PF SUCCESSION WARS: LUBINDA, MUNDUBILE CLASH AS FACTIONS EMERGE AS ETHNICITY TAKES CENTRE STAGE

PF SUCCESSION WARS: LUBINDA, MUNDUBILE CLASH AS FACTIONS EMERGE AS ETHNICITY TAKES CENTRE STAGE

The Patriotic Front (PF), once a formidable political machine, is fast disintegrating under the weight of bitter leadership wrangles. The battle for the presidency has intensified between Given Lubinda and Brian Mundubile, laying bare the fractures within the party and exposing powerful networks that have formed around both men.

Brian Mundubile, who has styled himself as the “grassroots candidate,” has accused Lubinda and PF secretary general Raphael Nakacinda of pocketing large sums of money in U.S. Dollars amounting to US$350,000 from well-wishers and business associates. The funds, Mundubile alleges, were meant for the party’s revival but have instead been diverted for personal use, with US$200,000 going to Lubinda and US$150,000 to Nakacinda.

“These men are not in it for the PF; they are in it for themselves. The money is flowing, but ordinary members have not seen a single ngwee,” one of Mundubile’s close allies mentioned.

Mundubile’s camp has also taken aim at Lubinda’s leadership style, branding him as “stingy, visionless, and incapable of uniting the party.” His supporters argue that Lubinda has been reduced to a caretaker figure who lacks the charisma and financial muscle to inspire confidence among the rank and file.

Lubinda, meanwhile, still commands loyalty among sections of the PF’s “old guard” — party veterans and former ministers who see him as a stabilizing figure capable of maintaining continuity. Sources point to a cluster of some Lusaka-based businessmen as being quietly sympathetic to Lubinda’s bid.

Lubinda’s camp argues that Mundubile, despite his eloquence, lacks the political stamina and nationwide networks required to take on the ruling UPND. They dismiss Mundubile’s accusations as “political theatrics” meant to paint Lubinda and Nakacinda in bad light while rallying frustrated members to his side
Complicating the picture further is Kelvin Fube Bwalya (KBF), who has positioned himself as a reformist alternative. KBF’s faction includes disillusioned PF youths and professionals who feel both Lubinda and Mundubile are too compromised by old loyalties and corruption scandals. His backers include Mumbi Phiri and a growing circle of some Copperbelt businessmen who view him as untainted and pragmatic.

Lubinda–Nakacinda Faction: Backed by the old guard, former ministers, and some South African and Lusaka-based financiers; accused of hoarding donor funds and using PF as a personal cash machine.

Mundubile Faction: Supported by younger MPs, grassroots organizers, and several Copperbelt figures who want fresh leadership; pushing the corruption narrative against Lubinda and Nakacinda.

KBF Faction: Seen as an outsider bloc with support from frustrated youths and businessmen eager for reform; positioning itself as the “clean break” from PF’s past failures.

The consequence of this internal warfare is a PF in total disarray. Members on the ground admit they are confused about where their loyalty should lie. Some wards and constituencies have even reported parallel meetings — Lubinda’s men on one side, Mundubile’s on another — a dangerous sign of institutional collapse.

“The PF is no longer a political party; it has become a collection of competing business ventures,” a political analyst observed. “Each faction is chasing money, influence, and the illusion of power, while ordinary members are left to suffer in confusion.”
The PF now faces an existential question: Can it resolve its leadership crisis in time to mount a credible challenge in 2026? Or will the infighting, corruption allegations, and factionalism bury it once and for all?

For now, the PF’s succession war is more than a contest of personalities. It is a ruthless battle for resources, networks, and survival. And unless a unifying figure emerges, the once powerful party may implode under the weight of its own contradictions.

Lubinda and Nakacinda are viewed by most PF Northerners as hailing from the Zambezi Province, a geographical area the Patriotic Front coined as being non Bemba. Could this be the real reason behind the push against Lubinda and Nakacinda by the Mundubile PF/Tonse faction? We will wait and see.