UPND secretary general Stephen Katuka has announced that the party will hold its general conference in June 2020.

Speaking to journalists, Wednesday, Katuka said the party would this month commerce branch elections and go on to have constituency and district elections in April.

“I called this briefing today, to communicate to you and through you the nation that in line with the republican constitution and our own party constitution which demands that parties must have regular intra party elections. We wish to announce to the nation that the UPND has concluded the time table for the convention but in the UPND, we do not call it a convention, it is a general assembly. So, the UPND is set to go to the General Assembly in the month of June but before going to the general conference, there are other procedures that we need to follow, that is the time table of the lower organ elections,” Katuka said.

“So I wish to take this opportunity to announce that we have reserved this month of March to conduct the lower organ elections starting with the branch and next month we will deal with the district and constituencies. In the month of May we will be dealing with Provincial Assemblies. So we will be conducting provincial assemblies in all the 10 provinces; that is electing the committees of the provinces and that will culminate in the general assembly in the month of June.”

He said party members were free to stand on any position in the party as long as they were in good standing with the party.

“We want the nation to know that all the positions in the party will be up for grabs including that of the president. Those who wish to stand on any of the positions must be in good standing with the party. That is the catch word, you must be in good standing with the party. The terms and regulations of what it means to be in good standing is in our regulations. So, old members and new members are free to contest on any positions if you join the party today or tomorrow please feel free to contest for any position in the party,” he said.

Katuka also encouraged members who had recently joined the party from other parties to stand on any position of their choice.