‘I CAN’T BE EASILY DECEIVED’ – NJOBVU ON WHY HE IS PRESIDENTIAL MATERIAL
Democratic Union president Ackim Njobvu says his diverse professional background has equipped him with the knowledge, discipline and experience needed to lead Zambia, insisting that his technical understanding would make it difficult for advisors to mislead him on matters of national importance.
Njobvu says his journey from the Zambia Air Force to the highest levels of the corporate world has exposed him to aviation, engineering, accounting, economics, investments, insurance and risk management disciplines he believes give him an unusual advantage as a presidential candidate.
He says he joined the Zambia Air Force after completing secondary school and underwent military training before pursuing aircraft maintenance and repair at ZAF Mumbwa. According to Njobvu, he graduated as the best student and was subsequently posted to Number One Squadron, where he worked on aircraft used by the President.
Njobvu says his 10 years in the Air Force eventually saw him serve as a flight engineer, but he simultaneously pursued ACCA after deciding that military engineering would not be his final career destination. Although his request to transfer into accounts was rejected, he says he found an alternative opportunity to practise his financial skills as a mess treasurer.
After leaving the Air Force through early retirement, Njobvu says he went through a difficult period before securing employment as an internal auditor at Selpe. He worked there for six months before joining Mayfair Insurance, where he rose to become company secretary and finance manager.
He says his experience at Mayfair was particularly significant because he witnessed and contributed to the transformation of a struggling company into a multinational business that attracted international agencies. Njobvu later joined Marsh, which he describes as the world’s leading insurance broking company, and served as chief financial officer for seven years before resigning in February 2025 to concentrate on politics.
Njobvu says his professional qualifications include being a flight engineer, navigation engineer, Fellow of ACCA, Fellow of ZICA, an economist, Chartered Global Investment Analyst and a Chartered Insurance Institute practitioner of the United Kingdom.
He argues that the combination of these qualifications means that a future administration under his leadership would have a president capable of understanding technical advice presented by experts in different fields. “I’m the one person you won’t deceive easily,” Njobvu said, arguing that his grounding in finance, economics, investments, insurance and engineering gives him the ability to scrutinise information before making decisions.
The Democratic Union leader says his military background has also shaped his approach to leadership, particularly his emphasis on discipline, alertness and responsibility. He points to aviation as an industry where mistakes can have catastrophic consequences, arguing that someone responsible for approving an aircraft carrying hundreds of passengers cannot afford to be careless.
Njobvu says that same mentality would guide him in State House, where decisions affect millions of Zambians. He says his first consideration would always be the national interest and the welfare of citizens, rather than personal or political interests.
He also credits his Christian faith for sustaining him throughout his career, saying there were challenges in his journey that could not have been overcome through qualifications and professional experience alone. Njobvu, who describes himself as a Catholic and charismatic Christian, says his faith remains an important part of his leadership philosophy.
Njobvu says Zambia now requires a political “reset” and argues that voters should consider alternatives to the established political parties.
He criticises both the PF and UPND over governance concerns and maintains that his combination of professional expertise, military discipline, corporate leadership and faith places him in a strong position to offer Zambians a different type of presidency.
Kumwesu