Africa-Press – Zambia. Patriotic Front (PF) Acting President Given Lubinda has raised alarm over what he describes as “growing tribalism” in the opposition party, warning that the trend threatens to tear the former ruling party apart.
Lubinda, who hails from Western Province, has expressed concern that some senior PF officials are openly campaigning for the party’s top leadership to be restricted to individuals from Northern and Eastern Provinces in the aftermath of former President Edgar Lungu’s demise.
According to Lubinda, the behind-the-scenes lobbying for a “regional successor” undermines the PF’s founding spirit as a national movement and contradicts the party’s stated principle of unity in diversity.
“What is happening today is very depressing. Even people I once thought were standing with me are busy campaigning that the next PF President must only come from Northern or Eastern Province,” Lubinda lamented.
He cautioned that narrowing leadership contests along tribal or regional lines risks alienating members and citizens who do not share the same ethnic background, thereby weakening PF’s chances of mounting a credible challenge in the 2026 general election.
“The PF was not built on tribal lines. It was built on the collective sacrifices of Zambians from every corner of this country. To now reduce it to a tribal chess game is betrayal not only to the party but also to the people who believed in our message,” he said.
Lubinda’s remarks come at a time when the PF is grappling with an identity crisis and internal squabbles over succession. Several names have been floated as potential presidential candidates for 2026, but the debate has increasingly taken on tribal undertones, drawing sharp criticism from political observers.
Analysts warn that the PF risks further fragmentation if it fails to address these divisions decisively. “The PF’s internal wrangles are no longer just about strategy or ideology, but about who comes from where. That’s dangerous for a party that once prided itself on national character,” said one political commentator.
Lubinda has vowed to continue advocating for inclusivity, stressing that leadership should be based on merit, loyalty, and vision—not on ethnic roots.
“As a nation, we cannot afford to take tribal politics into 2026. We must rise above these divisions if we are to rebuild the PF as a party of choice for all Zambians,” he said.
For now, however, the PF remains on edge as tribal loyalties collide with political ambitions, leaving its leader increasingly isolated and disheartened.
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