IBA summons HOT FM for playing, ‘Mundubile na Makebi Bengile’ song, among other alleged breaches
IBA summons HOT FM for playing, ‘Mundubile na Makebi Bengile’ song, among other alleged breaches
September 15,2026
THE Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) has summoned Hot FM Radio to appear before it over alleged breaches of the 2026 Election Coverage Guidelines, including the station’s decision to play the song “Mundubile na Makebi Bengile” in its original version at the end of an interview with opposition NRPUP leader Brian Mundubile and lawyer Makebi Zulu.
In a notice dated September 14, 2026, IBA Director General Webster Malido says the alleged breaches were identified following a regulatory compliance assessment of election-related coverage by licensed broadcasting service providers.
The Authority has cited two editions of Hot FM’s Red-Hot Breakfast Show, aired on July 15 and August 12, 2026.
According to the IBA, the July 15 programme featured an extended political interview with Mundubile and Zulu during which the guests questioned the impartiality of the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), alleging that the Commission was not independent.
The Authority says the guests also made unsubstantiated claims that the UPND administration had failed to fulfil its anti-corruption commitments, alleging that concerns regarding alleged corruption involving senior government officials had not been adequately addressed.
On matters of national security and intelligence, IBA says the guests criticised remarks attributed to the country’s intelligence leadership regarding alleged plans by the opposition to manipulate the electoral process.
IBA says the guests dismissed the allegations and instead questioned the conduct of state institutions, arguing that greater attention should be directed towards ensuring impartiality within public institutions responsible for overseeing elections.
The IBA further says the guests alleged that the Food Reserve Agency lacked sufficient resources to purchase maize from farmers while Government resources were allegedly being directed towards political activities.
The notice quotes the guests as saying, “The UPND is offering our candidates a lot of money as much as K20 million for them to withdraw, but they are failing to buy maize from poor farmers.”
IBA further points out that, Mundubile and Makebi also allegedly made claims concerning the Zambia National Service and Eagle Milling, alleging that Government policies had disadvantaged ordinary citizens and farmers while benefiting politically connected individuals.
On electoral reforms, the guests allegedly claimed that legislative amendments relating to electoral processes created opportunities for political manipulation by allowing candidates to withdraw under circumstances they believed disadvantaged opposition political parties.
The Authority says that throughout the July 15 programme, the presenters largely allowed the guests to express their views uninterrupted, and that several allegations concerning Government officials, public institutions, electoral administration and corruption were not subjected to significant questioning, requests for supporting evidence or balancing responses from the programme hosts.
The IBA classified the alleged breaches on the programme as unsubstantiated claims and misinformation or misleading content.
The Authority has also cited the August 12 edition of the Red-Hot Breakfast Show, which featured Mundubile and Zulu and focused on the NRPUP campaign and why people should vote for the party
The IBA says the guests alleged that President Hakainde Hichilema had not condemned any of the six deaths that happened during the campaigns.
They further alleged that someone was killed in Kanyama for merely playing the “Mundubile na Makebi Bengile” song, while a driver of an independent candidate in Magoye was killed but the President did not say anything.
The guests also alleged that a UPND cadre was killed by fellow cadres in Kaputa and that, without investigating, the ECZ suspended the campaign, while allegedly failing to do the same in areas where violence involved UPND cadres.
The Authority says the guests further alleged that, for President Hichilema, death only mattered when it involved people related to him or people from his party.
They also alleged that appointments to the Civil Service and parastatals were all from one region and amounted to tribal appointments, and challenged listeners to check the lists of Permanent Secretaries, heads of quasi-government institutions and the Defence Force.
The guests additionally alleged that people at the helm of the ECZ were known UPND cadres and could therefore not be impartial.
According to the IBA, the moderators did not guide the guests when they made serious allegations without providing evidence or supporting evidence to substantiate their claims.
The Authority says Hot FM further breached the Election Guidelines when, at the end of the interview, it played “Mundubile na Makebi Bengile” in its original version.
The IBA says this was in defiance of its earlier guidance on the song and Hot FM’s own commitment to play only the edited version.
The August 12 programme also contained a segment where listeners were allowed to comment on the death of former Minister Mutotwe Kafwaya.
The Authority says some contributors made allegations that could not be substantiated without putting context to the shoot-out incident in which Kafwaya died.
Other callers, according to the IBA, made strong statements against Government and officials, calling for the resignation of the Permanent Secretaries for the Ministries of Information, Defence and Home Affairs.
The IBA says the two presenters did not provide context and played the voice notes live.
The alleged breaches on the August 12 programme have been classified by the Authority as unsubstantiated claims, tribalism, hate speech and misinformation or misleading content.
Hot FM has been directed to appear before the IBA for a regulatory compliance hearing on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 10:00 hours at the IBA Boardroom.
The Authority says the hearing, being conducted pursuant to Section 29(7) of the IBA (Amendment) Act No. 26 of 2010, will give Hot FM an opportunity to be heard before the Authority makes any determination regarding the alleged breaches.
HOT is expected to appear tomorrow, September 16, 2026.
TV Yatu .