🇿🇲 BRIEFING | “Prodigal Son” Remark Deepens Opposition Rift as PF, Tonse Tensions Escalate
PF presidential aspirant Makebi Zulu has sharply dismissed Tonse Alliance chairperson Brian Mundubile, describing him as a “prodigal son” who must return to the Patriotic Front rather than expect those who stayed to follow him.
Speaking on a podcast hosted by Emmanuel Mwamba, Zulu rejected calls for PF members to migrate to breakaway formations in the name of opposition unity.
“This call for unity is not for the movement of those that have remained behind to follow one that has gone prodigal,” Zulu said.
“It is for the one that is prodigal to come back to the house and we will say everything that happened is forgone.”
The remarks come just days after Mundubile publicly extended what appeared to be an olive branch, suggesting possible cooperation and even leadership arrangements ahead of the 2026 elections. Zulu was blunt in response.
“You can’t get away, have yourself crowned king and say come and be my deputy. Is that what we’re going to call unity?”
The exchange exposes the depth of fragmentation within Zambia’s opposition landscape. The PF remains divided between the Given Lubinda faction and the Robert Chabinga faction, the latter recognised by the Registrar of Societies. Lubinda’s camp, which includes Zulu, also distanced itself from the Tonse Alliance following internal disputes, while Mundubile has since taken up leadership within the alliance structure despite earlier cautions from Lubinda.
Zulu maintains he is open to working with Mundubile, but only under what he terms a “legitimate and inclusive process.”
“I want to work with my brother, but not in the circumstances that he’s in. Come back to the larger family and let’s carry this whole family together.”
Meanwhile, Zulu confirmed receiving a formal invitation from the New Congress Party (NCP), which has announced him as its preferred presidential candidate. He acknowledged the offer but has not formally accepted it, signaling that negotiations across opposition platforms remain fluid.
With barely months to the August 2026 general election, the opposition space appears less united and more transactional. What was framed as a call for unity is quickly becoming a contest for legitimacy, structure and ownership of the PF legacy.
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