The Patriots for Economic Progress has accused the Registrar of Societies and the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security of orchestrating a scheme to block the party from filing nominations ahead of the 2026 General Election.
PEP presidential candidate Chanda Katotobwe says the crisis stems from the Registrar of Societies retaining a deceased party official, Mr. Handavu, as Secretary General on the party’s records despite written instruction from the party to reflect the living Mr. Njobvu in that position. The anomaly came to light on May 21, 2026, when Katotobwe and his running mate Sean Tembo proceeded to the Presidential Nomination Centre at Mulungushi International Conference Centre, only to be told the records had been revised without the party’s consent.
The blockade has affected a total of 167 parliamentary candidates, six mayoral candidates, 57 council chairperson candidates and 969 councillors across the country all of whom have been unable to file their nominations.
Meanwhile, Tembo says documents in the party’s possession show the Registrar of Societies has further redesignated PEP as a church with its principal activities listed as ministry and preaching rendering it ineligible to participate in any political activities. He confirms that PEP has since written directly to President Hichilema requesting his intervention to restore the party’s records, with the letter already delivered to State House by hand.
By Canaan Siame
