POWER MUST NOT BE WON THROUGH TRIBAL DIVISIONS-KABIMBA

By: Agness Nakazwe

Economic Front (EF) leader Winter Kabimba has urged politicians to refrain from making tribal remarks in their pursuit of political power.

Mr. Kabimba observed that some politicians mistakenly believe they can secure electoral victories by appealing to tribal sentiments during radio programmes or campaign activities.

Featuring on Power FM, Mr. Kabimba stressed that Zambia requires a strong opposition capable of providing effective checks and balances on the ruling party.

However, he emphasized that this must be achieved on merit rather than through the promotion of tribal divisions.

He cautioned that politicians who resort to tribal discourse do not act in the country’s best interest, describing such conduct as dangerous and a threat to national unity.
#SunFmTvNews

Proposed Debt Swap Framework for Civil Servants in Zambia (for Public Debate).
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“The proposed Debt Swap Programme is not a bailout and must not create a new fiscal burden.” – SCC.
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Background and Problem Statement

Zambia’s civil service remains the backbone of public service delivery. However, a growing number of civil servants are trapped in unsustainable personal debt, largely driven by high-interest loans from commercial banks and microfinance institutions tied to payroll deductions.

In many cases, civil servants take home little to nothing after statutory deductions and loan repayments. Some payslips show zero or negative net pay, undermining morale, productivity, family stability, and ultimately the quality of public service delivery.

This situation is no longer a private financial matter. It constitutes a systemic risk to public administration, workforce efficiency, and national development.

Policy Objective

The Proposed Debt Swap Framework for Civil Servants seeks to:

(a) Restore the financial dignity and productivity of civil servants

(b) Reduce exposure to predatory lending and excessive interest rates

(c) Stabilise household incomes while maintaining fiscal discipline

(d) Improve public service delivery by reducing financial stress in the public sector

Proposed Policy Proposal: Civil Servants Debt Swap Framework

We propose that Government introduces a structured, voluntary Debt Swap Programme, guided by the following principles:

1. Proposed Consolidation and Refinancing of Existing Debt

It is proposed that Government, through a designated financial vehicle, such as a state-backed facility or approved partner banks, shall buy out or refinance existing high-interest loans owed by civil servants to commercial banks and microfinance institutions.

These obligations shall be consolidated into a single loan facility with transparent terms, eliminating multiple deductions, overlapping repayments, and opaque charges. The objective is to replace fragmented, high-cost debt with one affordable, predictable, and manageable repayment structure.

2. Lower Interest Rates and Longer Repayment Periods

Under the Debt Swap Framework, refinanced loans shall be issued at concessionary interest rates, significantly below prevailing commercial and microfinance rates. These rates must reflect the low-risk nature of payroll-deducted lending, rather than profit-maximising margins.

Repayment periods shall be extended to medium- and long-term tenures, calibrated to civil servants’ income levels, in order to ensure affordability and sustainability. This structure aims to rebalance debt servicing in a way that guarantees:

(a) A reasonable and predictable take-home pay

(b) Reduced monthly repayment pressure

(c) Improved household financial stability

(d) Lower default risk within the payroll lending system

Crucially, this framework recognises that financial relief is not achieved through loan forgiveness, but through fair pricing of credit and realistic repayment horizons aligned with income realities.

3. Payroll-Based Repayment with Safeguards

Loan repayments shall continue through payroll deductions to preserve discipline and recovery certainty. However, deductions shall be capped by policy, ensuring that no participating civil servant falls below a defined minimum net-pay threshold.

This safeguard protects workers’ dignity and productivity while maintaining the integrity and sustainability of the lending system.

4. Eligibility and Targeting

The programme shall be voluntary and targeted, with priority given to:

(a) Lower- and middle-income civil servants

(b) Teachers, health workers, and frontline service providers

Clear eligibility criteria will ensure the intervention is focused on relief and stability, not indiscriminate expansion of credit.

5. Financial Literacy and Borrowing Controls

To prevent recurrence, the proposed Debt Swap Programme shall be accompanied by:

(a) Mandatory financial literacy and debt management programmes

(b) Stronger regulation of payroll-based lending

(c) Borrowing limits linked to net income, not gross salary

This ensures that relief is durable and that systemic weaknesses are addressed.

Fiscal Responsibility and Risk Management

The proposed Debt Swap Programme is not a bailout and must not create a new fiscal burden.

(a) Government DOES NOT ABSORB PRIVATE DEBT; rather, it facilitates refinancing and restructuring

(b) Private lenders are paid, but excessive interest margins are curtailed

(c) The framework should be cost-neutral or self-financing over time

Expected Outcomes

If properly implemented, the proposed policy will:

(a) Increase civil servants’ net take-home pay

(b) Improve morale, focus, and productivity

(c) Reduce absenteeism and moonlighting

(d) Strengthen public service delivery

(e) Stabilise household economies and reduce social stress

Conclusion

Civil servants cannot deliver national development while trapped in perpetual debt. A well-designed Debt Swap Framework offers a balanced, disciplined, and sustainable solution, one that protects workers, maintains fiscal responsibility, and restores dignity to public service.

This proposed policy is not about handouts. It is about systemic reform, fairness, and sustainability. This is important to do because a productive civil service is a prerequisite for a productive nation.

Yours Truly,

Hon Sunday Chanda – MP
Kanchibiya Constituency

Note:

This discussion is not about politics. It is about identifying and implementing sustainable solutions.

KAWANA EXPLAINS POWER SUPPLY STABILITY

MINISTRY of Information and Media Permanent Secretary, Thabo Kawana, says the increased and stable power supply the country is currently experiencing is a result of government interventions put in place to address the power deficit.

Speaking when he featured as a guest on Millennium Radio programme dubbed ‘The Interview’, Mr Kawana stated that the various measures that the government has been implementing have contributed to the stable supply of power.

He said President Hakainde Hichilema is on record assuring the nation during a media engagement last year that the measures which were being taken by the government to address the power crisis would come to fruition in December 2025 and beyond.

“Earlier last year, during a press briefing on the country’s energy crisis, the President made it very clear that the measures being put in place would begin to materialise and yield results in 2026. By the time we reach December 2025, we expect to see an improvement in power supply,” he said.

The Information and Media Permanent Secretary cited the introduction of open access as one of the interventions that have helped in stabilising power in the country.

Mr Kawana said during the radio programme that the introduction of open access has enabled independent power producers to participate in both the import and export of electricity.

“Among the measures we put in place is open access, which meant that independent power producers also come on board to participate, not just Zesco; they too can sell and export.

So what is happening now is that independent producers are part of those importing and exporting power,” he explained.

He further revealed that the mines are currently not entirely dependent on Zesco for power, as they also purchase from independent power producers.

He added that the development has resulted in some power being freed from Zesco, hence the power stability in the country.

Mr Kawana further noted that President Hichilema has demonstrated strong leadership by promoting alternative sources of power such as solar and wind.

He cited Chisamba, Kitwe and Chipata as some of the districts where solar plants have been set up with a view to address the power deficit in the country.

Mr Kawana has since expressed optimism that Zambia will soon move from being an importer to a net exporter of power in the region.

He said the alternative sources of energy being put around the country are yielding results, as evidenced by the stable supply of power being enjoyed currently.

Mr Kawana has meanwhile disclosed that Maamba Energy under Phase Two is expected to add 300 megawatts of thermal power and 100 megawatts of solar power, a development which will further improve electricity supply in the country.

Commenting on the cost of power, Mr Kawana explained that during the erratic supply of electricity, Zesco applied to the Energy Regulation Board for an emergency power tariff, which was going to give citizens access to more power, though at a slightly higher cost.

He pointed out that Zesco introduced two bands, which meant that the more people use power, the more one would pay.

Mr Kawana highlighted that residential and industrial players have their own tariff Zesco plan.

He has since encouraged the public to use power cautiously, noting that households pay less when they consume less electricity.

Zanis

Lusaka City Council has moved from zero to hero financially

Kalikiliki ward Councilor  Shadreck Chimwanga writes ;

Liftery Ndaba has made it! As a councillor , I’m compelled to share my testimony of the remarkable transformation at Lusaka City Council under his leadership as Town Clerk, alongside Mr. Phiri as Director of Finance, and many others not forgetting ba mayor. Before they took office, the council was plagued by alias, ghost workers, and crippling arrears.

Workers were crying, protesting, and complaining about unpaid salaries and allowances. The streets were dirty, facilities were run-down, and the council’s finances were in shambles. It was a shame to be a council worker, and people would stigmatize you just because of your affiliation. But those days are over, thanks to Mr. Ndaba and his team.

But the moment they took over, everything changed. The problems that had plagued the council for years began to disappear. The streets are now cleaner, facilities are renovated,and workers are paid on time. Toilets are renovated, offices are modernized, and Wi-Fi connects every corner of the Civic Centre. The council chamber is at a verge of being renovated, and CDF disbursements are faster than ever,slowly turning Kalikiliki Ward into half London.

Most importantly, they’ve brought up mechanisms for the council to generate revenue, making Lusaka City Council the most financially stable it has ever been. This financial stability has enabled them to implement various projects and improvements, benefiting the people of Lusaka.

I attribute this transformation to Mr. Ndaba, Mr. Phiri, and many others who are working tirelessly behind the scenes. They’re a formidable team, dedicated to their work, and always available to serve. Unlike other town clerks, Mr. Ndaba is always in the office, clearing documents, and attending to every client with dedication. He’s a rare breed of leader who goes to meetings and comes back on time, ensuring that work doesn’t suffer.

Lusaka was once the lowest, but since they took over, it’s become the most well-performing city in Zambia. It’s a shining example of efficiency and transparency, and I proudly say that Lusaka cannot be compared to any other city. Workers are no longer complaining about unpaid salaries or house rentals, and our facilities are a testament to their hard work. I’ve seen it firsthand – Mr. Ndaba, Mr. Phiri, and their team are game-changers.

Mr. Ndaba is representing the government very well, and has removed the shame that Lusaka had been carrying for so long. It’s no longer shameful to be a worker in Lusaka, thanks to his hard work. He’s done a remarkable job on behalf of the President of Zambia, and I’m sure His Excellency is very happy with the progress being made in Lusaka.

But I also want to address a sad trend that’s been happening at the Civic Centre. We’ve seen instances where hardworking individuals are fought by unknown people, left centre and right, until they’re chased away and transferred to far-off places. It’s a tactic used by haters to undermine progress and chase away good people. And sadly, some people are just born to do evil.

They hide behind Christianity, gender, or other masks, but their intentions are clear. They ask for favours or try to push their own agendas, and when they’re refused, they become enemies. They’re the ones spreading negativity and trying to bring others down. But we’re not going to let them succeed.

We appreciate Mr. Ndaba, Mr. Phiri, and their team, and we want them to continue doing what they’re doing. They’re upright men, ones I’ve never met in my life, and they deserve recognition. In fact, I believe Mr. Ndaba is worthy of higher office, such as Lusaka Province Minister. Let’s support Mr. Ndaba, Mr. Phiri, and their team, and give them the backing they deserve.

God bless you 🙏

GARY NKOMBO RUBBISHES RESIGNATION RUMORS

1st February, 2026

Mazabuka Central Member of Parliament and Kabweza resident, Hon. Gary Nkombo, has come out guns blazing to silence swirling rumors suggesting that he has resigned from the United Party for National Development (UPND).

The speculation, which spread like wildfire across political circles and social media, left many supporters stunned and opponents prematurely celebrating what would have been a major shake-up in the ruling party.

But Nkombo was quick to pour cold water on the claims.

“Fake news going round, I am in my village at Kapongo since morning,” he stated, dismissing the reports with a tone of calm certainty.

His brief but firm response has effectively slammed the brakes on the rumor mill, signaling that the seasoned politician remains firmly planted in the UPND camp.

Political analysts say the incident highlights the growing danger of misinformation in an already charged political atmosphere as the country edges closer to the next electoral cycle.

For now, it appears the only thing Hon. Nkombo has resigned from is the patience to entertain baseless
gossip.

UPND MT

The Fall of the Patriotic Front and the Crisis of Opposition Politics in Zambia

By Linda Banks

The Patriotic Front, once Zambia’s most formidable political force and a vehicle of hope for millions, now stands at the edge of political irrelevance. This was the party that carried Michael Sata’s populist fire and later governed under Edgar Lungu. Today, it is fractured, confused, and struggling to speak with one voice.

So begs the question, What went wrong? Why did a party so deeply embedded in Zambia’s political consciousness unravel so quickly after losing power in 2021? And what does its decline tell us about the wider state of opposition politics, the conduct of the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND), and the future of Zambia’s democracy as the country edges toward 2026?

Answering these questions requires more than recounting events. It demands an honest examination of leadership culture, institutional weakness, and political behaviour.

A Party Without a North Star

The Patriotic Front’s crisis is not cosmetic,It is existential. After its defeat, the party failed to pause, reflect, and redefine itself. Instead of rebuilding institutions, clarifying ideology, and renewing leadership, it slid into factional warfare.

Internal voices have openly acknowledged the loss of structure, unity, and discipline. Rival centres of authority emerged. Press statements contradicted one another. Courtrooms replaced conferences, personality politics overwhelmed policy thinking.

This is a predictable outcome when a party relies too heavily on charismatic authority rather than strong institutions, across Africa, many organisations are often caught in the act of  ignoring grooming successors. Movements built around individuals, struggle when leadership transitions arrives. When the glue disappears, coherence collapses.

The electorate has noticed. And it is asking a simple question: can a party that cannot govern itself be trusted to govern a nation?

Leadership Vacuum and the Weight of Legacy

The death of Edgar Lungu was a moment of national reflection, but for the PF it reopened unresolved fractures. Without a clear succession framework, ambition filled the vacuum. Parallel structures appeared, legal manoeuvres replaced political consensus.

Where institutional succession is weak, factionalism thrives. Where factionalism thrives, credibility erodes. Defections followed, supporters drifted. Elected figures crossed the floor, not always out of conviction, but often out of survival.

The canoeists (PF)did not merely lose power, It lost its boat, it lost gravity.

The Ruling Party and the Opposition Dilemma

How much responsibility does the UPND bear for this decline? PF figures have accused the ruling party of using state machinery to restrict opposition activity, citing limited political space and legal constraints.

From a strategic standpoint, incumbency always carries advantage. Yet it would be dishonest to place the PF’s collapse solely at the feet of the ruling party. A weak house is easy to shake. Internal disorder creates opportunities that political opponents inevitably exploit.

At the same time, President Hakainde Hichilema’s government has not been spared public scrutiny. While debt restructuring and renewed international engagement have attracted praise, many Zambians continue to feel the weight of unmet expectations. The cost of living remains high, perceptions of official arrogance persist, public patience is wearing thin, and a growing segment of the electorate is openly questioning the UPND’s hold on power.This has led to the  UPND today resembling  a wounded buffalo, still powerful, still dangerous, but limping under the pressure of expectation.

Many Parties, No Compass

Beyond the PF, Zambia’s opposition landscape is crowded but unfocused. Multiple parties compete for attention, yet none commands enough national appeal to challenge incumbency alone.

African political history is instructive. Divided opposition rarely wins. Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa all offer lessons in how fragmentation hands victory to ruling parties.

Zambians see the same pattern repeating. Endless alliance negotiations. Public quarrels, collapsing coalitions. These disputes are often presented as ideological differences. In truth, they signal weak leadership and, too often, naked greed.

Who leads. Who controls the ticket. Who benefits.

The public understands this instinctively, If politicians cannot manage their ambitions in opposition, how will they manage state power?

Nyuu Under the Microscope

Into this space steps a powerful slogan, Nyuu. New leaders, New ideas. A new political culture.It resonates because Zambians are tired ,tired of recycled faces, tired of disappointment, tired of being asked to trust the same hands that once dropped the ball. But slogans invite scrutiny.

Is Nyuu truly new, or is it old politics dressed in fresh language?

Look closely at those leading the charge, are they genuinely fresh political minds, or familiar figures repackaged for another season? Some of the loudest advocates for renewal are individuals who once stood close to power, defended excesses, and normalised arrogance.

Zambians did not reject a government only because of debt or economics, they rejected arrogant attitudes. Leaders who stopped listening, stopped respecting the people, and confused entitlement with leadership. So the question must be asked, have the lessons truly been learned?

Campaign Managers/Bloggers  and Political Judgment

Opposition leaders must ask themselves an uncomfortable question, are we choosing strategists who broaden our appeal, or gatekeepers who sabotage it? Leadership is judged not only by the candidate, but by the company they keep. Campaign managers are mirrors. They reflect judgment, values, and political maturity.

Across democracies, elections are lost not because candidates lack ideas, but because their inner circles repel undecided voters. Campaign managers known for insults, abrasive language, and public baggage do not build coalitions. They shrink them.

You cannot insult your way to State House.
You cannot bully your way into credibility,
You cannot promise unity while thriving on division.

From Critique to Construction

If the opposition is serious about offering Zambia an alternative, Nyuu must become a discipline, not a chant.

Renewal must be visible, those whose public image is tied to past failures should step back into advisory roles. Experience matters, but dominance does damage.

Opposition parties must agree on a transparent and credible method for selecting a single presidential candidate,the process matters as much as the person. Trust begins with how choices are made.

Campaign teams must be rebuilt around competence, restraint, and public credibility. Language matters. Tone matters. Respect matters.

Above all, the opposition must remember this truth: power is not seized, it is entrusted. And Zambians will not entrust their future to movements that look like yesterday arguing with itself.

In conclusion, the fall of the Patriotic Front is not merely the story of one party. It is a warning about institutional weakness, ego over ideology, and the political cost of arrogance.

The UPND, though dominant today, is not invincible. But incumbency will not be dislodged by noise, confusion, or recycled politics.

Zambia stands at a crossroads. Will opposition leaders choose unity over ego, strategy over spectacle, renewal over recycling?

Nyuu is still possible.
But it must be demonstrated, not declared.

The people are watching.
The window is narrowing.
And history is unforgiving to those who mistake ambition for leadership.

Linda Banks is a Journalist covering politics, justice, social issues and international affairs across Africa and the UK.

© 2025 Linda Banks. All rights reserved.

PUT IT IN WRITING EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE NO AUTHORITY-PF NAKONDE MP TELLS LUBINDA GROUPING

MEDIA STATEMENT RESPONSE

My attention has been drawn to media reports suggesting my expulsion from the Patriotic Front (PF).

I wish to state that I have not received any official communication from the party regarding this matter. As a dedicated member and Provincial Youth Treasurer for Muchinga Province, I understand that such significant decisions follow a clear internal procedure and are not conducted through media statements or social media.

Until I am formally served with official communication on the party’s letterhead, bearing the clear signatories and details of the authority behind it, I remain a loyal member of the Patriotic Front. I believe it is prudent to await proper and lawful channels of communication, especially in the current climate.

Sincerely,
Hon. Lukas Simumba, MP
Nakonde Constituency
Patriotic Front Member & Muchinga Province Youth Treasurer

By Prof Mutt.

A MUST-READ COUNTER-REACTION TO KBN TV’S EDITORIAL ON THE KASAMA BY-ELECTION: WHY THE “UNITED OPPOSITION” ARGUMENT IS FLAWED

The KBN TV editorial on the Kasama mayoral by-election is less of an objective analysis and more of a projection of the writer’s political expectations and wishes.

You can access their editorial via this link:https://www.fac

It begins from a desired conclusion, that the ruling party should have lost, and then works backwards to justify that belief.

The central hypothesis advanced in the article that a united opposition fielding one candidate, would have automatically defeated UPND, is both speculative and intellectually weak. Here is why ?

First of all, the assumption that votes cast for different opposition parties are transferable is fundamentally flawed. Voters are not commodities that can be pooled and reassigned at will.

Those who voted for CF, UPPZ, SP, or any other party did so for different and personal reasons, ranging from ideological alignment and candidate appeal to protest voting, historical loyalty, or outright rejection of both UPND and FDD.

To automatically assume that these voters would have rallied behind a single opposition candidate is not only incorrect, but also dismissive of the intelligence of the people of Kasama.

Secondly, the editorial conveniently ignores a critical political reality in Zambian politics called “voter apathy”. The crop of voters we have today is very different from the one Pastor Kennedy Mambwe, the owner of KBN TV, was born into. Today’s voters are more enlightened and more discerning. They know exactly what they want. Their voting choices are driven by preference, and when their preferred candidate is not on the ballot, many consciously choose to abstain rather than vote blindly.

For such voters, a “united opposition” could just as easily have reduced turnout or driven them to abstain, rather than consolidating votes. History has also shown that voter apathy often favours the ruling party.

Thirdly, while the article correctly states that UPND mobilised heavily and took the election seriously, it contradicts itself by later downplaying that same mobilisation and attributing the outcome mainly to opposition fragmentation.

You see, Elections are not won in theory.  They are won through organisation, ground presence, voter mobilisation, and most importantly, message resonance.

On this score, UPND clearly outperformed its competitors. The combination of Elvis Nkandu, Chipoka Mulenga, Paul Kabuswe, Levy Ngoma, and Elias Mubanga went into Kasama with a message centred on CDF, free education, peace and development. Something that resonated well with the voters.

While the other camp went in with divisive campaign messages of regionalism and character assassination. The kind of politics that the youths, who form the majority of voters, have decisively rejected.

Moreover, the repeated comparison of the combined opposition tally against the UPND vote is a post-election arithmetic exercise, not political science. Adding up opposition tallies after the fact, does not explain how people would have voted under a different political arrangement. If they did, coalition politics would be far simpler than it actually is.

The article also attempts to absolve itself from regional bias by stating “stop blaming northerners,” yet paradoxically keeps returning to regional voting narratives. Somehow, the article seems to suggest that the people of Kasama would have voted along regional lines had the opposition united, again, an insult to the intelligence of the people of Kasama.

The truth is that Kasama voters made independent choices, and those choices delivered a winner. There is no moral or democratic obligation for voters to align their preferences to suit opposition arithmetic.

Finally, the suggestion that Kasama offers a ready-made “template” for the August 2026 elections is premature and exaggerated. By-elections are context-specific and often influenced by short-term factors that do not automatically translate into general election outcomes.

The invocation of the 50+1 threshold is also misleading. While it is true that UPND did not cross the 50+1 mark in Kasama, this fact is being stretched beyond its proper context. A mayoral by-election is not a presidential election, and the 50+1 rule applies to nationwide presidential contests, not isolated local races.

More importantly, it does not logically follow that Kasama suggests a united opposition could have forced a rerun in a general election simply because UPND fell short of 50+1 in this by-election. A general election involves the entire country, not a single district. The ruling party has strongholds across Zambia where a so-called united opposition would likely score negligible or even zero returns. Ignoring these national dynamics and extrapolating Kasama into a national rerun scenario is analytically unsound.

In conclusion, the Kasama result does not in any way prove that a united opposition would have won. What it proves is that UPND organised better, campaigned harder, and convinced more voters on the day. Any other conclusion is a  conjecture driven more by political desire, inspired by a political inclination than electoral reality.

Zambian voters are not numbers on a spreadsheet that can be added to suit one’s political desire. They are thinking citizens, and any analysis that ignores this reality is bound to miss the point. The KBN editorial completely ignored this reality.

(Disclaimer: Pictures do not suggest the KBN editorial was authored by these two )