PF Presidential Hopeful Says He Will Not Be Silenced
Patriotic Front presidential aspirant Makebi Zulu has said he poses a serious political threat to President Hakainde Hichilema, accusing the government of orchestrating sustained propaganda and intimidation efforts aimed at weakening his political standing ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Zulu said the growing focus on his activities and the narratives surrounding his role in the burial arrangements of former president Edgar Lungu were politically driven and intended to marginalise him from national political engagement. He said the government’s conduct reflected insecurity rather than a genuine concern for legality or order.
According to Zulu, the state has deliberately sought to create circumstances that would remove him from active participation in domestic political affairs by pushing the narrative that he should remain outside the country during the mourning period. He said this approach was designed to sideline him at a time when political mobilisation was intensifying.
Zulu said the government had relied on what he described as coordinated messaging to portray him as a subject of possible arrest, despite the absence of any offence committed on his part. He maintained that such narratives were meant to justify potential state action against him while shaping public perception in advance.
He said his involvement in matters relating to the burial of the late former president was motivated by respect for the grieving family and the need to ensure dignity in the process. Zulu said he had acted within the law at all times and rejected claims that his role warranted police intervention or judicial action.
Zulu said there was no legal basis upon which he could be arrested, arguing that supporting a bereaved family did not constitute a criminal act. He said attempts to associate him with wrongdoing were part of a broader strategy to intimidate opposition figures.
He accused the United Party for National Development (UPND) government of being heavy-handed in its handling of the burial impasse, saying it had become more concerned with asserting political control than with respecting family wishes and established norms. According to Zulu, the administration was treating the burial dispute as a political contest rather than a solemn national matter.
Zulu said the approach mirrored the government’s conduct during the passage of Constitution Amendment Bill No. 7, where he said political victory was prioritised over consensus and public sentiment. He argued that the same determination to “win” was now being applied to the burial issue, with little regard for dignity or reconciliation.
He further accused the government of promoting misinformation, including allegations that the former president may have been poisoned by members of his own family. Zulu said such claims were reckless, unsubstantiated, and had caused unnecessary distress while prolonging the burial process.
According to Zulu, these allegations were used to justify calls for an inquest and demands for further examinations in South Africa. He questioned why such measures were being pursued when there was no credible evidence to support claims of foul play.
Zulu also criticised the decision to issue a subpoena to Tasila Lungu, saying it demonstrated how far misinformation had influenced official actions. He said the move to summon her and demand DNA testing was excessive and contributed to delays in resolving the burial arrangements.
He said the government’s conduct amounted to persecution rather than concern, arguing that the late former president was being disrespected even in death. Zulu said the administration’s actions contradicted its public claims of wanting to resolve the impasse amicably.
Zulu warned that the politicisation of the burial issue risked deepening national divisions and undermining public trust in state institutions. He said the use of state machinery to pursue political objectives weakened democratic norms and eroded confidence in governance.
He said Zambians were closely observing how the government handled the matter and would draw conclusions about its commitment to fairness, dignity, and the rule of law. According to Zulu, the episode had become symbolic of broader governance challenges facing the country.
Zulu said he remained undeterred by the pressure and would continue to participate in national affairs. He said attempts to isolate or intimidate him would not prevent him from engaging with issues he considered just and necessary.
He maintained that any effort to arrest or silence him would only reinforce perceptions of intolerance toward opposition voices. Zulu said the political future of the country would ultimately be shaped by how leaders conducted themselves during moments of national sensitivity.
Actually, he is not a serious threat. Can he explain his logic of gaining political mileage through ECL’s death.
My family and I have moved on…..
Through his actions, we have seen how Zambians have been robbed. He has also made a pretty buck out of this mess.
Anyone, not even HH, other than PF. That anarchy, arrogance should never rear its ugly head again.
Makebi Zulu is not a wise and very very from being one. And that’s he will never be president or come close. He ha opted to continue emptying his mouth before filling his brain. If Makebi thinks Zambians are blind or deaf, he better rethink his intentions. He’s likely to eradicate himself from political and business circles faster than the speed of living.
Democracy invites debate and protects every citizen’s rights, including Makebi Zulu’s. Separating church from state, and separating individuals from political parties, is essential for true rule of law. A good defense mirrors a good prosecution: both serve justice, not personal agendas. If we want Zambia to move forward, we must respect all views and reject guilt by association. Let’s keep the conversation principled, lawful, and inclusive.
Every Zambian has the right to stand for presidency, even the mentally challenged and thieves. However, this freedom can’t hold every Zambian to ransom for the sake of it. We need progressive self-actualized presidents that know that their power belongs to the people for the benefit of the people. Makebi has just shown us that he thinks being a republican president is about family not the public. A lawyer is employed and paid by his client, but a president is employed by you and me. If he is to benefit from our taxes he has to be our property, not the family.
Makebi has no chance of winning as he was too close to lungu and people haven’t forgotten the wrongs of lungu so anyone associated with him will not have their support. They would rather continue with HH then if that was the choice.
Whether they are threats or not It’s votes taken away
and that’s what matters This GRZ if left uncheck could spell disaster
He is nothing but a very dull lawyer. He should have learned from Grace Mugabe that in as much as the presidency is not sexually transmitted, it’s equally not transferred by lawyering for a dead former president ?!
UPND full of dunderheads and shallow minded people masquerading as leaders
Hallucinations are really especially when you have been exposed to deciet
Zulu should not deceive himself. He’s not a political threat to HH, mundubile is far much better than him. Zulu is just a deceitful malukula, who has turned death and burial aspects of ECL into a project of making a mountain fortune. Traditional chiefs, especially those from Eastern, former presidents and vice presidents have tried to give guidance, but due Zulu has always refused, for he believes the longer it takes the more money he will make out of it. He doesn’t care how much the bereaved family will lose. Even the loss of the seat by Tasila, Zulu doesn’t care. All he cares about is the money he makes out of it. Today even frogs in the dirty ponds, have now come to realize the crookedness and buffoonery of this deceitful malukula of Zambia