Cornelius Mweetwa Labels, Zulu, Mundubile and Mwamba as Ba Chimbwi, Hyenas, unfit to govern

Minister of Information and Media Cornelius Mweetwa has publicly accused former Patriotic Front figures Makebi Zulu, Brian Mundubile, and Emmanuel Mwamba of corruption, declaring that they must never be allowed to govern Zambia again.

Mweetwa made the remarks during a United Party for National Development rally in Choma. Speaking to a large crowd, the minister departed from metaphorical language used earlier in the programme and directly named the individuals he said represented what he described as predatory politics.

“Mr President, Honourable Nyambose, you spoke about ba Chimbwi, hyenas, and you did not give them names,” Mweetwa told the gathering. “I will name them because I know them, and I know who you were referring to. You were talking about Mundubile, you were talking about Makebi Zulu, you were talking about Emmanuel Mwamba.”

He accused the trio of abusing public office during their time in government and of diverting resources intended for development. Mweetwa referred to Constituency Development Fund allocations in Chasefu, contrasting past and present funding levels to underline his point.

“Since Honourable Nyambose was elected, K156 million has been disbursed to Chasefu for people to benefit,” he said, partly in Tonga. “The fund thieves and swine stole.”

His remarks followed earlier comments by Independent Chasefu Member of Parliament Misheck Nyambose, who used an analogy to caution voters against returning former PF leaders to positions of authority. Nyambose compared the situation to a farmer allowing a hyena to guard goats, warning that promises of reform should not erase past conduct.

“The same hyena today comes back and wants work in the goats’ shelter, claiming it is now a vegetarian,” Nyambose said. “Would you accept that?”

Nyambose praised the increase in CDF allocations to Chasefu, noting that funding had risen from K1.6 million under the previous PF administration to K156 million under the current government. He urged voters to support President Hichilema for a second term, portraying him as a leader focused on equitable development rather than political or ethnic division.

“Hakainde Hichilema is a blessing to Zambia,” Nyambose said. “This is a President who does not choose people and does not segregate. Much of the criticism against him comes from jealousy.”

Mweetwa’s intervention marked a clear escalation in campaign rhetoric as Zambia moves closer to the August 13, 2026 general elections. By naming individual opposition figures and linking them directly to alleged misuse of public funds, the ruling party signalled an intention to frame the election around accountability and governance records rather than broad policy themes alone.

The Choma rally, held in the President’s Southern Province political base, combined messages of development delivery with warnings against political regression. Senior government officials and local leaders attended, reflecting the strategic importance of the event within the UPND’s mobilisation efforts.

By the end of the rally, the tone had been firmly set. The governing party’s message was explicit: the choice facing voters in 2026 will centre on whether Zambia continues on its current path or risks a return to leaders the government accuses of having abused public trust in the past.