A song in the stands: the 'Pe Lampi' chants at Nkana bring a ministry warning, a FAZ threat — and a thermometer

The chant has outlived the campaign, and now it has a government answer. On Saturday afternoon, during Nkana's 4–1 win over Makeni All Stars at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe, a section of supporters was reported to have sung "Pe Lampi" — the campaign song of Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu, the opposition figures in detention on sedition and treason charges. When the stadium floodlights briefly went off, phone lights went up. By Sunday evening the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts had formally condemned the chants, the Football Association of Zambia had cited CAF and FIFA rulebooks in warning of action, and the ruling party's Copperbelt chairman had called it hooliganism.

In a statement issued on Sunday 11 October, ministry permanent secretary Kangwa Chileshe said the conduct of some supporters during the match had been unacceptable and had no place in sport. The ministry warned that political activity at matches could provoke rival groups, create tension and possibly lead to violence, called on FAZ, the Zambia Premier League and clubs to caution their supporters, and said the Nkana scenes must not set a precedent. The statement named neither the song nor any individual.

Sport must not be used as a platform for advancing political agendas. Such conduct undermines the spirit of sport and risks turning football grounds into centres of political confrontation.
— Kangwa Chileshe, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts, in Sunday's statement, quoted by Lusaka Times

FAZ general secretary Charles Chakatazya went further, grounding the association's position in Article 40(1) and 40(2) of the CAF Safety and Security Regulations — which prohibit the promotion of political messages inside or near a stadium, and ban political banners and symbols — Article 2(1)(l) of the CAF Statutes and Article 4(2) of the FIFA Statutes, which establish football's political neutrality. FAZ said it recognised the right to freedom of expression but stressed it must be exercised within football's regulations, and promised to work with authorities and stadium managers against individuals who breach stadium rules. It named no sanctions, no club and no start date.

Football belongs to all Zambians, regardless of their political affiliation. Our stadia must remain places where people come together to support their teams, not platforms for advancing political interests.
— Charles Chakatazya, FAZ general secretary, quoted by Lusaka Times

Hooliganism, or a thermometer?

The political divide answered in kind. Elisha Matambo, the UPND's Copperbelt provincial chairperson and a former Copperbelt minister, described the scenes as "hooliganism dressed in political colours", warning that the ruling party would not tolerate them at any venue in the province — "Not at Nkana. Not at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium" — and urging party members to report anyone chanting or displaying political symbols to police. He added that Zambia's national teams, including the women's side playing in Ndola on Tuesday, deserved "the full, united support of this nation, not a stage for political provocation". Fred M'membe, the Socialist Party leader, answered with a thermometer: "You can not cure the fever by smashing the thermometer." Before the election, he said, UPND supporters had chanted "Salt Sana" and "Bally" at matches, repeatedly and loudly, without interference; what was good for the goose, he said, must be good for the gander.

It is the second stadium in a fortnight where the song has been heard. Zambian Eye records that the first widely discussed episode came during Zambia's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Togo at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola in late September, when a power disturbance darkened the floodlights — ZESCO said the interruption lasted a fraction of a second, though full brightness took about 20 minutes to return — and a section of the crowd chanted "Pe Lampi", some displaying the opposition campaign's symbol. M'membe said Zambians were using chants such as "Pelampi" and "Inyali" to express discontent, listing political repression, high fuel prices and the cost of living among what he called the real causes.

What follows is undecided. By Sunday evening, neither Nkana FC, the Zambia Premier League nor the police had publicly said what action, if any, would be taken; FAZ's statement promised enforcement without describing it. Zambian Eye's own analysis posed the harder question — who decides when a chant becomes political activity, and whether the same standard will apply to every slogan — while noting that no violence linked to the chants had been established. On the pitch, Nkana kept their perfect start to the transitional season: Emmanuel Silomba put Makeni ahead in the eighth minute, Michael Chapota equalised deep into first-half stoppage time, Lazarus Kambole scored twice and Nduna Zulu added the fourth in the 82nd minute.

Sources: Lusaka Times, “Government Condemns Political Chants At Nkana Stadium” (11 Oct 2026); Lusaka Times, “FAZ Warns Fans It Will Act Against Political Chants At Stadiums” (11 Oct 2026); Lusaka Times, “You Cannot Cure The Fever By Smashing The Thermometer, Says M'membe” (11 Oct 2026); Zambia Monitor, “Chants in support of Mundubile, Makebi Zulu at football match receive UPND's condemnation” (12 Oct 2026); Zambian Eye, “'Pe Lampi' chants at Nkana Stadium prompt Government warning: Is football becoming a new political stage?” (12 Oct 2026).