By Mwansa Kaumba
President Hakainde Hichilema’s supporter, former Republican vice-president Pastor Nevers Mumba says the statement from Brian Mundubile and his running-mate Makebi to lead Zambia in the exact manner as Edgar Lungu was the most dangerous and sincere thing he had heard from them on the campaign trail.
And Dr Mumba argued that even if the UPND’s record is not perfect as the cost of living is still high and the country was coming from a period of loadshedding, the record of “repair, restore and rebuild” was clear under the new administration.
Dr Mumba argued that the statement was sincere because it showed that they had no new plan for Zambia, as they had endorsed the same visionless and reckless rule Zambians saw under the PF.
“I paused. Because that statement is both the most dangerous and also the most sincere thing I have heard from them on this campaign trail,” he stated. “It is sincere because it shows that they have no new plan. It is an endorsement of the same visionless and reckless rule we saw under the PF. The same rule that abandoned the working economic program of the MMD and replaced it with reckless borrowing and abuse of power with impunity.”
He argued that in 2021, over 2.8 million Zambians voted for change, marking the biggest rejection of a sitting president.
Pastor Mumba stated that Zambians did so because of the ballooning external debt which rose from $3.5 billion in 2011 to $17.27 billion in 2021.
“Eurobonds: $3 billion was borrowed with no repayment plan. Domestic arrears: Over K70 billion was owed to contractors. Governance: There was indiscriminate borrowing, inflated projects, cadres in bus stations, and cadres in uniform. Result: Default in 2020, junk status, kwacha collapse, and prices exploded,” pastor Mumba stated. “That is the record they now promise to repeat.”
He argued that in five years since taking over, the UPND administration that was “handed a broken economy”, had restructured $13 billion external debt.
“Zambia is now cited globally as a nation that turned back from junk status. Kwacha: It is among the world’s best performing currencies, and our Minister of Finance has been recognized globally. Free Education: 2.5 million children are back in school,” pastor Mumba stated. “CDF: It has increased from K1.6 million to K40 million per constituency.
Social Cash Transfer: It has increased from K180 to K800 per household. Mining: New investments have come in, and we are on course for 3 million tonnes of copper per year for the first time since independence.”
But he said the record for the UPND was not perfect yet as the country was not yet there.
“The cost of living is still high. We are just coming out of load shedding which hurt small businesses, barbers, salons, and patients who depend on power. But the direction is clear: Repair, Restore, Rebuild,” pastor Mumba stated. “So I ask you directly: Who wants to go back to $17 billion debt and default?
Who wants media houses closed and political detentions? Who wants students without meal allowances? Who wants cadres collecting levies and harassing citizens? Who wants national reserves stolen and kept in people’s homes?”
He stated that what Zambians wanted was progress with responsibility.
“We choose patriotism over party. We choose sustainable debt over debt traps. We choose children in school over children sent home for fees. We choose peace over violence, whatever color of shirt you wear,” Dr Mumba stated. “Uwakwensha ubushiku, bamutasha lilya bwacha. We may not yet feel all the benefits, but we will. Just as we only fully appreciated President Levy Mwanawasa’s reforms in his second term.
He urged Zambians to vote to keep President Hichilema in office.
“Not because everything is perfect.
But because we are on the correct path to progress, and Zambia must continue to move forward,” stated pastor Mumba.
