HH appeals for peace and stability in Tanzania
President Hakainde Hichilema has appealed to the people of Tanzania not to take their grievances to the streets, but to resolve national differences through dialogue and formal democratic channels. Speaking during remarks directed to Tanzanian leaders and citizens across the mainland and the islands, he said Tanzania has enjoyed peace since independence, and that legacy should not be destroyed. He said peace, security and stability are the foundation that allows nations to progress.

He explained that once a nation allows a breakdown of law and order, restoring stability becomes difficult, and the consequences affect children in school, family livelihoods, development budgets and the general national trajectory. He said there are countries on the continent that have suffered long term instability after violent episodes, and that such consequences should not be underestimated. He described instability as a menace and warned that once a country loses peace, it is not quickly regained.

President Hichilema said all African nations must prioritise peace as the main ingredient for development. He said there is still much work to be done in providing opportunities for citizens, but that work can only be achieved in environments that are safe and stable. He said when disputes arise, they should be taken to the dialogue table, and he emphasised that the dialogue table must be the only place where disagreements are resolved.

He reflected on his own experience in Zambia. He reminded the audience that the UPND spent 23 years in opposition and that he personally led the party for 15 of those years. He said during that time he suffered election defeats and complaints were raised about electoral processes. Despite that, he did not call for street protests, because sending people into the streets would risk property destruction, injury or loss of life. He said if damage had occurred, such blood would have been on his hands. He said he consistently told supporters that democratic processes must be used and that the party maintained patience.

He said Zambia is now privileged to lead its own nation peacefully, and that responsibility must be preserved and passed on to the next generation. He encouraged Tanzanians to take the path of opportunity rather than destruction. He said challenges are real, but opportunities also exist, and progress arrives in its own sequence. He added that God’s time is the best, and that people do not need to strain to see that signal when it comes.

President Hichilema said Zambia values the historic partnership with Tanzania, referencing Tazama and Tazara infrastructure. He said Zambia relied on Tanzania during the liberation period when access to the sea was blocked. He referenced the roles of President Julius Nyerere and President Kenneth Kaunda, alongside cooperating partners, in making regional transport possible. He said the two nations continue to work on joint rehabilitation of routes to improve movement of goods and citizens.

In his closing remarks, he congratulated the Tanzanian leadership and said those who did not vote for the president must also be embraced and included. He said systems must be built to reach out to every citizen. He said the region must stay focused on peace and stability, because those conditions enable development, job creation, business growth and skills improvements for young people, including Gen Z. He reaffirmed Zambia’s goodwill and said both countries share historical ties and shared ambitions.

“I’m no political prostitute” — Mumbi tears into party thieves

Former Patriotic Front deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri defended her political position and personal loyalty, stressing that she has never moved from one party to another for convenience or personal gain. In comments shared with her followers through her Facebook page, she pushed back against online claims suggesting she has endorsed various presidential hopefuls, describing such content as pure fabrication. The circulation of articles claiming she has shifted support from one candidate to another was dismissed as a smear campaign driven by people who, in her view, have already damaged PF but now want to drag her into their struggles.

She recalled previous online claims that she convened a private meeting at her residence to expel given individuals from PF leadership, including Given Lubinda, Raphael Nakacinda, Jean Kapata, Sylvia Chalikosa and Nkandu Luo. According to her recollection, that event never occurred and she made it clear that such allegations were created to suit hidden motives. The experience of repeatedly facing false rumours was presented as proof that certain individuals inside and outside PF are deliberately targeting her voice because they know her influence is not minor.

Phiri dismissed suggestions that she has become frustrated with certain political actors and is now shifting allegiance toward Makebi Zulu or Brian Mundubile. Those creating those narratives were described as desperate groups trying to assign her to camp alignments that she has not declared. She argued that people pushing such claims do so because they know that any endorsement she makes would command attention and create political movement. She noted that those waiting for her endorsement will know when that decision is formally announced, stressing that her preferred candidate exists but will be revealed at the right moment, not through gossip and not through pressure.

The former PF deputy SG also addressed the emotional weight caused by the internal state of the party she once worked to build. In her view, loyal PF members are the ones being forced to leave because individuals with selfish motives allegedly captured and redirected the party. Those accused of damaging PF were described as the same people attempting to frame narratives that she is jumping between personalities. Phiri objected to that portrayal and emphasised that true PF members know her track record and consistency.

Throughout her messages, Phiri also reinforced her self-assessment as a stable figure in Zambia’s political landscape. She stressed that she does not engage in directionless shifting between groupings and reminded her audience that she has never been one of the individuals crossing between political camps for personal advantage. One of her strongest assertions was the remark that, “I am a big machine,” which she used to signal her influence and certainty that those spreading deliberate misinformation will not succeed in dragging her into endorsement wars before she chooses to announce her own preference.

She further stated that no political storm is strong enough to shake her, highlighting her belief that mature political resilience comes from clarity, history and consistency. The message she wanted citizens, supporters and critics to absorb is that her political outlook remains defined by patience, loyalty and principle, and not by the unstable online claims that attempt to define her every few weeks. She concluded that maturity must show itself not through noise or immediate reactions, but through timing, discipline and controlled disclosure — and that those who are inventing premature claims about her choices will simply have to wait.

Leadership Movement president Dr Richard Silumbe warned that Zambia’s democracy is under serious threat ahead of next year’s general elections. During an interview, he argued that the multiparty foundation of the nation is being damaged by actions that appear to narrow participation and concentrate power. According to Silumbe, Zambia’s political space is shrinking and this must concern every citizen before the country reaches a point where democratic safeguards become weakened permanently.

He pointed to the push for constitutional amendments as an example of how political control can be adjusted in the background while the public is distracted. In his observation, this is not a routine process but a deliberate attempt to use constitutional change to tilt the electoral ground. Silumbe asserted that very few people realise the danger embedded in a rushed amendment process because the shift is gradual but significant enough to alter democratic environment. In his view, this should not be ignored.

Concerns were raised that essential rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of worship and freedom of assembly have been weakened. As an illustration, he referenced the police dispersal of individuals praying at the OYDC grounds before Independence Day celebrations in Lusaka, describing it as a sign that the environment for free participation is being restricted instead of encouraged. He believes such events reflect a wider shift from openness to control.

Silumbe questioned the credibility and inclusivity of the technical committee guiding the constitutional review, describing the terms of reference as deceptive and not designed for broad contribution. According to him, this framework lacks nationwide ownership and risks reshaping Zambia’s future using a narrow circle of influence. He asked Zambians to recognise the moment and respond accordingly.

The LM leader described the process as a criminal-style constitutional cartel that could trap the public into giving up liberties if not challenged. He urged Zambians to unite against steps that place the nation on this path, stating that allowing the process to proceed in its current form would expose more citizens to arrest or intimidation.

Silumbe also drew attention to regional developments and referenced events in Tanzania as a signal that countries can easily slide into instability when dialogue is reduced. He reiterated that democracy thrives when different voices are allowed in the arena rather than forced out of it. In his assessment, Zambia must avoid a similar pattern by ensuring participation is protected, not closed.

He emphasised that a constitution is not a personal survival mechanism for those in office but a national foundation. According to this view, the country must not allow constitutional structures to be adjusted primarily to protect individual political futures. Instead, he stressed the need for a genuine and lawful process grounded in inclusion and national unity.

Silumbe concluded by calling for citizens to defend the multiparty system through vigilance and refusal to normalise rushed changes. With elections approaching, he encouraged the public to keep focus on the principles that ensure fairness and national balance rather than allow distraction to weaken the national democratic culture.

HH to attend Samia Suluhu ceremony amid blackout, curfews

President Hakainde Hichilema will travel to Dodoma on Monday 3 November 2025 to witness the swearing in of Tanzania’s re elected leader Samia Suluhu Hassan, according to a press statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The event will be held at State House Chamwino in Dodoma. The statement says the invitation signifies excellent relationship and strong historical ties between Zambia and the United Republic of Tanzania. The ministry also confirmed that President Hichilema will depart immediately after the ceremony.

The political backdrop is unsettled. Regional reporting indicates that several major Tanzanian cities have seen confrontations between police and protesters following the disputed 29 October general election. Human rights groups have reported fatalities. Observers said opposition candidates were barred from contesting and activists were detained ahead of polling. Concerns expressed in the region have included restricted access to information, internet disruptions and curfews in several urban areas. Social media access has reportedly remained limited, complicating independent verification of casualty figures and arrests.

Footage verified by multiple regional news desks has shown armoured vehicles deployed in parts of Dar es Salaam and Mwanza. Residents have reported tear gas, intermittent gunfire and heavy patrols. Rights groups have stated that the process lacked transparency and demanded independent verification of what transpired in the buildup to the vote. Several civil society actors have described the pre and post election conditions as severe.

Inside Zambia, reaction to the confirmation of Hichilema’s attendance has been mixed. Some voices have said foreign attendance is normal protocol between neighbouring states. Others say attending a disputed event risks signalling tacit approval of a process that is still being questioned within social circles, among civic actors, and online. The debate is taking place in the context of Zambia’s own governance standards, rule of law posture and insistence on open democratic space in the run up to 2026.

Observers in the region have also pointed to a broader trend in southern Africa in which citizens are showing greater impatience with incumbency. Protests seen in Tanzania come after youth driven uprisings in Madagascar and pressure movements in Malawi and Cameroon. Some commentators have noted that governments once insulated through liberation credentials or long term party continuity are now facing real time demands for accountability from voters. The Tanzania situation has therefore been cited by some commentators as a test case of how institutions respond to visible public contestation under security pressure.

Zambia has stated in multiple forums that it remains committed to rule based administration and open political competition. Attendance at the swearing in in Dodoma will therefore test how Zambia’s diplomatic posture is interpreted within a context featuring blackout reports, curfews, limited access to information and reported protest fatalities attributed to clashes between police and civilians. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement however made no mention of unrest details. It confined itself strictly to confirming that an official invitation had been received and accepted.

The official press statement was issued on 2 November 2025 and was signed by Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Collins Nzovu. The ministry emphasised bilateral ties and noted that the President of the Republic of Zambia will arrive in Dodoma for the ceremony and will return immediately thereafter. For now the programme stands unchanged. Security in Tanzania’s major urban corridors is expected to remain tight during the event period.