NRPUP ACCEPTS RESULTS

Tembo vows to check government, defend democracy and hold leaders accountable to Zambians

By Francis Maingaila ♥️ 

LUSAKA, Zambia — 19-08-2026 -- The National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Progress (NRPUP) has accepted the election results announced by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), congratulating President Hakainde Hichilema and the United Party for National Development (UPND) on their victory.

NRPUP president Ezra Tembo said the party had accepted the outcome and was ready to take up its responsibility as the official opposition, pledging to provide checks and balances while ensuring that the government remained accountable to the people.

Tembo said the party also congratulated its presidential candidate and running mate for mounting what he described as a spirited campaign, particularly considering that the party was less than three months old when it participated in the election.

He said NRPUP was proud of its performance, especially after securing more than 60 Members of Parliament across the country.

“This is no small achievement,” Tembo said, congratulating the more than 60 NRPUP MPs and councillors elected across the country.

Tembo said the election had now provided an opportunity for Zambia to move beyond political competition and focus on development and the issues affecting ordinary citizens.

He called on all Zambians to give President Hichilema and the UPND space to govern, saying the country needed peace and stability to concentrate on national development.

Tembo, however, said giving the government space to work did not mean that the opposition would remain silent on matters of national interest.

He said NRPUP would provide checks and balances through Parliament and other democratic platforms to ensure that government remained accountable and upheld good governance.

Tembo said the party would engage the government constructively while challenging decisions that it believed were not in the best interests of Zambians.

He said political differences should be handled through democratic institutions rather than through confrontation or violence.

Tembo further urged all NRPUP members and supporters nationwide to desist from any form of political violence following the elections.

He said democracy required political players to respect the will of the people, even when the outcome was not what they had hoped for.

“Democracy is about respecting the will of the people, and sometimes it is not perfect. But the standard we have chosen to be governed by was not our time, we accept the outcome and remain committed to serving,” he said.

Tembo said the party's acceptance of the election results demonstrated its commitment to Zambia's democratic process and national unity.

He said NRPUP would now focus on using its parliamentary representation to raise issues affecting citizens and contribute to national debate.

The NRPUP president said the party would support government programmes that benefited Zambians while holding the administration to account where necessary.

He said the responsibility of the opposition was not simply to criticise government but to provide constructive alternatives and ensure that public institutions remained responsive to citizens.

Tembo congratulated President Hichilema and the UPND once again, saying the conclusion of the elections should mark the beginning of a new phase in which political leaders put national interests ahead of partisan considerations.

He said NRPUP would remain committed to reconciliation, unity and progress as it takes up its responsibilities in opposition.

Tembo said the statement had been issued in consultation with the leadership of the Tonse Pamodzi Alliance.

He also urged NRPUP members across the country to remain peaceful, respect the outcome of the election and continue serving the communities that had entrusted them with political responsibility.

Nundwe Mubanga, NRPUP Secretary General, was also identified as part of the party leadership behind the statement.