentee MP’s without repercussions because a precedent would have been set. where you just take your dead relative to two mountains and stay away for almost the rest of your term claiming a dispute with relatives.
What cost are these people talking about? Tasila had gone to the US for over 6 months and was still getting paid, and when Kasaka died she went to SA and has never bothered to get back or communicate with parliament and was still getting paid! Which capitalist company would pay you for over a year without working? Just for once think of it if she was working for an individual, the employer would continue paying her, at the same time employe another person to perform her duties thereby paying 2 people for 1 year when only one has contributed to the company’s welfare! No one even understands what she’s doing in South Africa. She’s busy eating money stolen from Zambians by Kasaka and PF is busy with it’s propaganda. If anything Ester, Tasila and the family don’t want to go back to Zambia. Like the father Tasila is also criminal.
The cost won’t be much as long as corrupt Tasila returns the money her rotting father stole.
She has been fired from her job
Chapwa