WE WANT MAKEBI ZULU TO BE OUR FLAG BEARER-NCP’s CHANDAPASTOR PETER CHANDA – STATEMENT Good morning, members of the press.I want to acknowledge the leadership of the New Congress Party, those that are present and those that are absent.Leadership is about listening to the masses, listening to the wishes of the Zambian people. And if there is one thing the Zambian people always look for, it is leadership where you can confidently say, “He or she is a listening president,” a leader who listens. You may be aware that we held a General Conference in 2025 on the 18th of November, where I was re-elected as President of the New Congress Party for a five-year mandate.
The Constitution of the New Congress Party gives the President certain privileges, and it is under that privilege that I am making this announcement today. At that time, I made a pronouncement that I was going to face the ballot.We made an attempt. We participated in the Chawama elections, and we demonstrated to the whole country that we are ready to stand as an independent political party and compete in an election.
But I want to stand before the nation today with utmost sincerity about what I have agreed with other brothers from the Patriotic Front. And these talks did not begin today. As you may be aware, the legacy of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu stands distorted in the sense that the Tonse Alliance he left is not the same Tonse Alliance we see today.
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The Tonse Alliance President Lungu left was an alliance where the Patriotic Front was the anchor party We came out of UKA on the premise that President Lungu and the Patriotic Front were being disrespected.Today, I stand feeling saddened to see what President Lungu left internally being dismantled, and the institution and leadership he left being insulted, to an extent where you even hear statements suggesting that UKA has expelled the Patriotic Front. I want to state this clearly.As the New Congress Party, we strongly believe that mutual respect is cardinal in the way we engage in politics. At the same time, sincerity is very important in the way we conduct our political discourse.
I want to be sincere and state that from the time I took a backstep from Tonse, and from the time I exited the Tonse Alliance, if there is one brother who has consistently stood with me, who has consistently understood our position, and who has always reached out to say, “My brother, I want to hear you,” it has been Honorable Makebi Zulu. I want to say that we have attempted. I have listened keenly to the comments, because I am one person who pays attention to what the Zambian people want.
I also understand political dynamics, coming from a theological background. I believe in the wisdom and acumen of the sons of Issachar, who understood the times. However, today, having assessed the political environment, and applying the wisdom of the sons of Issachar, the time is not indicating that it is right for me, as Peter Chanda, to contest the presidency.Therefore, I want to state that the New Congress Party will look forward to working together with the Patriotic Front within this alliance framework.
I also want to state that during our General Conference, we agreed that should we assess the ground and see that the Zambian people are not chanting the way they need to chant to indicate that it is time, then we must understand that signal. We unanimously agreed that in such a situation, endorsement would be the responsible path.
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