Africa-Press – Zambia. …as he warns that Lubinda’s ‘illegal’ expulsions risk sinking former ruling party….
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) Central Committee member and Shiwang’andu MP, Stephen Kampyongo, has urged the party’s leadership to apologize to members for dragging their feet on resolving the leadership crisis, saying the general membership have waited for too long and deserve direction, not continued squabbles.
Mr. Kampyongo emphasized that the leadership wrangles have gone on for too long and that it was time for leaders to put the party’s interest first.
“Collectively as leaders of PF, we must be apologizing to our general membership for seemingly taking them for granted. If there was leadership in place that people accepted, I don’t think we would have all these issues,” Mr. Kampyongo said, reacting to the suspension of PF officials, including himself, by acting president Given Lubinda.
In an interview, Mr. Kampyongo, a former minister of Home Affairs, questioned the legitimacy of Mr. Lubinda’s decision, saying he was using ‘authority he does not have’.
He urged him to ‘appeal to his wisdom’ and resolve the disputes amicably.
Mr. Kampyongo explained that he and others had attended a Tonse Alliance meeting, which led to the ‘illegal’ expulsion, in a bid to strengthen collaboration with alliance partners as they sought a way forward.
Given the current impasse, Mr. Kampyongo emphasized that PF members are patiently waiting for the party to regain its legal status, and cannot just sit back and do nothing.
“As far as I know, we are all waiting for our party to resolve its leadership wrangles and get back its legal status. But as things stand, it seems this court issue involving Robert Chabinga over the party leadership will continue and we can not just fold our arms and sit back without looking for alternative solutions,” he said.
Mr. Kampyongo also warned against being antagonistic with Tonse Alliance, a coalition of opposition parties aiming to challenge the ruling UPND in the August 2026 general election, saying it could be an alternative vehicle.
“We should not be antagonistic with partners like Tonse Alliance which we should collaborate with. We might be just burying our heads in the sand. We can not continue dragging Tonse Alliance into our own problems,” he said.
He added that the opposition needed direction, not just a loose alliance. “Yes, it is important that the opposition must come together but there must be a proper direction as the August general election, which will see Zambians elect a new president and expanded parliament, is fast approaching,” he stated.
Mr. Kampyongo emphasized that PF leaders should appeal to their wisdom and avoid being emotional or dealing with authority they did not have.
“Let’s be law-abiding. If we are saying we can not go to the convention because of the court injunction, how then do you start expelling members who are holding the party together? How many people are you going to remain with?” Mr. Kampyongo questioned.
Mr. Kampyongo, who has been loyal to PF, said he and others had been punished for their loyalty. He disclosed that he, together with other senior party members, are still fighting the illegal expulsion in court that was meted out by Miles Sampa for merely attending the meeting which was called by acting president Given Lubinda at Cresta Lodge where late president Edgar Chagwa Lungu also attended.
“Imagine, as I speak, I am in court with others fighting the illegal expulsion which was meted out on us by Miles Sampa for only attending the meeting which was called by acting president Given Lubinda, and attended by the late president Edgar Chagwa Lungu at Cresta Lodge. This illegal expulsion by Sampa is the only disciplinary action I have faced in the party since I joined,” he stated.
He added: “I don’t know how they want us to demonstrate our loyalty, because honestly if we were greedy or treacherous, we would have bargained with Miles Sampa who gave us the option to either recognize his leadership or risk being removed from parliamentary leadership positions (leader of opposition and Whip of the opposition) that we were appointed to by late president Edgar Lungu before he retired from active politics. But as you all know, we opted to be humiliated as we were removed from those positions because of our loyalty and commitment to our leadership and the party.”
Mr. Kampyongo reiterated that the party’s leadership should prioritize resolving the crisis and regain the trust of its members.
“We need to put our house in order and move forward as a party. The general membership deserves better,” he said.
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