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The Patriotic Front’s internal power struggle tightened its grip yesterday after the Kabwe High Court blocked the Given Lubinda-led faction from holding its much-anticipated convention, plunging the former ruling party deeper into legal uncertainty and casting fresh doubt over its prospects of appearing on the ballot in future elections.
In a ruling dated January 27, 2026, High Court Judge Kelvin Limbani granted an injunction in favour of the Robert Chabinga-led faction, effectively freezing the February 13, 2026 elective convention and restraining the Lubinda camp from acting in the name of the party.
The decision has reshaped the balance of power within the PF and escalated the factional standoff that has raged for months.
Read more: Sampa fails to open defence in PF convention case, cites illness
Judge Limbani found that the matter did not need to proceed to a full trial before urgent protection could be granted, ruling that the Chabinga faction had demonstrated a “clear right deserving of protection” and that the issues raised formed a serious question requiring judicial determination.
The court warned of significant potential harm if both factions continued to operate in parallel. Judge Limbani noted that allowing the Lubinda-led group to go ahead with its convention posed the risk of irreparable injury, including the unlawful occupation of the PF secretariat, unauthorised use of party materials and symbols, and the holding of a disputed elective conference whose legitimacy would likely be challenged.
“The balance of convenience tilts in favour of granting the injunction,” Judge Limbani ruled, restraining the Lubinda faction and its agents from convening meetings, occupying party premises, or presenting themselves as the lawful PF leadership until the matter is fully resolved.
The judge also addressed concerns that the Kabwe proceedings were affected by similar matters before the Lusaka High Court, including a judicial review under Cause No. 2025/HP/0137 in which Miles Bwalya Sampa is challenging the Registrar of Societies’ decision to alter the PF’s list of office bearers, as well as another leadership-related action.
However, Judge Limbani dismissed suggestions that these cases barred the Kabwe matter, holding that the Lusaka disputes involved different parties, different causes of action and different reliefs. He emphasised that this did not amount to an abuse of court process.
“I find that the plaintiff did not fail in its duty to make a full, fair and accurate disclosure of all material facts to the court,” he said, adding that any party convinced the issues overlapped was free to make an appropriate application before the Court.
The action was brought by PF faction secretary general Morgan N’gona, who cited Brenda Nyirenda in her capacity as acting secretary general of the Lubinda-led faction.
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