UPND MPs Face Growing Anger as Development Stalls
The frustration of neglected Zambians is reaching dangerous levels, as seen in Ikelenge, where Hon. Elijah Muchima, UPND MP and Minister of Lands, was nearly attacked by his own constituents. The people’s anger is no longer just words it is boiling over into action.
For years, opposition MPs, now in government, blamed the Patriotic Front (PF) for blocking development. They claimed they lacked the resources to make real change. But now, with the UPND in power and the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) increased, the excuses are wearing thin.
Thomas Sipalo, popularly known as Komboni President, did not hold back in his assessment of the situation. “These MPs must take responsibility. They told us PF was sabotaging them, but now they have all the money and full control. What’s stopping them from delivering?” he asked.
The UPND came to power with bold promises of transformation, yet many constituencies remain untouched. Schools are still in disrepair, roads are impassable, and communities lack clean water. Constituents who had high hopes for change are now beginning to question whether they were deceived.
In Ikelenge, residents confronted Muchima, demanding answers. “We are tired of hearing the same old excuses,” one angry voter shouted. “We were promised development, but we are still suffering. Where is the change we voted for?”
Sipalo warned that if MPs continue to fail their people, they should expect serious consequences. “The people won’t tolerate lies anymore. MPs must wake up before it’s too late. If they don’t deliver, they will be chased out of their constituencies. Bazayamba kubatimba.”
Despite the government’s claims of increasing funding for projects, the reality on the ground tells a different story. Constituency funds are either mismanaged or tied up in bureaucratic delays, while MPs remain silent. This has led to growing suspicions of corruption and inefficiency.
With Zambia’s next general elections still a year away, the pressure is mounting. The anger in Ikelenge is not isolated—similar frustrations are rising in constituencies across the country. If MPs do not act quickly, they risk not just losing votes but facing open rebellion from the very people who put them in office.
“The warning is clear,” Sipalo concluded. “Zambians are tired of being used and lied to. We fought for change, not for another round of empty promises. MPs need to deliver now or face the consequences.”
March 18, 2025
©️ KUMWESU
Those re useless MPs killing the party
2026 will be very interesting for MP’s,it will be each one for himself
Poor planning!!!!!!
People have every right to complain. CDF is being released, but if it’s not being used properly or quickly, the area politicians need to look into why and fix it.
The issues facing Zambia are bigger than CDF and are structural and systemic. Government also needs to be diligently working on solutions.
What I suspect is the idiot PF is now jumping on the bandwagon to manipulate real suffering for political points. Pathetic and useless and solution-less as always . Ignore these clowns. Focus on the issues that matter not PF bullshit.
The challenges of ikelengi constituency are structural. The constituency is the only one in ikelenge district. The district is 921 kilometres from Lusaka and 341 kilometres from Solwezi Regional headquarters. The constituency is covering 2,200 square kilometers with a total of 18 wards and a population of about 45,000 . The MP must travel 921 kilometres between parliament and his constituency weekly and when in the constituency cover 18 wards over an area of 2,200 square kilometres. Owing to the long distances , cost of projects is expensive due to high transport costs making the K36:Million CDF inadequate. The real solution is to delimitate the constituency into three of 6 wards each. Its not the MP who is failing here . It’s a failed governance structure and the nation needs to do more for many of such rural constituencies.. How much fatigue, tear and wear of his personal motor vehicle and drain on fuel expenses must the MP incur in service to his people. How much sacrifice to his family must he make in order to cover all the 18 wards over 2,200 square kilometers. Please let’s delimitate this vast constituency into three new constituents if 6 wards each.
Collect analysis but didn’t he know about these issues when he was picked to represent the constituency?
Personally, I think that UPND has serious internal wrangles which could have been suppressed for a long time, the problem with suppression is that it boils within and when it comes out it erupts like a volcano, let the leaders manage the internal wrangles before they reach eruption point. And allow people to complain from within
The Hon. MP himself Dr. Elijah Muchima has refuted those claims, there was nothing or anything like chasing him. That story could have been just one of those propaganda stories, Mwamba is very good at doctoring pictures and he can easily do it. And such stories usually end up back firing, instead of de-campaigning someone, you end up campaigning for him. This is an early free campaign for him.