By 
The Tonse Alliance Council has announced that it will no longer recognize the Patriotic Front (PF) party but will instead embrace and work exclusively with the “Edgar Lungu PF Political Movement” following the prolonged leadership crisis in the former ruling party, which it says has made it impossible for the Alliance to function effectively.
The Alliance also announced that it will hold its General Congress in January 2026 to elect a new Chairperson and 2026 Presidential Candidate, as well as other key elective positions.
In the interim, Dr. Danny Pule has been appointed as Caretaker Chairperson.
These decisions were made during a virtual Council meeting held on Tuesday, January 7, 2026, convened to review, discuss, respond to, and resolve several constitutional amendments following a petition submitted by some Alliance members.
The meeting, chaired by Pule in his capacity as Tonse Alliance Co-Chairperson, was attended virtually by leaders from Tonse Alliance political parties, civil society organizations, parliamentarians, and prominent citizens.
The Council of Leaders unanimously observed that the Alliance had been held to ransom, delayed in making progress, and rendered institutionally disorganized due to the persistent leadership crisis, court battles, factionalism, divisions, rivalry, and chaotic politics within the PF, which had been the anchor party for several months—particularly following the death of former President Edgar Lungu.
Consequently, the Council resolved that the Alliance would henceforth only maintain the membership of the “ECL PF Political Movement” in line with the Alliance Constitution, as allegedly guided by late President Lungu himself.
The Council further resolved to completely disassociate from anyone or anything linked to the PF party faction currently in court under Mafinga lawmaker Robert Chabinga.
The Council stated that this decision was the only way the Alliance could honor ECL’s Plan B, his wishes, and political legacy, noting that President Lungu personally brought and left the “ECL PF Movement” to the Tonse Alliance after his party was “treacherously taken away from him.”
“By definition, the Council approved that the ‘ECL PF Movement’ is a non-registered political pressure group consisting of all former and current PF Ministers, PSs, MPs, DCs, diplomats, council chairpersons, mayors, councillors, party officials, members and structures countrywide loyal to ECL himself as former President and his legacy outside the formal party aligned leadership in court with Chabinga,” reads the communiqué.
The Council further agreed that PF Members of Parliament who openly opposed Bill 7 and refused to vote for it exemplified true members of the “ECL PF Movement”, as opposed to those who supported the Bill.
The Council also reaffirmed that the greatest political crisis and paralysis faced by the Tonse Alliance since the death of President Lungu had been the failure to elect a legitimate Chairperson and 2026 Presidential Candidate.
“The Constitution has been amended in order to allow all Tonse Council of Leaders eligible and free to contest any position, including the Chairmanship, 2026 Presidential Candidacy and other electable positions,” Pule said in the communiqué.
He explained that the Council collectively resolved that, since President Lungu—who was both the Constitutional Chairperson and 2026 Presidential Candidate—had died, the Alliance had abolished the exclusivity of associating the coalition’s Chairmanship and presidential candidature with him and the “ECL PF Movement.”
Accordingly, any member of the Council of Leaders is now free and eligible to contest for any position, including Chairperson and 2026 Presidential Candidate.
The Council further observed that following President Lungu’s death and the continued internal conflicts within PF, the political strength, popularity, and standing of the “ECL PF Movement” had been drastically affected, resulting in the loss of its original VIP and anchor organization status within the Alliance.
“The General Congress is the highest decision-making organ of Tonse Alliance. This is what most political parties call the National Convention. As such, it is the Tonse Alliance General Congress that shall convene this month to elect the new Chairman, 2026 Presidential Candidate and other important office bearers,” Pule said.
Following revisions to the concept of an anchor organization, the Council resolved that each organization’s three officials in the Council would determine the number of delegates accredited to the General Congress.
“For example, the ECL PF Movement shall bring seven by three, which is 21 delegates. All founding member political parties shall bring four by three, which is 12 delegates each. All current member political parties that are not founding members, as well as founder civil society organizations, shall bring three by three, which is nine delegates per organization,” he said.
To enhance leadership inclusion and diversity, the Council further resolved that the Alliance would now have two Vice Chairpersons—a First Vice Chairperson and a Second Vice Chairperson.
Consequently, State Counsel Chifumu Banda, Acting Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) President, and Kelvin Bwalya Fube (KBF), Zambia Must Prosper President, were appointed Acting First Vice Chairperson and Acting Second Vice Chairperson, respectively.
“On the harmonization of the office of the Tonse Alliance Secretary General and Tonse Alliance National Coordinator, the Council reaffirmed and resolved to keep the Constitutional Position of National Coordinator as the Chief Executive Officer of the Alliance. The National Coordinator shall independently lead and manage the Secretariat outside political party members under the supervision of the Alliance Chairman,” Pule said.
The Council of Leaders unanimously appointed Dr. Chris Zumani Zimba as the official face and Chairperson of the “ECL PF Political Movement”, citing his deep understanding of the movement and his role as Lead Consultant who brought it into the Tonse Alliance together with President Lungu, its founder.
WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.
Comments