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Internal crisis in Zambian opposition party PF escalates as faction expels nine MPs

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The internal crisis rocking Zambia’s main opposition party, the Patriotic Front (PF), has taken a new dimension as one of the factions led by Miles Sampa has expelled 9 Members of Parliament (MPs) over alleged gross misconduct.

The new dimension to the crisis reportedly emerged when Secretary-General of the Sampa-led faction, Morgan Ng’ona, on December 2, wrote to the 10 MPs on the party’s platform asking them to explain why they should not be punished for attending an alleged illegal meeting unknown to the party leadership.

In a follow up letter on December 6, Ng’ona had reminded the lawmakers of their failure to respond to the earlier query after four days and threatened sanctions on the erring MPs.

“Individual and collective discipline is paramount and at the core of our party values. Your behavior abrogated Article 29 sub sections (c) (d) (h) (i) (J) (P) of our party constitution,” part of the letter read.

It added that considering the gravity of the offences committed and the MPs’ lack of remorse, the party had no option but to “expel them with immediate effect.”

“You are further directed to surrender all party properties and documents that are in your possession and cease henceforth to participate in all Patriotic Front programmes,” he said.

According to the Sampa faction of the PF, the expelled lawmakers include Brian Mundubile, Stephen Kampyongo, Luntes’ Mutotwe Kafwaya, Pambashe’ Ronald Chitotela, and Nickson Chilangwa.

Others are Remember Mutale, Musonda Mpankata, Christopher Kangombe, and Mulenga Fube.

However, the Edgar Lungu-led faction has dismissed the purported expulsion of the legislators, describing it as not only illegal, but a nullity that should be ignored.

Its spokesperson, Emmanuel Mwamba, in a statement, noted that issues were active matters in the Lusaka High Court and Lusaka Magistrate Court.

Mwamba said the actions being carried out with impunity by the Sampa-led faction violated the sanctity and integrity of the courts of law.

“We have noted the purported letters of disciplinary action that were issued by a Mr. Morgan Ngona against certain Patriotic Front members of parliament,” he stated.

Mwamba further advised that the letters and action from the Sampa faction should be treated as part of a “case of typical forgery which the party had repeatedly complained about to the police and the courts of law.”

He insisted that the party had demonstrated that Sampa or his appointed officials had no authority, mandate, or powers to suspend or expel anyone in the PF.

“Further he has no mandate to carry out political activities in the name of the Patriotic Front,” Mwamba said, insisting that
Sampa himself was a suspended official at the time he held an illegal conference, a further aggravated action that earned him an expulsion from the PF.

Mwamba ended by saying the action was illegal, and therefore, “all subsequent actions Sampa and his so-called Secretary-General, were engaged in, remain a nullity, and should be treated so.”

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Zambia: APP leader lampoons PF over pledge to reverse forfeited properties

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Leader of one of Zambia’s opposition parties, Advocates for People’s Prosperity (APP), Mwenye Musenge, has criticised the Patriotic Front (PF) over its promise to reverse forfeited properties if the party won the 2026 presidential election.

Musenge, who was reacting to a statement credited to the PF Member of Parliament (MP) for Lukashya Province, George Chisanga, described the PF’s promise as a betrayal, saying the declaration had exposed the party’s disregard for accountability and justice.

The APP leader, who spoke to Zambia Monitor in a telephone interview from Kitwe, expressed shock that Chisanga, a former Law Association of Zambia president, would endorse what he termed a “regressive agenda,” accusing the PF of prioritising the protection of corrupt individuals over the welfare of citizens.

“This declaration reveals the PF’s true intentions, returning to power not to serve Zambians, but to shield their corrupt network and restore stolen assets,” Musenge said.

He alleged that former President Edgar Lungu’s consistent calls to protect his family, who he claimed cannot explain their amassed wealth, further demonstrate the party’s self-serving mission.

Musenge further described the PF as “a political carcass animated by greed and nostalgia for its days of unchecked looting,” and accused its leaders of leaving Zambia impoverished while enriching themselves.

“Allowing them near power again would be akin to handing a butcher’s knife to a thief already drenched in the blood of the nation’s resources.

“The PF represents everything wrong with Zambian politics—a relic of the past clinging to survival through recycled lies and corrupt agendas,” he added.

Musenge went on to call for the party to be permanently eradicated, saying it had no vision, morality, or credibility to serve Zambians.

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Nigerian Senate confirms influx of terrorists from Mali, Burkina Faso into the country 

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The Nigerian Senate has raised the alarm over the influx of terrorists from Mali and Burkina Faso who operate in the name of Lakurawa, into Kebbi, Sokoto, Kaduna and Niger States in the northern parts of the country.

The Upper Chamber, which raised the alarm during plenary on Wednesday, called on the military to set up early warning mechanisms to forestall further incursions by terrorist groups as well as maintain presence and vigilance in the affected communities to halt the activities of the terror group from spreading further across the region.

The resolutions of the Senate were sequel to a motion titled, “Urgent need for the federal government to take stringent measures to stop the infiltration of a group of violent terrorists, known as Lakurawa, from entrenching themselves in some northwest states of Sokoto and Kebbi,” and was sponsored by the senator representing Kebbi North, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, and co- sponsored by Senators Adamu Aliero, from Kebbi Central, and Garba Musa Maidoki, representing Kebbi South.

While presenting the motion, Senator Abdullahi said:

“The Senate is aware that a group of terrorists from neighbouring Burkina Faso and Mali, known as Lakurawa, has infiltrated the country through the Nigeria-Niger border, at Illela, Tangaza and Silame Local Government Areas of Sokoto and are from there, attacking communities in Augie and Arewa LGAs in Kebbi State.

“Recall that this violent gang of terrorists had raided and dispossessed these communities, prior to the large-scale invasion of Mera, a village in Augie Local Government, on November 8, 2024, killing more than 20 people and fleeing with their livestock, amounting to hundreds of millions of naira.

“Senate is aware that Kebbi State government promptly responded by sending a delegation with relief materials to the affected villages and assistance to the families of the deceased.

“Aware that Senator Yahaya A. Abdullahi (Kebbi North) and Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi North Central) and Senator Garba Musa Maidoki (Kebbi South), along with some members of the House of Representatives from Kebbi State, have been to those areas, to commiserate with victims of the attacks on behalf of the National Assembly.

“Aware that if timely, adequate and decisive measures are not taken, this group can spread its reign of terror to other northern parts of the country and beyond.

“Notes the prompt response of the ministry of defence and the armed forces who despatched a well-armed military response squad that was able to dislodge the terrorists and secured the release of herds of cattle and other livestock stolen by the terrorists. These foreigners have invaded the country.

“We need to nip the situation in the bud, they have international connections, heavily armed with very dangerous weapons, the federal government should take the matter very seriously.

‘These terrorists are well armed with highly sophisticated weapons, this is a very serious matter on national security, they control the whole of Northern Mali and now attacking Kebbi, Sokoto, Kaduna, Niger, and others. The time to act is now, we have to take action on how to tame terrorism.”

He said the Senate should revisit past resolutions on terrorism and send them to the Presidency for immediate action.

”I want us to recall what happened in the 8th and 9th Senates. We discussed extensively how we can stem the tide of banditry and terrorism. We made far-reaching recommendations, and we asked the Executive arm of government to implement those resolutions.

“It is still relevant for us to insist that those resolutions should be implemented, if we do so, it will reduce the incidences of banditry and insurgency in the country. We can reduce it to the barest minimum.”

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