By Mubanga Mubanga
Tonse Alliance secretary general Chris Zumani Zimba says there is no provision in the Republican constitution which is going to stop Tonse Alliance presidential candidate Brian Mundubile from contesting the August 2026 general election.
But State House has mocked the remarks about Mundubile and Makebi Zulu being some of the strongest opposition candidates, querying when exactly they assumed that status.
Commenting on the assertions by Zambia’s former Ambassador to Ethiopia Emmanuel Mwamba that there were machinations from the government to stop Mundubile and Makebi Zulu from standing in the August 12 general elections, Zimba said under article 100 and 99 of the constitution of Zambia, Mundubile was qualified to stand for president of Zambia.
He said all those saying otherwise were just doing political propaganda.
“Number three is that president Brian Mundubile qualifies to contest as the republican president based on article 100 of the Republic of Zambia. The Republic Constitution, sorry article 100, so once you read article 100 of the Zambian constitution, you will discover that there is no provision in article 100 of our supreme law, which stops BM or president Brian Mundubile from not contesting. We have checked as an alliance, article 100 (1)(2) on the qualification and disqualification for a Zambian to contest as republican president. And we have found zero,” Zimba said. “The point is, we have found zero evidence to stop him from contesting. There is no basis for stopping BM from contesting under article 100, as well as article 99. So, we are just shocked and amazed that there is so much political fear of BM’s popularity, to the effect that they are people who are throwing political propaganda that he will not be on a ballot. That is political propaganda my brother.
When asked whether the Forum for Development and Democracy (FDD) convention was approved by the Registrar of Societies, Zimba answered in the affirmative.
He said the Registrar of Society even congratulated FDD for successfully holding their convention.
“The Tonse Alliance as an SPV, special purpose vehicle called FDD. FDD had a national convention this year. FDD filed their resolution after the national convention. Registrar of Society, we have the records, the Registrar of Society received them and officially wrote to the FDD, that they had received and congratulated FDD ,and approved the annual returns and resolutions of the national convention. We received the file as Tonse Alliance from FDD, to show that the Registrar of Society is happy with FDD,” Zimba said. “The Registrar of Society received the resolution of the convention and approved the convention. It is there you can check on the Registrar of Society portal online. The rest is just propaganda. The rest is just political malice. The rest is political phobia of BM’s popularity. Why out of more than 30 presidential candidates who have paid nomination fees, only BM is the main name that is being talked about and targeted, why?”
Further, Zimba said since Mundubile was elected twice as a member of parliament, him standing as a presidential candidate, was just a promotion.
He said people did not need to worry that Mundubile was not going to stand as a presidential candidate.
“President Brian Mundubile is a member of parliament for Mporokoso. Meaning by law and by the constitution, is a holder of public office through any elections. Meaning, he has been on a ballot as a member of parliament twice, to the effect that, it should not worry anyone, for him not to contest the presidential elections,” said Zimba. “So, what is happening to him is literally a promotion. From being a parliamentarian for ten years, now in August he will be on the ballot for promotion as a presidential candidate. So, there is no legal dispute about BM being on a ballot, (coming) from that background.”
But State House Chief Communication Specialist Clayson Hamasaka mockingly asked when exactly Mundubile and Zulu became strong opposition candidates.
He said it was not the duty of the President to determine who qualifies as candidate at any level of elections.
Hamasaka stated that the process was well defined in the relevant legislation.
“When did Makebi Zulu and Mundubile become stronger candidates, when?” Hamasaka said. “When did Mundubile and Makebi Zulu become a threat to the President HH?”
Hamasaka further wondered which crowds the duo were attracting.
But asked on the fact that they were coming from the biggest opposition in the country, PF, Hamasaka said PF was the biggest opposition, but wondered which PF the same were coming from as there were many.
“When you say the biggest opposition in the country right now is PF. Which PF?” he asked.
Hamasaka gave a narration where from several students who wrote an exam, one emerged with 98 percent of the marks and the second got 42 percent, and therefore asked if the number two was really number two.
Asked if he was saying President Hichilema had no competitor in the elections, Hamasaka said even those who obtained 42 percent could be referred to as competitors.
“You never know maybe one day they will play some magic and become a competitor,” he said.
But asked on assertions that while President Hichilema was conducting campaigns under the guise of launching developmental projects around the country, in order to have a headstart on his competitors, those in the opposition were being stopped from campaigning, Hamasaka said developmental programmes would not stop because of the upcoming elections.
He said most of the developments that were launched in 2021 were only maturing now.
But asked about the rallies he was holding around the country, Hamasaka said crowds always followed the President.
He said there were many people who wanted to hear from the President, and the easiest was to meet them all in one place.
