UPND alliance dismisses online constitutional amendments discussion

United Party for National Development (UPND) Alliance […]

United Party for National Development (UPND) Alliance has dismissed online constitutional amendments discussions as street talk and said they do not represent the official position of the party or alliance.

This comes after online discussions on constitutional amendments have continued to gain momentum, with UPND Proportional Representation Member of Parliament Florence Chileshe Chama speaking in a widely circulating social media video about supporting President Hakainde Hichilema to remain in office beyond 2031.

George Mtonga, a UPND member, also posted on Facebook on 21 September 2026 that the Constitution could be changed to give President Hichilema 20 years in office before returning to the regular two-term system.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha has said citizens should expect constitutional reforms but government will leave it to citizens to suggest how constitutional amendments should be undertaken, while emphasising the importance of the legal process and public participation.

However, speaking in an exclusive interview with Zambian Business Times-ZBT, UPND Alliance member and President of the Party of National Unity and Progress (PNUP), Highvie Hamududu said online comments should not be treated as official party or alliance positions.

Hamududu said the UPND and its alliance have established channels through which official positions and policies are communicated.

“The party has established party spokespersons and the alliance also has channels through which we speak, so to avoid propagating falsehoods, people should use those channels to know the true position,” he said.

Hamududu stated that political parties and government are not run through comments made by individuals on social media platforms.

“The party has never been running by social media commentaries, and you cannot take people speaking in the street and treat that as a party position or alliance position,” he said.

Hamududu added that no official position on the matter had been communicated through the established channels of the party or alliance.

“The right channels that speak on policy have not said anything, so you cannot conjecture from people speaking in the street and take it as a party position or alliance position,” he said.

The PNUP president said the online discussions should therefore be distinguished from formal policy positions issued by authorised party officials.

“We must differentiate between street talk by anyone who wants to talk and the party position or alliance position because no one has said anything from the dedicated party officials,” he said.

Hamududu told ZBT that the reported momentum around the constitutional amendments should therefore not be interpreted as an official UPND Alliance position unless it comes through the appropriate channels.

By Philip Sinkala