The Aspirants

16/09/2025

LUBINDA PICKS VINCENT MWALE WHILE MUNDUBILE SETTLE FOR MONDE AS KATOTOBWE COURTS TASILA LUNGU FOR RUNNING MATE

By The Aspirants Reporter

The Presidential race in the Patriotic Front (PF) is getting more interesting each day that passes. Reports emerge suggesting that the Brian Mundubile camp has settled on Greyford Monde as their ideal running mate. Despite Monde being in the presidential race himself, team Mundubile wants the former Minister to be running mate in 2026.

This is according to a very credible source within the PF who is familiar with the development.

Meanwhile, PF Acting President Given Lubinda who also acts as Tonse Alliance Chairperson is reportedly in talks with former Chipangali MP who is also former Infrastructure Minister Vincent Mwale to be his running mate , as he fights for the top position of the former ruling party.

According to a PF senior party official, Lubinda has sent emissaries to talk to Mwale over the possibility of working together in the campaign for elections within the party, and possibly be partners in the 2026 General Elections should they win.

On the other hand, Luapula Constituency MP Chanda Katotobwe is reportedly courting Chawama Constituency MP Tasila Lungu, the daughter of the late former PF President Edgar Lungu. The PF source reveals that Katotobwe wants to partner with Tasila Lungu as he fights for the party leadership. It is said that Katotobwe has not yet spoken to Tasila Lungu over the issue due to the ongoing funeral debacle, but has whispered to some people that he will pursue a partnership with the daughter of ECL.

The Apsirants will continue to bring more juice stories within the PF, as we have sources willing to share developments in real time.

Meanwhile, we're looking for contacts within Team Mudolo in order to confirm a story...

15/09/2025

MTOLO PHIRI FACES AXE AS UPND SETTLE FOR MAYOR MWANZA

By The Aspirants Reporter

IMPECCABLE sources within the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) have disclosed that the current Chipata Central Constituency Member of Parliament (MP) who is Agriculture Minister Mtolo Phiri will not be adopted in 2026.

Two sources who opted not to be mentioned for fear of victimisation say Phiri has lost the trust of the UPND central organ as well as the party structure in Eastern Province, that he can still win Chipata Central next year.

The UPND is already courting Chipata Mayor George Mwanza to represent the ruling party as their Parliamentary candidate for Chipata Central Constituency.

Recently, reports emerged that Agriculture Minister Phiri apologized to voters in his Constituency "for not being present in the past four years", and attributed his absentism to his demanding ministerial position. Mtolo is said to have told the voters that he will be present now and will ensure they get fertilizer early enough as compensation for being an absent MP.

However, according to sources in UPND, the ruling party believes Mayor George Mwanza is their only key to retaining the seat in the 2026 General Elections.

"As things stand now ba Mtolo Phiri is going back to where he came from. It's over for him. Both the party in Eastern Province and the higher organ have no trust in him that he can deliver the seat. As things stand there's a program to integrate George Mwanza the Mayor to run as MP in 2026 on UPND" two sources who spoke on condition of anonymity told The Aspirants.

Q Should MTOLO Phiri be given another chance in 2026 by the ruling party?

14/09/2025

"SANGWA INITIALLY REJECTED TO ENTER POLITICS BUT..."

By TheAspirants Reporter

CONSTITUTIONAL lawyer State Counsel John Sangwa told former president Edgar Lungu that he did not desire to get into active politics because his calling was law and to offer an oversight to governments on constitutional matters. A source within the Patriotic Front, who is close to the family of Edgar Lungu has told TheAspirants.

Recently, a renowned historian Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa revealed that in a rare interaction with the former president , late Lungu confided in him that he was courting three persons to take over from him and possibly run as Tonse Alliance Presidential candidate for the 2026 general elections. According to Dr. Sishuwa, none of Lungu's three choices are in active politics even today.

However, a very reliable source within PF who has been in South Africa with the Lungu family confirmed TheAspirants's story that John Sangwa was indeed among the three who were being courted by Lungu but that, the Constitutional lawyer had initially politely expressed reservations to join active politics.

"From way back, I think around when the State started sponsoring confusion in PF, ba Lungu had approached Sangwa over being the torch bearer. But you see how Sangwa is straight and principled. He had refused saying he doesn't think he can fit into the type of politics in Zambia. Sangwa said he was comfortable being an advocate of Constitutional matters in the country. What I may not know is if the late President has persisted in pursuing John Sangwa. But this is very affirmative that Sangwa was approached" the PF source explained.

According to the PF source, late Lungu met with John Sangwa several occasions outside the involvement of his party officials.

"Sometimes the meetings were happening at the house of ba Lungu and at times at different Catholic Churches. Am sure Dr. Alick Banda is aware of this. Also mind that it is not only John Sangwa whom Edgar Lungu met, there are others. I can't conclude that John Sangwa was his choice but what I am confirming is that he is among those the president approached" the source says.

Asked why Edgar Lungu opted to talk to people outside the PF structures, and how the members of the party would feel, the PF source explained that the idea was to pick a leader who would unite the party.

"I think his (Edgar Lungu) idea was to get someone who wouldn't divide the party. You're aware there are several people interested in PF from within and these have camps. Imagine if it was one candidate who won. What happens with the others? Chances are that there could be factions and serious divisions. Lungu wanted unity and given the dynamics, it would be hard to achieve that at the moment. Anyways those are my thoughts of why he (Edgar Lungu) may have stepped out to get another person outside the party" the source told TheAspirants.

13/09/2025

ECL COURTED SANGWA, MUDOLO & NDAMBO - Family source

A reliable source within the family of late Edgar Lungu has told a correspondent reporter of TheAspirants that the former president was courting renowned constitutional lawyer John Sangwa and two South African based tycoons, James Ndambo and Joseph Mudolo to take over the Patriotic Front (PF) leadership.

The source confirms Dr. Sishuwa Sishuwa's recent remarks that the former late President was speaking to people who are not active in politics to possibly take over the leadership of the PF.

"Before he died, ECL was talking to three people at least to my knowledge, to take over the party leadership and run for President in 2026. He believed that none among his current party members had the credibility and stamina to wrestle power from President Hakainde Hichilema and more so that, the political fight needed someone who was well established financially and is dynamic because of the financial burden that comes with running for president. I can confirm what Dr. Sishuwa said the other day but maybe to be precise, the names I am aware of are Sangwa, Ndambo and Mudolo. I can't speak for Dr. Sishuwa but am certain these are the names" an ECL family source familiar with the issue has said.

The PF is set to choose Lungu's successor at a convention yet to be announced. However, there seem to be leadership wrangles within the former ruling party, whereas as one side, former Justice Minister Given Lubinda is leading a faction and Muchinga Member of Parliament Robert Chabinga is leading another faction and claims leadership.

Several individuals within the PF have expressed interest to contest for the top job within the former ruling party. These include, Given Lubinda, Mutotwe Kafwaya, Dr. Chitalu Chilufya, Brian Mundubile, Chanda Katotobwe, Greyford Monde as well as Emmanuel Mwamba who is currently in exile in the United States of America.

However, lately some PF members have claimed that a horde of senior party officials have auctioned the PF leadership to the highest bidder, adding that, there's a group within the party who have gone to South Africa to get paid by a named person who is interested to lead the PF.

What do you think about the three individuals who have been named so far?

09/09/2025

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