The seemingly organised confusion in the Patriotic Front (PF) has deepened, with Matero Member of Parliament Miles Sampa declaring himself the legitimate president of the former ruling party.
Mr Sampa’s declaration follows a recent High Court judgement by Judge Conceptor Zulu regarding the extraordinary convention held on October 24, 2024, which ushered him into office. In the March 27 ruling, the court dismissed a lawsuit challenging the legality of that convention, stating that Mporokoso lawmaker Brian Mundubile and others had failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove it was illegal.
However, barely a day after the judgement, Leader of the Opposition Robert Chabinga also claimed that the court’s decision confirmed him as acting PF president, insisting that he remains in charge of the party.
In a dramatic twist, Mr Sampa addressed a press briefing at his residence, maintaining that the ruling clearly validates his presidency.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the ruling of March 27 effectively states that I, Miles Bwalya Sampa, am the legal president of the Patriotic Front for a period of five years until October 2028,” he said.
Mr Sampa further dismissed assertions that the PF is collapsing, urging members to remain united as the party positions itself to collaborate with other political players ahead of the 2026 general elections.
“The PF has never died, the PF is not dead, and the PF will never die,” he said.
Meanwhile, lawyer Makebi Zulu has also emerged from a separate faction, having reportedly been elected at another convention whose legitimacy has been questioned by several stakeholders, including the ruling UPND, who argue that the process was irregular.
As the confusion intensifies, Mr Chabinga maintains that he holds what he describes as “lugwalo” — legal documentation backing his leadership claim.
The PF leadership dispute remains unresolved, with an active court case still before the courts, raising uncertainty over who is the rightful leader of the former governing party as the country heads towards the next general elections.
Sampa initiated the problem, Chabinga capitalised on the problem and entrenched him self, but of course being helped with the party that has failed to work and fears the return of PF. But the day of reckoning always comes. Bally will fix it failed, Kwenyu failed and now salt sana is also failing looking at the levels of squalor in our compounds and rural areas
Both are too fat to be our president. The presidential jet can’t lift off with such heavy bellies.
First they must go to the gym and come down to around Lungu’s weight.