UPND teases Mundubile over ECL legacy  

By HOPE MUSONDA

THE Tonse Pamodzi Alliance has continued riding on the fractured legacy of former President Edgar Lungu because its leaders have no vision of their own and can therefore not be trusted with the governance of the country, Mark Simuuwe has said.

Mr Simuuwe, the UPND media director says the insistence by Brian Mundubile that he follows late President Lungu’s legacy would mean that Zambia would revert to the days of political violence and hooliganism that marked the Patriotic Front (PF) administration.

In a statement yesterday, Mr Simuuwe said Mr. Mundubile's remarks should prompt Zambians to reflect on the country's experiences under the previous administration.

“By openly associating himself with the legacy of former President Lungu, Mr. Mundubile is effectively asking voters to return to a period that many citizens associate with economic difficulties, governance challenges and declining investor confidence,” Mr Simuuwe said.

Mr Simuuwe cited a number of events that characterized the previous administration, including unpaid salaries to some local authority workers, uncertainty in the mining sector, increasing public debt levels and concerns over the management of public institutions.

He also pointed to allegations of political violence, cadre activities in markets and bus stations, restrictions on media operations and what it described as growing political and regional divisions during the period.

According to Mr. Simuuwe, Zambians had not forgotten the circumstances that led to the change of government in 2021 and are capable of comparing past and present policy outcomes.

"This election will not be about slogans or nostalgia. It will be about choosing between continued progress and a return to policies that many citizens rejected in 2021," Mr. Simuuwe said.

He has questioned which specific elements of the former administration's record Mr. Mundubile was intending to promote, stating that voters deserved clarity before casting their ballots in the August 13, 2026 general elections.

Mr Simuuwe stated that the UPND had maintained that its government would remain focused on economic transformation, job creation, free education, increased Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocations, social protection programmes, agricultural growth and attracting investment.

He said the UPND would continue campaigning on its development agenda while urging citizens to safeguard what it describes as the gains achieved since taking office.

Mr. Simuuwe said Zambia's future should be built on continued progress, peace and national unity rather than a return to what the ruling party considers past policy failures.