Makebi Zulu meets Sangwa, Kapwepwe, Mpundu in leadership consultations
Makebi Zulu has held a series of substantive high-level engagements in recent days as public calls intensify for him to consider contesting the presidency in 2026. The meetings have now brought together senior national figures from political, civic and cultural spaces signalling that the conversation around his potential candidacy has moved beyond speculation into structured assessment.
In the most recent round of consultations, Zulu first held a discussion with Zambia’s first female Vice President. The engagement, described as frank and strategic, examined the country’s governance culture, the state of public trust in institutions, and whether Zambia’s current democratic conditions can realistically sustain a credible reform mandate. Zulu has consistently emphasised that leadership decisions of this magnitude cannot be reduced to personal ambition or individual craving for office, arguing that any response must reflect a national need rather than the aspirations of a single political personality.
Zulu then held a separate conversation with cultural figure and writer Mulenga Kapwepwe. That meeting focused on whether opposition stakeholders are willing to prioritise unity above individual profile building. Kapwepwe stressed that fragmentation among those outside government is a structural advantage for incumbency, and that Zambia’s recent political cycles have repeatedly demonstrated that opposition movements that run parallel agendas end up cancelling out voter strength rather than consolidating it.
In another engagement, Zulu met Constitutional Lawyer and State Counsel John Sangwa. Their discussion concentrated on institutional standards, constitutional fidelity and the increasing public sentiment that Zambia requires a deeper rule-of-law reset rather than surface corrections. Zulu has said repeatedly that there is now widespread public fatigue with power structures that demand loyalty but struggle to deliver economic relief or functional accountability.
Zulu also held talks with political figure Hon Binwell Mpundu, leader of the Ichabaiche Movement, and later with Ephraim Shakafuswa. Both conversations reinforced a recurring theme if change is to happen, it must be approached as a shared obligation, not a competition of personalities. Zulu stated that across his recent interactions, the most consistent public demand has been a unified alternative voice that treats national interest as a core governing principle rather than a campaign line.
He has now acknowledged that the calls for him to run are not minor, are not limited to one region and are no longer private whispers. He has stated that he cannot simply ignore the volume and seriousness of those appeals. However, he has also maintained that entering a presidential race without a clear national rationale would be irresponsible.
Zulu says the question is not whether he “wants” to run, but whether the country “needs” him to run and whether that need is grounded in a shared national mandate rather than political excitement. He has maintained that public office must be framed as service, not entitlement.
Those close to the consultations say the public mood has grown more analytical and more sceptical of political motives. Citizens, according to Zulu’s own reading of the engagements, are increasingly evaluating leadership on whether candidates demonstrate integrity, whether they are capable of consistency, and whether they view power as duty rather than reward. Zulu believes that if the country is to stabilise its economic and institutional path, the next phase of national leadership must not repeat the patterns that have weakened democratic legitimacy and undermined public trust.
Zulu has made it clear that consultations will continue and that before any final decision is taken, he intends to establish whether there is national alignment behind a shift in direction, and whether those calling for his candidacy are ready to build a collective reform front.
Whether he enters the race or not, one reality has now moved beyond debate: Makebi Zulu is no longer outside the national succession conversation. The engagements of recent days have placed him squarely inside it, and Zambia’s political space is now watching closely to see where that conversation leads.
Good news indeed for some
He was out distributing money charged from the dead.
Just a bunch of attention seekers…..these chaps love attention and being in the spotlight…am not UPND but I think there’s no one at the moment who can defeat HH…just a bunch of rubble rousers
You will cry. And tears in the diaspora are painful. Your guy is a former very soon. He should be ready for international assignments which will be given to him by the incoming person from time to time.
I’m afraid you are wayout as HH is not far from retirement
its good i lost my voters card wouldn’t want to make this mistake
I would never vote for Makebi. If Zambians choose him, good luck. He is no better than HH and certainly worse than lungu.
Its between Lubinda and Mundubile. Lubinda has done a very good job in trying to keep PF together despite negative external influence and funding to destabilise it. If he does not get it, PF will still need to give him a very serious standing ovation and respect. Mundubile also looks formidable – he has to navigate his fight round the executive, legislature and Judiciary to get back PF
Over ambitious manipulative M.Zulu keeps biting off more than you can chew. His law degree and inner circles keep fooling himself.
Mckebi Zulu is being very over ambitious, he had biting more than he can chew. Young folks of nowadays, kikiki
I agree with you 100 %…just a bunch of over ambitious chaps……they just want to be in the news….they know they can’t defeat HH
It’s free for all.Anybody can campaign to be the next president.
Once you are given power, come and work you guys, no flat battery like these current ones please
WHO EVER HE MEETS IS THE LEAST OF MY INTERESTS. MY INTEREST IS WHERE IS HIS PLAN FOR REVIVING OUR CRITICALLY ILL ECONOMY. EVEN A SUMMARISED ONE WOULD DO. I AM NOT MOVED BY THE CROWD THAT FOLLOWED HIM AT THE PF PARTY SECRETARIAT – I SIMPLY WANT THE PLAN AND THE ‘HOW’ IN IT. THE LAST ELECTIONS IN 2021 GAVE ME SUFFICIENT LESSONS AND I VOTED WRONGY AND REGRETTING NOW
Did sangwa also not say he is consulting the people on whether to stand or not? What has he got in common with makebi. He will lose credibility if he aligns himself with makebi.