PF now a dead horse, declares Mumbi Phiri

Former Patriotic Front (PF) deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri says the immediate former ruling party is dead.

Instead, Phiri urges all those who believed in late former president Edgar Lungu to rally behind Makebi Zulu, who she says is the bona fide ‘PF’ president.

Speaking when she appeared on Prime TV’s Matters Arising programme, Saturday, Phiri said it was worrying that Matero Member of Parliament Miles Sampa is pretending to have the party at heart when he had previously disgraced its founder, late former president Michael Sata.

“I find it very sad that the same Miles Sampa who was disgracing [former president] Mr Sata can now pretend to love Mr Sata more than everyone else,” she said.

Apparently, Sampa says he has handed the opposition party back to himself, saying there is no one else to take over following the death of former president Edgar Lungu.

Speaking during a press briefing yesterday, Sampa said he had previously agreed to hand over the party to Lungu after reconciling, but the situation had now changed since he passed.

Sampa, who claims that he is the legal president of the PF, said the March 27, 2026 court ruling confirmed his leadership following the October 24, 2023 convention.

He said there was no vacancy in the presidency at the time he intended to hand over to Lungu, adding that the process required legal procedures which were never concluded.

The Matero lawmaker further dissolved the PF central committee and all provincial chairpersons, accusing some members of working to destroy the party from within.

He said he had tried to unite the party but was met with resistance and insults from some members.

Meanwhile, Sampa disbanded the entire leadership structure and reconstituted it under his authority.

He then appointed new provincial chairpersons in selected regions, while leaving other positions vacant pending consultations.

Sampa also made partial appointments to the central committee, naming Charity Katongo as national vice chairperson and Edwin Lifwekelo as deputy secretary general for politics.

However, the developments come amid an ongoing leadership wrangle in the PF, with another faction led by Mafinga Member of Parliament Robert Chabinga also claiming legitimacy.

Chabinga has previously warned members against following illegal parallel structures.

“It’s not anyone else who is leading PF, it’s me. The court already guided and the convention was legal, so people must stop misleading members,” said Chabinga during a recent press briefing.

He further maintained that all decisions made after the October 24, 2023 convention remain valid, including the expulsion of Sampa from the party.

The PF remains divided, with rival factions continuing to claim authority as the former ruling party struggles to reorganise ahead of the next general election.