UPND Promised a New Dawn — But Delivered Familiar Shadows
By George N. Mtonga
When the United Party for National Development (UPND) swept into power in 2021, they did so on the back of a hopeful, frustrated, and energized electorate. Their victory was not just a rejection of the Patriotic Front (PF); it was a cry for dignity, for institutional reform, for civil liberties, and for a Zambia in which justice and freedom are not reserved for the privileged few. Theirs was a campaign that promised a “New Dawn.”
But as we approach 2026, Zambians are asking a painful but necessary question: Where is that dawn?
The promises of the UPND were not modest. They were grand and specific. The manifesto, a document of bold ambition, pledged to restore freedoms, depoliticize public institutions, empower the youth, unite the country, and deliver justice without fear or favor. It is only right, then, that we hold those promises against the reality we now live in.
1. Freedom of Expression: From Promise to Suppression
One of UPND’s strongest selling points was their commitment to protecting civil liberties. Zambians were told that the dark days of censorship and state-sponsored intimidation were over. But today, we are witnessing a digital crackdown on free speech. The 2025 Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act — hurriedly passed with minimal consultation — has created a culture of fear online. Citizens now self-censor, fearing arrest for what they post on Facebook or say on WhatsApp.
What was promised as freedom has been repackaged as control.
2. Justice Still Wears Political Colors
The UPND campaigned on restoring the rule of law. But justice in Zambia still appears to depend on political affiliation. Former PF officials are arrested in dramatic fashion and held without resolution. Meanwhile, ruling party insiders accused of corruption or abuse face little more than newspaper headlines. The public, once hopeful for impartial justice, is now growing cynical — because the law still seems to chase enemies while shielding allies.
Zambians didn’t vote for selective prosecution. They voted for justice without bias.
3. Institutions Remain Captured
The promise was to restore independence to institutions like the Electoral Commission of Zambia, ZICTA, and the Zambia Police. Yet the behavior of these bodies has not drastically changed. The police still act on partisan orders, the ECZ still lacks credibility in the eyes of many voters, and ZICTA — far from being reformed — is now the primary enforcer of speech control.
The UPND may have changed the faces, but not the foundation. The capture remains — only the captors have changed.
4. The Youth Were Used, Not Empowered
No demographic turned out in greater numbers for the UPND than Zambia’s youth. They were promised inclusion, opportunity, and a voice in national development. Instead, they were given token appointments, inconsistent empowerment schemes, and left out of critical national conversations. The young Zambians who marched for democracy in 2021 now feel sidelined by a government that speaks to them only when cameras are on.
You cannot claim to lead a new generation if you ignore its voice.
5. The Public Order Act Still Looms
How can we speak of progress when the very law used to silence opposition — the Public Order Act — still stands, untouched? The UPND built its political movement on the promise of repealing or reforming this colonial relic. Four years later, it remains in force, and opposition parties still face harassment when attempting to hold rallies or meetings.
The question is simple: Why promise to end repression if you intend to use it?
6. Civic Space is Shrinking, Not Expanding
Zambia once prided itself on a vibrant civil society. Under UPND, however, that space is shrinking. NGOs face new registration challenges and are kept at arm’s length from key policy processes. Independent journalists face subtle intimidation and limited access. The promise of a participatory democracy has been replaced by a performative one.
Conclusion: A Mandate Must Be Earned — Not Assumed
The UPND may have entered office on a wave of hope, but hope fades when not fed by action. While some may still consider them the lesser evil, they must not be handed another landslide victory. In fact, their reduced support in local by-elections and rising public frustration point to a nation that wants to send a message — not necessarily to remove them, but to humble them.
If they are to win in 2026, let it be by merit, not memory. Let it be with checks and balances, not blind loyalty.
Zambians voted for a dawn — not a dusk that feels all too familiar. The New Dawn must be held accountable before it becomes the old nightmare.
Some of these MPs should be used as a message by making them lose their seats!!!