MUMBI PHIRI CRITICIZES UPND PERFORMANCE, SIGNALS PF REBUILD AHEAD OF 2026 ELECTIONS.
By Herman Machacha
Former Patriotic Front (PF) Deputy Secretary General Mumbi Phiri has launched a strong critique of the United Party for National Development (UPND) government, accusing the ruling party of abandoning its campaign promises and leaving Zambians in a state of “exhaustion.”
Speaking on a political podcast, Phiri framed the current internal friction within the Patriotic Front not as chaos, but as a necessary “self-cleansing” process that will leave only “genuine people” to contest the 2026 general elections.
Ms. Phiri highlighted a growing disconnect between the UPND’s 2021 campaign rhetoric and the current reality facing Zambian citizens. She specifically pointed to the rising cost of living and agricultural inputs, noting that the promise of affordable commodities has not materialized.
She reminded listeners of promises to reduce mealie meal to 50 Kwacha and fertilizer to 250 Kwacha. She noted that even revised government claims of 750 Kwacha for fertilizer have not been met in her experience as a farmer.
The former Deputy SG mocked the government’s failure to manage the national grid, citing four years of consistent load shedding despite previous claims that Zambia would follow the Dubai model of uninterrupted power.
Reflecting on her own time in detention, Phiri claimed her arrest was a calculated move by the UPND to instill fear and silence the opposition. She asserted that unlike others who might “do anything to buy their freedom, she remains clean and committed to speaking her truth.
And regarding the Patriotic Front’s internal leadership disputes, Phiri remained defiant. She characterized the departure of certain members as a divine intervention to purge the party of those associated with distraction.
Ms. Phiri predicted a grim future for the ruling party, suggesting that the UPND is gone and gone for good. She indicated that Makebi Zulu is the preferred candidate for the Pamodzi Alliance hinting at a special purpose vehicle involving that would appear on the ballot in 2026 to challenge President Hakainde Hichilema’s re-election bid.
She concluded by suggesting that shifting public sentiment could play a decisive role in the upcoming polls, as opposition groups position themselves to capitalize on growing dissatisfaction with the current administration.