“STOP CELEBRATING FAILURE WHILE ZAMBIANS SUFFER!” – NJOBVU URGES UPND
Democratic Union (DU) President Ackim Antony Njobvu has launched a strong attack on the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND), accusing the government of arrogance and insensitivity to the economic struggles facing ordinary Zambians.
Reacting to recent remarks by a Cabinet Minister urging citizens to “learn to appreciate” the government’s performance, Njobvu said it was “painful and insulting” for leaders to expect gratitude while the majority of Zambians are enduring rising costs of living and worsening poverty.
“It is very unfortunate that this outgoing government wants the Zambian people to celebrate suffering,” Njobvu said in a statement. “What is there to appreciate when the cost of living is still unbearable for most of our people?”
He criticized the government for what he described as misplaced priorities and self-congratulation, arguing that while “their pockets are full,” ordinary citizens continue to struggle to afford basic necessities.
“All they have done is mess up the country, taking us two steps backwards,” Njobvu charged. “People are tired of the UPND and have given up on it. It’s like the country is under a spell of poverty.”
The opposition leader accused UPND officials of being out of touch with the realities facing citizens, saying their rhetoric reflects a leadership that “lives in a different country than the rest of us.”
In a rallying call ahead of the 2026 general elections, Njobvu urged Zambians to register as voters in large numbers and “retire the current administration via the ballot box.”
“Friends, 2026 is just around the corner,” he said. “Go and register as voters in masses and ensure that we retire these failures via the ballot box next year – kwamana.”
While the government has maintained that it inherited a fragile economy and is making progress through fiscal reforms and debt restructuring, critics argue that the impact on the ground remains negligible.
©️ KUMWESU | October 15, 2025
Why are Zambians suffering?
If you want to suggest Zambians are suffering cause of:-
1. Loadshedding – was the 2024 draught a poltical choice? Or a natural phenomenon?
Can Zesco afford to continue subsidising the low tariffs or importing power when it was forced to borrow recklessly, invest in the same hydro that lacks water and is saddled with debt that PF cadres enjoyed (ghost workers) and misapplication of loans?
2. Mr. Njobvu stop living in lala land. We live on earth. What is the inflation rate in England, America? Or even China after the evergreen collapse? Inflatiion is a global phenomenon. Wr dont live in insolated spots today. When one part of the world “catches a cold, the rest of us have the flu”, as they say. Global issues have come to affect not just Zambia but the entire world Show me a country unaffect by the war in between Russia and Ukrain.
3. Ba Njobvu be real. Do you understand the state the economy was in 2021? Or just the unrealistic PF.slogans of ” mpre money i your picket seem to exist in your mind. Was there any reality in the statement then? Or are so gullible and used to the state treating us like we are children; even when the state can not afford to do so? Lets be ovjective. We still have this notion that the mines are “ours” sorry but that is a lie. They are owned by the private investors that took the risk of investing where people like Shi Nono want to behave like they didnt fail.
Its important to realise that whatever government will be there in 2026. The issues that plague Zambia will not change. Letsome politicans be realistic. Wenye yayi….
We have overcome alot and the coast is not clear. Read reports from the people managing our economy as well as Multilateral instutions that support us. Stop living under a rock with your head in the sand. Speak to the facts that exist. Zambia is just crawling back from the economic mess and theft that took place under PF. If you want to be objective speak to the facts. Tell us what alternative programs your will undertake if voted in to power not some empty populus rethoric that will only get you into office and be far from reality
Constructive Political Engagement: A Call for Substance Over Criticism
I wish to address Mr. Njobvu and other political parties with a sincere piece of advice: it is time to move beyond spending valuable time criticizing the United Party for National Development’s (UPND) perspectives on the state of the economy or attacking President HH. Instead of focusing on criticism, I urge you to take a more constructive approach.
Recommended Steps for Opposition Parties
1. Present Your Party Manifesto: Share with the public the principles, objectives, and plans that define your party. Let Zambians understand what your party stands for and intends to achieve.
2. Offer Alternative Policies: Convince the Zambian people by outlining what policies you would implement differently if allowed to govern. Clearly articulate how your approach would improve the current situation.
3. Introduce a Shadow Cabinet: Demonstrate your readiness to govern by providing a shadow cabinet. This will allow citizens to see who would be responsible for various sectors under your leadership.
4. Present a 2026 Alternative Budget: Share a proposed budget for 2026, showcasing your party’s priorities and how you plan to allocate resources to address the country’s needs.
Currently, discourse primarily consists of persistent and unproductive criticism, which is beginning to sound like the incessant buzzing of mosquitoes—irritating and devoid of substance. This approach has become tiresome to the public.
Therefore, I strongly encourage all opposition parties to shift from mere criticism to providing tangible alternatives and meaningful contributions to the national conversation.