The
United National Independence Party (UNIP) is a
political partyA political party is a political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political power within government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns...
in
ZambiaThe Republic of Zambia is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west. The capital city is...
. It governed that country from 1964 to 1991 under the
presidencyPresident is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, trade unions, universities, and countries. Etymologically, a "president" is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of
Kenneth KaundaKenneth David Kaunda, affectionately known as KK served as the first President of Zambia, from 1964 to 1991.-Early life:...
.
The party was founded in October 1959 and was initially led by
Mainza ChonaMainza Mathias Chona served as Prime Minister of Zambia on two occasions: 25 August 1973 to 27 May 1975 and 20 July 1977 to 15 June 1978. He also held various government positions, including Justice Minister , Home Affairs Minister and Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney-General...
. On January 1960, Kaunda was released from prison and assumed leadership over the party. The
constitutionA constitution is a set of rules for government—often codified as a written document—that establishes principles of an autonomous political entity. In the case of countries, this term refers specifically to a national constitution defining the fundamental political principles, and establishing the...
promulgated on August 25 1973. The new constitution and the national elections that followed in December 1973 were the final steps in achieving what was called a "one-party participatory democracy." National policy was formulated by the Central Committee of UNIP, which had become the sole legal party in
ZambiaThe Republic of Zambia is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west. The capital city is...
.
The
United National Independence Party (UNIP) is a
political partyA political party is a political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political power within government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns...
in
ZambiaThe Republic of Zambia is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west. The capital city is...
. It governed that country from 1964 to 1991 under the
presidencyPresident is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, trade unions, universities, and countries. Etymologically, a "president" is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of
Kenneth KaundaKenneth David Kaunda, affectionately known as KK served as the first President of Zambia, from 1964 to 1991.-Early life:...
.
The party was founded in October 1959 and was initially led by
Mainza ChonaMainza Mathias Chona served as Prime Minister of Zambia on two occasions: 25 August 1973 to 27 May 1975 and 20 July 1977 to 15 June 1978. He also held various government positions, including Justice Minister , Home Affairs Minister and Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney-General...
. On January 1960, Kaunda was released from prison and assumed leadership over the party. The
constitutionA constitution is a set of rules for government—often codified as a written document—that establishes principles of an autonomous political entity. In the case of countries, this term refers specifically to a national constitution defining the fundamental political principles, and establishing the...
promulgated on August 25 1973. The new constitution and the national elections that followed in December 1973 were the final steps in achieving what was called a "one-party participatory democracy." National policy was formulated by the Central Committee of UNIP, which had become the sole legal party in
ZambiaThe Republic of Zambia is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west. The capital city is...
. The constitution stipulated that the sole candidate in elections for the office of
presidentPresident is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, trade unions, universities, and countries. Etymologically, a "president" is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
was the person selected to be the president of UNIP by the party's general conference. The second-ranking person in the Zambian hierarchy was UNIP's secretary general.
Kaunda, the sole candidate, was elected president in the 1973 elections. Elections also were held for the National Assembly. Only UNIP members were permitted to run, but these seats were sharply contested. President Kaunda's mandate was renewed in December 1978 and October 1983 in a "yes" or "no" vote on his candidacy. In the 1983 election, more than 60% of those registered participated and 93% gave President Kaunda a "yes" vote.
In December 1990, at the end of a tumultuous year that included riots in the capital and a coup attempt, President Kaunda signed legislation ending UNIP's monopoly on power. The changed constitution allowed for more than one presidential candidate who no longer had to be a member of UNIP.
It lost power to
Frederick ChilubaFrederick Jacob Titus Chiluba is a Zambian politician who was President of Zambia from 1991 to 2001. Chiluba, a trade union leader, won the country's multi-party presidential election in 1991 as the candidate of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy , defeating long-time President Kenneth Kaunda....
of the
Movement for Multiparty DemocracyThe Movement for Multi-party Democracy is a political party in Zambia. Originally formed to oust the previous government, MMD controlled an absolute majority in parliament between 1991 and 2001, when its past leader, Frederick Chiluba was president of the country...
(MMD) in 1991. In the intervening years, UNIP has become increasingly marginalized as a party in Zambia. This is due in part to UNIP's boycott of the 1996 elections, called in protest of a constitutional amendment that was passed to bar former president and party head, Kenneth Kaunda from running in
the Presidential electionThe Zambian Presidential election was held on 18 November 1996. The incumbent President of Zambia Frederick Chiluba was re-elected easily after the main opposition party, the United National Independence Party, boycotted the election...
. The consequent election resulted in an absolute majority for MMD in parliament, and the virtual exclusion of UNIP from government for five years.
At the legislative
electionsZambia elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. The president is elected for a five year term by the people. The National Assembly has 158 members, 150 members elected for a five year term in single seat-constituencies, 8 appointed members and the...
on 27 December 2001, the party won 10.4 % of popular votes and 13 out of 150 seats in parliament. Its candidate at the presidential elections,
Tilyenji KaundaTilyenji Kaunda is a Zambian politician who is currently the President of the United National Independence Party . He became party leader in 2001, succeeding Francis Nkhoma. His father, former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda, was the President of UNIP from 1960 to 2000.Kaunda stood as a candidate...
(son of Kenneth), on the same day won 10.1 %.
UNIP was briefly led by
Francis NkhomaFrancis Nkhoma was born at Simon Village in Chief Mwanya's area in his home district, Lundazi, in 1937 and, according to Mr Dominic Mulaisho, started early educationat Lumezi Mission....
but was replaced by
Tilyenji KaundaTilyenji Kaunda is a Zambian politician who is currently the President of the United National Independence Party . He became party leader in 2001, succeeding Francis Nkhoma. His father, former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda, was the President of UNIP from 1960 to 2000.Kaunda stood as a candidate...
. UNIP joined an alliance with
United Party for National DevelopmentThe United Party for National Development is a liberal political party in Zambia.At the 2001 legislative elections, held on 27 December 2001, the party won 23.3% of popular votes and 49 out of 159 seats...
and the
Forum for Democracy and DevelopmentThe Forum for Democracy and Development is a political party in Zambia.At the legislative elections on 27 December 2001, the party won 15.3% of popular votes and 12 out of 159 seats. Its candidate at the presidential elections, Christon Tembo, on the same day won 13.2%....
. On 2 August 2006, the alliance chose newcomer former Grant Thornton partner/managing director
Hakainde HichilemaHakainde Hichilema is a Zambian politician and the President of the United Party for National Development . He replaced Anderson Mazoka after an interparty election, organized by functioning party president Sakwiba Sikota, which followed Mazoka's death in May 2006...
of the UPND as its presidential candidate, relegating UNIP to play a background role in the
2006 electionA presidential election in Zambia was held on September 28, 2006. Incumbent president Levy Mwanawasa of the Movement for Multiparty Democracy was re-elected to a second term...
.