Two Kazungula UPND members quit, pursue independent…

Two members of the United Party for National Development (UPND) who are standing as independent aspiring candidates for the position of the Chairperson at the Kazungula Town Council and Kazungula Central ward councilor have resigned from the party. Mr Osward Siansundi who was former Kazungula Town Council Vice Chairperson and also former Kanchele ward councilor is vying for the position of Chairperson while Gladson Sialumwemwe is vying for the Kazungula Central ward councilor seat. Speaking in an interview with ZANIS, Mr Siansundi said he had resigned from the party on 19th May, 2026 and addressed his resignation letter to the UPND Kazungula District Chairperson stating that he ceased to be a member of the party with effect from the date of his resignation.

“I have since intensified my campaigns in all the 16 wards of Kazungula district with my supporters on the ground engaging with the people. The campaigns are currently going on very well and I am confident of scooping the Council Chairperson seat as an independent candidate with a 100 percent vote,” Mr Siansundi said. He said despite having resigned from the UPND, he will still support the candidature of the Republican President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema.

Mr Siansundi stated that as he is campaigning, he is also asking the people of Kazungula district to vote for the President because of his sound economic policies and achievements he has scored in his first term in office. Meanwhile, Mr Sialumwemwe said in a statement issued to the media today that he rendered his resignation as a UPND member through the UPND Kazungula District Chairperson on 3rd June, 2026. “My action was taken in compliance with the electoral regulations and the guidance issued by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) stating that any person intending to contest an election as an independent candidate must resign from their political party before the prescribed deadline,” Mr Sialumwemwe said.

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He mentioned that he remains a law-abiding citizen committed to upholding the Constitution and electoral regulations. According to his resignation letter made available to ZANIS and addressed to the UPND District Chairperson and copied to the Constituency Chairperson, Mr Sialumwemwe expressed his displeasure for not having been adopted as a UPND Kazungula Central ward councilor. Mr Sialumwemwe disclosed that during the primary elections that were conducted in Kazungula South Constituency, he emerged victorious for Kazungula Central ward as a best candidate but wondered why a different candidate was adopted on the party ticket instead of him.

“I have always believed in internal party democracy and respect for the will of the grassroots. The decision not to adopt me despite the clear outcome of the primary process leaves me with no option but to resign my UPND membership,” Mr Sialumwemwe complained

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