Africa-Press – Zambia. I write as a concerned PF member who has followed recent political happenings with growing unease. The repeated claim that the UPND has no hand in the internal turmoil within the Patriotic Front is becoming harder to sustain when weighed against events unfolding in the public domain. What is presented as coincidence increasingly looks like calculated political advantage.
After more than 25 PF Members of Parliament voted in favour of Bill 7, Acting PF President Given Lubinda exercised party authority and expelled the MPs for indiscipline. Whether one agrees with the decision or not, this was an internal party process. What followed, however, raised serious questions. Chief Government Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa publicly declared Lubinda’s action null and void. His statement was direct interference in the internal affairs of an opposition party.
Later the same day, Robert Chabinga went live on Facebook and other UPND-aligned media platforms. He openly mocked Lubinda, dismissed the expulsions, and vowed to drag him to court. The sequence, timing matters and tone all matter. If the ruling party is not involved in PF internal disputes, why did a senior government official move first to delegitimise a lawful internal decision?
Further concerns arise from visible state conduct. Chabinga enjoys special state security. He was present at the signing ceremony of Bill 7 and was seen interacting cordially with President Hakainde Hichilema and Vice President Mutale Nalumango. The smiles said everything.
It is therefore reasonable to ask whether Robert Chabinga is being positioned as a vehicle to weaken and fracture the PF from within. This is not unprecedented in Zambian politics. It would be strategic. It explains the confidence with which internal PF authority is being challenged using state platforms and legal threats.
This concern goes beyond party loyalty. It is a democratic concern. When the ruling party, through state officials, appears to shield or elevate one faction inside an opposition party, the line between governance and political manipulation becomes dangerously thin. This line matters for Zambia’s democratic future.
I raise these questions because The People’s Brief has built a reputation for interrogating power without fear or favour. This pattern deserves scrutiny. Silence risks normalising a precedent where opposition parties are weakened not by voters, but by state-assisted internal disruption. Zambia deserves clarity.
🔖 Submission By: Chipasha Mulenga —PF Member and Political Observer
⬆️ Editor’s Note: This opinion reflects the views of the author. The People’s Brief publishes diverse perspectives to promote informed public debate and democratic accountability. We invite readers to submit opinion articles and commentaries to [email protected].
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