Hon Batuke Imenda, Loyal and Experienced member of the UPND

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Hon Batuke Imenda, Loyal and Experienced member of the UPND

He took over the mantle of UPND Secretary General on 16th March 2021 taking over from Honourable Steven Katuka who was the United Party for National Development (UPND) Secretary General before being appointed National Chairperson and later deployed to the Republic of Namibia as High Commissioner.

And as a party that had just grabbed the governance system of the country through a resounding victory on 12 August, 2021, the UPND through Republican President Hakainde Hichilema who is also Party President, appointed Mr Imenda to continue as party Secretary General.

The aim obviously, was that Mr Imenda as Chief Executive Officer, should help the party to grow in structures, unite members and recruit new ones, and most importantly, pulling the masses towards sustainable social economic development without leaving anyone behind.

A political scientist, Luis Cano, in his 2023 publication titled “Your Role as Part Secretary General “ states that political parties appoint SGs who would later build trusting and lasting relationships with the political leadership and the grassroots.

He adds that a party SG should be an example of trust and transparency for the entire organisation and is someone that should carry the vision of the party and its president. The party culture starts with the standards set by the SG as Chief Executive Officer.

Being Secretary General of a party is, however, not the same in every political party. In some parties, it is merely an operational role concerned with the execution of the party’s political agenda, while in others, the role is highly political and the position can be seen as the next in line after the party’s president or chairperson.

Having looked at the UPND manifesto, critically and thoroughly reading its Cconstitution , the party’s vision is clear and that is of having a united and prosperous Zambia, with equal opportunities across ethic, religious and gender considerations.

Article 83 of their constitution thoroughly explains the functions of a Secretary General which, most of them include;

a) a).To keep minutes of all national management meetings and to be in Charge of the day to day administrative activities at the national headquarters, b) To Keep minutes and records of all NEC meeting, c).To implement all party programmes, to prepare reports on activities and  proprammes of all party organs.

Other functions include that of being chief spokesperson on party and specialised committees, liase with National chairperson on party programmes and most importantly, carry out duties assigned by the party president from time to time.

Now that we have looked at the functions and qualities of an SG in a political party let’s now look at Mr Batuke Imenda’s record since his appointment as UPND CEO beforein 2021 as you criticise him and call for his replacement.

From 1998 to 2021, UPND has had  seven SGs among them, the late Ben Tetamashimba, Bob Sichinga, and Patrick Chisenga, and Steven Katuka.

The likes of Ben Tetamashimba and Bob Sichinga, very talkative but with no direction, probably, that’s why they couldn’t even form government.

From 2021 to date , the country has had 48 by- elections out of which, Mr Imenda as SG, has managed to win the governing UPND 39, translating into 90% victory, while PF has gotten 6, Socialist Party 1, and independent getting 1.

Talking about experience, Mr Imenda is a long standing member of the UPND, who once served the party as Member of Parliament for Lukulu East Constituency from 2001 to 2006. In fact, he was the first UPND member of Parliament to scoop a parliamentary seat.

Education wise, Mr Imenda holds a BA and an MBA in Business studies. While in Parliament, he sat on the Committee on Estimates, Committee on health, Community Development and Social Welfare.

Mr Imenda was also Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Communication, Transport, works and supply.

His style of doing things is not based on negative narratives, he is focused on increasing numbers to the party that prepares for another massive victory in 2026 and this has already been seen by a huge number of defectors from the former ruling PF and other parties to UPND.

He has managed to drive President Hichilema’s call of no hooliganism to all party structures and Zambians are going by their daily businesses freely, something that the governing UPND should be proud of as Zambians appreciate them for such, among other things such as massive recruitment in in the health, education and Defence sectors. The increased constituency development funds that are timely realised to all the 150 constituencies is game changer for Zambians. The SG has also been seen inspecting and encouraging citizens to actively participate in the implementation of projects in many constituencies. 

These defections are a writing on the wall in Western, Copperbelt, North Western, Eastern, Muchinga,  Southern and Central Provinces.

Indeed one may be itching to what sort of criteria are those cristisig his performance using to judge him and call for his replacement. Could it be tribal, they want no Lozi to be CEO of the ruling Party.

On the other side of the coin one would not be regarded mischievous if they are deep in thoughts as in maybe those that feel that they may not be adopted in 2026 could be the ones  fighting him for no credible reason.

It is also not wrong to think those fighting Mr Imenda have an agenda of championing hooliganism, corruption through illegal activities by party cadres, contrary to the President’s vision.

As things stand, Mr Imenda has done and is doing tremendously well, he is carrying the party and the President’s vision, the party is growing, by-elections are being won and party structures are intact.

Therefore, there’s no reason to call for his replacement unless one wants to crumble the party at such a critical moment. If it is “ not broken don’t fix it”