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In an unusual show of support, Socialist Party leader, Dr. Fred M’membe, has defended former President Edgar Lungu, demanding that control of the Patriotic Front (PF) party be returned to him and his faction.
This followed Lungu’s expulsion on Sunday, November 10, 2024, by PF faction leader Robert Chabinga, alongside other senior party leaders, including Vice President Given Lubinda and Matero MP Miles Sampa, over alleged indiscipline.
In a statement from Lusaka on Monday, M’membe accused President Hakainde Hichilema and the ruling UPND of actively working to dismantle the PF, claiming that they have been “brazen” about their intentions.
“Let them give back the PF to its authentic leadership of Mr Edgar Lungu and his team. These are really the authentic leaders of the party and not Mr Sampa and his league,” he said.
M’membe argued that the UPND’s alleged interference, including control through the Registrar of Societies, hindered PF’s rightful leadership.
“The truth is, it is not Mr. Miles Sampa who is holding on to the PF. It’s Mr. Hichilema through the Registrar of Societies. They planned it this way to inconvenience the PF,” M’membe stated.
Questioning the impact on Zambia’s multiparty democracy, M’membe urged stakeholders to oppose the UPND’s actions, stressing that genuine political competition should be about serving the masses, not eliminating rivals.
He argued that allowing PF’s authentic leadership to mobilise was essential for a healthy democratic process.
“We need a strong and united PF to strengthen our democracy,” M’membe said.
Meanwhile, People’s Pact Alliance (PPA) Chairperson, Peter Sinkamba, urged other opposition alliances, including the United Kwacha Alliance (UKA), to rally behind former President Edgar Lungu as the 2026 presidential candidate.
The Tonse Alliance and PPA recently endorsed Lungu, a decision he has reportedly accepted.
Sinkamba told Zambia Monitor in an interview on Monday in Lusaka that presenting a single candidate was key to uniting the opposition against the ruling UPND in 2026, preventing vote-splitting.
“The adoption of President Edgar Lungu is part of our game plan. We must present a strong, united front to avoid splitting votes,” Sinkamba stated.
Without a cohesive opposition, he warned, UPND could win effortlessly, leaving Zambia’s economy to continue on its current trajectory of high commodity costs and load shedding.
However, Governance and Development Advocates Zambia (GDAZ) criticised the opposition alliances as deceptive.
GDAZ Executive Director, Elias Mulenga, argued that the alliances, including Tonse, are merely rebranding efforts of the former PF regime under Lungu.
Mulenga pointed to corruption, lawlessness, and cadreism during Lungu’s presidency, noting that several former ministers face criminal charges, while his family remained under investigation.
He warned that uniting under Lungu’s leadership misleads Zambians into believing it will bring economic relief, which he said would be a “disaster” for Zambia’s future.
Mulenga cautioned voters against “dubious tactics” by failed leaders seeking a return to power through alliances.
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