UPND Orders Silence After Days of Mixed Messaging

 BRIEFING | UPND Orders Silence After Days of Mixed Messaging

The governing United Party for National Development has imposed an immediate communications blackout on its lower structures after days of contradictory statements deepened public scrutiny of the party’s internal discipline.

In a directive issued this morning, Secretary General Batuke Imenda ordered all party organs to halt independent commentary on politically sensitive incidents and warned that any breach would attract disciplinary action.

“It is the guidance of the Party that all official statements must be cleared through the Office of the Secretary General and the Chairperson for Information and Publicity, through the Party’s Media Director,” Imenda said.

“This directive is intended to ensure consistency, accuracy, and alignment with the official position of the Party.”

The decision follows a chaotic stretch in which UPND-linked voices presented conflicting narratives on recent political violence. The most damaging episode came from Kabwe acting Youth Chairman Kelvin Mwangala who, in an early statement, admitted that UPND cadres assaulted Given Lubinda. Hours later he issued a retraction that bore the hallmarks of an AI-generated text.

The confusion escalated when UPND Media Director Mark Simuuwe appeared on television and said the party “does not know” Mwangala, raising more questions than answers.

The communications fallout has amplified opposition attacks and created a perception of disarray inside the ruling party at a time when political temperatures nationwide are rising.

UPND has spent months battling fragmented messaging from ward officials, youth structures and aspiring leaders who issue statements on Facebook before the party can agree on a unified position.

Imenda’s order is a strategic defensive move aimed at restoring a single authoritative voice following a fortnight in which UPND members issued competing accounts of the Kabwe violence, the Chingola stoning of the President, and the assault at the PF Secretariat.

The inconsistencies have fed accusations that the ruling party is losing control over its own structures.

“The UPND remains committed to upholding peace, unity, and the rule of law,” Imenda said. “We urge all members to continue promoting the values of discipline and responsible communication that our Party stands for.”

But the challenge runs deeper than rogue statements. The UPND’s rapid expansion after winning power has created a vast, decentralised ecosystem where local leaders speak before national organs can coordinate. In a digital era where every ward chairperson livestreams commentary, enforcing hierarchy has become far more difficult.

The Secretary General made it clear that the era of spontaneous statements is over.

“Any member or structure found issuing unauthorized statements will be in breach of party regulations and will face appropriate disciplinary action,” he warned.

Whether this directive will reverse the damage remains uncertain. The opposition has already seized on the past weeks’ contradictions.

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