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The Tonse Alliance has reached out to a Committee of Bishops to facilitate dialogue and mediation between its Council of Leaders and senior members of the Patriotic Front, including Given Lubinda, in a bid to foster unity and a coordinated approach ahead of the 2026 general elections.
On Tuesday, October 7, 2025, the Tonse Alliance Council of Leaders met in Lusaka to address outstanding agenda items from a previous meeting held at Palm Valley Resort on September 30, 2025.
Speaking at a media briefing at Palm Valley Resort on Wednesday, Tonse Alliance Spokesperson, Sean Tembo, said the prior meeting had been disrupted by unknown individuals.
Tembo emphasized that while the dialogue and mediation process was ongoing, all planned activities of the Tonse Alliance would proceed without hindrance.
“In the quest to try and foster unity within the Tonse Alliance, the Council of Leaders has approached a Committee of Bishops to facilitate dialogue and mediation between the Council of Leaders and senior members of the Patriotic Front, including Hon. Given Lubinda and Hon. Raphael Nakachinda,” Tembo said.
He said the Committee of Bishops has since accepted the request.
“In this proposed dialogue and mediation process, the Council of Leaders shall be represented by Zambia Must Prosper Party leader Kelvin Bwalya, Patriots for Economic Progress leader Sean Tembo, Mporokoso PF lawmaker Brian Mundubile.
Others are former Mfuwe Member of Parliament Maureen Mabonga and Tonse Alliance National Coordinator Dr. Chris Zimba,” Tembo said.
He announced that the Alliance would hold a General Congress on Saturday, November 29, 2025, to elect its Chairperson and the Alliance’s 2026 Presidential Election candidate.
“Candidates wishing to contest the Chairmanship and 2026 Presidential Election Candidature should file their nominations on November 7, 2025, in the manner and format prescribed by the office of the National Coordinator,” Tembo said.
He added that the nomination fee for candidates was K300,000, non-refundable.
Tembo stated that eligibility for the position of Alliance Chairperson and 2026 Presidential Election candidate was open to any Zambian citizen who is a member of the Tonse Alliance Council of Leaders as of October 31, 2025.
“All applications shall be vetted, and those that pass the vetting process shall be submitted to the 16th meeting of the Tonse Alliance Council of Leaders, to be held on Sunday, October 19, 2025, for consideration,” he said.
In addition, the choice of the special purpose vehicle (SPV) that the Alliance will use in the 2026 general elections will be made during the General Congress.
Tembo said all member political parties wishing to be considered for the Alliance SPV must submit their interest in writing to the National Coordinator by October 14, 2025.
“The office of the National Coordinator shall then vet all submissions, and the shortlisted political parties will be presented at the Council of Leaders meeting on October 19, 2025, for review,” he added.
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