“Father” Frank Bwalya’s Shameless U-turn From Calling President Hakainde Hichilema Useless to Praise Singing for Survival
By Thandiwe Ketis Ngoma
It was not too long ago when “Father” Frank Bwalya, then a senior member of the Socialist Party (SP), stood before the nation and thundered, “We have in State House a useless President,” directly referring to President Hakainde Hichilema. He claimed HH was a useless President because he had failed to uplift the lives of ordinary citizens. He sounded so sure, so bold, and so convinced, and many Zambians, tired of hardship and broken promises, nodded in agreement. For a moment, he became the voice of the people.
Fast forward to today, the same “Father” Frank Bwalya has done the unthinkable. Without a shred of shame, he has abandoned his so-called convictions and tiptoed into the United Party for National Development (UPND) camp, led by the very man he once labeled as useless. Not only has he defected, but he has also been shamelessly rewarded with a seat on the UPND media team, a reward not for integrity but for his proven skill in political somersaults.
From calling HH a failure, “Father” Bwalya is now the loudest cheerleader, singing praises at every opportunity and desperately trying to convince Zambians that the President is suddenly doing great things. Really? Are we supposed to be impressed? No sir, this is not loyalty. This is not patriotism. This is pure stomach politics, plain, desperate, and disgraceful.
Frank Bwalya’s U-turn is not just laughable; it is insulting to the intelligence of the Zambian people. Prices are soaring. Poverty is deepening. The economy is worse than it was when Bwalya first lashed out. Yet, now that he has been fed, we are supposed to believe that all is well? Does he really think Zambians are fools? That we have suddenly become blind and deaf to our own suffering?
In fact, one must ask, does the UPND media team even believe Bwalya themselves? Or are they simply using him as a disposable loudspeaker to echo tired propaganda? Deep down, do they genuinely think Frank Bwalya has any credibility left? Do they seriously believe that when he opens his mouth, Zambians listen? The whole nation knows him for what he is, mushanina bwali, a man whose only consistent ideology is the pursuit of a meal.
The real tragedy here is not just Bwalya’s shameless flip-flop, but the fact that those who appointed him have mercilessly exposed his desperation to the public. He has now reduced himself to a political cartoon, a walking joke who imagines that Zambians have no memory, no discernment, and no sense of history. What a miscalculation.
Let us be clear. When things are wrong, they are wrong, whether you are in opposition or government. The truth is not a switch you flip depending on who is feeding you. Integrity is not a costume you put on when it suits you and remove when the stakes get high. Real leadership demands principle, not convenience.
Frank Bwalya has now officially enrolled himself in the permanent league of political clowns, alongside the likes of President Nevers Mumba, men who have traded honor for personal survival. The people are watching and no serious Zambian is buying this show.