24/09/2025
PATRIOTIC FRONT SECRETARIAT
STATEMENT BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL, HON. RAPHAEL NAKACHINDA
The Patriotic Front congratulates His Excellency President Peter Mutharika on his emphatic return to office in Malawi. This victory is a testimony that democracy belongs to the people, and when the people see better ideas, they will bring back even a former ruling party to lead them again.
We also salute His Excellency President Lazarus Chakwera for the grace and dignity with which he conceded defeat. That humility has preserved peace and unity in Malawi and has inspired confidence in Africa’s democracy.
The Judiciary of Malawi deserves our applause for standing firm in defence of the will of the people. The Malawi Electoral Commission too must be congratulated for presiding over credible, transparent, and orderly elections. Above all, we celebrate the people of Malawi for proving to us all that democracy can deliver change, that ideas can triumph, and that it is possible.
This is a great lesson for us in Zambia. Politics is not about personalities or propaganda, it is about ideas. When ideas are clear, when vision is present, people will rally behind them. Malawi has shown us that if a former ruling party presents a better vision, the people can restore it to power.
Here in Zambia, the lines are also clear. On one side, there are those who believe that our mines must be owned and controlled by foreigners, and that these multinationals should pay no taxes, while the poor marketeer making K1,000 per month is squeezed by punitive taxes. On the other side stand the Patriotic Front and the opposition, who believe that Zambia’s resources must benefit Zambians, that small businesses must be given tax breaks, and that the big corporations must pay unavoidable and fair taxes.
There are those who believe that our maize should be exported before our families and children are fed, but we in the PF believe food security must come first at home, before maize is taken out of the country. There are those who believe electricity must be exported while Zambian homes are in darkness, while SMEs and industries are shutting down due to loadshedding. We in the PF believe electricity must power our households, our businesses, and our industries before it is exported.
There are those who believe politics is about persecuting and silencing the opposition. We in the PF believe politics is about fighting poverty, reducing hunger, creating jobs, and building opportunity for the ordinary citizen.
There are those who believe the Executive must capture the Judiciary, dominate the Legislature, and run institutions such as the Electoral Commission of Zambia and the Anti-Corruption Commission from State House. We in the PF believe in separation of powers, in independent institutions, and in the sanctity of democracy.
There are those who run an elitist party that serves the few at the expense of the many. We in the PF are a pro-poor movement. We stand with the farmer in Chinsali, the miner in Chingola, the marketeer in Kamwala, the bus driver in Matero, and the youth searching for opportunity in Kanyama.
The people of Malawi have reminded us that when given a choice between elitism and pro-poor policies, between oppression and democracy, between empty propaganda and concrete ideas, the people will always choose better ideas.
Therefore, we do not only congratulate President Peter Mutharika, President Lazarus Chakwera, the Judiciary, the Electoral Commission, and the people of Malawi - we say thank you for showing us that it is possible.
Here in Zambia, we are watching, we are learning, and we are preparing. We believe that the people of Zambia too will choose ideas over propaganda, food security over hunger, empowerment over punishment, and opportunity over poverty.
Issued by:
Hon. Raphael Nakachinda
Secretary General
Patriotic Front
