Inception
Founded in 1998, the United Party for National Development (UPND) is a national party with a vision to realise a united, prosperous and equitable Zambia that meets the long-subdued aspirations of all its citizens. We are on a mission to deliver change for Zambians. To liberate and empower every citizen through improved economic management, job creation and democratic governance.
First President
Anderson Mazoka was a skilful and popular politician in his leadership of the United Party for National Development (UPND). He quickly established the UPND as Zambia’s main opposition party, finishing second in the 2001 presidential election.
Mr. Mazoka died of kidney complications in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 24 May 2006. Married to Christine Mutinta with four children Macenje, Mutinta, Pasina, and Anderson Jr, he was 63 years old. May His Soul Rest In Peace.
Current President
Mr Mazoka was succeeded in the UPND by Hakainde Hichilema (HH). HH is a politician, farmer and businessman. He is a proud father of three and a devoted husband to his wife, Mutinta.
He was born into humble beginnings in the town of Monze on June 4, 1962. As a youth he went to Kaloma Secondary School, where he studied hard before being admitted to the University of Zambia on a full government bursary. HH graduated with a BA in Economics and Business Administration in 1986 and went on to earn an MBA in Finance and Business Strategy.
HH is a lifelong and active member of the business community in Zambia, working with companies of all sizes both locally and internationally. He strongly believes in the potential of Zambia’s youth and in the importance of empowering them to unlock their entrepreneurial potential – achieving their dreams and creating jobs in the process.
HH is also a committed member of the SDA Church and seeks to live his life by Christian values. Over the years, he has participated in various community projects, such as building clinics, schools, livestock dip tanks, dams and boreholes, as well as founding a cultural fund that finances the revival of traditional ceremonies in Zambia.
HH has taken part in five elections to date, each time increasing the party’s share of the vote. During his time as an opposition politician, he has sought to share advice and guidance on how best to address the challenges facing our country, including the economy. HH also aims to be a voice for those who, like him, have been the subjects of persecution by the PF government. Having been wrongfully imprisoned for 127 days after the 2016 elections, HH is a wholehearted advocate for upholding human rights and justice.
National Management Committee (NMC)
The party is governed by the National Management Committee. This is the decision-making body of the party. Major decisions are usually made via a secretary vote. Job creation, reducing the cost of living, putting an end to corruption, providing better services and restoring democratic freedoms will be the party’s top priorities once in office.
Priority One: Job Creation
The UPND will deliver by:
- Implementing an Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) that prioritizes jobs-rich sectors.
- Providing incentives for businesses and investments that create jobs for Zambians.
- Putting an end to policy flip flops so that businesses can plan, grow and create jobs.
- Delivering a national programme for education, upskilling and innovation to unleash the talents and creativity of our people and foster entrepreneurship.
- Harnessing the digital revolution to drive productivity and protect the economy from external economic shocks.
Priority Two: Putting Food on Your Plate
The UPND will deliver by:
- Returning inflation to single figures through sensible economic management.
- Restructuring the debt portfolio.
- Increasing budgetary allocation to social protection.
- Lowering the cost of doing business.
- Increasing international reserves to protect the economy against shocks.
Priority Three: Cut Corruption
The UPND will deliver by:
- Implementing a zero-tolerance policy with special fast track anti-corruption courts for quick action.
- Launching “Operation Recovery” to return money back to the public.
- Tackling employment corruption to ensure access to government jobs is fair and that all Zambians have access to employment opportunities.
- Managing public resources in a transparent and accountable manner, with wealth declarations and lifestyle audits for relevant officials.
- Delivering a training and capacity building programme for those engaged in the fight against corruption.
Priority Four: Provide Better Services
The UPND will deliver by:
- Cutting wasteful expenditure.
- Ensuring effective, accountable leadership and management that is appointed based on merit, regardless of political affiliation.
- Improving education through increasing its share of the national budget, reforming the bursary and student loan system, and developing education-industry linkages that foster innovation and entrepreneurship.
- Strengthening healthcare provision by ensuring competent management of health financing resources, improving access to medicines across the country, and reforming the National Health Insurance system.
- Delivering universal and equitable access to safe drink water and improved sanitation through investment, revival of the sector advisory group and enhanced monitoring and evaluation.
Priority Five: Restores Freedom of Speech
The UPND will deliver by:
- Returning to the rule of law and separation of powers.
- Reforming anti-democratic legislation including the Cyber Bill.
- Putting an end to detention without charge, the imprisonment of government critics and selective application of the law.
- Opening up access to justice for all.
- Allowing and encouraging free debate and exchange of views.
We will not stop here. There is so much more we want to achieve. Find out more in our manifesto at https://upndzambia.org/detailed-manifesto/.
PF Performance
Fuel prices are up
Diesel has increased from K9 in 2011 to K17 in 2021.
Foreign currency is up
The Kwacha has depreciated from K6.45 in 2015 to K22 in 2021.
Mealie meal prices are up
Mealie meal prices have increased from K45/25kg in 2011 to K195/25kg in 2021.
National debt is up
External debt has risen from around US$2 billion in 2011 to over US$12 billion in 2021.
Inflation is up
Inflation is up from 6.4% in 2011 to 22.8% in 2021.
UPND Commitments
Stabilize fuel prices by applying prudence and reduce by smart sourcing.
Restructure the debt portfolio, attract investment and increase international reserves to protect the economy against shocks.
Return inflation to single figures through sensible economic management and lower the cost of doing business.
Restructure the debt and implement an Economic Transformation Programme that prioritizes jobs-rich sectors.
Return inflation to single figures through sensible economic management.
Our Commitment Measure
Our Plan for Zambia
What we will do
We will promote investment, trade, and economic growth, diversifying the economy and investing in under-developed sectors with huge potential for job and wealth creation such as tourism.
We will be an attack on poverty and inequality, with a strong focus on youth and women. On day one we will start addressing youth and women empowerment.
We will invest in our people through education. There is no nation in this world that has advanced without a population that has the right skills.
We will electrify Zambia. The PF has failed to run the power sector resulting in load shedding, limited and unreliable access, and high cost of production. Our plan is very simple, with a big focus on working with the private sector to increase our use of renewables.
We will develop our agriculture sector. Our job once you put us in power is to reduce the price of mealie meal. We will increase farmer support in both input provision and reduce the unit cost of production. What farmers need is a robust extension service system so that they can produce more by improving their management of fields.
What we will do
We will improve competitiveness so that our local businesses can grow and create jobs, and new ones can startup. We will tackle areas such as heavy regulation
We will focus on aggressively cutting government waste. We are not going to have 71 ministers in our government the way our friends did. We are going to reduce the number of ministers and review their conditions of service
We will end the flip-flops and policy inconsistencies that are costing people jobs. In this place over 10,000 miners and their affiliates lost employment.
We will build a healthy nation that cannot be compromised on. The high maternal mortality rate remains a stain on the conscience of our nation. Immediately we take office, we are reforming the procurement of medicines in hospitals.
We will immediately repeal the Public Order Act (POA). We are also going to embark on reforming the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) to make them independent bodies to pursue corrupt elements.
Word from the President
We promise that we will deliver on these commitments. We have the capacity and the determination to move Zambia forward. God Bless you and God Bless Zambia
