When Zambians Are Silent, It Doesn’t Mean They Can’t Speak: A Word to the UPND Government
By Thandiwe Ketis Ngoma
Silence is not always peace. Sometimes it is restraint. Sometimes it is the final moment of calm before a nation finds its voice — loud, unrelenting, and undeniable. In Zambia today, the silence of the people must not be misinterpreted as ignorance, fear, or acceptance. The United Party for National Development (UPND) government must be mindful of this reality: Zambians may be silent, but they are not powerless.
Zambians are a dignified and patient people. They value democracy. They believe in process. They have long been generous with their trust, offering their leaders the space and time to deliver. But that trust is not infinite, and silence is not a license for complacency.
When the UPND was ushered into office, it was not with a whisper. It was with a roar of hope. The Zambian people demanded change. They voted for accountability, for economic stability, for inclusive governance, and for leadership that listens. They did not vote for political arrogance. They did not vote for rising hardship. And they certainly did not vote to be forgotten.
Today, the cost of living continues to rise. Job opportunities remain scarce. Many feel unseen, unheard, and unrepresented. And yet, the people remain quiet. But that silence is not apathy. It is observation. It is watchfulness. It is quiet judgment forming beneath the surface.
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Let the UPND government be warned: Zambians know how to speak. And when they do, it is decisive. They speak in communities. They speak through protest. They speak, most powerfully, at the ballot box. The same voices that elevated UPND to power are fully capable of reversing that decision when the time comes.
Leadership is not tested by how it responds to praise, but by how it listens to silence. Wise leaders act when the people whisper. Arrogant ones wait until the people shout. By then, it is often too late.
Zambians are not voiceless. They are simply waiting for the right moment, as they have done before. And when that moment comes, they will speak clearly and courageously, not with violence or chaos, but with conviction and unity.
This silence is not comfort. It is a warning. And for those in power, it must be treated as such.
Which Zambians are you referring????? We are ok with upnd government.