Africa-Press – Zambia. Chishimba Kambwili enters the PF leadership race as one of the most recognisable voices in Zambian politics. His profile carries volume, presence and a brand of mobilisation that has defined parts of the Copperbelt for nearly two decades. He built his influence through visibility, relentless public commentary and raw political energy that connects with audiences who favour confrontational language. This has always been his asset. It has also been his burden.
His record inside government gives him weight in the party contest. He held senior positions, including Information Minister, and served as Roan MP for good years. These roles gave him institutional experience and a level of confidence that few aspirants can match. He understands the PF’s internal machinery, its culture, and the rhythms of its base. He comes into the race as a familiar figure to delegates who respect continuity and political aggression.
His mobilisation strength on the Copperbelt remains significant. Kambwili commands a loyal bloc shaped by his labour-grounded politics and historic links with mining communities. These constituencies respond to his direct language and his framing of politics as a fight for ordinary people. He knows how to generate crowds. He knows how to dominate a rally. He knows how to create noise that can drown out quieter aspirants. This is the core of his political appeal.
His liabilities, however, are severe. They are not cosmetic. They are strategic and structural. His conviction for hate speech, rooted in tribal remarks against people of Southern Province, has placed him on the wrong side of national sentiment. This is not an issue that fades with time, because it sits inside a political map where four actively consistent voting blocs Southern, Western, North Western and parts of Central reject leaders who carry ethnic hostility. Any presidential campaign under his name would face hostility in regions that hold decisive numbers and patterns in the national register.
This challenge worsens when matched with recent voting trends. UPND has gained ground in Northern, Muchinga, Eastern and Luapula. The PF no longer holds those regions without uncertainty. A candidate who enters the race with limited reach in four active voting blocs, and faces fragmentation in the northern circuit, would struggle to assemble a national coalition. The electoral structure has shifted. Kambwili enters that structure with a message that does not travel well beyond his strongholds.
His emotional temperament is another limiting factor. His confrontational posture, which energises supporters, often crosses into undisciplined language. This restricts his ability to project statesmanship and makes it difficult to reassure undecided voters. It also raises concerns among PF delegates who want a candidate able to stabilise a fractured party and appeal to a broader electorate during a period of existential uncertainty.
His record of factional movement also complicates his bid. His expulsion from PF, formation of the NDC, and later return to PF create a perception of inconsistent loyalty. Delegates who value predictability may view this as a gap. In a party already fighting internal fragmentation, stability is a prized commodity. Kambwili’s history raises questions that his mobilisation skills alone cannot resolve.
The PF convention will test two truths of his political identity. The first is whether his Copperbelt-centred visibility can overcome a national image dented by tribal controversies. The second is whether delegates see him as a fighter who can revive a wounded party, or as a figure whose style limits its path to power. These questions go to the heart of his candidacy. They will determine whether his loud influence translates into a leadership mandate, or stays as regional firepower with limited national reach.
Kambwili enters the race as a force, but not a favourite. His strengths are visible. His weaknesses are structural. His ambition is clear. His path is narrow. His impact on the PF convention, however, is guaranteed. In every leadership battle, there is a candidate who shapes the conversation even if they do not shape the outcome. In this race, that candidate is Chishimba Kambwili.
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