The UPND Government Deceived Zambia into Power: Accountability Is a Right, Not Bitterness
By Thandiwe Ketis Ngoma
When the United Party for National Development (UPND) swept into power, they did so on the wings of hope. Millions of Zambians believed the UPND’s bold promises to fix the economy, end load-shedding, lower the cost of living, and restore law and order. These promises were not mere campaign rhetoric; they were commitments to a people desperate for change. But over two years later, these promises have proven hollow.
Zambians are now grappling with the painful truth: the UPND lied their way into power. Instead of fulfilling their pledges, their governance has been defined by excuses, deflection, and outright failure. Citizens who demand accountability are vilified as “bitter” or dismissed as “PF surrogates.”
But let us be clear: calling out a government for its failures is not bitterness or political partisanship. It is a demand for the transparency and competence that every Zambian deserves. It is a cry for justice from a people betrayed by those they trusted.
A Catalogue of Broken Promises
The UPND’s promises have disintegrated into a series of glaring failures. These were not mere missteps; they are evidence of a government unprepared and unwilling to deliver on its commitments.
1. The Economy: A Broken Pledge
The UPND assured Zambians that they had the expertise to stabilize the Kwacha, reduce inflation, and rescue the economy from the brink of collapse. Instead:
The Kwacha has nosedived, driving up the cost of goods and services and eroding Zambians’ purchasing power.
Inflation remains rampant, pushing more families into poverty.
The debt crisis has worsened, with the government failing to present a viable recovery plan.
Zambians are not just disappointed; they are angry. The daily struggle to afford basic necessities has intensified, and there is no end in sight. The promise of economic stability has turned into a nightmare of worsening poverty.
2. Load-Shedding: A Persistent Crisis
The UPND declared load-shedding would become history under their administration. Yet:
Power outages remain widespread, paralyzing businesses and reducing household productivity.
The government has failed to invest in energy infrastructure, opting instead for band-aid solutions that do little to address the underlying issues.
Load-shedding has robbed Zambia of economic opportunities and further damaged the trust citizens had in the UPND’s ability to deliver.
3. Mealie Meal Prices: An Unbearable Burden
Zambians were promised affordable basic commodities, especially mealie meal—a staple in every home. Instead:
Mealie meal prices have skyrocketed, making it unaffordable for many families.
The government has failed to support local farmers and stabilize agricultural output, exacerbating the crisis.
Rural and urban families alike are struggling to feed their children. This failure is not just about broken promises; it is about human suffering.
4. Fuel Prices: A Broken Promise at the Pump
The UPND promised lower fuel prices to reduce the cost of transportation and goods. The reality, however, could not be more different:
Fuel prices have reached record highs, placing additional financial strain on Zambians.
This has had a ripple effect, driving up the cost of essential goods and services.
The government’s inability—or unwillingness—to tackle this issue is a betrayal of the trust placed in them by voters.
5. Caderism: A Lie Exposed
President Hichilema’s pledge to end caderism was heralded as a cornerstone of his promise to restore law and order. Yet:
Cadres continue to intimidate citizens and perpetuate violence, operating with impunity.
The government has failed to hold perpetrators accountable, creating a climate of fear and insecurity.
This hypocrisy has left Zambians disillusioned, as the same practices that the UPND condemned while in opposition are now thriving under their watch.
6. A Cabinet of Broken Dreams
President Hichilema touted his cabinet as a “Champions League” team that would deliver results. However:
Many ministers have fallen short of expectations, lacking the vision and competence required to address Zambia’s pressing challenges.
Internal divisions and bureaucratic inefficiencies have further stalled progress.
This is not the “dream team” Zambians were promised; it is a team that has failed to rise to the occasion.
Deflection and Arrogance
Rather than addressing these failures, the UPND has adopted a strategy of deflection and arrogance. Dismissing critics as “bitter” or labeling them as opposition sympathizers is not only undemocratic but deeply insulting to Zambians who demand better governance.
This contempt for criticism reveals a troubling reality: the UPND government is unwilling to listen, learn, or adapt. A government that cannot handle scrutiny is a government that does not respect democracy.
Accountability Is Non-Negotiable
Zambians have a right to demand accountability. It is not an act of partisanship but a duty of citizenship. The UPND’s failure to deliver on its promises is not a political issue; it is a national crisis.
Criticism stems from a love for Zambia and a desire to see it thrive.
A government that refuses to be held accountable is one that has failed its people.
A Call for Real Leadership
The UPND must confront its failures head-on. Excuses will no longer suffice. To restore even a shred of credibility, the government must:
1. Acknowledge its failures and provide a clear explanation for unfulfilled promises.
2. Present actionable solutions to address the economic crisis, load-shedding, and the skyrocketing cost of living.
3. Crack down on caderism and restore law and order.
4. Engage with critics in meaningful dialogue, rather than dismissing them with labels and insults.
Leadership is about humility, accountability, and action. The UPND must remember that they are servants of the people, not their rulers.
Conclusion
The UPND government came into power on the strength of promises that now feel like a cruel joke. Zambians are not asking for miracles; they are asking for the basics—competent governance, accountability, and respect.
The people of Zambia will not be silenced. They will continue to demand better, not out of bitterness, but out of a commitment to a brighter future.
The UPND lied their way into power, and the people will not forget. This is not about politics—it is about survival. Zambia is watching, and the government must deliver or face the judgment of a nation betrayed.
Uyu ni Ndonga! That’s we we need to say!
The UPND never deceived anyone. You are just a bitter person who is lazy to work but want ” ntantakeni”. We know you are woman but in life you have to work hard…..You can’t see the major works around the country being done by UPND? The Ndola Lusaka road project alone outshines all PF infrastructure projects. Have you heard about the Chililabombwe _ Chingola road? Chibuluma road? Continue leaving in denial. You still have up to 2041 to enjoy UPND works. Hope your BP and bitterness will spare you!
This person can really be irritating and such irritation can make someone commit sin. It was such irritation which made Peter to deny his Lord for three times because the woman kept on coming with the same story every after few minutes or hours. Thandiwe Ketis Ngoma if at all she is the real person should stop insulting Zambians because to claim that Zambians are now grappling with the painful truth: the UPND lied their way into power is just as good as saying Zambians nibopwalala. How can one person like HH manage to deceive the whole country and yet the same people had rejected him for five times before? Naturally human beings are very difficult creatures to satisfy because even to God they complain and murmur. In the wilderness, some group irritated Moses so much that he forgot himself and sinned. Instead of hitting the Rock once, he hit it twice and that one sin made him not to enter the promised land. As if it was not enough, the same group accused God of lying, they said God had promised us to bring us to the land that floweth with milk and honey and yet we now just suffering in this desert without food and water. You can read from the book of Numbers 16:13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? Numbers 16:14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up. This is exactly how they some people complain and murmur today, accusing HH of ascending to power through lies. They have decided to close their ears and eyes so they don’t see all the good works that HH and his government have done.
People should learn to make sense of what God is saying, they should also learn to make sense of what man is saying. For example, milk comes from animals, cows if you like and honey comes from bees. And this is only possible in a good land with good pastures and forests, God did not promise milk and honey from rivers or rocks, no. So from Red Sea to river Jordan, the children of Israel did not see or find a drop of milk or honey anywhere, instead, God started raining manna on them. Did God lie to them? Not at all. Those people already had animals and all what they needed was goodly land with good pastures and good forests in order for them to produce and harvest plenty milk and honey. In Zambia we have the energy and hands blessed with goodly land. If God blesses us with good rains and we produce bumper harvests consecutively for two to three years, can we fail to bring the cost of living down? We can have more than we need and can even start exporting the surplus. After all, impwa, lumanda, chibwabwa, kalembula, bondwe even eggs are still relatively cheap. Had it not been the drought, this high cost of living could have been history by now. So, stop misleading people, HH has already created a favorable environment for Zambians to produce enough food, only lazy ones like T.K. Ngoma will keep on complaining. And if she is one of the people who are still waiting for mealie meal costing k50, she is still living in a fantasy world. Those who want cheap food should produce it themselves especially that the rains seem to be promising this season. Time for handouts is long gone, it just brings and encourages laziness.
Ms. Thandiwe Ketis Ngoma is a broken vinyl record. Those who are older know what I am talking about. When a record is broken, it keeps repeating itself.
Nothing new in what “she” has posted.