The Freelancer

  The Ruling United party for National Development – UPND has expressed concern that it still has no contender close to four years of being in office saying that it is “worried that the opposition is dying”. Party Media Director Mark Simuuwe said at a media briefing in Lusaka on Monday that ”we have the worst opposition ever in the history of this country” He said this following comments on the victories that the ruling party has scored in various by elections across the country terming some of them as earthquakes and not landslides. Mr. Simuuwe has further noted that the by election victories are a sign that the people of Zambia still have confidence in the UPND and that winning by elections has historically been a sign that the winning party would also win the general election. “That’s why they have no Manifesto, their only Manifesto is 2026 kuya bebele, when they were coming, they had no proper Manifesto, and many of us questioned, when you say more money in your po...

  Edgar Lungu anointed and endorsed Harry Kalaba as the most suitable candidate for Presidency in the 2026 general election, according to Citizens First National Youth Chairman Maxwel Chongu saying he has all the evidence to that effect in the messages exchanged between the two before the former president died. According to one of the messages revealed, the Mr. Lungu said he didn’t understand why people did not see his presence at one of the CF rallies as a signal that he was endorsing Dr. Kalaba. Mr. Chongu made the revelation on the Party’s sponsored breakfast program on 5fm Radio in Lusaka on Monday Morning further explaining that the first-choice candidate was the late Forum for Democracy and development -FDD leader Edith Nawakwi who unfortunately fell ill and later died. “Even ECL himself told me to say Max, my preferred choice I want a person who is not going to bring about revenge or vengeance and start dividing the nation. And my preferred choice is Edith Nawakwi, and...

  It could have been enacted without involving the people. Ruling United Party for National Development –UPND Consultant Mark Simuuwe has said that if government wanted, they would have enacted bill number 7 of 2025 without involving the people of Zambia. Mr. Simuuwe revealed that 97 acts of parliament were enacted without consultation because of the legislative power that is vested in the National Assembly and explained that the people have put the mandate on the National Assembly through article 61 from which the power to make amendments is derived. He was responding to constitutional Lawyer John Sangwa who charged that bill 7 is unlawful and must be withdrawn. “You need to understand that there is no law that has been violated, in the whole process, of government wanted they could have continued with the enactment.” He said adding that “You don’t need John Mark to all gather in one place in Lusaka, from Kasama, Chipata everywhere, come and gather, it’s a national as...

  Constitutional Lawyer John Sangwa SC has charged that President Hakainde Hichilema has lost the right to ask the people of Zambia for another term because of the proposed amendment bill number 7 which he says is a breach of article 90 of the constitution of Zambia. He says that a President who violates article 90 is governing unlawfully and has demanded that the bill be rejected as it does not mean well for the Zambian people, describing it as an attack on electoral sovereignty and voter choice and is an attempt to weaken the constitution and democracy and is meant to satisfy political allies. He was speaking in Lusaka at the Law Association of Zambia and Chapter one foundation hosted public Governance forum on the constitutional amendment process on Friday. “That bill has rightly alarmed many people across the country. It proposes sweeping changes that undermine democratic safeguards, silence voters and centralize power.” He said and added about the move by the President “...

 Sources including the daughter and Member of Parliament for Chawama Constituency Tasila Lungu, family lawyer Makebi Zulu, Tonse Alliance Spokesperson and Opposition Patriots for Economic Progress (PEP) president Sean Tembo and acting president of the Opposition Patriotic Front Party have confirmed the demise of former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu. According to a statement issued by  Mr. Lubinda, the former President who died this morning around 06:00 has been receiving specialized treatment in South Africa, and “died today on Thursday, 5th June 2025 at Mediclinic Medforum Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa.” Mr. Lungu was Zambia’s Sixth Republican President and served from 26th January 2015 to 24 th August  2021. He was 68 years old. His Former  Chief Government Spokesperson Chishimba Kambwili has described his death as shocking and a “massive blow” saying “I cannot believe you are no more”. 

The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has said it would buy Maize at K340/50kg bag and paddy rice at K300/40kg bag for the 2025 crop marketing season. This was despite farmers and other stakeholders having expected the price to be set at K500 average considering the K1000 price at which fertilizer was being bought during the farming season. Making the announcement at Mulungushi International Conference Centre today, Agency Chairperson Suresh Desai emphasized that the agency was also a player on the market and farmers are free to sell their grain to other private sector buyers at other prices. He however noted that all farmers that received support under the Farmer input Support Program (FISP) were required to sell 10x50kg bags to the FRA. Mr. Desai said the Agency would only buy the two grains targeting five hundred and forty-three thousand metric tons (543,000mt) of maize at six-kwacha eighty ngwee (K6.80n) per kilogram and ten thousand metric tons (10,000mt) of rice at seven Kwacha f...