▁the ▁old ▁U B P ▁vot er ▁base . ▁However , ▁these ▁were ▁head y ▁days ▁for ▁the ▁gover ning ▁P LP , ▁who ▁led ▁the ▁country ▁to ▁independence ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁and ▁the ▁F N M ▁failed ▁to ▁gain ▁much ▁more ▁than ▁ 4 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁in ▁a ▁string ▁of ▁general ▁elections ▁defe ats . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁Hub ert ▁In gra ham ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁party ▁after ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁Sir ▁Cec il ▁Wal lace ▁Whit field . ▁The ▁F N M ▁attacked ▁the ▁gover ning ▁P LP ▁on ▁cor ruption ▁charges ▁and ▁published ▁a ▁Man if esto . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁General ▁E lection ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁the ▁F N M ▁defeated ▁its ▁rival , ▁the ▁P LP , ▁by ▁wide ▁marg ins , ▁winning ▁ 3 2 ▁of ▁the ▁then ▁ 4 9 ▁seats . ▁The ▁F N M ▁Government ▁priv at ized ▁the ▁government - owned ▁hot els , ▁which ▁had ▁fallen ▁into ▁decl ine ▁since ▁national ization . ▁Private ▁radio ▁stations ▁were ▁allowed ▁to ▁operate , ▁ending ▁the ▁government ' s ▁broadcast ▁mon opol y . ▁The ▁F N M ▁also ▁introduced ▁local ▁government ▁and ▁encourag ed ▁in ward ▁invest ment ▁to ▁grow ▁the ▁economy . ▁The ▁elections ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁saw ▁the ▁F N M ▁re - elect ed ▁in ▁a ▁lands lide , ▁with ▁ 3 5 ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 0 ▁seats