Patriotic Front presidential aspirant Makebi Zulu has urged Brian Mundubile to return to what he described as the “real and original” Patriotic Front, saying unity within the former ruling party is essential ahead of the August 2026 general election.
Appearing on the Emmanuel Mwamba Verified (EMV) podcast, Zulu said the fragmentation triggered by Mundubile’s departure and subsequent leadership of a break-away Tonse Alliance was weakening the opposition’s collective strength.
“The real and original Patriotic Front is here with all of us; Chishimba Kambwili, Given Lubinda, Miles Sampa and others. So is the Tonse Alliance,” Zulu said.
He maintained that it was not possible for the broader PF membership to follow Mundubile’s new path, arguing that the responsibility to restore unity rested with the former Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.
“He has acted prodigal. Like the prodigal son, he is the one to return home so that we can unite the PF family,” Zulu said.
Zulu stressed that reconciliation within the PF must take precedence over parallel political structures. He described the current divisions as counterproductive at a time when the party is preparing to select a presidential candidate and reposition itself as a viable governing alternative.
He expressed appreciation to Matero Member of Parliament Miles Sampa and Lunte MP Mutotwe Kafwaya, who have withdrawn their respective candidatures in the party’s presidential race.
“They are capable men, but have chosen to help bring unity to the race. I wish to recognise their selfless action to help forge unity of purpose,” Zulu said.
The PF aspirant also thanked individuals and political figures who had endorsed his bid, including New Congress Party (NCP) leader Peter Chanda, who offered him an opportunity to contest on the NCP ticket.
Beyond internal party matters, Zulu criticised remarks attributed to National Assembly Speaker Nelly Mutti concerning the funeral and burial of Zambia’s Sixth President, Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu.
“She has cadrerised the position of the Speaker. She is no longer a neutral umpire. She shields the Executive and answers on their behalf. She has abandoned her role as a referee,” Zulu said.
He argued that the Lungu family had merely exercised its right to appeal following a judgment delivered in favour of the Zambian Government in proceedings initiated by the State.
Callers to the programme praised what they described as Zulu’s youthful and fresh approach to politics and encouraged him to extend his unity drive beyond the PF to the broader opposition.
Patriotic Front Member of the Central Committee Kebby Mbewe urged Zulu to leverage what he termed significant goodwill generated by the broadcast to immediately engage other aspirants.
“Start immediately. See your brothers who are vying. Speak to them. Negotiate. They have also seen the wide support your candidature is enjoying in the country as seen by today’s broadcast,” Mbewe said.
In the same broadcast, Zulu said that if elected president, he would ensure that President Hakainde Hichilema becomes the most respected former Head of State on the African continent.
Drawing from his experience representing former Presidents Rupiah Banda and Edgar Chagwa Lungu in court, Zulu said Zambia must end what he described as humiliation directed at leaders after they leave office.
“As a lawyer I have represented former President Rupiah Banda and Edgar Chagwa Lungu. I have seen the embarrassment and humiliation they have been subjected to. This persecution and harassment must come to an end,” he said.
Zulu said under his leadership, former presidents would be accorded dignity and assigned international responsibilities, including election observation and peace missions in countries seeking mediation support.
“We will treat President Hichilema with utmost respect. We will send him to international assignments such as monitoring national elections or to those countries seeking peace and engaged in peace talks,” he said.
He also urged President Hichilema to discontinue cases involving political opponents, particularly speech-related offences, questioning the incarceration of Raphael Nakacinda.
“My opponents called me Malukulu. I turned the insulting name into good. I said I will hammer poverty. I will hammer unemployment. I will hammer divisions,” Zulu said, framing his campaign as centred on reconciliation and institutional reform.
Mundubile is not managing his ambition well. And mostly because his mindset deceives him that it must be him, and also being misled by Davies Mwila and Zumani and other job seekers. You have to put up a formidable force to win you chaps because the other guy for example has not worked for 5 years, goes to make the same promises he has not fulfilled for 5 years at the same ceremony he has been making the same promises but still gets endorsed. So it won’t be easy. Unite you chaps but with an economic plan for the country which we want to see now. We want to see the economic plan before the political lies which every politician makes in an election year
Help us please, we have the worst cost of living since 2021. All we have got is excuse after excuse, ever since they came to power, it has been things like Ukraine Russia war, debt, covid, PF, drought, even though the economic decline started before the drought but after 2021. And thanks to PF for leaving mealie meal at K130 breakfast and K90 roller meal
Yes a big thank you to PF for the better economy and apologies for kicking you out. But also thank you to UNIP for introducing free education in Zambia, and also thank you to MMD for introducing CDF in Zambia, any way others have come in with a late entry called school feeding program, but a drop in relation to multiple promises, and they like late entries, load shedding is only ended in the 5th year despite having no rain in Dubai
…………..
Makebi Zulu is heavily tainted , Infact soiled with corruption, tribal and cader violence from his position of protector of all PF vices…….
Any other honourable person would have resigned that position……….
We understand a lawyer protecting a thief one time as there could be a case of innocence, but…………
Standing guard while there is industrial scale stealing like in PFs case , that lawyer/client excuse does not stand , Makebi……….
Might as well be considered as been part of the PF vices……….
Makebi stood guarding the gates while the country was being rapped
We are here
FWD2041
Thank you UPND, you deserve continuity for the coming year. You have special interests looking out for all Zambians.
So this dunderhead Makebi thinks he can be President….we joke too much in Zambia…..with Candidates like Makebi or Pompwe Mundubile expect landslide victory for HH
The don’t even understand their own bubble they live in. Totally confused humans with low level perception.
People like Makebi think Zambians are du!!……….
Maybe the majority are du!! to even entertain the protector of things bad in PF even entertaining the idea of being president
FED2041
@Endorsed, school feeding is an old program supported by WFP, it goes beyond 2021, maybe just scared up now.
@Spaka people like HH think Zambians are dull
You only need to speak to their chief and they will all vote for the chief’s choice. He will see
Easterners are not as du!! as you think……..
They know a good thing when they see a good president……….
FWD2041
Makebi Zulu has a heart of a stone kikikiki
the ‘original pf!’ no one wants to even hear that name BM has done the right thing to distance himself from a party people cannot forget….oh those cadres who suddenly had plots in ibex, statelodge, forest 27, …those who house their side events in Salama park and gifted them with top of the range show room cars…brandishing pistols and shouting ‘do you know who I am?’ …those who tossed on their beds with brand new notes and burnt the dollar on podcast…Ba Zulu ! those who landed ‘wheel barrows’ as fire tender…and inflated the price of everything ….27 motor vehicles…please sober up ! you are not the answer