By Adrian Gunduzani
Let’s ask ourselves honestly: is there really nothing to show? Has everything gone wrong? Have we truly made no progress as a country in the past few years? It’s easy to get caught in the whirlwind of hardship, criticism, and frustration—but when the noise settles, some truths are hard to ignore.
Take free education, for instance. What was once a campaign promise is now the daily reality for thousands of Zambian families. Children who would have dropped out are in school today—not because of luck, but because something shifted. Yes, the system still has areas that need polish—classroom management is under pressure, and the transition has not been without growing pains—but the foundation is firm. It’s no longer about if children will access education, but about improving how they experience it.
University students who had once accepted that meal allowances were a thing of the past are now receiving support again. And after much debate and doubt, the 20% partial NAPSA withdrawal was implemented—giving working Zambians access to a portion of what they had earned.
At the grassroots, change is also evident. Constituency Development Funds have been increased to more than one million US dollars per constituency per year—a level of decentralised funding that empowers local development like never before. The Access to Information Act, long delayed and doubted, was finally passed, giving citizens a tool they’ve demanded for decades.
It hasn’t stopped there. Debt restructuring, a monumental task in a global economy that has not been kind to Africa, was achieved quietly and firmly. Our mining sector, once uncertain and shrouded in mismanagement, is being resuscitated. Law and order, particularly in public spaces that were previously chaotic, has largely been restored. And let it be said—caderism, once deeply rooted in the fabric of everyday public life, has been substantially rolled back. That’s no small shift. It means ordinary citizens can now walk into government offices and markets without fear of party-aligned interference.
In a time where unemployment dominates conversations, over 100,000 new jobs have been created—across health, education, agriculture, and infrastructure. Even pensioners, too often the forgotten backbone of this nation, have been paid. And for the first time in a long time, Zambia’s Cabinet looks like Zambia—all provinces represented at the highest level of decision-making. Internationally, Zambia has regained a level of respect that allows her to speak and be heard on global platforms—not out of charity, but credibility.
Yet none of this is to say that all is well. It isn’t. The cost of living is high. The cost of doing business is challenging. The frustrations people carry are real and deserve attention. But we must also resist the temptation to throw out every stone in the foundation simply because the roof is leaking. Some things have worked. Some things are working. To say otherwise is dishonest.
What comes next must be bold and people-focused. Tackling the high cost of living and translating policy achievements into household-level relief must become the government’s immediate priority. But that task must be approached with the same resolve that saw these earlier promises kept.
Because building a nation is slow. Breaking it is fast. If we cannot recognise what has been fixed, we risk making it fashionable to tear down what we should be improving.
This is not a defence of power. It is a defence of facts.
HH is a very hard working president
Indeed he is but sadly in the wrong postion I believe
Honestly we have made no progress….
Very good article. I beg to add that had it not been for the serious drought that affected power generation, food security and business growth, Zambia would have in a very good position. We also suffered cholera outbreak but still this Govt, has scored 8 out of 10. What they have done apart from what has been laid out in the article, is a firm foundation. This will be seen by 2028 going up! Check the space on power generation, food security and mining! Well done my president!
These are just excuses. When you enter politics with lies, the exist usually comes with lies too. Zambia PLC development is best when the real investors are locals not harvesters.
Very right sir, sometimes we need to appreciate, these people tried what they could but its just that the drought we had in 2023/2024 made things more difficult to achieve. Let us just be honest here and also look at the entire continent of Africa everyone is complaining of the high cost of living its not just here in Zambia even in Europe in some countries citizens are living on credit basis they cannot even afford to buy mobile phones for cash.
If you set your standards low you will be seeing development which does not exist.
Free education is a priority but not the first priority. Bread and butter issues should come first. Student meal allowances were not halted but suspended to allow the economy to recover after being battered by covid then. CDF has not sorted any bread and butter issues as the common man is still wallowing in serious poverty. You need to get on the ground to understand these things. If in doubt check the prices of mealie meal, fuel, fertiliser and other essential commodities between then and now. The exchange rate even gives you a big expose’ of the deteriorating situation on the ground.
The economic downturn started way before the drought, the food prices worsened just after 2021 before the drought . I can lay bare the economic stats here of what was obtaining before the drought. The drought worsened the situation but is not the cause of our economic malaise. Next time choose leaders who have the capacity and competence to perform, unfortunately there is non in both the ruling party and the opposition. We are on our own.
Ati he is hard-working, meanwhile mealie meal is at K400, his friend left it at K120. Iyi hard working iliko rather.
The economy is in such a mess. Governance in such a mess. And you are here writing long articles, anyway the ballot will answer you, it’s not long from now. Continue on your self destruction path.
As they most say “IF” this and if that… so i suppose we could also say IF with the right people leading us we would be better off ?
Do not enter into marriage with Mother Zambia and start the game of ‘I will lay foundation to better this house.’ You knew what sort of a Mother Zambia was before you entered into this marriage because you tried for a decade and half to do so. So please don’t give us stories. You found us eating well muli ba mayi.
Kasi unibweze ku moba!
Very balanced and mature write up. In most Zambian languages there is a saying that a slave appreciated when he runs away. Under PF this country was rapidly heading for collapse. What I have observed is that Zambians are self centered. As long as things are fine with me, it does not matter if the other fellow is suffering. In the past we used to see former public service workers pass on due to depression related illnesses but now we have twenty percent partial withdraw. All the New Dawn promises could not be fulfilled in three years.
But who sells maize in strategic reserves and come to complain about a drought
Why do you want to see what is invisible? ?