By ZNBC
The ruling UPND has dismissed claims by PF faction Chairperson for Information and Publicity EMMANUEL MWAMBA alleging that President HAKAINDE HICHILEMA’s government threatens democracy and the 2026 general election.
UPND Media Director, MARK SIMUUWE says the allegations contained in a letter written by Mr. MWAMBA to the SADC are false, misleading, and politically motivated.
Mr. SIMUUWE says the allegations are a desperate attempt to mislead regional and international partners for political sympathy.
He says it is unfortunate that Mr. MWAMBA and his colleagues continue to distort facts instead of reflecting on the PF’s own record, a legacy marked by lawlessness, political violence, corruption, and suppression of media freedoms.
In a statement to ZNBC News in Lusaka, Mr. SIMUUWE said under President HICHILEMA’s leadership, Zambia has made progress in restoring the rule of law, expanding democratic space, and promoting media freedom.
Mr. SIMUUWE said the PF’s record of extra-judicial killings remains a dark stain on Zambia’s political history.
Meanwhile, Mr. SIMUUWE said the UPND has officially written to the SADC, urging the regional body to assist in facilitating the return of EMMANUEL MWAMBA to Zambia to face due legal process.
He said the UPND has also written to the United States Embassy in Lusaka, requesting the extradition of Mr. MWAMBA or return under international law because he is not a genuine asylum seeker but a fugitive from justice.
Mr. SIMUUWE said the Party has also written to the European Union and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, emphasizing the abuse of asylum provisions and calling for Mr. MWAMBA’s return to face lawful prosecution.
He said it is ironic that Mr. MWAMBA, who faces criminal charges in Zambia, now seeks to disguise his personal legal challenges as political persecution.
Mr. SIMUUWE said Mr. MWAMBA was neither under arrest nor under restriction when he fled the country and that his decision to abscond from the judicial process reflects a disregard for domestic and international law.
He said law enforcement agencies in Zambia operate independently and follow the due process of the law and that the judiciary continues to function freely and professionally, delivering judgments across political lines.
The UPND Media Director said the government continues to uphold constitutionalism, safeguard human rights, and ensure that the 2026 general election will be peaceful, transparent, and credible.
