The Patriotic Front congratulates His Excellency President Peter Mutharika on his emphatic return to office in Malawi. This victory is a testimony that democracy belongs to the people, and when the people see better ideas, they will bring back even a former ruling party to lead them again.

Great leaders know that it is not always the strongest who win, but the most unpredictable. The leader who manages appearances can make the impossible look easy and the inevitable seem like destiny.

President Hichilema could not even delegate the Vice President to represent him, instead sending his Foreign Affairs Minister.

In a political culture too often dominated by noise, the ZWW members chose to elevate two men who can spar with the incumbent on substance, not just rhetoric.

If every party adopts credible peer reviews, voters will get clearer choices, parties will field stronger slates, and national debate will shift toward outcomes that improve the daily lives of Zambians. That is the politics our country deserves in 2026 and beyond.

If HH sincerely meant it when he said he wished to honor his predecessor, critics argue that such honor cannot be genuine while refusing to acknowledge Lungu’s rightful place as PF President. To impose another figure in that position is, they say, an insult to his memory.

The Act would also bring transparency. At present, no one knows where parties get their money. Some rely on secret donations, sometimes even from foreign sources.