ZMP Threatens Tonse Alliance Exit

KBF says party may withdraw over unresolved Constitution, membership, and election concerns

By Francis Maingaila ♥️ 

Lusaka, Zambia | January 21, 2026

Zambia Must Prosper (ZMP) has warned that it may withdraw from the Tonse Alliance unless outstanding constitutional, membership, and electoral issues within the coalition are urgently resolved, warning that the current trajectory threatens fairness, transparency, and internal unity.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka on Tuesday, ZMP leader Kelvin Bwalya Fube (KBF) said the Alliance was moving prematurely toward election preparations without first addressing fundamental structural and procedural concerns.

“Proceeding with election processes before resolving these issues is premature, divisive, and undermines trust within the Alliance,” KBF said.

ZMP specifically criticized resolutions arising from Alliance meetings held on January 6, 10, and 16, 2026, including the decision to remove the Patriotic Front (PF) from the Alliance while simultaneously recognizing its affiliates under the banner of the Edgar Chagwa Lungu (ECL) Political Movement.

According to KBF, the arrangement has created an uneven political environment within the coalition.

“You cannot remove a political party on one hand and, on the other, reintroduce the same political forces through a different political label,” he said. 

“That approach creates unfair advantages and fuels internal tensions.”

KBF further noted that the revised Tonse Alliance Constitution remains inadequate, particularly in defining representation within key decision-making structures.

“The Constitution still does not clearly spell out representation in the Council of Leaders and the Elective Congress,” he said. 

“Without clarity, any electoral process will lack legitimacy.”

According to KBF, ZMP wants immediate finalization of the Alliance Constitution, clear admission criteria for members from the ECL Political Movement and civil society organizations.

:We also want transparent procedures for internal elections, defined eligibility requirements for leadership positions, and clarity on the number and composition of delegates to the General Congress," he suggested.

He called for clear rules, transparent processes, and a Constitution that reflects fairness and order,” KBF said. “These are not unreasonable demands.”

KBF warned that failure to formally address these concerns could force ZMP to reconsider its continued participation in the Tonse Alliance.

“ZMP values unity, discipline, and internal democracy,” he said. 

“If these matters are not treated with the urgency they deserve, remaining in the Alliance will become untenable.”