Zambia on firm economic trajectory under Hichilema – PF MP Mung’andu

Zambia on firm economic trajectory under Hichilema – PF MP Mung’andu.

Chama South PF member of parliament Davison Mung’andu says there has been real restoration of macro-economic fundamentals under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema.

Mung’andu said on Let the people talk programme on Phoenix Radio that President Hichilema has made tough decisions to revive the economy.

He wondered how Zambia could have continued with subsidies, for example, in the petroleum sector when she was owing more than US$300 million to a ship that had docked in Mozambique.  

“You keep subsidizing, meanwhile you are accumulating a debt which you will not manage. Eventually you will die. Simple economic decisions, but with huge impact, had to be made.

“There has been real restoration of economic fundamentals that this President has done. And you expect me to start opposing when a foundation is being laid,” he said.

The lawmaker is elated that under the New Dawn administration, there is financial discipline and budget credibility,

“Go and check in these ministries. We are on a firm trajectory as a nation,” Mung’andu said.

He said Zambia cannot develop without enhancing production in various sectors.

“Zambia has always relied on copper production. If President Hakainde Hichilema did not make tough decisions, by now Lumwana mine should have been closed, mining activities on the Copperbelt would have halted,” he said.

He said President Hichilema has made policies which are predictable in the mining sector.

“We are seeing Shaft 27 in Luanshya finishing de-watering. Anytime production will kick in. At Mingomba, they are sinking a new shaft and production has started at Kalengwa mine in Mufumbwe district.

“This appreciation of the kwacha against the dollar is backed by economic fundamentals, which is production. It will be sustainable. Look at the copper output levels. We were around 750 , 000 metric tons but we are now clocking almost a million metric tons of copper. That has an impact,” Mung’andu said.

He said Zambia, under the previous regime, borrowed beyond its Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“Most infrastructural projects stalled during the PF period.

“Go to Isoka; there was a boarding school that was being built there. It stalled. In Sind, the construction of a boarding school but it stalled,” he said.

Mung’andu recalled that construction of Chama – Lundazi road stalled during the PF reign.

“There was a pronouncement by the PF government that all projects which are below 80 percent be suspended.

“Then how do you expect your colleagues who have taken over from you to do magic if yourselves suspended the projects? Citizens should interrogate us politicians on an informed point of view, than just criticising,” he said.

Mung’andu said the previous government borrowed not only from multilateral institutions which have controlled interest rates.

“We went to the open market and borrowed kaloba. We went to shylocks. There is borrowing from the bank and then there is also borrowing from micro finance institutions which have different interest rates. We went to borrow from the open market and if you remember, there was that celebration when we borrowed US$750 million in September 2012. We were saying we want to inject in to revamp Zambia Railways.

“But is Zambia Railways today different from what it was before we borrowed? The answer is no. Aside that, we also allowed a lot of public institutions to start accumulating institutional debts which was guaranteed by the government. Zesco borrowed billions to put up the Kafue Lower Gorge power station, to upgrade the Kariba North power station,” said Mung’andu.

Kalemba January 14, 2026