PF Leadership Battle Exposes Continued Opposition Divisions

Zambia's main opposition party, the Patriotic Front is continuing to show division ahead of the 2026 general elections, with rival factions locked in an escalating power struggle that has affected the party's command structure.

At the centre of the dispute are Miles Sampa and Makebi Zulu, both claiming the party presidency and neither showing any sign of standing down.

Sampa insists he reclaimed leadership following Edgar Lungu's death, citing a March 2026 Lusaka High Court ruling to validate his position. He has since dissolved the PF Central Committee and all provincial chairpersons, accusing dissenters of working to undermine the party from within. "I agreed to hand over the party to President Edgar Lungu, but now that he is not there, I will hand over the party to myself," he said.

Zulu's camp rejects this entirely. His supporters point to a separate convention held on 25 March, in which Zulu secured 49.2 percent of the vote across 110 districts, defeating several senior figures including Given Lubinda and Chishimba Kambwili. Faction spokesperson Emmanuel Mwamba has declared this outcome the true expression of party membership and confirmed an appeal has been lodged against the High Court ruling.