Nakacinda: Lungu Never Endorsed Successor, Leadership Must Emerge Transparently

Patriotic Front (PF) Secretary General Raphael Nakacinda has dismissed claims that the late former president Edgar Lungu appointed anyone to succeed him as party president.

Speaking on Diamond TV on Monday, Nakacinda clarified that Lungu never handpicked a successor and strongly believed leadership “comes from God” and should emerge from service to the people.

“President Lungu never appointed or endorsed anybody for the presidency,” Nakacinda said. “He believed that if you are a leader, it will show. There was no conversation, no deal, no secret arrangement.”

This comes in response to speculation that Zambia Must Prosper party leader Kelvin Fube Bwalya had been endorsed by Lungu. Nakacinda stressed that no one, inside or outside PF, would be allowed to use deception or manipulation to rise to the top.

He also described Lungu as a man of integrity who opposed the abuse of his name: “President Lungu was not a fraudster, he was not a trickster… He got upset when people tried to misuse his name.”

On PF’s internal processes, Nakacinda reiterated that the party, as the anchor of the Tonse Alliance, has clear rules for identifying its leader. “At the moment, Honourable Given Lubinda is acting. Whoever takes over will emerge through proper PF structures,” he said.