UPND Youth Chairman Admits Internal Failures After Electoral Loss

The United Party for National Development (UPND) National Youth Chairman Gilber Liswaniso, has publicly criticised some ministers and appointed officials within the ruling party, accusing them of betraying President Hakainde Hichilema and failing to protect the party’s governing mandate.

Speaking in remarks circulated on social media on Tuesday morning, the youth leader expressed disappointment with senior figures in government and within the party, saying their conduct had undermined the party’s objectives and weakened its position on the ground.

Liswaniso stated that some ministers and appointed officials had failed to play an active role during a recent electoral contest, describing their absence as a serious failure of responsibility. According to the youth chairman, the purpose of being in government was not symbolic authority but the active protection and implementation of the party’s vision and policies.

“Why are we in government?” he asked during the address. “It is to protect power so that the vision of the party and the President can be implemented.”

He argued that once political power is lost, a party can no longer implement its agenda, stressing that the responsibility of those in influential positions was to ensure continuity of governance by remaining connected to grassroots structures and electoral realities.

The youth chairman acknowledged that responsibility did not rest solely with ministers and appointees, but also extended to party leaders themselves. He included himself among those who needed to accept blame, stating that internal weaknesses had contributed to the situation facing the party.

He said some individuals within the system had ignored warnings raised earlier, particularly on issues that required consultation with party structures. According to him, decisions were taken without engaging the Patriotic Alliance Committee of the UPND, creating risks that were repeatedly highlighted but dismissed.

“There are certain things which they do which cannot even consult the party,” he said, adding that when concerns were raised, they were brushed aside by officials who believed they knew better.

The youth leader linked these actions to the party’s recent electoral loss, stating that only after defeat did some officials begin sharing information and concerns with him. He questioned why such engagement did not happen earlier, particularly when those officials were not present on the ground during the campaign period.

He described the outcome of the election as a learning moment, saying it had revealed how systems within the party and government were functioning in practice. According to him, the loss exposed gaps that needed to be addressed urgently if the party was to realign itself with its original mission.

He stressed that it was not too late to correct course, calling for renewed discipline and internal order within both the UPND and its alliance structures. He warned against what he described as a betrayal of the President’s leadership and intentions.

The youth chairman praised President Hichilema, describing him as a leader committed to national development and to ensuring that public resources benefit communities at the grassroots level. He said the President’s vision required active support from those appointed to serve in government.

“That President needs help from us,” he said, adding that everyone holding an influential position under the UPND government had a responsibility to contribute to the success of the administration.

He made it clear that his comments were not aimed at self-preservation, stating that he was prepared to face backlash from within the party. He said some officials might call for his removal from office because of his stance, but he was willing to accept that outcome if it meant defending the party’s vision.

“I would rather be fired from this position by doing the right thing,” he said, explaining that his priority was the protection of the party’s mandate and the implementation of its policies.

The youth chairman concluded by stating that he was taking the matter personally in his capacity as national youth leader, signalling that internal accountability would be a focus going forward. His remarks reflect growing internal pressure within the ruling party following electoral setbacks and renewed debate over the role of ministers, appointees, and party structures in maintaining political support.

Judiciary blamed for deepening PF internal conflicts — Banda
State Counsel Chifumu Banda has blamed prolonged judicial delays for fuelling internal wrangles within the Patriotic Front, saying the failure to conclude long-running political cases involving the former ruling party has created confusion, uncertainty, and competing claims of authority.

Speaking in Lusaka, Banda said several PF-related political cases had remained unresolved in the courts for more than three years, preventing clarity on leadership and organisational disputes within the party. He stressed that his remarks were made in his capacity as a legal practitioner commenting on the impact of court delays on political stability.

Banda said unresolved court matters had left PF supporters and officials uncertain about legitimate leadership structures, enabling parallel claims of authority and weakening cohesion within the former ruling party. He said the judiciary’s failure to bring finality to politically sensitive cases had allowed disputes to persist instead of being settled through clear legal determinations.

He said political parties rely on timely judicial rulings when disputes arise, particularly those relating to leadership, administration, and electoral participation. According to Banda, prolonged litigation without resolution undermines confidence in legal institutions and destabilises political organisations.

Banda said the issue was not limited to the PF but warned that the party’s experience demonstrated how judicial delays could distort political processes and prolong internal conflict. He said courts play a central role in maintaining democratic order by providing clarity and finality in disputes that political actors are unable to resolve internally.

He said he was prepared, if requested, to assist as counsel in efforts aimed at resolving PF-related legal disputes, provided all parties were willing to pursue lawful and constructive engagement. He said the objective was not to undermine the judiciary but to ensure that justice was delivered within reasonable timeframes.

The Patriotic Front has faced persistent internal disputes since losing power, with rival factions repeatedly seeking court intervention over leadership and administrative control. Several of these cases have remained unresolved, creating prolonged uncertainty that has spilled into grassroots structures and public political messaging.

Banda’s comments come at a time of heightened political tension as the country approaches the August 13 general elections. Opposition figures have increasingly raised concerns about the conduct and responsiveness of key institutions in politically sensitive matters.

In Eastern Province, police conduct has also drawn scrutiny following an incident involving PF presidential aspirant Makebi Zulu, whose private residence in Malambo Constituency was entered by police officers who ordered him and visiting relatives to disperse. Villagers resisted the police presence and booed officers until they withdrew from the property.

The incident has been widely cited by opposition actors as an example of political harassment. Zulu described the action as persecution, while an editorial published in the same edition criticised the police intrusion as an abuse of state authority and a violation of private rights.a

Traditional leaders have also weighed in on the political climate. Senior Chief Chipepo urged chiefs to avoid fuelling violence and confusion ahead of the elections, reminding traditional leaders of their responsibility to promote peace and unity.

Civil society organisations have expressed concern that unresolved political disputes, combined with voter apathy and fragmented opposition efforts, could undermine democratic stability. The Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes cited recent electoral outcomes as signals of broader public dissatisfaction.

Within PF circles, some supporters have framed recent electoral outcomes as expressions of resistance, linking voting behaviour to unresolved disputes surrounding the burial of former president Edgar Lungu and the treatment of his family.

Banda said the judiciary remains a cornerstone of democracy but warned that justice delayed in politically charged cases risks being perceived as justice denied. He said timely rulings would reduce speculation, discourage factionalism, and restore confidence in legal and political institutions as the election period approaches.