28-595: The United Party for National Development Youth League (UPNDYL) is the youth wing of the United Party for National Development , a major political party in Zambia . Established as a platform to engage the nation's youth in political activism and leadership, the UPND Youth League plays a vital role in promoting the party’s ideologies of social and economic liberalism among young Zambians. The Youth League
56-567: A crucial role in shaping the country's political and economic landscape. The party's internal structure includes the National Management Committee (NMC), its chief executive organ, which is elected every five years during the party's General Assembly. The NMC is responsible for electing the National Executive Committee (NEC), which handles day-to-day decision-making within the party. The UPND
84-437: A morally corrupt individual with a history of monetary mismanagement, while portraying himself as fiscally responsible. Three days before the elections the government openly stated there was a possibility of an internet shutdown if citizens failed to use cyberspace responsibly during the electoral process. In response to the initial report, Information and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Amos Malupenga promptly issued
112-530: A social contract with the youths making it the first political party in Africa to have a youthful agenda. as part of UDA The National Management Committee ( NMC ) of the United Party for National Development (UPND) is the party's chief executive organ, responsible for overseeing the party's strategic direction and governance. The NMC is elected every five years during the party’s General Assembly and
140-543: A statement dismissing the claims as malicious. However, there was a subsequent reversal in Malupenga's stance, as he admitted that an internet shutdown was a viable option. He emphasised the government's stance on preventing the abuse of cyberspace and warned of potential inconveniences if individuals were found to be engaging in misconduct. Malupenga stressed that the government would invoke relevant legal provisions to maintain law and order and ensure peace and stability during
168-540: A total 82 seats, forming 46.64% of parliament. This is whilst PF lost 21 seats bringing their total to 59, forming 35.30% of parliament and subsequently becoming Zambia's largest opposition party. On the executive level, the UPND President Hakainde Hichilema was re-elected to the party presidency at the elective General Conference on 14 February 2021 and Mutale Nalumango was appointed as his running-mate on 23 February 2021. Also leading to
196-427: A workaround to bypass the restrictions imposed on WhatsApp and various social media platforms. Despite these efforts to maintain connectivity, the situation raised questions about the accessibility and freedom of expression during the election period. In response to the claims, Malupenga refuted the reports, dismissing them as "malicious." He emphasized the government's stance on responsible internet usage, stating that
224-724: Is a prominent political party in Zambia , founded in December 1998 by Anderson Mazoka , a former executive of the Anglo American Corporation. The party emerged as a significant opposition force following a split from the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD). The UPND positions itself as a centrist party with strong ideological commitments to social and economic liberalism, advocating for policies that support free-market principles, human rights, and democratic governance. The UPND rose to national prominence under
252-497: Is also a member of the Africa Liberal Network , aligning itself with other liberal parties across the continent. The UPND was established in December 1998 and was initially led by Anderson Mazoka , who had left the Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) shortly beforehand. Mazoka was the party's presidential candidate for the 2001 general elections , finishing second with 27% of the vote, less than 2% behind
280-682: Is responsible for electing the National Executive Committee for day-to-day decision-making. The NMC includes key leadership positions such as the president, vice president, national chairperson, secretary-general, deputy secretary-general, and national treasurer. These top positions, often referred to as the "Top Leadership," play a pivotal role in guiding the party's policies and activities. 2021 Zambian general election Edgar Lungu PF Hakainde Hichilema UPND Hichilema Lungu General elections were held in Zambia on 12 August 2021 to elect
308-560: The COVID-19 pandemic . The National Assembly was dissolved on 12 May by President Edgar Lungu to provide a level playing field in the campaign. However, Lungu remained in office as per constitutional requirements. On 26 May Lungu launched his own campaign. He also directed the police service and Ministry of Health to ensure enforcement of the COVID-19 pandemic health regulations and guidelines without fear or favour. On 3 June, due to
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#1732791444502336-536: The President , National Assembly , mayors , council chairs and councillors. Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development was elected president, defeating incumbent Edgar Lungu of the Patriotic Front . On 16 August, Lungu conceded in a televised statement, sending a letter and congratulating Hichilema. The President is elected via the two-round system . Of the 167 members of
364-546: The electoral authority due to incidents of political violence in the Lusaka, Mpulungu, Nakonde and Namwala districts, Hichilema and Nalumango were elected President-Elect and Vice President-Elect with 2,852,348 votes or 59.02% of the vote. The UPND has a youth league, the UPND Youth League . This youth League was formed to mobilise youth concerns. It represents young people from across Zambia. The party has signed
392-763: The 2021 general election on 12 August, the UPND formed an alliance in March dubbed the UPND Alliance with several smaller political parties including former PF members and allies such as former finance minister Felix Mutati , lawyer Kelvin Fube Bwalya and engineer Charles Milupi among others. After three months of official campaigns that were briefly suspended first voluntarily upon the death of Zambia's first President Kenneth Kaunda in June, and then on instruction from
420-748: The National Assembly, 156 are elected by the first-past-the-post system in single-member constituencies, with a further eight appointed by the President and three others being ex-officio members: the Vice President, the Speaker and a deputy speaker elected from outside the National Assembly (a second deputy speaker is chosen from among the elected members). The minimum voting age is 18, whilst National Assembly candidates must be at least 21. A total of sixteen candidates registered to run for
448-450: The deployment of the military to help the police fight escalating political violence during the campaign. On 28 July UPND Secretary General Batuke Imenda released a statement that the party was disappointed with government institutions being used by President Lungu to block UPND presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema from campaigning. On 30 July, Hichilema and his campaign team were prevented from entering Chipata and detained on
476-487: The election period. On 12 August numerous Twitter users took to the platform to express concerns about the apparent shutdown of popular social media and messaging apps such as Messenger , Facebook , Instagram and WhatsApp in the country. This caused a significant impact as it hindered the flow of information and communication on a vital day for democratic processes. Reports surfaced that internet users resorted to using Virtual Private Network (VPN) services as
504-418: The government would not tolerate any abuse of the internet. Malupenga went on to caution that if any misconduct occurred, the government reserved the right to take legal action to prevent any potential disruption of law and order, particularly during the sensitive election period. His remarks underscored the government's commitment to ensuring a secure and orderly electoral process. Despite Malupenga's statements,
532-471: The leadership of Hakainde Hichilema , a businessman who assumed the party's presidency after Mazoka's death in 2006. Under Hichilema's leadership, the party has become the main opposition force in Zambian politics, contesting multiple elections before finally winning the presidency in the 2021 elections . Hichilema's victory marked the UPND's transition from opposition to governance, with the party now playing
560-495: The presidency. The race was expected to be a close race between Edgar Lungu of the Patriotic Front and Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development . Both competed in the 2016 presidential elections , which Lungu won by a margin of 50.35% to 47.63%. On 15 May 2021, Electoral Commission of Zambia chair Esau Chulu launched the start of the election campaign. However politicians were advised to minimise large crowd gatherings during campaign meetings due to
588-409: The restrictions on social media platforms persisted, creating a challenging environment for citizens to freely express their views and share information. The limitations on the platforms added an additional layer of complexity to an already tense election period, sparking concerns about the implications for freedom of speech and information dissemination in the country. On 16 August Hakainde Hichilema
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#1732791444502616-561: The rise in COVID-19 cases, the Electoral Commission suspended campaign rallies again to avoid large crowds. On 15 June, the Electoral Commission banned the Patriotic Front and United Party for National Development from campaigning in Lusaka , Mpulungu , Namwala and Nakonde due to political violence. The Commission also banned all roadshows across the country to curb the transmission of COVID-19. On 1 August Lungu ordered
644-523: The runway of Chipata Airport . Before Hichilema's arrival in Chipata, police had teargassed his supporters. On 3 August, police in Mbala blocked Hichilema and his campaign team from entering the town, with police claiming that he needed a permit to enter. Hichilema heavily criticised Lungu, claiming he had used state power to interfere with the elections. In a campaign video, Hichilema portrayed Lungu as
672-406: The vote. The UDA won only 26 seats in the National Assembly, down from the 74 the three parties had won in 2001. Hichilema was the UPND candidate for the 2008 presidential by-election , finishing third with 20% of the vote. He finished third again in the 2011 general elections with 18% of the vote, whilst the UPND won 28 seats in the National Assembly, becoming the third-largest party. Hichilema
700-752: The winner Levy Mwanawasa of the MMD. In the National Assembly elections the UPND won 49 seats, becoming the second largest party after the MMD. In March 2006, the party joined the United Democratic Alliance , formed by the three largest opposition parties to contest that year's general elections . After the death of Mazoka in May 2006, Hakainde Hichilema became party leader, and was the alliance's presidential candidate. However, he finished third behind Mwanawasa and Michael Sata with 25% of
728-509: Was declared president-elect of Zambia. At the time of the announcement, 155 out of Zambia's 156 constituencies had been counted, with only Mandevu constituency still to declare. As the votes in that constituency were insufficient to affect the outcome, the electoral commission announced Hichilema's victory. Edgar Lungu conceded defeat shortly after the announcement. The election in Kaumbwe constituency did not take place on 12 August due to
756-691: Was formed to help mobilise youths towards, the values, beliefs and principles of the UPND, the governing political party in Zambia. The Youth League was formed by the youth members of the party to spearhead the issues faced by young people in Zambia. Among them was the 4-month closure of the Copperbelt University which the Zambian Education minister had closed following student protests. United Party for National Development The United Party for National Development ( UPND )
784-451: Was selected as the party's candidate for the 2015 presidential by-election . Hichilema become the main opponent to the Patriotic Front (PF) candidate Edgar Lungu after receiving the backing of several MMD MPs. Although Hichilema received 47% of the vote, Lungu was elected with 48%. In the 2021 general election , after almost 23 years in opposition, the UPND became the largest party in the National Assembly, adding 24 more seats and making
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