Access Bank Zambia has confirmed the disbursement of more than K3 billion to 311,000 farmers under the Government’s Farmer Input Support Programme payment framework administered through the Food Reserve Agency.

The bank stated that the payments were processed across its branch network following coordination with the FRA and relevant government authorities to ensure timely settlement to beneficiaries. According to the bank, extended operating hours were implemented to manage volumes and reduce congestion during the peak payment period.

Access Bank said it adjusted weekday and weekend hours at selected branches to accommodate farmers, particularly in high-traffic agricultural regions. The bank added that payment schedules were aligned with lists provided by the FRA to ensure that farmers who delivered maize received funds within agreed timelines.

Officials indicated that internal systems were reinforced to handle transaction volumes efficiently while maintaining audit controls and reconciliation standards. The bank stated that verification processes were applied to confirm beneficiary identities and payment accuracy.

The FRA has relied on commercial banks to process payments following maize purchases, with the objective of supporting liquidity for small-scale and commercial farmers. Access Bank said the payment programme formed part of its broader participation in government-supported agricultural financing and service delivery.

Farmers in several districts reported receipt of funds through Access Bank branches, with some indicating that extended hours reduced waiting times. The bank said it continued to engage local authorities and farmer representatives to address operational challenges as they arose.

Access Bank reiterated its commitment to transparency, stating that payment records are subject to internal and external review in line with banking regulations. The bank added that it remains available to address queries from farmers regarding payment status through branch channels.

Kapyanga Defends Mundubile Amid PF Leadership Dispute

Member of Parliament for Mpika Constituency Francis Robert Kapyanga has issued a detailed public statement defending Brian Mundubile and rejecting assertions that the late former president Edgar Chagwa Lungu bears responsibility for the ongoing leadership turmoil within the Patriotic Front.

In the statement, Kapyanga responds to claims circulating within party discourse that Lungu failed to designate a successor before stepping back from active leadership, a situation some party figures have cited as contributing to current divisions. Kapyanga describes that position as inaccurate and unfair, stating that Lungu had expressed a clear preference for party unity and had taken steps to guide leadership succession following the 2021 General Elections.

According to Kapyanga, internal tensions within the PF began well before the loss of power in 2021. He states that during Lungu’s final term in office, certain senior figures openly challenged his authority, undermined his leadership, and publicly opposed him, actions that he says weakened internal cohesion and contributed to electoral defeat.

After the election loss, Kapyanga recounts that criticism of Lungu intensified, with some party members attributing the outcome directly to him. He states that this environment led Lungu to step down as PF president and retire from active politics, despite resistance from members of the party’s Central Committee. During that transitional period, Lungu appointed individuals to act in leadership positions while the party sought to stabilise.

Kapyanga provides a specific account of events in early 2022, stating that while Parliament was in session, Mundubile received a call from Lungu inviting him to a meeting at his government-rented retirement residence in Ibex. During that meeting, Kapyanga says Lungu instructed Mundubile to contest the PF presidency, citing their working relationship and Mundubile’s commitment to the party.

He states that Mundubile did not immediately disclose the instruction and had not previously expressed ambitions to lead the party or to contest the presidency of the Republic. At the time, according to Kapyanga, Mundubile’s focus remained on his parliamentary responsibilities and eventual retirement from politics.

Kapyanga further states that Lungu subsequently contacted several trusted party members, including himself, and directed them to support Mundubile’s bid for the PF presidency. He says efforts were then made to mobilise support, assemble campaign structures, and prepare for an internal contest.

However, Kapyanga states that resistance emerged from individuals he describes as having previously opposed Lungu while he was in office. He alleges that these figures conveyed false information to Lungu, including claims that Mundubile was secretly engaging with President Hakainde Hichilema through family connections, funding attacks against Lungu, and pursuing other undisclosed agendas. Kapyanga states that Mundubile did not respond publicly to these allegations.

According to Kapyanga, when these claims failed to gain traction, attention shifted toward encouraging Lungu to return to active politics. He links this development to events surrounding Miles Sampa, whose assumption of control within the PF followed the cancellation of a conference and his suspension by an acting party president. Kapyanga states that this period marked a significant compromise of party structures.

Kapyanga recounts that when Lungu later engaged in broader opposition cooperation through the United Kwacha Alliance, some of the same individuals opposed the initiative and subjected Lungu to public attacks. He says this led to Lungu’s withdrawal from the alliance and the subsequent formation of the Tonse Alliance.

Throughout these developments, Kapyanga maintains that accusations against Mundubile continued, including allegations related to judicial interference in Lungu’s eligibility case and associations with political activist Chilufya Tayali. He rejects those claims and states that Lungu himself instructed party members to assist Tayali during legal difficulties.

Kapyanga states that following Lungu’s return to active politics, Mundubile halted his own activities and instructed his supporters to mobilise in support of Lungu. He says this was done in line with Lungu’s authority and wishes at the time.

With Lungu’s death, Kapyanga states that continued references to his name in internal disputes are inappropriate. He calls on party leaders to take responsibility for current decisions and to pursue unity through established constitutional processes, including convening a party conference to elect new leadership.

Tonse Alliance Sets January 31 Congress Date, Clears Path to Leadership Elections

The Tonse Alliance has formally set January 31, 2026, as the date for its General Congress after validating constitutional amendments and adopting a detailed roadmap toward leadership elections ahead of the 2026 General Elections.

The decisions were taken at a meeting held on January 10, 2026, at the Forum for Democracy and Development headquarters in Lusaka. The meeting brought together leaders from long-standing and newly admitted member organisations, alongside prominent individual members, marking one of the Alliance’s most inclusive and procedurally significant gatherings in recent years.

The central focus of the meeting was the formal validation of amendments to the Tonse Alliance Constitution. This was achieved through a membership renewal and admission signing session, a legal and procedural step designed to confirm commitment to the revised governance framework before leadership elections are conducted.

The meeting was chaired by Danny Pule, serving as Caretaker Chairman, and supported by Chifumu Banda, First Vice Chairman, and Kelvin Bwalya Fube, Second Vice Chairman. The chairing team was tasked with ensuring procedural compliance, neutrality, and orderly conduct during the Council of Leaders session.

Following the signing ceremony, the Council of Leaders adopted a series of resolutions that now form the official roadmap to the January 31 General Congress.

First, the Council resolved that the Tonse Alliance General Congress will be held on January 31, 2026. At the Congress, the Alliance will elect both its Chairman and its Presidential Candidate for the 2026 General Elections.

Second, the Congress will also elect three additional positions: First Vice Chairman, Second Vice Chairman, and Alliance Spokesperson, completing the Alliance’s top-tier leadership structure ahead of the national polls.

Third, nomination fees were harmonised across positions. Candidates contesting for Chairman or Presidential Candidate will be required to pay K50,000, while those contesting for Vice Chairperson positions and the Spokesperson role will pay K10,000.

Fourth, January 20, 2026, was set as both the deadline and the actual nomination day for all elective positions. Nominations will be conducted once, in the morning, at the FDD Secretariat, under the supervision of the Alliance Secretariat and the Tonse Electoral Commission.

Fifth, all member organisations were directed to submit their General Congress delegate lists by January 20, 2026. The Council stated that this measure is intended to allow sufficient time for verification, inspection, and approval of the General Congress voters’ register to safeguard the legitimacy of the electoral process.

To oversee the elections, the Council unanimously appointed Debby Kambwa Aongola as Chairperson of the Tonse Electoral Commission. He will be assisted by Mwaba Mushota and Benjamin Mwelwa, all of whom are lawyers.

The Council further resolved that two additional legal practitioners will be co-opted into the Commission to strengthen its capacity and reinforce confidence among stakeholders that the General Congress elections will be administered professionally, independently, and transparently.

The meeting reflected the expanding breadth of the Tonse Alliance, with representation from political parties, civic organisations, professional groupings, and individual leaders. Organisations represented included the National Freedom Front, Development People’s Party, New Era Democratic Party, Zambia Must Prosper, Forum for Democracy and Development, Christian Democratic Party, National Revolutionary Party, All People’s Congress, ECL PF Movement, Developmental Partnership Initiatives, Governance Enhancement Initiative, Umodzi Kumawa Development Coalition, ZAYEF, CLAGGO, Centre for Economic Development and Social Change, Centre for Constitutionalism and Legal Justice, and the Apostolic Prophetic Council.

Notable individual participants included Lawrence Mwelwa, Joseph Chirwa, who sent apologies due to travel challenges, Cephas Mukuka, Chris Zumani Zimba, and Mwape, among others.

Taken together, the resolutions of January 10, 2026, establish a clear, time-bound, and rule-based pathway to the Tonse Alliance General Congress. By fixing dates, defining nomination fees, appointing an Electoral Commission, and requiring early submission of delegate lists, the Alliance has outlined a structured internal democratic process.

As the Alliance moves toward January 31, attention will shift to nominations, delegate verification, and engagement among contenders for leadership. The outcome of the General Congress will determine the Alliance’s leadership and its strategic posture ahead of the 2026 General Elections.

PF Acting Leadership Charges Brian Mundubile With Gross Indiscipline

The deepening internal crisis within the Patriotic Front entered a formal and highly consequential phase today after senior party member and Member of Parliament Brian Mundubile was officially charged with gross indiscipline under the party’s constitution and regulations.

The charges are contained in a confidential exculpatory letter dated January 10, 2026, issued under the authority of the Patriotic Front secretariat and signed by Celestine Mukandila, Acting Deputy Secretary General for Administration. The letter states that the action is being taken pursuant to directives from the party’s Acting President, Given Lubinda.

According to the document, Mundubile, who serves as a Central Committee member and Member of Parliament, is accused of violating the Patriotic Front Constitution of 2007 and multiple internal regulations governing party conduct, discipline, and organisational order.

The letter outlines four principal charges.

First, Mundubile is accused of making unsubstantiated public accusations against the party leadership, including claims circulated via Facebook alleging that the leadership was scheming to expel him and his campaign team to bar him from contesting intra-party elections. The letter asserts that these claims lacked factual basis and contravened party rules on misinformation and conduct injurious to the party’s reputation.

Second, the acting administration accuses Mundubile of establishing and promoting parallel party structures. According to the charge, activities undertaken by his campaign team allegedly created division within the party and violated constitutional provisions requiring unified and democratically organised structures.

Third, the letter cites a breach of public event protocols, alleging that Mundubile attended an unauthorised Tonse Alliance meeting without approval from the Party President or the Acting Deputy Secretaries General, in contravention of party regulations governing obedience to lawful directives.

Fourth, Mundubile is accused of continuing to recognise individuals who had already been dismissed from party positions, an act described as undermining hierarchical authority and disciplinary oversight within the Patriotic Front.

The acting administration argues that these actions collectively undermine party unity, weaken organisational integrity, and disrupt constitutional order. Mundubile has been given seven days to submit a written exculpatory statement to the Disciplinary Committee, failing which acceptance of the charges may be inferred under party regulations.

The letter further advises that following the disciplinary committee’s determination, Mundubile retains the right of appeal to the Central Committee, National Council, or the General Conference.

The development marks one of the most explicit internal disciplinary escalations within the Patriotic Front since the party’s post-2021 transition, laying bare the depth of fragmentation within Zambia’s largest opposition formation. The formalisation of the dispute underscores how internal contestation has moved beyond political disagreement into constitutional and procedural confrontation.

The Actual Letter Below:

PATRIOTIC FRONT

Date: 10th January 2026

Hon. Brian M. Mundubile, MP
C/o Patriotic Front Secretariat
Lusaka, Zambia

Dear Hon. Mundubile,

RE: EXCULPATORY LETTER – GROSS INDISCIPLINE – YOURSELF

Refer to the above caption.

This letter formally charges you, as a Patriotic Front Central Committee Member (MCC/Member of Parliament), with violating the 2007 Constitution. As an MCC/MP, you owe the highest fiduciary duty to the Party, yet your actions constitute a gross breach of constitutional authority and trust. You are hereby charged with serious breaches of the Patriotic Front (PF) Constitution and Regulations, as follows:

1. Unsubstantiated Accusations Against Party Leadership:
You made false claims via a Facebook statement on that the party leadership is scheming to expel you and your campaign team to bar your intra-party election candidacy, claims with no factual basis. This violates Regulation 29(h) (spreading false information injuring the party’s or its officials’ reputation) and Article 15(g) (obligation to fight against conduct harming the party).

2. Establishing Parallel Structures:
Under your watch, your campaign team is purposefully promoting division by creating parallel party structures contrary to party regulations, violating Article 20 (party structure based on democratic principles of unified, elective organs) and Regulation 43 (requirement for all party organs to be registered with the Secretary-General).

3. Breach of Public Event Protocols:
Likewise, you deliberately violated established protocols by attending an illegal Tonse Alliance meeting without the authority of the Party President and Acting Deputy Secretary Generals, contravening Regulation 29(d) (disobeying party organ directives).

4. Unauthorized Recognition of Dismissed Members:
You have continued to recognize individuals dismissed from party positions by the President, violating Article 13 (prohibiting leaders from acting contrary to party authority) and Article 58(c) (Central Committee’s mandate to enforce discipline and regulate party organ activities).

These actions undermine party unity, disregard hierarchical authority, harm the PF’s integrity, and disrupt organizational order. You are required to submit a written exculpatory statement within 7 days to the Disciplinary Committee, per Regulation 100(1). Failure to respond constitutes acceptance.

Post-response, a decision will be rendered promptly, with appeal rights to the Central Committee, National Council, or General Conference (Regulation 99).

As an MCC, you are entrusted to uphold the Constitution. This charge enforces accountability to protect the Party’s unity and mission.

Yours sincerely,

Celestine M. Mukandila
ACTING DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL – ADMINISTRATION

Cc:
The Party President
Acting National Chairperson
Acting Deputy Secretary General – Political
Disciplinary Committee

The internal condition of the Patriotic Front has come under renewed scrutiny following a wide-ranging discussion on the Emmanuel Mwamba Verified Show aired on January 9, 2026, where party members and supporters openly questioned leadership clarity, internal trust, and the cost of continued delay as Zambia moves deeper into an election year.

The programme, hosted by Emmanuel Mwamba, who serves as a member of the Patriotic Front Central Committee and chairperson for publicity and communication, offered a rare public window into concerns that have been circulating within the party but are now being voiced with increasing urgency.

Throughout the broadcast, callers from across Zambia and the diaspora returned to a central issue: the Patriotic Front remains nationally significant in structure and reach, but its ability to act decisively is being constrained by unresolved leadership questions. Contributors stressed that the party’s challenge is not a lack of visibility or organisational presence, but uncertainty over who holds authority and under what mandate.

Several callers expressed frustration that the party has yet to settle leadership arrangements despite the proximity of nomination deadlines and campaign timelines. January, they noted, is already passing, while electoral calendars remain fixed and unforgiving. For some supporters, the concern was no longer abstract. It was practical, rooted in the fear that unresolved authority could leave the party legally or administratively exposed as the election period advances.

A recurring point of tension centred on perceptions of fairness within the leadership process. Callers raised concerns about arrangements in which authority and ambition appear to converge, arguing that even if such configurations are constitutionally permissible, they risk undermining confidence. One contributor framed the issue plainly, stating that no individual can credibly function as both participant and overseer within the same contest.

The discussion also returned repeatedly to the period following the death of former President Edgar Lungu. While contributors differed on whether explicit understandings existed regarding succession and stewardship, the lack of a clearly communicated transition process was identified as a source of lingering suspicion. That unresolved space, callers suggested, has allowed internal disagreement to spill into public uncertainty, weakening trust at a critical moment.

Beyond procedure, the programme captured signs of emotional fatigue among supporters. Some callers described a growing sense of disorientation, unsure where to anchor their political expectations. Others warned that prolonged confusion only strengthens the ruling party, as opposition disarray carries its own political consequences without any direct intervention.

The issue of time emerged as a defining theme. Callers warned that each delay compounds risk, not only by shrinking room for manoeuvre but by signalling a lack of urgency to voters. One contributor summarised the concern by noting that hesitation itself can become a decision, shaping outcomes before campaigns formally begin.

At the same time, the discussion resisted simplistic solutions. Contributors challenged the notion that victory could be engineered through demographic formulas, regional calculations, or factional arithmetic alone. Zambia’s electoral record, they argued, rewards clarity, organisation, and visible preparedness rather than internal bargaining extended beyond necessity.

Throughout the programme, Mwamba maintained that the Patriotic Front’s national footprint remains an asset, but one that is being steadily eroded by hesitation and internal contestation. He cautioned that disciplinary actions or expulsions at this stage would deepen fractures rather than restore cohesion, stressing that restraint and unity are strategic requirements rather than rhetorical slogans.

The broadcast did not attempt to settle the party’s leadership question. Instead, it functioned as an informal audit, exposing the widening gap between internal processes and external expectations. It underscored a growing recognition among supporters that history and inherited loyalty cannot substitute for readiness.

As Zambia approaches the 2026 polls, the message from the programme was consistent: relevance will be determined not by legacy, but by the ability to resolve uncertainty, project authority, and act within the narrowing window still available.