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Patriots for Economic Progress 2026 Presidential candidate Chanda Katotobwe has declared that UPND Parliamentary Candidates who went through unopposed in 15 constituencies are illegitimate, alleging the Electoral Commission of Zambia prevented his party from filing nominations through falsified records.
Katotobwe said PeP had parliamentary candidates ready for each of the 15 constituencies where UPND claimed unopposed victories and that the absence of opposition was not a reflection of political dominance but of administrative interference.
He told journalists at a media briefing in Lusaka on Friday that the party was hindered from filing nominations nationwide on grounds of falsified party records maintained by the Registrar of Societies under the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security.
Katotobwe linked the incident to specific changes made to the party’s records on May 8 and May 21, 2026, which he said reclassified PeP as a church organization and altered its office bearers without authorization.
“Therefore, it is our firm position that all the UPND MPs who claim to have gone through unopposed, are illegitimate, as they are a product of a criminal enterprise orchestrated by specific officials of the Government of the Republic of Zambia,” he stated.
He said the alterations designated PeP’s principal activities as “Ministry and Preaching” according to a printout dated 8 May 2026 annexed as Exhibit A, a reclassification, which made the party ineligible to undertake any political activities, including presidential or parliamentary nominations.
Katotobwe further alleged that a second unauthorized change reallocated the position of Secretary General to two new office bearers, one of whom he said was deceased, without any party resolution or supporting documentation.
“As earlier stated, all those involved in this criminal scheme shall be held accountable at the right time,” he said, warning that officials involved would face consequences.
Katotobwe restated that PeP’s nomination team was unable to file before the Returning Officer at Mulungushi International Conference Centre on May 20, 2026 due to the unauthorized changes.
He maintained that the party had paid K3,969,000 in nomination fees for 167 MPs, 6 Mayors, 57 Council Chairpersons and 969 Councilors.
He accused officials including Permanent Secretary, Dickson Matembo, Acting Chief Registrar Jason Mwambazi and Senior Registrar Harold Chiinda of refusing to resolve the matter on 20 and May 21, 2026, and said the officials appeared to rejoice at PeP’s inability to file.
“Therefore, it is our firm position that all the UPND MPs who claim to have gone through unopposed, are illegitimate, as they are a product of a criminal enterprise orchestrated by specific officials of the Government of the Republic of Zambia,” Katotobwe reiterated, describing the act as brazen criminality rather than political gimmicking.
Katotobwe said the party wrote to President Hakainde Hichilema on 22 May 2026 requesting intervention, since the Ministry of Home Affairs ultimately reports to him, but claimed, however that there had been no response from the President to date.
He said PeP engaged regional and international stakeholders to highlight what he called a threat to democratic processes.
Katotobwe claimed this pressure prompted Permanent Secretary Matembo to issue a statement on May 29, 2026 affirming PeP’s status as a political party.
“Therefore, it is our firm position that all the UPND MPs who claim to have gone through unopposed, are illegitimate, as they are a product of a criminal enterprise orchestrated by specific officials of the Government,” Katotobwe said.
He demanded that Government explain the origin of the printout ECZ presented at Mulungushi, which showed PeP as a religious organization with altered office bearers. Katotobwe maintained PeP participated in the 2021 elections as a political party and that its office holders had not changed since registration on 5 October 2016.
The PeP presidential candidate warned that those involved in the scheme would be held accountable, and called for an independent probe into the Registrar of Societies to restore public confidence ahead of elections.
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