CSPR DOUBTS UPND’S 2-MILLION JOBS TARGET CITING LACK OF CLEAR ACTION PLAN
By Nelson Zulu
The Civil Society for r Poverty Reduction -CSPR- has questioned the UPND’s pledge to create over 2 million jobs and double TEVET enrolment to 200,000 by 2031 if re-elected in the August 13th elections.
CSPR Executive Director, Isabel Mukelabai, says while the targets in the UPND manifesto 2026-2031 launched by President Hakainde Hichilema sound ambitious, they are not backed by a clear action plan.
Ms. Mukelabai has noted that ambition alone is not enough, with the bigger concern being how the targets will be achieved in practical terms.
She has told Phoenix News that job creation should not be judged only by numbers, but also by the quality of jobs and the incomes they generate.
Ms. Mukelabai observed that Zambia’s poverty reduction efforts have been slowed by high income inequality, and stressed that any serious plan must set clear targets for reducing both poverty and inequality.
She has since called for stronger labour reforms, more support for the informal sector, and expanded social protection for workers outside the formal economy, further stating that artisanal and small-scale mining, as well as agriculture, must be central to any credible job creation plan.
PHOENIX NEWS