HH Retains UPND Presidency, Hails Democracy As True Winner

Opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema has retained the presidency of the United Party for National Development (UPND) following a General Assembly meeting in which 5.28 million Zambians participated both online and in person. 

In his closing speech on Tuesday, Mr Hichilema thanked the chair of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), Judith Mulenga, for ensuring a fair and sound democratic process. He proclaimed democracy to have been the real winner of the convention:

“Fellow delegates, there are no winners or losers in this whole process, the winners are democracy, the people of Zambia and all participants in this Assembly,” he said.

The UPND general assembly marked the first time a major political party in Zambia had conducted total intra-party elections, despite the process being required by the country’s constitution. 

Mr Hichilema ran unopposed for the party’s presidency but several other positions on the party’s National Management Committee (NMC) were contested. National Chairperson Mutale Nulamango was re-elected to her position, narrowly beating out her rival Patrick Mucheleka by just 31 votes. 

The assembly was widely hailed as a triumph for Zambian democracy, running without incident and electing delegates to the NMC from across the ten provinces. 

In his closing remarks to the winning delegates, Mr Hichilema urged them not show complacency but rather to practice leadership in uniting the party and delivering a better Zambia for all.

If his party is successful at elections in August, HH promised to prioritise the eradication of hunger, the distribution of wealth, and access to lifesaving medication as matters of great urgency. 

“This is not time for a victory lap or complacency, but for real hard work and more hard work,” he concluded. 

UPND President Hakainde Hichilema delivering the closing speech of the party’s general assembly