Kambwili Says He Is Willing to Step Aside for Opposition Unity
Patriotic Front central committee member Chishimba Kambwili has stated that he is prepared to forego his own presidential ambitions in order to achieve opposition unity ahead of the August 13, 2026 general elections.

Kambwili said he has been engaging with several elders in the country who, according to him, are concerned about the political direction Zambia is taking. Among those he named were retired former Chief Justice Lombe Chibesakunda and Akashambatwa Mbikusita Lewanika.

He said the elders he has met are unhappy with what he described as growing polarisation in the country, particularly along tribal lines, and have encouraged efforts aimed at uniting opposition political parties.

Kambwili stated that since his release from prison, he has dedicated time to working behind the scenes to promote opposition unity. He said this effort is not driven by personal gain, but by what he believes is the national interest.

He explained that opposition unity has remained elusive largely because of disagreements over who should carry the presidential ticket, but maintained that the focus should be on presenting a single candidate capable of challenging the ruling party.

When asked whether he was ready to abandon his own presidential ambitions to achieve that unity, Kambwili responded affirmatively, saying leadership requires readiness to be led.

He stated that for the sake of the country, personal ambition must sometimes be set aside, adding that those who wish to lead must also be prepared to follow when circumstances demand it.

Kambwili declined to be drawn into debates about which opposition parties are growing or declining, including comments made by Citizens First leader Harry Kalaba regarding his party’s performance in the Chawama by-election. He said his concern was not about individual party fortunes, but about consolidating opposition strength.

He pointed to the combined vote totals from the Chawama by-election, arguing that when votes for opposition parties and independent candidates are added together, they demonstrate a strong showing against the ruling United Party for National Development.

Kambwili further dismissed claims about the existence of a so-called “PF ECL movement,” saying he did not recognise such a grouping and would not waste time addressing it.

He said the Patriotic Front needed to focus on internal unity and avoid internal conflicts, warning that infighting would only weaken the opposition’s ability to contest the August elections effectively.

Regarding PF presidential aspirant Brian Mundubile, Kambwili stated that Mundubile remained a PF member, as he had not formally resigned from the party.

Kambwili reiterated that unity discussions must remain focused on the collective objective of presenting a credible alternative in the 2026 general elections.

Makebi Zulu Chases Police From Residence in Malambo
Police officers in Mambwe District, Eastern Province, visited Makebi Zulu at his private residence in Malambo area, where a confrontation unfolded that ended with the officers being ordered to leave the premises.

Zulu was at his home when police officers arrived and entered the property in the early hours of the day. Eyewitnesses said the officers mounted a visible operation around the residence, briefly cordoning off the surrounding area and drawing the attention of local residents.

According to eyewitness accounts and a recorded interaction from the scene, police officers instructed Zulu to disperse people who had gathered at the residence, stating that they were acting on information suggesting the presence of a lawful assembly.

Zulu rejected that classification, stating that the individuals present were visitors who had come to greet him at his home and not participants in any organised meeting or rally. He told the officers that they were on private property and that he was entitled to receive visitors without police permission.

He stated that the residence was his home and that the gathering was informal and social in nature. According to Zulu, the visitors had come to see him after he had recently been involved in an accident and had not been in the area for some time.

During the exchange, Zulu questioned the basis of the police operation and challenged the accuracy of the information that had prompted officers to attend his residence. He told the officers that whoever had reported the matter had provided incorrect information.

Police officers cited security considerations as justification for their presence. Zulu rejected that explanation, stating that he did not require police protection and had not requested police intervention.

As the exchange continued, officers suggested that Zulu should disperse the visitors or report himself to the police. He declined both options and stated that he had not convened any organised gathering and therefore bore no responsibility to disperse people who had come to greet him.

The confrontation escalated when Zulu repeatedly instructed the officers to leave his property. He directly ordered them off the premises, stating that their continued presence was unlawful. The officers subsequently withdrew from the residence. No arrests were made, and no physical confrontation occurred.

After the police left, residents and supporters gathered near the property seeking clarification on the purpose of the police operation.

Beyond the immediate incident, the confrontation has intensified debate around policing, political space, and the application of public order regulations, particularly as Zambia enters an election year.

Opposition parties have for several years complained of denied permits, blocked meetings, and disrupted rallies, while activities organised by the governing United Party for National Development have continued to proceed. These complaints have formed a consistent part of opposition criticism of policing practices.

Within this context, the police action at Zulu’s residence has been interpreted by opposition figures as part of a broader effort to constrain opposition political activity. They argue that such interventions risk reinforcing perceptions of selective enforcement of public order laws.

Political analysts note that repeated confrontations between police and opposition figures carry reputational risks for the government. Some argue that, if unaddressed, such incidents may erode public confidence in the neutrality of law enforcement and undermine democratic credibility.

They further contend that if the government is not directing police action against opposition voices, it bears responsibility to act decisively to ensure policing practices do not fuel perceptions of political bias.

Police officers involved in the recorded exchange did not reference any political affiliation. By the time of filing this report, police had not issued an official statement explaining the operation at Zulu’s residence.

Bill 7 Cited as Example of Legal Authoritarianism

Former Attorney General Musa Mwenye has warned that democratically elected leaders can gradually become dictators if constitutional safeguards are weakened and citizens fail to remain vigilant.

Speaking in Lusaka during the launch of the LCK Freedom Foundation, Mwenye said Zambia’s democratic gains remain fragile despite more than three decades of multiparty rule. He cautioned that democracy does not collapse overnight but can be eroded through laws and practices that concentrate power in the executive.

Mwenye urged lawyers to use both courtroom action and public advocacy to resist any measures that infringe constitutional rights. He said it was a constitutional duty for legal professionals to challenge laws and actions that undermine free expression, weaken checks and balances, or restrict civic space.

He said countries across the world had witnessed elected leaders entrench themselves in power through legal and institutional manipulation, leaving citizens without effective mechanisms to correct or remove them. According to Mwenye, this process often creates what he described as soft authoritarian regimes.

Mwenye said such regimes typically maintain the appearance of democracy through regular elections while hollowing out democratic substance. He cited features such as manipulated electoral processes, executive capture of the judiciary and parliament, suppression of dissent, and propaganda as hallmarks of these systems.

He warned that Zambia was not immune to these dangers and said vigilance was essential to prevent democratic backsliding. According to Mwenye, holding elections alone is not sufficient if the environment in which they are conducted is not free and fair.

He said democracy’s strength lies in the ability of citizens to remove leaders peacefully through elections when they determine that those leaders are no longer serving the public interest. When that ability is compromised, he said, democracy becomes an empty ritual.

Mwenye said laws that restrict media freedom, limit free expression or reduce accountability must be challenged before they become entrenched. He urged lawyers to recognise their role as guardians of the Constitution rather than passive observers.

He also commended the newly launched LCK Freedom Foundation for its role in promoting constitutionalism and defending democratic values. He praised executive director Linda Kasonde for her continued efforts to safeguard the Constitution and resist abuses of power.

Kasonde, speaking at the same event, described Bill 7, now Act Number 13 of 2025, as an example of what she termed legal authoritarianism. She said the legislation had been presented as reform but raised serious concerns about accountability, democratic participation and the balance of power.

Kasonde said the implications of the law had alarmed lawyers, civil society organisations and ordinary citizens. She warned against complacency and urged sustained scrutiny of laws that weaken constitutional safeguards under the guise of efficiency or stability.

She said democracy requires constant interrogation of power and laws, adding that citizens and institutions must challenge abuses wherever they occur. According to Kasonde, the erosion of democratic protections often happens gradually and can be normalised if left unchallenged.

Mwenye concluded by urging citizens to remain alert to the risks of concentrated power. He said democracy demands active participation, strong institutions and a legal profession willing to confront overreach in defence of constitutional order.

Opposition Unity Is Non-Negotiable After Chawama Result – Pact

People’s Pact has renewed calls for opposition unity, warning that failure to consolidate efforts ahead of the August 13 general elections could undermine the chances of dislodging the ruling United Party for National Development. The call follows the Forum for Democracy and Development’s victory in the Chawama parliamentary by-election, contested under the Tonse Alliance umbrella.

People’s Pact vice president for policy Bob Sichinga said the Chawama outcome carried important lessons that opposition parties should not ignore. While congratulating FDD and the groups that supported the campaign, Sichinga cautioned that urban by-election victories should not be misread as a guarantee of success at the national level.

He noted that voting patterns in urban constituencies often differ from those in rural areas, where elections tend to be influenced by different dynamics. According to Sichinga, the opposition risks repeating past mistakes if it fails to develop a unified approach across all regions and electoral levels.

Sichinga said the opposition remains fragmented despite the Chawama win and warned that continued disunity could turn celebrations into disappointment during the general elections. He argued that the Tonse grouping itself appears fractured, with concerns that the Patriotic Front, described as the anchor party of the alliance, has been excluded from the current arrangement.

He said the exclusion has created uncertainty among voters, particularly given PF’s historical electoral weight. In his view, opposition parties cannot afford internal rivalries if they are to mount an effective challenge to the ruling party.

Sichinga urged opposition leaders to draw lessons from both political history and moral principles, referencing the biblical teaching that a divided kingdom cannot stand. He said unity was not simply a strategic option but a necessity if the opposition hoped to secure victory in August.

He said previous elections had demonstrated that where multiple opposition candidates competed against each other, the ruling party benefited from divided votes. Sichinga argued that in many cases, opposition candidates would have won seats had they pooled their support behind a single contender.

The People’s Pact official said the Chawama outcome should serve as a warning rather than a moment of complacency. While acknowledging the effort invested by all parties that supported the FDD campaign, he said the broader picture showed an opposition that remains disjointed and vulnerable.

He said opposition parties must urgently agree on mechanisms for cooperation, candidate selection and collective messaging. According to Sichinga, failure to do so could allow the ruling party to retain power despite widespread public dissatisfaction.

The comments come amid ongoing debates about the future of the Tonse Alliance and the broader opposition landscape ahead of the 2026 polls. Political actors have differed on how alliances should be structured and which parties should play leading roles.

Sichinga said the People’s Pact remains open to working with all opposition players and is inviting parties across the political spectrum to unite. He said the priority should be defeating what he described as an oppressive system, rather than advancing individual party interests.

He warned that without a clear and united front, opposition parties risk repeating scenarios where vote splitting hands victory to the ruling party by default. He said time was running out and urged leaders to move beyond rhetoric and commit to concrete unity arrangements.

The People’s Pact, he said, believes that the Chawama by-election has once again demonstrated the cost of fragmentation and the potential power of coordinated action, if properly harnessed ahead of August.