The Editor Zambia
In Zambia’s turbulent opposition politics, few figures have attracted as much controversy in recent months as Makebi Zulu, rightly nicknamed malukula (undertaker).
Once viewed largely as a legal confidant and close ally of former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, Makebi Zulu has now transformed himself into a self-proclaimed custodian of the “true PF” while presiding over confusion, division and political theatrics that many longtime members of the former ruling party find deeply insulting. 
His latest remarks on Emmanuel Mwamba Verified, where he declared that the “real Patriotic Front” is the faction under his leadership, have only reinforced what critics have been warning about for months — that Makebi Zulu is shamelessly exploiting the death and funeral of Edgar Lungu to seize control of a political movement built by thousands of ordinary members over many years.
The PF was never a personal inheritance to be grabbed by whichever individual stood closest to Edgar Lungu during his final days. It was a national political organisation with structures, veterans, organisers, and loyal supporters who sacrificed for the party long before Makebi Zulu emerged as a central political actor.
Yet today, Makebi Zulu speaks as though he alone possesses the authority to determine who belongs to PF and who does not.
That arrogance is precisely what has angered many within the opposition.
It is politically dishonest for Makebi Zulu to suggest that anyone outside his camp is illegitimate while conveniently ignoring the fact that the PF already had established leaders and members across the country.
Figures such as Miles Sampa, Robert Chabinga, and Brian Mundubile may represent competing visions of the party, but none of them emerged from the emotional spectacle surrounding Edgar Lungu’s funeral in the manner Makebi Zulu has.
What many Zambians witnessed during the mourning period was not merely grief but the beginning of a political project carefully designed to emotionally manipulate the PF supporters into accepting a new centre of authority.
Instead of allowing the nation to mourn with dignity, some individuals turned the funeral atmosphere into a recruitment ground for factional politics.
And while Makebi Zulu carries much of the blame, he is certainly not acting alone.
The involvement of former first lady Esther Lungu and Edgar Lungu’s daughter Tasila has made the situation even more troubling. Their open support for Makebi Zulu creates the unfortunate impression that the Lungu family now believes the PF is a private family enterprise rather than a political party owned by its members.
That perception is dangerous. No democratic political party can survive if it becomes centred around family loyalty and emotional blackmail instead of internal democracy and ideology.
The PF’s current confusion is largely the result of people attempting to use Edgar Lungu’s legacy as a political weapon instead of allowing the party to renew itself naturally.
What makes Makebi Zulu’s conduct particularly astonishing is the contradiction between his rhetoric and his actions.
On one hand, he lectures others about honesty, morality, and corruption in the pursuit of leadership. On the other hand, he has inserted himself into the centre of a succession battle by claiming exclusive ownership of the “true PF” without any transparent mandate from the party’s wider membership.
That is not unity. That is political opportunism. Even his calls for opposition cooperation now appear less about national interest and more about consolidating personal influence.
His reported engagements with Brian Mundubile are unlikely to convince sceptics who already view him as someone more interested in controlling the PF brand than genuinely rebuilding the opposition.
Zambians are not naïve. They understand the difference between genuine political leadership and calculated emotional exploitation.
PF members are being dragged into confusion by individuals who seem determined to rewrite the party’s identity around one family and one unelected political spokesperson.
If Makebi Zulu truly respected Edgar Lungu’s legacy, he would stop behaving as though the former president left him the keys to the entire movement.
Political parties belong to their members, not to funeral platforms, family networks, or self-appointed gatekeepers.
