Claim
New Diggers newspapers on 9th February 2022, published an article claiming that the Secretary General for the UPND party, Imenda Batuke, issued a statement alleging that the current government did not sign any contract with the youths assuring them employment during the time the UPND party was in the opposition. The Smart Eagles Facebook page shared the same story were the general public expressed concern that Imenda’s utterances will cost the UPND government retaining its seat in 2026 general elections.
Rating Justification
iVerify fact checking has determined as false the claim that UPND party did not sign a contract with the youths assuring them employment. On 7th December 2020, the president of the UPND party who is now the Republican President of Zambia, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, signed a social contract with the youths assuring them employment once elected as president of the republican of Zambia. However, the Secretary General of the UPND party, Imenda Batuke in a briefing, on 9th February 2022, denied the allegations clarifying that the information that he gave to the interviewer was contrary to what was published in the newspaper and discussed on social media and that he was misquoted in newspaper headline. In response to the allegations refuted by Imenda’s briefing, News Diggers newspaper immediately released an audio of the interview they had with the secretary general as evidence on what he had earlier mentioned concerning the signing of the contract. However. In the audio the Secretary General explained that the UPND party did not sign the contract with anyone on personal basis. Therefore, the claim that the UPND did not sign a contract with youths is false as a social contract was signed but not on individual basis.
