NCP President Chanda Reveals Ultimatum Threat to Leave Tonse Alliance
New Congress Party leader Peter Chanda has revealed dramatic details behind his departure from the troubled Tonse Alliance, disclosing that he received a 24-hour ultimatum threatening a takeover of his party's leadership.
Speaking on Diamond TV Wednesday, Chanda explained that his decision to sever ties with both the Patriotic Front and the Tonse Alliance was precipitated by a threatening text message from PF's Zumani Zimba, allegedly acting on instructions from PF acting president Given Lubinda.
"On Monday night, I received a text message from comrade Zumani Zimba telling me: 'You have 24 hours in which to appear before us or six top leaders of NCP will take over leadership in the next 24 hours,'" Chanda revealed.
The disclosure adds another chapter to the escalating turmoil within Zambia's opposition, which has been plagued by factional battles, leadership disputes, and public disagreements that have severely undermined its credibility and effectiveness.
Opposition in Disarray
The Tonse Alliance, formed as a coalition to challenge the ruling UPND, has descended into open warfare between competing factions. Chanda pointed to the fundamental problem facing the alliance: "We have two factions of the Tonse Alliance – we have Sean Tembo pulling one way, we have Honourable Lubinda pulling the other way."
This split within the alliance mirrors the broader chaos in the Patriotic Front itself, where former opposition leader in Parliament Brian Mundubile has been at odds with the Lubinda faction. The internal divisions have become so severe that key figures "can't sit on one table," according to Chanda.
The disarray within the opposition stands in stark contrast to the relative stability of the ruling UPND government, raising serious questions about the opposition's ability to provide effective political alternatives or credible oversight.
Lungu Family's Concerns
Chanda revealed that former president Edgar Lungu's family expressed relief at his decision to distance NCP from the alliance, fearing that the infighting would tarnish Lungu's political legacy.
"The former First Family, when I made the first decision, including the second decision itself, they said, 'well, you did well to preserve, because ECL's legacy would have been in the mud,'" Chanda disclosed.
The NCP had been positioned as a potential "special purpose vehicle" for the Tonse Alliance, but the persistent wrangles made this arrangement untenable.
The Ultimatum and Response
According to Chanda, the threatening message from Zimba indicated that if he failed to appear before Lubinda within 24 hours, "six top NCP leaders will take over NCP leadership and a named lawyer will be acting president."
Chanda said these alleged plans were never discussed within the alliance framework. "You can imagine, this is an alliance where we all willingly subscribe, and suddenly there's talk of taking over party leadership without consultation," he said.
In response to the threat, Chanda moved swiftly to protect his party's autonomy. "I immediately called the secretary general, we deliberated. I called a few other national executive committee leaders of the New Congress Party, told them about the development," he explained.
Using Article 4.1 of the NCP constitution, which grants him authority to appoint and dismiss leaders, Chanda revoked all appointments of the six individuals allegedly earmarked to take over party leadership.
Lubinda's Alleged Role
Chanda expressed particular disappointment with Lubinda, whom he accused of orchestrating the takeover attempt. When Chanda attempted to discuss the ultimatum with Lubinda the following day, the PF acting president allegedly confirmed the threat.
"Before I could say anything, Honourable Lubinda himself told me to say, 'where are you, ba president? You were supposed to be brought before me today,'" Chanda recounted. "I said, 'brought before you by whom?' He responded, 'You didn't receive a message yesterday that you are supposed to come here? If you delay, your 24 hours ultimatum will be too late.'"
Chanda said he felt betrayed by someone he had trusted with his party's future within the alliance. "I said, 'look sir, I trusted you. I never anticipated that you'd want to take over NCP. I'm serving my term, and my term is ending in May, and then the leaders that I entrusted with my future in the Tonse Alliance, the acting chairman himself of the Tonse Alliance, is instructing his people to try and take over leadership.'"
Call for Internal Reforms
Before making his final decision to leave, Chanda had initially called on both the PF and Tonse Alliance to "put their house in order." He urged both formations to resolve their internal conflicts, hold proper general conferences, and determine the alliance's future direction democratically.
"We can't have two Tonse Alliances. We can't have the PF that is claiming to be united when there's the former leader of opposition Honourable Brian Mundubile going this way, they can't sit on one table," Chanda emphasized.
He stressed that belonging to an alliance should be voluntary: "Belonging to an alliance is not by force, it is by choice. We are in a democratic space, we are in a country where democracy is a constitutional right and freedom of association and freedom of assembly is a constitutional right."
Opposition's Credibility Crisis
The public breakdown of the Tonse Alliance and the internal battles within the PF highlight a deeper crisis facing Zambia's opposition parties. The inability to maintain unified fronts, the personal conflicts between leaders, and the apparent willingness to use threats and ultimatums rather than democratic dialogue have raised concerns about these parties' fitness to govern.
Political analysts have noted that while internal party democracy and robust debate are healthy, the level of dysfunction displayed by the opposition formations undermines public confidence and weakens democratic accountability. With the opposition consumed by internal battles, the ruling party faces minimal organized political pressure.
Chanda concluded by stating that NCP would now focus on strengthening its own internal organization while the PF and Tonse Alliance sort out their numerous conflicts. Whether the opposition can overcome its current chaos to present a coherent alternative remains an open question that will significantly impact Zambia's democratic landscape.