Chama Dismisses the Voter Registration Process as Pointless

Archdiocese of Kasama Archbishop Ignatius Chama has described the ongoing national voter registration programme as a sham that will not produce the intended results of enrolling more than three million new voters for the 2026 general elections. In remarks carried on his weekly radio programme Ishiwi Lyakwa Kacema, broadcast every Wednesday on Radio Lutanda, Archbishop Chama said survey findings from within the Archdiocese had shown that only a small proportion of eligible citizens had managed to complete the registration process so far.

He said low numbers among eligible people were evident in areas he had interacted with. He said that during meetings with large community gatherings, only a handful of individuals indicated that they had successfully registered. He stated that this outcome demonstrated that the voter registration process was not effectively reaching the population in sufficient volume for next year’s polls. He said that this reality would result in fewer Zambians participating in the 2026 general elections.

Archbishop Chama also stated that bureaucratic obstacles were effectively disenfranchising many people. He said that essential supporting documentation had not been made available to eligible voters. He said that a major grievance among young citizens was the lack of access to national registration cards, which are required for voter registration. He said this absence of national registration cards had prevented young people from starting the voter enrolment process.

The Archbishop also said that the lack of national registration card issuing officers at registration points had discouraged people. He said that without national registration cards, the possibility of registering as a voter was not possible, and that this had blocked many eligible youths from participating. He said he had observed that people expected that national registration card issuance would accompany the voter registration period, but that this expectation had not been met on the ground.

Archbishop Chama said even if the current registration period was extended, the time of year created further complications. He said that the farming season would affect participation because many people would be occupied in fields rather than registration centres. He said that people would be working on farms during the peak phase of the voter registration extension and that this would reduce registration turnout further.

He said the total combined effect was that the majority of citizens would not be registered in time for the 2026 elections. He said that this result would mean that only a small percentage of eligible Zambians would vote. He also said that those responsible for the registration process needed to recognise that the implementation design was preventing large numbers of people from accessing the system.

Archbishop Chama said that the purpose of his radio message was to highlight the practical realities he had encountered. He said the voter registration process would not deliver the intended objective under current conditions, and that this outcome was becoming visible before the exercise had been completed.

Nevers Mumba Renames MMD to NNP while rival faction rejects the rebrand

More than one version of events is being promoted following the announcement by former MMD President Nevers Sekwila Mumba that the Movement for Multiparty Democracy has now been renamed the New Nation Party. Dr Mumba declared that the party has entered a new chapter and will support President Hakainde Hichilema in the 2026 general elections. He stated that the party will not field a presidential candidate and that this position reflects a desire for national unity. The announcement was made at NASDEC Sports Complex in Lusaka during an Extraordinary Convention that his camp viewed as a legitimate MMD process.

NNP National Secretary Elizabeth Chitika urged members to align themselves behind the new direction. Vice President Winnie Zaloumis described the event as a democratic marker for a politically renewed organisation. UPND Secretary General Batuke Imenda attended the same function and said the process was peaceful and consistent with a position that the future of governance should empower citizens to own national resources and key economic assets.

This is however not the only interpretation being presented to the public. A splinter faction calling itself Operation Save MMD issued a detailed statement saying that the NASDEC gathering was not an MMD event. The group said Dr Mumba has no legal authority to rename the MMD because his constitutional tenure expired in 2022. The faction’s statement was delivered by Gaston Sichilima who said that what occurred at NASDEC was a personal launch of a separate political party. He stated that the MMD brand still exists and that the narrative that the MMD is now the NNP is false and misleading.

Operation Save MMD stated that the purpose of their organisation is to protect and restore the MMD in accordance with the party constitution. They said the announcement of a rebrand is in direct conflict with the structures that remain active within the party. They said they reject any claims that the MMD has ended or has been dissolved. Sichilima said that Dr Mumba’s history is relevant to the current situation because several organisations that he formed previously have been dissolved before. He said this pattern is evidence that the NASDEC event is another personal project rather than an institutional decision taken by a valid MMD convention.

The faction also said that the MMD must now begin the process of reconstructing its leadership and structures. Operation Save MMD said it will convene a national consultative gathering in the coming days with the purpose of identifying the next roadmap to a legitimate convention. The group said the constitutional right to choose national leaders is not held by individuals who no longer hold office. Sichilima said that the MMD should now prepare for a fresh democratic process which will restore authority through a transparent election of office bearers.

The two narratives have therefore collided directly. One narrative says that the MMD has legitimately rebranded into the NNP and that the decision is based on unity and strategy. The second narrative says that the MMD continues to exist and that the NASDEC event was a launch of a completely new party. The political question that now follows is which claim will be recognised by the Registrar of Societies and whether official documentation matches either side of the dispute.

The story continues to develop because both sides insist that their version is fact. Dr Mumba positions his announcement as a forward path. Operation Save MMD positions it as a departure. Both groups have stated that they will continue with their programme of action in the coming days. Further public statements are expected from each side as the status of the MMD identity becomes a topic of national political interest ahead of 2026.