The United Party for National Development (UPND) says it is drawing lessons from its loss in the Chawama parliamentary by-election as it prepares strategies for the 2026 general election.
UPND National Youth Chairperson Gilbert Liswaniso described the Chawama campaign as a pilot project that revealed both strengths and areas requiring improvement.
Mr Liswaniso said every campaign provides learning opportunities, noting that the Chawama experience was no exception.
“We learned, we reflected, and now we are ready to grow stronger for 2026,” he said.
He acknowledged that mistakes were made during the campaign and encouraged party members to provide constructive feedback.
“Let us criticise positively to build and appreciate the environment created by the leadership of the UPND. The focus should be on what we are learning from this. It was a pilot project for us, the leadership in Lusaka, and those from other provinces who led their support,” Mr Liswaniso said.
He said the campaign’s major achievement was the peaceful and democratic environment under which it was conducted.
According to Mr Liswaniso, the Chawama by-election provides an opportunity for self-reflection at all levels of the party.
“Even in defeat, democracy has won,” he said, while congratulating Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) candidate Bright Nundwe on his victory.
He added that the party would assess what worked, what did not, and how to improve in future campaigns, stating that understanding mistakes was essential for growth.
Mr Liswaniso said the party accepted responsibility for the loss, noting the importance of acknowledging both winning and losing in a democratic process.
It sounds like UPND is trying to take a realistic and reflective approach, which is encouraging. Calling the Chawama by-election a “pilot project” suggests they’re treating it as a learning experience rather than just a setback. That kind of honesty can be valuable, especially this far out from the 2026 general election.
If they genuinely analyze what worked and what didn’t—whether it’s messaging, ground mobilization, or voter engagement—it could help them fine-tune their strategy moving forward. By-elections often expose weaknesses that don’t always show up in bigger national campaigns, so taking those lessons seriously now could put them in a stronger position later.