Movement For Democratic Change

FORMER PF AND SOCIALIST PARTY STRONGMAN INNOCENT KALIMANSHI LEADS OVER 3,000 DEFECTORS TO UPND AHEAD OF CHAWAMA BY-ELECTION

Former Patriotic Front (PF) and Socialist Party (SP) strongman Innocent Kalimanshi has led more than 3,000 defectors from various opposition political parties to the United Party for National Development (UPND), just days before the Chawama parliamentary by-election.

UPND officials said about 1,500 of the defectors are leaders, drawn from different opposition parties, a development the party says reflects growing confidence in President Hakainde Hichilema’s leadership and the performance of the UPND government.

The defectors are coming from several political groupings, including the PF, Socialist Party (SP), Citizen First (CF), and Zambia Must Prosper.

Senior UPND leaders led by Secretary General Hon. Batuke Imenda, Lusaka Province Chairman Obvious Summerton Mwaliteta, National Youth Chairman Gilbert Liswaniso, and other party officials formally received Mr Kalimanshi and the defectors in Chawama Constituency.

Speaking after joining UPND, Mr Kalimanshi described his decision as a “return home,” appealing for forgiveness and acceptance from the party leadership and members. He said defections from both the PF and the Socialist Party were continuing, with more members expected to join UPND in the coming days.

UPND said the mass defections demonstrate growing support for its development-driven and inclusive agenda, and signal strong momentum as the party heads into the Chawama parliamentary by-election.

©️ UPND Media Team

The League of African Ambassadors Ramps Up for Lusaka’s Diplomatic Spectacle — Date TBA, Buzz Guaranteed

Amb. Anthony Mukwita reflections-
25 Aug 25.

As the clock ticks toward a launch date shrouded in mystery — “one or two months, give or take,” as one insider winked, the League of African Ambassadors (LAA) is turning up the diplomatic heat in Lusaka.

The capital is abuzz with whispers of what’s being dubbed “a big, beautiful diplomatic engagement”, the kind even POTUS Trump might call “tremendous.”

Today’s planning meeting, held behind closed doors but leaking charm and gravitas, featured the usual “diplomatic suspects”

: Ambassadors Ominyi Nwanne interim president, Mundanda, Samakayi, Musenge, Mukwita, and Counselor Jowel Joseph. With coffee flowing and metaphors flying, Amb. Nwanne declared, “This is the A-list diplomatic club Africa has been waiting for. Diplomacy isn’t dying — it’s evolving.”

The LAA, a non-profit, non-political collective of serving and “out-of-office” diplomats, is registered in Zambia but proudly pan-African in spirit. “It’s not a Zambian initiative,” one Balozi emphasized. “It’s an African collective — a mosaic of experience, vision, and unity.”

The League stands on five sturdy pillars:
1. Peace-building & Mediation
2. Public Diplomacy & Image Crafting
3. Youth & Leadership Mentorship
4. Continental Integration & Cooperation
5. Crisis Communication & Strategic Advisory

These aren’t just buzzwords — they’re the scaffolding of a new diplomatic architecture for Africa. As Amb. Mukwita reflected, “Ambassadors are like wine — they only grow better with age. And in diplomacy, there’s no substitute for experience.”

Past high-level meetings have included closed-door sessions with regional and government blocs, strategic dialogues with AU envoys, and memorable roundtables in Lusaka and beyond another envoy quipped between ginger tea, “We may be retired, but our Rolodexes are very much alive.” Expect many more to come — and not just in boardrooms.

The LAA is planning town halls, youth forums, and even a few diplomatic-infused evenings to remind Africa that diplomacy can be both serious and soulful.

Counselor Jowel Joseph summed it up best: “Diplomacy isn’t just about handshakes and protocol. It’s about storytelling, bridge-building, and showing Africa’s best face to the world — even when the world isn’t watching.”

So while the launch date remains positively elusive — “TBA,” as the official line goes — the momentum is unmistakable. Lusaka is preparing not just for an event, but for a movement. And if today’s planning session is any indication, the League of African Ambassadors is ready to uncork the future.

“Diplomacy,” said Amb. Samakayi with his captivating grin, “is Africa’s quiet superpower. And we’re about to turn up the volume.”

Balozi Lazarous Kapambwe said, “Great diplomatic achievements are like cooking a village chicken (free range) the process is long and tedious but OMG the final taste…”

Amb. Solomon Jere just crooned one of his best gospel hits!
The diplomatic clock ticketh.

Source: LAA, Lusaka Planning Committee.

Pictures Credit Bwalya Kalimanshi.