Zambia's ruling United Party for National Development moved on Monday to quash internal manoeuvring over its presidential succession, warning senior figures to abandon personal ambitions before the 2026 general election. The directive was issued from party headquarters in Lusaka.

The warning followed days of commentary within UPND ranks urging members with presidential aspirations to shelve their plans. Party leadership framed the intervention as essential to preserve unity behind President Hakainde Hichilema, who is seeking a second term.

The episode unfolded alongside a separate dispute involving Health Minister Silvia Masebo, whom commentators including Melvin Mweemba publicly urged to withdraw a petition. UPND spokespeople sought to present a disciplined front, insisting that no faction would destabilise the campaign machinery before nominations.

Analysts at Lusaka-based governance groups said the public discipline reflected anxiety over cohesion in a party that swept to power in 2021 on an anti-corruption platform. Opposition figures seized on the friction to argue that the UPND was distracted by internal rivalries rather than economic recovery and debt restructuring.

The intervention signalled that Hichilema's allies intend to control the succession narrative tightly through the pre-election period, sidelining any premature contest for leadership within the governing party.