By Brian Matambo

LUSAKA — Appearing on Diamond Live, Patriotic Front Secretary General Raphael Nakachinda urged PF members and allied parties to tighten coordination ahead of the 2026 elections, saying the public mood is shifting and the opposition must present an organized, policy-driven alternative.

Opening with a look across the border, Hon Nakachinda said Malawi’s current electoral moment offers lessons for both government and opposition in Zambia, arguing that the two countries share parallel democratic transitions over the decades. He praised Malawi’s stronger culture of party institutionalization, contrasting it with Zambia’s “opportunistic politics” where some actors switch allegiance for access, not ideology.

CALL FOR UNITY AND DISCIPLINE
Hon Nakachinda said PF’s energy is high, which requires steady regulation so that internal debates occur within party rules and the Tonse Alliance framework.

“There is aggression because of the pain people are going through. That energy must be expressed within the confines of the rules of the club called Patriotic Front, and within the alliance.”

He rejected the view that repeated reminders against premature campaigning reflect a crisis of control, insisting they are meant to keep structures intact until formal processes open.

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CONVENTION TIMING, ECL BURIAL, AND LEGAL CONTEXT
Pressed on the date for a PF convention, Hon Nakachinda said the party wants it “as soon as tomorrow,” but will not move recklessly. He cited two constraints, cultural respect pending the burial of former President Edgar Lungu and ongoing court matters. The sequence, he suggested, must be legally and culturally sound.

ALLEGATIONS OF STATE INTERFERENCE
Hon Nakachinda maintained that changes to PF office bearers at the Registrar of Societies followed an “irregular and pressured” path, and praised former registrar Thandiwe Mhende for professional resistance. He accused the ruling party of aiding factional confusion and attempting to decide which PF faction should appear on a ballot.

“An Umpire does not choose players among teams. The Electoral Commission of Zambia cannot tell us PF does not deserve to feature a candidate because of factional narratives.”

He warned that narrowing opposition participation risks national stability since peace is safeguarded when citizens freely express their will at the polls.

PARLIAMENT, BILL 7, AND INSTITUTIONAL NORMS
Hon. Nakachinda criticized what he called the graduation of cadre politics into state institutions, pointing to appointments at the National Assembly and the Electoral Commission. He faulted the Speaker for entertaining the reintroduction of Bill 7, arguing that in a rules-based parliament, such initiatives should emerge from members through proper motions, not from the presiding office.

ALLIANCE MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP PREFERENCES
On differences within the Tonse Alliance, he drew a line between legitimate leadership preferences and fundamental questions about the opposition’s legal space to operate. He insisted that early, personalized campaigns risk fracturing structures before processes are declared open.

“If we do anything prematurely, we will crash. My duty is to keep the party together so that when the time comes, the chosen leader inherits a functional vehicle.”

RESPONSE TO THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS
Hon. Nakachinda dismissed President Hakainde Hichilema’s recent parliamentary address as heavy on rhetoric and light on tangible outcomes. He challenged claims on health, energy, and capital projects, arguing that visible impact remains limited and that some cited projects predate the current administration.

WHAT NEXT
Hon. Nakachinda said PF expects movement in court within days, reiterated the party’s out-of-court reconciliation among key actors, and reaffirmed his position as Secretary General. He closed by appealing to institutions to insulate themselves from political pressure and to allow free participation by all parties in the run-up to 2026.

BOTTOM LINE: Hon. Nakachinda’s message combined a call for internal discipline with a broader critique of institutional partiality, framing PF’s immediate priorities as legal clarity, cultural respect surrounding ECL’s burial, and an orderly path to a convention that preserves unity for the general election.