PF VOWS DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION, BLASTS SPEAKER FOR ILLEGAL INTERFERENCE IN OPPOSITION LEADERSHIP

By Brian Matambo, Sandton, South Africa 

The Patriotic Front has reaffirmed its commitment to internal democracy and constitutional order ahead of the 2026 general election, with Secretary General Raphael Nakachinda announcing that the party will hold a national convention to elect its next leader, and inviting figures like Miles Sampa and Robert Chabinga to contest if they believe they have the support. 

“PF is a democratic political party. Anyone who wants to lead must earn it through a transparent process, not backdoor arrangements. Even Chabinga is invited, if he truly believes he has the numbers, let him face the people,” Nakachinda declared on the ShowStar House Podcast. 

The PF convention, expected to take place after the burial of former President Edgar Lungu, is being positioned as the party’s cure to factionalism and legal disputes, offering a clear and open path to legitimate leadership. 

In the same interview, Nakachinda launched a scathing attack on Speaker of the National Assembly Nelly Mutti, accusing her of acting illegally and unconstitutionally by recognizing Robert Chabinga as Leader of the Opposition while a stay order from the courts was in effect. 

“The Speaker is not PF. She has no right to interfere in our internal matters, let alone disregard court rulings. What she did is not only politically biased, it’s illegal,” Nakachinda said, referencing a Court precedent that mandates the Speaker must respect official party communication on leadership. 

The PF has since communicated that Miles Sampa is now the recognized Leader of the Opposition, following the expulsion of Chabinga and others, a move they insist is legally sound and backed by the courts. 

With these two developments, the PF is crafting a narrative of a party ready to renew itself through democratic means, while calling out what it describes as state, backed sabotage of opposition operations in Parliament. 

Nakachinda warned that no amount of judicial or parliamentary manipulation will silence the Zambian people, whom he described as the “true opposition to UPND going into 2026.”