In a passionate address at the Tonse Alliance launch, former President Dr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu formally accepted his adoption as the 2026 presidential candidate, emphasizing a united opposition to restore Zambia’s constitutional democracy, rule of law, and economic stability. Lungu called for broad-based collaboration among opposition parties, civil society, and citizens to counter what he described as economic and governance failures under the current administration, vowing to advocate for the wellbeing of ordinary Zambians.
Here is the Full Speech
SPEECH DELIVERED BY , THE 6TH PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA, DR. EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU AT THE TONSE ALLIANCE LAUNCH TO ACCEPT HIS ADOPTION AS THE 2026 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE OF THE ALLIANCE.
On 28th October, 2023, l Edgar Chagwa Lungu, Sixth President of the Republic of Zambia did officially announce my comeback into active politics during the 9th memorial ceremony of President Micheal Sata, the Founder of the Patriotic Front.
On that day, l mentioned that l came back into active politics to defend constitutional democracy, rule of law as well as help unite the Opposition to foster effective checks and balances and present a united front in the 2026 general elections.
Today, l want to repeat and emphasize my call for all opposition parties, civil society organizations and progressive citizens to come together and fight to rescue our country and restore constitutionalism, democracy and the rule of law.
I’ve repeatedly expressed willingness to work with members of the Opposition and other progressive social formations to save our country from the current ruinous path.
We should not encourage working in isolation and in boxes, but forge alliances driven by a unity of purpose in order to develop our country.
The Church, civil society, trade unions, academia and political parties must collaborate and identify common issues that must be promoted together to rescue our people and the country from the failures, mismanagement and misrule perpetuated by this incompetent government.
Yes, it is no longer a secret that the UPND has plunged the country into economic turmoils, engaged in bad governance, destroyed constitutionalism, oppressed citizens and lamentably failed to deliver public services and campaign promises.
Make no mistake, this fight is not merely about removing the UPND from Government. It is about restoring the wellbeing of the Zambian people.
We must recognize that our country is suffering from an economic meltdown, high cost of living, unprecedented loadshedding and other crises.
The fight is about that bus driver who had hoped for better income by reason of the promise of cheaper fuel but is now disappointed that the promise has not been fulfilled.
It is about that barber man in Mtendere, that hair dresser in Chiwempala, that welder in Mazabuka who hoped that loadshedding was behind us considering that, we, in the Patriotic Front ended loadshedding, but now such businesses are shutting down or going for several days without electricity in their work places.
It is about that marketeer who is struggling to make ends meet because of the hostile business environment.
It is about that street vendor whose hustling earns him income of hand-to-mouth but now cannot even find market or place to trade from.
It is about restoring an effective farmer in-put support program that delivered input at the farm gate and ensured that the small-holder farmer was food secure.
Ladies and gentlemen, fellow country men and women, the youth and all our children, I am thankful and honoured for this noble gesture by the Tonse Alliance Partners of adopting me as the 2026 Presidential Candidate.
I pledge that I will not let you down as your 2026 presidential candidate. With your support and the support of the collective Zambians, victory is certain.
My appeal to other political alliances such as the United Kwacha Alliance, People’s Pact, the Zambia We Want, and other political parties is that, let’s keep our doors wide open to work together to redeem this country especially that all political and economic parameters are clearly showing that this government and its leader will not save Zambia.
I thank you and may the Almighty God Bless our Country, Zambia.
Court will rule him not eligible.
We hope
PF- He failed, it crumbed
UKA- He failed, crumbled
TONSE- He will fail
behaving like a prostitute…
A recent poll shows 83% want Lungu back
@Katana
Indeed “What will be the purpose of Trump ’s return when he is embroiled in corruption scandals?
Yes, because hes served two (2) terms, umungulu mu PF is in their DNA
If he is successful and manages to stand, he will either win or come in a close second to the incumbent come 2026.
A lot of people are disappointed with the performance of UPND, the USD exchange rate issue is one of the underlying factors and it appears the exchange rate was left to continue falling because people at the top have vested interests in a weak Kwacha since many of them have investments abroad in USD.
Anyways it is good to have a formidable opposition unlike what we have now for hecks and balances regardless of the mistakes they made in the past.
As an old observer this is my take.
ECL is not eligible and the Con-Court will soon be making such pronouncement. In any event, Zambia doesn’t need such a recycled president. So, Tonse is dead on arrival!
Even Trump was ineligible
Don’t ever compare Zambian and American politics. We are at different levels, even economically. The Americans brought back Trump for a purpose. Remember, Trump never destroyed the American economy. He wanted to make America great and is now back to make America great again. What will be the purpose of Lungu’s return when his family is embroiled in corruption scandals? You are now cheering for his come back so that he can rescue his family from prison.
@Katana
Indeed “What will be the purpose of Trump ’s return when he is embroiled in corruption scandals?
To waste other people’s time is also a part of democracy. HH’s dismal performance has caused all this confusion. If the guy had performed well we wouldn’t have ineligible drunkards wasting our time
Koma ni HH we should blame for this. I thought we had gotten rid of Lungu and his thievery that extends to his family!
Now I’m seeing a Trump-like return for someone the nation doesn’t need. Just because the incumbent is a failure. Please Please Zambia is n’t there anyone out there to take us forward? Muhabi Lungu? Sishuwa Sishuwa? John Sangwa? You are all watching Zambia going down slowly like in a Hollywood closing picture!!
Whatever !!!! At the present time with all the complaints and discontent Plus the lies given us
EG: todays newspapers headlines leads us to believe Loadshedding almost over when infact it is getting worse Plus todate I beieve HH hasnt said a word When infact it can be classed as a National disaster.
Instead Traditional Ceremonies and New business deals being given Priority, Where is all the extra power genaration going to come from ? Certainly not Kariba..
Whilst ECL is not by any means to our liking or choice He will certainly put the cat amongst the pigeons
and who knows may wake up this upnd administration
TO RESTORE WHAT? IS TO RESTORE CORRUPTION? IS IT TO RESTORE THIEVERY? IS IT TO RESTORE Cadrerism ? IS IT TO RESTORE THE PRACTICE OF URINATING IN OTHER PEOPLE’S MOUHS? IS IT THE K1.6M CDF? IS IT THE ABOLISHMENT OF MEAL ALLOWANCES AND FREE EDUCATION? IS IT THE REDUCTION OF FLOORR MARKET PRICES OF MAIZWHICH HARD WORKING FARMERS ARE NOW ENJOYING ? IS IT THE CLOSURE OF MINES ? IS IT THE REDUCTION OF SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER ? IS IT TYE NON PAYMENTS TO RETIREES ?
Napapata mwebantu! Not Lungu again. Kanshi that’s why HH hasn’t even shifted to state house? He knew the lawyer would return? Let’s do something. We can’t allow the Return of the Bar rister!
Zambians have been put in an uncertain decision to make as they
Do not want PF days again and on
The other hand New dawn is not performing.
We emphatically don’t want recycled PF failures /disasters again.Going back to Lungu is much like going back to your vomit.
Yes that’s what America has done. Mark my words you will see how sick the US will be just soon
”The support of the collective Zambians…”
Well, Sir, you fo not have my support so you may count collective Zambians minus one.
When you led without vision you kept referring to Sata’s vision. Now you start your ”second round” with reference to Sata, showing me that you still need me to associate you with Sata to give you value, meaning nothing has changed.
TONSE is a word from eastern province and advocates are easterners and the spokesperson is easterner and the one invited and imposed as a sole candidate is easterner. What a tribal ego
Eastern province does not have one tribe. That’s why Chinyanja unlike most Zambian languages, is a lingua franca
Is Danny Pule Easterner? LAWYER HAPAUL
TONSE is a word from eastern province and advocates are easterners and the spokesperson is easterner and the one invited and imposed as a sole candidate is easterner
If Zambians continue to be gullible the presidency might continue to oscillate between Robin Hood and Allan Adale. They look like adversaries but worked well to rip off Zambian assets during privatization. Robin Hood was the legal advisor while Allan Adale was the financial advisor. Robin was generous and hosted beer parte after parte while Allan was stingy and hid his loot offshore. Drunkards and scoundrels have teamed up and want Robin back as they’re starving under Allan
Why Are you all acting as if ECL is cert, Understand no one on here or in the country can make such statements without being Harrassed or locked up >> Now here is someone who can say what he wants and get away with it, Remember he used us and abused us NOW is our turn to use him THEN ditch him
He has a very small following and will never ever come back so relax and allow him to blah blah
Well, here is another Banda who is going to loss his money.
People will choose, if they want Lungu they will vote for him. So stop your cheap propaganda here by having one person posting several messages against ECL using different names. They despised Trump the same way you are doing to Lungu here. Let democracy dictate which leader is the people’s choice, not your partisan comments
Please tell us why Lungu must come back? Give concrete reasons why he deserves another term.
Oh in case you say HH has failed ,please inform us why he doesn’t deserve another term. But one thing I can tell you is that Lungu will find it difficult to convince Zambians to be voted.H e first must justify the families sudden rise to riches. Dalitso forfeted 69 vehicles worth over 24 million Kwacha and 25 pieces of land dotted in some parts of the country.
Just explain it to Zambians what this means?
Most Zambians talked to want Lungu back, so these tuma weak comments against Lungu here are just fear of fear for ECL
Most Zambians ?? Really dont know who you talking to ? family and Friends ?
I only agree with you that he should be allowed say what he feels ..
As afterall its just another Jacob Zuma Senario
Dalitso forfeted 69 vehicles worth over 24 million Kwacha and 25 pieces of land dotted in some parts of the country.
Just explain it to Zambians what this means?
This our fear that if comes back,all this will be given back to his son,So will the other property from the wife and daughters. Zambians are not going to fooled for the second time this time around.
The average zambian is not analytical. They base their voting decisions on packets of chibuku, t-shirts, vitenges, tribe etc. We need to a 1990/1991 broadband, nationwide type of movement to create a blueprint to pull zambia out of tribal politics, control by foreign interests and corruption. And spread the message from Livingstone to Mbala, Mongu to Chipata
What happened with UKA?
@Doug…Why is PF scared of going it alone you might wonder if they are that popular!
Why is LT using an old picture of ECL. He does not look like this currently, does he?
Lungu qualifies under the new constitution, just like the way Kaunda qualified for the 1991 and 1996 elections. When a constitution changes, you do not consider the previous terms. If a new constitution is made in 2026 after HH win, then HH can rule two more terms because this constitution does not apply. I wonder why it is so confusing to many Zambians and courts have ruled on this matter.The current constitution states how long a term is, which the older constitutions did not. Tayali has explained this conundrum in one of his videos.
Ka mambala ka ganiza ati nika Trump kamu Zambia aka.
The way UPND cadres fear ECL is beyond imagination. All the bundles they are burning here against ECL with multiple postings against ECL under different names is fear.
I think when ECL stands, not even the swing state of Dundumwezi will save UPND.
HH no doubt has failed us!
But should never be in the equation to replace him.
We all know that he was the worst president of all time.
Let’s start floating names of HH’s potential replacement in 2026 and talk about why we think they will be better than him.
Not ECL please…
Who is first?
NDAMBO
If he does come back , then Zambian really deserve the leaders they choose….
You mean the Tswana and Americans deserve the leaders they choose?
I am saddened at my fellow Kopala’s decision to be adopted as presidential candidate for Tonse Alliance. There is something eerily Trumpian about this and indeed ECL has congratulated his adopted hero Donald Trump. What saddens me is the indictment that this adoption connotes: that Zambia is bereft of fresh blood to steer this country into the future and has to be content with recycled presidential aspirants. And there we were hoping that ECL would walk into the sunset with his head held high apropos his infrastructure development during his time at the helm. But then again, once you have been there, you cannot resist a second or even third bite at the cherry. As a famous diminutive former Zambian President put it, “I didn’t know power was so sweet.”
Sata shaped and groomed Edgar Lungu into a President. Who did Lungu help to grow into Presidential material to prove to Zambians that he is beyond SELF and puts the future of the country first? Instead he brought a running mate a Nkandu Luo who is five years older than him. Is that grooming and shaping younger leadership for the future if not self preservation? He had quality trainable and able people younger than him to coach for presidency such as Miles Sampa, Edify Hamukale, Chitalu Chilufya etc but did not want any other potential person to grow into eagle one. Not Lungu again twapapata
Michael Sata shaped and groomed Edgar Lungu into a President. Who did Lungu help to grow into Presidential material to prove to Zambians that he is beyond SELF and puts the future of the country first? Instead he brought a running mate a Nkandu Luo who is five years older than him. Is that grooming and shaping younger leadership for the future if not self preservation? He had quality trainable and able people younger than him to coach for presidency such as Miles Sampa, Hamukale Edify , Chitalu Chilufya etc but did not want any other potential person to grow into eagle one. Not Lungu again twapapata
Trump he is NOT! “Me too”… Lungu is a phony Trump wannabe but the difference is Trump wasn’t that corrupt and grossly incompetent like Lungu. And Zambians are not idi0ts and racists like majority of Americans. Please Lungu just go away in obscurity and enjoy your retirement.
Wake up Mr President, your performance has emboldened the devil!
What am I missing? Lungu has cited many of the socioeconomic problems facing Zambia and the citizenry, but has not provided any solutions to address the situation.
To understand why ECL wants to come back you have to look another felon who has just been elected elsewhere .
ECL accepting to be 2026 Presidential candidate is akin to inviting the arsonist to come and put out the fire.
Without emotions – a presidential candidate has to be sponsored by the party he leads or voted at a party convention to become a presidential candidate. ECL does not belong to any party, neither to any of alliances parties. ECL is in self dellusion that he will constitutionally be eligible to stand. Alliance parties have owners who also want to stand as presidental candidates – PF is lead by Miles Sampa who can not bequench that position for Lungu. Be warned, casuality will be met with legal technicalities.
Let him contest na imwe. Don’t camouflage the complexion and attitude of the electorate. If they vote for him then you know where the population stands; if they do not, same thing. Do not use anything other than the vote to suppress him. Mulekeni … personally there is no way I can vote for PF to come back to power even if they were allowed to stand more than 4 terms.