UPND’S MEDIA OVERHAUL: EMBRACING FORMER POLITICAL RIVALS TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNICATION
The ongoing debate surrounding the incorporation of seemingly “foreign communications experts” from the previous government into the United Party for National Development (UPND) media team has ignited considerable controversy. Many UPND sympathizers have openly criticized the decision to include former political opponents within the party’s media apparatus.
Let us now confront the uncomfortable truth at the heart of this issue. For several years, I have consistently stated in various forums that one of the UPND’s most significant weaknesses lay within its media division. Since ascending to power, the UPND media team has often appeared reactionary, struggling to set the narrative, particularly on critical matters of national economic policy. Instead of taking proactive control, they have frequently found themselves on the back foot, responding to events rather than shaping the discourse.
The recent decision to integrate communications experts from the former ruling party into the UPND media team is, in many ways, a vindication of the concerns that I and many others have raised over the years. It reflects a tacit acknowledgment of the deficiencies that have plagued the party’s media operations.
Before rushing to point fingers at those in positions of power, it is worth pausing to reflect on what may have driven this decision. Why would the UPND leadership feel compelled to bring in external expertise, even from former adversaries? The answer is likely as evident to you as it is to me: the media team has demonstrated a worrying level of ineffectiveness over the past few years.
In politics, as in any competitive arena, results matter. The ability to control the narrative and communicate effectively is not a luxury but a necessity. If the current media team has been unable to rise to the occasion, it should come as no surprise that the leadership has sought to bolster its ranks with individuals who have demonstrated competence, regardless of their political origins.
Ultimately, the focus should not be on where these experts come from but rather on whether they can enhance the UPND’s ability to articulate its vision and engage with the public more effectively. If this integration leads to a more robust and dynamic media team, it may well prove to be a prudent decision.
— Mumbi Kalimba Kaseshya
Communications Expert And Broadcast Journalist