Sampa Pushes for Nullification of 2023 PF Party Convention

Patriotic Front (PF) Leader of the Opposition, Miles Bwalya Sampa, has formally submitted to the High Court a request to nullify the party’s 2023 general conference that saw him elected as president. Sampa says the move is intended to pave the way for a fresh, inclusive convention that will open the door for all who had previously applied, as well as new aspirants, to contest the party presidency.

In his statement, Sampa stressed that the ultimate objective is to produce a leader with broad consensus from all stakeholders of the PF. He argued that such inclusivity is critical in light of the death of former president and PF patriarch, Edgar Chagwa Lungu, a development that has reshaped the party’s internal dynamics. “Only a person who knows they have zero support at the grassroots is likely to be against this proposition,” Sampa declared, likening the process to a “rematch football game” that no true competitor should fear.

Sampa insists that restarting the process is the best route to restoring unity and credibility within the PF, which in recent years has been deeply divided over leadership legitimacy. The party now awaits the High Court’s ruling before it can proceed to a general conference, which Sampa says will be decisive in charting the PF’s future.

The PF’s current leadership wrangles can be traced back to the aftermath of the 2021 general elections, when the party lost power to the United Party for National Development (UPND) under President Hakainde Hichilema. The defeat triggered a scramble for succession as Edgar Lungu initially stepped back from active politics. Several senior figures positioned themselves to take over, but internal rivalries quickly emerged, with camps forming around competing personalities.

The 2023 convention, which eventually elected Sampa as PF president, was itself a subject of controversy. Critics within the party alleged that it had been convened without full consensus and excluded certain candidates. Some members questioned the legality of the processes leading up to the vote, while others accused Sampa’s faction of fast-tracking the event to consolidate control. Several senior PF figures refused to recognise the outcome, leading to prolonged disputes in court and in the media.

These divisions were further compounded by shifting alliances and the return of Edgar Lungu to the political scene. His re-emergence unsettled existing leadership structures and emboldened factions opposed to Sampa. Meanwhile, the PF’s standing in national politics continued to be tested by the need to position itself as a credible opposition ahead of the 2026 elections.

The death of Lungu earlier this year has now left the party at a crossroads. For many PF members, his passing has created both a vacuum and an opportunity for reconciliation. Sampa’s proposal to nullify the 2023 convention appears aimed at resetting the leadership process in a way that can heal internal fractures and bring rival factions under one umbrella. By calling for an open contest, Sampa is positioning himself as a unifying figure willing to subject his mandate to renewed scrutiny.

If the High Court grants Sampa’s request, the PF will be forced back to the drawing board, holding a fresh general conference where all eligible candidates can contest. This would not only reopen the race for party president but could also shift the balance of power within the opposition ahead of 2026. A transparent and widely accepted process could strengthen the PF’s legitimacy and its ability to challenge the ruling UPND.

However, the risks remain high. Another contentious or poorly managed convention could deepen divisions, weaken the party’s appeal to voters, and embolden smaller opposition parties seeking to capitalise on PF’s instability. Sampa’s critics may see his move as a calculated gamble to reassert control, while supporters argue it is a principled step toward inclusivity and unity.

For now, the PF’s internal fate rests partly in the hands of the judiciary. The High Court’s decision will determine whether the party embarks on a new leadership journey or continues under the contested mandate from 2023. Either way, the outcome will have lasting repercussions for Zambia’s political landscape as the countdown to the next general election intensifies.

Cabinet nods maize exports!

A policy shift aimed at unlocking economic benefits from the country’s bumper harvest, the Zambian Cabinet has approved the export of 500,000 tonnes of surplus maize to other countries. The decision, announced by Agriculture Minister Mtolo Phiri, is intended to boost foreign exchange earnings, create better market opportunities for local farmers, and strengthen Zambia’s position as a dependable food supplier in the region.

Minister Phiri emphasised that the move followed a careful assessment of national food security needs. He explained that the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) had confirmed sufficient maize stocks to meet domestic consumption, even with the export quota in place. “We have made sure that the exports will not jeopardise local supply,” he said, adding that measures would be put in place to prevent shortages and price spikes.

The approval comes on the back of a strong agricultural season, which saw higher yields due to improved rainfall patterns and government support programmes. Authorities have identified maize as a critical export crop capable of attracting foreign currency inflows at a time when Zambia is seeking to strengthen its balance of payments.

To ensure that the benefits of this policy reach the grassroots, the government has pledged to involve smallholder farmers in the supply chain. The Minister said arrangements would be made for these farmers to access lucrative export contracts, enabling them to earn better returns than they might receive from purely domestic sales.

The move has also been welcomed by several regional trade partners. Zambia’s surplus grain is expected to find ready markets in countries facing supply shortfalls, particularly in southern Africa where drought has impacted maize production in several states. By stepping into this gap, Zambia stands to expand its market share and build long-term trade relationships.

Economists have noted that such exports can have a ripple effect on the wider economy. Increased foreign exchange earnings may help stabilise the kwacha, support the importation of essential goods, and contribute to the reduction of external debt pressures. However, they have cautioned that exports must be balanced with domestic needs to avoid a repeat of past shortages that led to steep food price increases.

The policy has not been without its critics. Some stakeholders have voiced concern that the focus on exports could leave urban consumers vulnerable if harvest forecasts prove overly optimistic or if unforeseen factors disrupt supply. The Ministry of Agriculture has sought to address these concerns by assuring that constant monitoring of stock levels will be maintained.

Logistics and infrastructure readiness have also come under scrutiny. Exporting half a million tonnes of maize will require well-coordinated transport, storage, and border clearance processes. To this end, the government is reportedly working with the private sector, including transporters and millers, to ensure efficient movement of grain from rural depots to international buyers.

Another consideration is the potential impact on regional food security. While Zambia’s exports could help alleviate shortages in neighbouring countries, experts have urged the government to consider establishing bilateral agreements that guarantee reciprocal benefits. Such arrangements could include access to other essential goods or commodities during times when Zambia might face its own supply challenges.

Minister Phiri reiterated that the maize export policy was part of a broader strategy to transform Zambia’s agricultural sector from subsistence-oriented production to a commercially competitive industry. This approach aligns with the government’s vision of making agriculture a key driver of economic growth and poverty reduction.

The success of the initiative will depend on disciplined implementation, transparent regulation of export licences, and fair participation of both large-scale and small-scale farmers. If managed properly, the policy could set a precedent for similar export-led strategies in other agricultural commodities, paving the way for a stronger, more diversified Zambian economy.

For now, the announcement has injected optimism among producers and traders, many of whom have been lobbying for such a measure in recent years. As the first consignments of maize are prepared for shipment, stakeholders will be watching closely to see whether the government’s balancing act between export opportunity and domestic security can hold steady.

In a bold assertion of national sovereignty, Namibia’s President, Her Excellency Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, has rejected a proposal by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to conduct trials of a hormonal intrauterine device (IUD) in the country.

The long-acting contraceptive, designed to prevent pregnancy for up to eight years, was presented as a way to expand reproductive options. However, President Nandi-Ndaitwah — Africa’s first female elected Head of State — denounced the plan as an affront to Namibia’s dignity and a threat to its population growth.

“Namibia is a nation of modest size, with a population of just over 3 million. If any country should consider measures to curb population growth, it ought to be nations like the United States, with over 347 million people. Any attempt to hinder or suppress the growth of human potential in Namibia constitutes a grave injustice to our people and their future,” she said in a public statement.

Namibia, one of the world’s least densely populated nations, has historically pushed back against foreign-led population control programs. The President questioned why such trials are being targeted at African countries rather than densely populated nations with larger environmental footprints.

She also raised concerns about informed consent, long-term health implications, and the historical memory of colonial control over African bodies.

“Namibian women are not lab rats. We will not accept interventions that sideline our people in decisions about their own reproductive futures,” she said.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced a US$2.5 billion initiative to improve women’s health in Africa and other low- and middle-income countries. The hormonal IUD, set for launch in Kenya later this year, will also be introduced in Nigeria and potentially India.

Dr. Anita Zaidi, Head of the Gender Equality Division at the Foundation, said the aim is to give women more discreet, long-term contraceptive options. The device works by releasing progestin into the uterus, thickening cervical mucus to prevent sperm from reaching an egg.

The Foundation argues that limited access to family planning, male interference, and side effects from existing methods contribute to nearly half of all pregnancies worldwide being unplanned.

Other initiatives include expanding access to the self-injectable contraceptive DMPA-SC in 35 countries,including Uganda, Senegal, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo and introducing rapid STI testing, AI-enabled ultrasound devices, vaginal health therapies, and a contraceptive patch that delivers six months of protection via microneedles.

UULELILA TABAMUCEBA PAKANWA

One who is mourning must not be prevented from crying or be judged too harshly for what they say.”
— Bemba Proverb

AN HONEST LOOK INTO MAMA BELITA LUNGU’S EMOTIONAL OUTBURSTS AND THE LUNGU FAMILY’S DEMANDS ABOUT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA’S PRESENCE AT THE FUNERAL AND NEAR THE BODY OF FORMER PRESIDENT ECL

This timeless Zambian proverb reminds us that grief is unpredictable. Sometimes, It can stir emotions that override reason, and compel words that may not reflect the true character or intentions of the one who mourns, while at other times, it could reveal someones truest and deeply kept thoughts and secrets, otherwise kept hidden and secret from everyone. In our culture, we understand this — and we often respond with silence, patience, and compassion, we listen, but we don’t judge…
But there are times when grief is no longer private.

Times when the public mourning of a prominent figure, such as a former Republican President, spills into the courts, the airwaves, and the international media.When that happens, the nation has a duty not only to grieve, but to reflect — and to protect itself from being led into division, confusion, or fear.Such is the moment we now face.

Following the death of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, Zambia has found itself caught in an unprecedented standoff. A painful, prolonged dispute has emerged between the Government and the family over the issue of repatriation, burial, and public honour.
Just days ago, in a courtroom in Pretoria, we saw a moment that shocked many.

Our elder sister, Madam Belita Lungu, broke down in emotional anguish, accusing the State of killing her brother, claiming that his body was being pursued for ritual purposes, and verbally attacking the Attorney General — even invoking his elderly mother in her lament.

It was raw. It was emotional. It was unsettling.
But perhaps it was also… revealing.

Because in that moment, Zambia may have caught a glimpse into the belief system surrounding the late President — one that we had not been fully aware of until now.A belief system dominated by a fear of dark forces, of spiritual manipulation, of the idea that power can be stolen from the dead by the living — and that the State’s constitutional duty to bury a former leader must not be viewed as simple act, but that it could hold significance of spiritual aggression.
Could it be that this fear is what now drives the family’s thinking and their incessant refusal to engage with the State in good faith?

Is this spiritual anxiety the true reason why the family has blocked every avenue, treated every effort with suspicion?, and twisted every word from the government into a perceived wrong or a threat against ECLs dignity in burial?
These are questions that we must confront honestly, not to ridicule the family— but to gain insight and understand where they are with things.

As a minister of the Gospel for over 44 years, and as someone who has served in high office, walked alongside all of Zambia’s past presidents, and personally experienced the burdens of leadership, I feel compelled to speak.
Let me begin with this truth:

President Hakainde Hichilema has no personal obsession with the body of Edgar Lungu.
I say this not from speculation, but from experience.
I know the man personally. I know his character. I know his convictions.
He is not a man of hidden rituals. He is not a practitioner of superstition.
He is a humble Seventh-day Adventist Christian, a devoted husband and father, a quiet, disciplined man from Bweengwa with the eye of an accountant, the mind of a lawyer, and the instinct of a farmer.
What drives him is not obsession, but a deep, deep sense of duty. Hakainde Hichilema never gives up on anything he pursues as long as he believes he is doing the right thing. He fights, with a clear conscience till the end, and he keeps on refining his methods untill he gets it right. That’s HH.

And so it is this sense of duty — and not a hunger for spiritual power — that compels him to do what he is doing now, something that every Head of State before him has done:

To Ensure that a former President of the Republic of Zambia, his own immediate past predecessor is laid to rest “On Zambian soil, and NOT any other Country with dignity, and in line with our national values.” And God help us, he will, but he needs the Lungu family to see this and cooperate.

Now to the fears: it was alluded that if President Lungu is buried at Embassy Park, he will somehow be spiritually used or manipulated by the current Head of State.

But Let us step back and be honest. If the remains of our former leaders held any spiritual power that could somehow be summoned for political power and advantage — then Edgar Lungu himself would never have lost the 2021 election. SIMPLE!
He had, after all, “full” presidential access to:
Kenneth Kaunda, the father of the nation,
Frederick Chiluba, the master political tactician and great orator,
Levy Mwanawasa, the legal mind,
Rupiah Banda, his political mentor, after Sata.

And of course, Michael Sata, the Lion of the Copperbelt and king of the Northern and Urban vote.
With all of them at Embassy Park, if there were such a thing as spiritual power transfer through graves, Lungu would have used up all the available “power” and still be President today. But he lost. Because it is God who gives power, not tombs.
To fear the burial of President Lungu at Embassy Park is to fundamentally misunderstand what makes Zambia great.
Our power as a nation lies not in rituals, but in righteousness. Not in superstition, but in service.
Which brings me back to Mama Belita’s outburst.
Yes, it was emotional. Yes, it was disturbing.

But perhaps we must not only critique it — perhaps we must see it as a cry for help.
A cry from a family still in deep mourning.
A family unsure, confused, and perhaps spiritually unprepared to handle the national magnitude of this moment.
And maybe, just maybe — what they need right now is not more political support, not more litigation, and not more defiance.
Perhaps what they truly need… is spiritual support.

Yes, Makebi Zulu, their legal counsel, has been loyal. But loyalty alone is not always enough. The advice he has been giving the family seems to be stretching this crisis longer than necessary. And, for me, as someone who led a ruling party (MMD) after it lost power, I can tell you what we learned the hard way: courtrooms are where political parties go to die and get buried. If the PF as a political party wants to rebuild, this is not the path they must take.
But beyond politics, this is a spiritual moment.

The insults by Mama Belita cannot, and won’t protect Edgar Lungu’s remains.
Calling the mother of the Attorney General, Mama Dinah Kabesha, names, is not going to shield the former President from their imagined rituals and spiritual threats.

Accusing President Hichilema of dark rituals will not bring any healing to the family, the PF or the nation.
Only the blood of Jesus can reach the highest mountain, even the drakensburg mountain or flow to the lowest valley, even the Luangwa Valley. There is no place where late President Lungu can be buried where he cannot be protected by his faith in Jesus Christ.

If President Lungu placed his trust in Christ while alive — then he is already safe.
And no evil force can touch him now. Not in Zambia. Not in South Africa. Not even in Zimbabwe or anywhere.
If the family wishes, I can gladly sit down with them.

Not as a politician.
Not to argue law.
But to offer what no lawyer can: the Gospel.
The reminder that spiritual things are spiritually discerned, and that true peace comes not from geographical borders, but from the Peace of God that gives all understanding.
Let us not forget the dignity of the Chiluba family, who were denied justice in life, but did not dishonour the State in death.
Let us remember the Kaunda family, who gave way for their father to be buried by the State, even when they had other preferences.

And let us not forget that President Lungu himself once performed this same duty, when, as Head of State, he buried KK with full honours at Embassy Park — a duty he carried out with dignity, and a sense of duty and not in order to perform rituals.
Now the Lungu family must be the most understanding that it is now his brothers turn. The same responsibility that President Edgar Lungu held, now falls squarely on the sholders of President Hakainde Hichilema.
To the PF: I know you feel obligated to stand by President Lungu’s family — and that is understandable. But your loyalty must not override public interest.

Do not trap yourselves, or cause the family to be trapped in any further litigation that only saps their enrgy, your party’s time and resources, and dims your much needed political relevance.
To the Lungu family: I understand your fears. I truly do.

But let me assure you — from my personal knowledge — Come Home. President Hakainde Hichilema will do you no harm.
He is not seeking power from your brother’s remains. He is only fulfilling his oath to this country.
Let President Edgar Lungu come home.
Let Zambia heal.

Let us rise, once again, to the higher road — the one that builds the nation, honours the dead, and refuses to be led by superstition and slander.

Zambia belongs to God.
Let us act like it.

ZAMBIA SHALL BE SAVED
Dr. Nevers Sekwila Mumba
President – MMD
Minister of the Gospel – 44 Years
Former Republican Vice President