FACT CHECK | Were Teachers Ordered to Attend Vice-President Nalumango’s Kabwe Meeting?

Claim

A source in Kabwe shared with MakanDay a WhatsApp message that had been circulated in the Kabwe Teachers WhatsApp platform, instructing all head teachers, deputy head teachers, heads of department and senior teachers to report to Ebenezer Cathedral at 08:00 on Thursday, 6 August.

The message states: “Tomorrow morning (Thursday 6th August, 2026), all Head Teachers and Deputy Head Teachers with all HOD’S and all Senior Teachers are required to attend a programme at Ebenezer Cathedral. All must be seated by 08 00 hours.”

The source further alleged that teachers only discovered upon arrival that Vice-President, Mutale Nalumango, would be addressing the gathering, after the instruction had been circulated the previous night.

What did MakanDay check?

MakanDay examined three questions:

• Did the WhatsApp instruction exist?
• Was Vice-President Nalumango in Kabwe on 6 August?
• Is there evidence that teachers were officially directed to attend a meeting addressed by the Vice-President?

What the evidence shows

MakanDay reviewed a copy of the WhatsApp message circulated on the Kabwe Teachers WhatsApp platform instructing head teachers, deputy head teachers, heads of department and senior teachers to attend a programme at Ebenezer Cathedral at 08:00. The message does not identify the organiser of the meeting or state who would address it.

MakanDay also confirmed that the Vice-President was in Kabwe on Thursday, 6 August. A video published on her verified Facebook page shows her attending engagements in the district.

In the accompanying post, the Vice-President wrote: “I’m delighted to be addressing my colleagues (Public Service Workers) here in Kabwe. Our public servants are the backbone of Government service delivery and we appreciate them.” The video shows a large audience, including individuals appearing to be public sector workers, such as nurses in uniform.

While the footage confirms that the Vice-President addressed a gathering of public service workers in Kabwe, it does not identify participants individually or establish that the teachers referred to in the WhatsApp message were required to attend. Nor does it indicate whether attendance was compulsory or voluntary.

MakanDay asked Central Province Provincial Education Officer Mambe Hamududu whether the WhatsApp message had been issued by her office. She said it was not.

Why this matters

The timing of the meeting is significant because it occurred during the official election campaign period and public officers in Zambia are expected to discharge their duties in a politically impartial manner.

Verdict: Partly Verified

MakanDay verified that:

1. A WhatsApp message circulated on the Kabwe Teachers WhatsApp platform instructed head teachers, deputy head teachers, heads of department and senior teachers to attend a meeting at Ebenezer Cathedral on 6 August.
2. Vice-President Mutale Nalumango was in Kabwe on the same day and publicly confirmed she was addressing public service workers.
3. Video from the event shows a large gathering that included individuals appearing to be public sector workers, including people wearing nursing uniforms.