By BARNABAS ZULU
THERE is no alliance between the UPND and UNIP and anyone making such claims is not only masquerading but is being contemptuous because the substantive leader of Zambia’s first ruling party is Rev Trevor Mumba, its general secretary has said.
UNIP has therefore strongly refuted claims that it is in alliance with the UPND, stating that in fact, Zambia’s first governing party had formed an alliance with the Tonse Allaince.
In a statement, yesterday, UNIP deputy secretary general, Allan Friday Malawo, clarified that his party was not part of any alliance with the UPND.
He expressed his strong disapproval of the press briefing held at the UPND secretariat, where Rev. Alfred Banda allegedly presented himself as UNIP’s vice president/national coordinator and made false claims about the party’s involvement with the ruling party.
“UNIP wishes to distance itself from the press briefing held on Sunday, March 23, 2025, at the UPND secretariat where Rev. Alfred Banda masqueraded as vice president/national coordinator for UNIP and made false revelations about Zambia National Holdings Ltd, a non-political entity, as well as the unlawful declaration of the party joining an alliance with the UPND,” Mr. Malawo stated.
He stated that UNIP’s true alliance is with the Zambian people, particularly those enduring the harsh economic conditions under the current administration.
“UNIP is in alliance with the Zambian people who are suffering under high food prices, crippling power outages, soaring unemployment, record-high fuel prices, and an overall cost-of-living crisis that is pushing millions into grinding poverty and hardship. It is this suffering which the UPND government should urgently be addressing.”
Mr. Malawo also criticized the UPND for hosting individuals not affiliated with UNIP, including Rev. Alfred Banda, Robert Mukengami, John Sandwe, and Frazier Kaonga, at the press briefing.
“All these named individuals are under a court injunction, and without doubt, their behavior is tantamount to contempt of court, together with the conveners of the press briefing held at the UPND Secretariat,” he stated.
Mr. Malawo condemned the UPND’s actions in inviting individuals with no legitimate standing in UNIP, which he claimed were aimed at sowing confusion within the party.
He also criticized Rtd. Col. Henry Muyoba and Rev. Alfred Banda for spreading misinformation and undermining the party’s leadership, despite the clear court ruling affirming Bishop Trevor S. M. Mwamba as the legitimate UNIP president.
“Rtd. Col. Henry Muyoba and Rev. Alfred Banda have over the years pursued a personalized agenda, peddling wrong information to unsuspecting members of the general public,” Mr. Malawo stated.
“Despite writing timely successive correspondences to the office of the Chief Registrar on the legitimacy of Bishop Trevor S. M. Mwamba as UNIP president, whose right to office is upheld by the courts of law, the Registrar of Societies deliberately chose to accept Muyoba’s misinformation,” he said.
