By Mubanga Mubanga
The relief on the faces of Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu, and their party and alliance officials, and supporters was palpable after Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis announced that their nominations for president and running mate respectively were valid.
And Kalaba also successfully filed-in with his running mate Moses Mawere, addressing his horde of supporters afterwards that they should rise and change government on August 13, 2026 as the UPND had taken them for granted.
There is no hiding the fact that Tonse and Pamodzi Alliance leaders, Mundubile and Zulu, together with their supporters have held baited breath, which reached a crescendo yesterday, over fears that the Zaloumis led ECZ was working with the Registrar of Societies under the direction of the ruling UPND to bar them from participating in the 2026 general elections. Therefore, the anxious faces they wore yesterday, even amidst their manual projections of confidence to the contrary, were understandable.
The anxiety was not only worn by the duo and the people who had accompanied them into Mulungushi Conference Center for the nomination, and their crowd of supporters that had gathered outside the conference center gates, but extended to their wider supporters across the country and beyond. Indeed, social media was awash with postings and commentaries of supporters expressing their anxieties, especially as minutes turned into hours for the ECZ to announce the validation of nominations.
And then came the moment for them to hear the news they had long anxiously waited to hear, after Zaloumis and her officials from ECZ, accompanied by some police officers made their way into the hall, following the over 30 minutes deliberations and scrutinization of the nominations documents that had been received from Mundubile and Zulu.
The verdict they had long waited for was about to be delivered, as Mundubile and Zulu responded to Zaloumis’ invitation for them to be upstanding.
Reading the verdict, Zaloumis addressed Mundubile and the Zambia Reconciliation Party he was standing on.
“I wish to inform you that in accordance with Article 100 of the Constitution of Zambia Amendment Act Number 2 of 2016 and Regulation 2 of the Electoral Process General Regulation … I have determined that you have been validly nominated,” read Zaloumis as the seemingly relieved Mundubile and Zulu smiled, while their sympathisers burst into loud celebrations, shouts, clapping and ululations.
Amidst pleas from Zaloumis for them to keep quiet in order to allow her finish reading her validation, the relief was palpable from the sympathisers as they had to be pleaded with at various intervals to stop the celebrations as she read
“I have also determined that Mr Makebi Zulu has been validly nominated as your running mate in the same election,” Zaloumis said, as the crowd burst into more celebrations. “I being the returning officer declare that your nomination is valid.”
As she finished reading the declaration, Mundubile and Zulu hugged and they both extended their hands to shake Zaloumis’ hands.
More celebrations followed as the duo made their way from the conference centre to the Great East road where they were met with more loud celebrations from the crowds which had gathered outside the parameters of the conference hall fence. There was also loud hooting from both the vehicles that were driving across Great East road and those which formed part of the motorcade for the presidential partners.
But before emerging from Mulungushi, Mundubile and Zulu had both taken time to address those who had gathered in the conference hall.
In his address, Mundubile first thanked Zulu for joining him on the ticket and that God had prevailed.
He thanked God for being with them during the difficult journey.
Mundubile said as dedicated Christians, he and Zulu would dedicate the campaigns in the hands of God.
He said they would also seek to unite the opposition, including those who had already successfully filed in their nominations, in order to establish a critical mass against the ruling UPND.
Mundubile addressed Zambians that their hope was “here”, including civil servants, service men and the youths.
He said they were starting a journey that would transform the country and make every citizen count.
Mundubile said his administration would give updates on the number of jobs created every six months.
He also said that they would dedicate the campaign to late former president Edgar Lungu whose remains were still unburied.
And Zulu said he and Mundubile had done their part by coming together following people’s demands, and now it was up to them to do their part by mobilising countrywide and turning out to vote.
Earlier, Citizens First (CF) leader Harry Kalaba had led his own horde of supporters, who were clad in the party’s orange and green colours to the nomination centre.
It did not take a long time for Zaloumis to declare the validity of his and his running mate Moses Mawere’s nomination after they had submitted their documents.
After the successful nomination, Kalaba, Mawere, NDC leader Saboi Imboela and other party and alliance officials and a horde of supporters made their way to the party secretariat in Woodlands.
Addressing the supporters, Kalaba said people had now seen that his party was a force to reckon with.
“Where I come from in Mansa we say where we have reached niwashala washala (it’s now time to work to get votes),” Kalaba said. “Imwe bamibelesha pafula (They have taken you for granted for too long). They came into government with small bodies but they are leaving with big bodies.”
He accused the UPND of having destroyed businesses in the country, while causing untold suffering in people’s lives.
Kalaba urged his supporters to go and tell their families that government was charging in August 2026, and to turn up in large numbers to support his party candidates who would be filing in their nominations.
