A Facebook post falsely attributes sensational remarks to Ministry of Information and Media Permanent Secretary, Thabo Kawana, claiming he accused opposition politicians Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu of using witchcraft to attract crowds and said the UPND would reject an election victory obtained through “witchcraft.” iVerify Zambia found no evidence that Mr. Kawana made these remarks. He has categorically denied the claim.
Claim
On 13 July 2026, a Facebook page called The Candidates published a post claiming that the Ministry of Information and Media Permanent Secretary and Chief Government Spokesperson, Mr. Thabo Kawana, said that National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) leader Brian Mundubile and his counterpart Makebi Zulu were using witchcraft to attract large crowds to their political rallies. The post further alleged that Mr. Kawana said that if Mr. Mundubile were to win the election, the UPND would not accept the outcome because witchcraft is unconstitutional in Zambia.
Transparency Note: The link to the original post has been excluded from this fact check in line with iVerify Zambia’s approach to avoid linking directly to false or misleading content to prevent amplifying misinformation. The original post is however available upon request for transparency and verification purposes.
Verdict: FALSE
Rating Justification
The claim is false because there is no evidence that Mr. Thabo Kawana made the alleged statements. iVerify Zambia contacted Mr. Thabo Kawana, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Information and Media and Chief Government Spokesperson, to verify the authenticity of the claim. Mr. Kawana categorically denied making the remarks attributed to him by the Facebook page.
He further stated that The Candidates Facebook page has repeatedly published false and malicious claims about him and urged members of the public to verify information before sharing it. In addition, iVerify Zambia found no official statement, speech, media briefing, interview, press release, or credible news report in which Mr. Kawana made the alleged comments.
The allegations therefore remain entirely unsupported.
Fact-Checking Process / Methodology
To verify the claim, iVerify Zambia:
- Reviewed the Facebook post containing the claim.
- Conducted keyword searches across credible news organisations and publicly available online sources for any record of the alleged statement.
- Reviewed official Government communication channels and public statements issued by the Ministry of Information and Media.
- Contacted Mr. Thabo Kawana directly to seek confirmation or denial of the remarks attributed to him.
- Compared all available evidence against the claims made in the Facebook post before reaching a verdict.
Evidence
The investigation found:
- No official statement by Permanent Secretary Mr. Thabo Kawana containing the alleged remarks.
- No press release issued by the Ministry of Information and Media, or any other government ministry or agency, supporting the claim.
- No credible media reports quoting Mr. Kawana making such statements.
- A direct denial from Mr. Kawana that he ever made the comments attributed to him.
Why This Fact Check Matters During an Election
False quotations attributed to public officials can seriously distort political discourse during election periods. Such fabricated statements may:
- Mislead voters about the positions of government officials or political parties;
- Inflame political tensions by portraying opponents as making inflammatory or discriminatory remarks;
- Undermine public trust in official communication; and
- Contribute to the spread of misinformation that influences electoral choices.
During elections, citizens should verify sensational political claims through official government communication channels, credible media organisations, and independent fact-checking initiatives before sharing them.
Conclusion
iVerify Zambia found no credible evidence that Mr. Thabo Kawana made the statements attributed to him by the Facebook page The Candidates. The alleged remarks do not appear in any official communication, media interview, public speech, or credible news report. Mr. Kawana has categorically denied making the statements. Therefore, the claim is rated FALSE.
Help us Fight Mis/Disinformation
If you come across suspicious election-related claims, manipulated content, or information you would like verified, send it to the iVerify Zambia Tipline on +260 762 974 750 or email factcheck@panos.org.zm. Your submission can help reduce the spread of misinformation and promote informed democratic participation.
