16/03/2026
ZRP PRESIDENT WRIGHT MUSOMA CALLS ON PF DELEGATES TO VOTE FOR GIVEN LUBINDA AT THE FORTHCOMING PF CONVENTION
*PRESS BRIEFING STATEMENT*
*BY MR. WRIGHT MUSOMA*
*PRESIDENTâ ZAMBIA REPUBLICAN PARTY (ZRP)*
*PF PAMODZI ALLIANCE PARTNER*
Date: 16 March 2026
Good afternoon members of the media, members of the Patriotic family, friends and fellow citizens.
Allow me to begin by making an important clarification.
I am addressing you today not as the President of the Patriotic Front, but as the President of the Zambia Republican Party (ZRP) and PF Pamozi Alliance National mobilization Chairman .
As an alliance partner, we recognize that the outcome of the upcoming Patriotic Front convention will have implications not only for PF itself, but also for the broader opposition alliance and the political future of our country.
My remarks are therefore offered in the spirit of partnership, respect, and sincere concern for the stability and strength of the Patriotic Front.
I had the privilege of maintaining a close relationship with the late President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, whose leadership and political legacy remain deeply respected across the country. Through that relationship, I came to understand the values that guided his leadershipâloyalty, discipline, humility, and commitment to the unity of the Patriotic Front.
Despite the turbulence that the Patriotic Front has experienced in recent years, I have remained consistent in my respect and support for the movement and its structures.
It is from this perspective, and with deep respect for the party and its members, that I wish to share a few thoughts with the delegates who will soon gather for the most anticipated congress of the Patriotic Front.
Delegates must recognize that they carry an enormous responsibility.
The decision they make at the convention will determine whether the Patriotic Front continues to remain a strong, organized, and relevant political force capable of offering leadership to the people of Zambia.
Delegates must therefore avoid voting merely for the sake of voting.
They must vote with the future of the party and the nation in mind.
Leadership at a time like this requires very specific attributes. The Patriotic Front needs a leader who possesses experience, loyalty to the movement, understanding of government institutions, and the ability to unite the party structures across the country.
These are not ordinary qualities; they are the foundation upon which strong political movements survive difficult transitions.
In reflecting on these attributes, it is important to remember the decisions made by President Edgar Chagwa Lungu himself during his lifetime.
Following the 2021 elections, when the Patriotic Front faced one of its most challenging moments, President Lungu entrusted the leadership of the party to Hon. Given Lubinda, appointing him as Acting President of the Patriotic Front from 2021 to 2023.
That decision was not accidental.
President Lungu understood the importance of stability and loyalty within the party. The fact that he entrusted Hon. Lubinda with such responsibility demonstrated the confidence he had in his leadership, discipline, and commitment to the movement.
During that period, Hon. Lubinda carried the responsibility of guiding the party structures while remaining fully respectful of President Lunguâs authority and mandate.
Even when President Lungu later returned to active politics, there was no serious challenge to his leadership because the party understood that he still had a legitimate mandate extending to April 2026.
This history is important because it reflects the type of leadership qualities that President Lungu valued within the Patriotic Front.
Delegates must therefore ask themselves an important question:
What type of leadership best reflects the values and stability that President Lungu believed in?
The answer lies in choosing leaders who possess similar attributesâleaders who have demonstrated loyalty to the movement, leaders with institutional knowledge, leaders capable of uniting the party rather than dividing it.
As an alliance partner and someone who had the privilege of working closely with President Lungu, I believe the Patriotic Front must approach this convention with maturity, wisdom, and deep reflection.
The future of the party must not be determined by temporary excitement or internal divisions.
It must be guided by experience, loyalty, and the ability to provide credible leadership to the Zambian people.
The PF Pamodzi Alliance was created to strengthen cooperation among opposition forces so that Zambia can have strong democratic alternatives.
For that alliance to remain effective, the Patriotic Front must emerge from its convention united, stable, and led by individuals capable of commanding national respect.
I therefore encourage the delegates to carefully evaluate the qualities of those seeking leadership and ensure that their decision reflects the values upon which the Patriotic Front was built.
If that wisdom guides the convention, the Patriotic Front will not only remain relevant but will emerge stronger and better prepared for the future.
Let the delegates remember that the responsibility placed in their hands is historic.
And history will judge the wisdom of the choices made at this convention.
I thank you.