THE GREAT ZAMBIAN ILLUSION: JOBS STOLEN BY POLITICAL OPTICS
As of January 2026, a massive gap exists between the “Strong Kwacha” headlines and the reality of the Zambian worker. While the Kwacha has appreciated to K19.87, making imports look cheap while siphoned funds are externalized at a discount to places like Dubai, the government sits on a mountain of K 85 billion in unpaid debt to local suppliers—the very people who create real jobs for our youth.
Every day that a government invoice remains unpaid past 5 working days, it is more than just a “delay.” It is a violation of the contract between the state and the citizen. It is an act of economic violence that kills self-esteem and forces the “starving 60%” to beg for political handouts. When a supplier is not paid, a worker is fired. When a worker is fired, a family goes hungry. This is not a “fiscal challenge”; it is a crime against the humanity of the Zambian producer.
While the political class celebrates luxury police vehicles and hands out siphoned CDF “grants” to cadres, the productive sector is being choked by ZRA’s “Advance Tax” trap. The state demands its tax on time, with heavy penalties for a 1-day delay, yet it refuses to refund overpaid taxes or pay its own bills for years.
True Inclusive Righteousness demands that the leadership share the pain of the people. If the state cannot pay its suppliers within 5 days, the President and every MP should not receive a salary. If the people are grounded by poverty, the leadership must be grounded in Lusaka. A leader cannot fly across the world seeking “investors” while they are busy bankrupting the investors they already have at home.
The K85 billion is our money. It is our dignity. It is our future. No more “Fifth-Year” scams. No more lofty speeches. We demand payment, we demand refunds, and we demand accountability now.
THE 2026 VOTER’S CHECKLIST: A CHARTER FOR DIGNITY
Before any candidate for President or Parliament asks for a vote in the 2026 election, demand they sign their commitment to this “Restitution & Dignity” Charter. If they refuse, they are not a representative; they are an exploiter.
1. THE 5-DAY PAYMENT BOND
Will the candidate legislate that any verified government invoice must be paid within 5 working days? If not paid, will they support an automatic interest penalty paid directly to the supplier starting on the 6th day?
2. THE LEADERSHIP SALARY FREEZE
If the domestic debt to Zambian suppliers (the K85 billion) is not cleared within 5 days of an invoice, does the candidate agree that all salaries and allowances for the President, MPs, and Political Appointees must be frozen until the debt is settled?
3. THE “GROUNDING” CLAUSE
Will the candidate support a law that prohibits the President and Cabinet from international travel as long as any verified debt to local suppliers remains unpaid past 5 days? Leadership must stay home until the home is fixed.
4. TAX RECIPROCITY AND OFFSET RIGHTS
Will the candidate grant businesses the automatic legal right to offset their taxes against the money the government owes them? If the state owes a company money, that company must have the right to stop paying VAT and PAYE until the debt is settled.
5. THE ADVANCE TAX REFUND MANDATE
Will the candidate ensure that ZRA is legally required to refund overpaid “Advance Tax” within 5 days, with the same harsh penalties for the government that are currently applied to the citizen?
Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party and 2026 Presidential Candidate of the People’s Pact
Membe, your lack of business acumen has resulted in your businesses being unable to pay taxes. You exhibit economic illiteracy by anticipating immediate prosperity after years of mismanagement. Zambia is no longer the distressed economy that your PF associates left behind; it is now a recovering and reforming nation. The Kwacha is bolstered by increased investor confidence as import costs stabilize, leading to reduced financial pressure on businesses. Stabilizing the Kwacha and the cost of living cannot be achieved overnight; it requires a gradual, step-by-step approach, Membe.
Fred meeembe, this is not new. In all regimes tha gap existed but you need to give credit that when the currency appreciates and the stabilizes benefits will start trickling down. Example is fuel imports will become cheaper and if that is past on to the consumer they will start feeling the impact. Fred this is not rocket science for once speak some sense. Don’t be like bitter water sacking saki sikota! Some lawyers? How can you win cases with such shallow reasoning?
A very bitter man who can never say anything positive and very self centred.
Yes,Ka Membe is now mortified and very desperate.He is seeing the very appreciation of the Kwacha sending him into total oblivion and irrelevance
What gap do you expect to reduce in the same week the Kwacha is making the significant gain? Things are gradual my friend, there is no need to rash, Bally is in control, Bally is fixing it, mwalashinkisha nomba. Moreover it’s very difficult to work with people without a vision, M’membe is one of those people who have not acknowledged anything Hakainde has done, he has maintained that Hichilema has failed, Hichilema came to power through lies. Are all these achievements what you can call lies and failures? Can’t you see that our economy is being reshaped back to normal. Continue yapping irrelevancies, Bally is working, Bally wakuleka fye.
This man complains literally on everything.
Even if the kwacha was to depreciate, he would still complain.
To him, ‘no sooner than’ the kwacha appreciates, it should have a ripple effect on the wellbeing of the citizens.
Apart from being a lawyer, try to also study economics. You may need the degree at some confrontational event with the police.
But serious speaking, is he the last born in his family? Pantu, awe, complaining over everything, sure?
Is this what it means to be in opposition? To speak over everything?
Mr man is always crying foul. Let him tell us any of his companies that is tax compliant. Member is always complaining about the things he can’t do.