Give us a chance, M’membe urges Zambians

Give us a chance, M’membe urges Zambians

By George Zulu

GIVE us a chance to lead the country next year, and Zambians will not regret voting for the Socialist Party (SP),” says party president Dr Fred M’membe.

And Dr M’membe says SP policies are a true reflection of ubuntu as they respond to the needs of the people.

In an interview with The Mast yesterday, Dr M’membe, the 2026 presidential candidate, pleaded with the people of Zambia to try his party in government next year.

“Give us a chance to lead in 2026, you will not regret. The lasting solution to Zambia’s deep economic difficulties does not lie in the IMF or in a debt restructuring deal,” Dr M’membe said.

He said the SP under his leadership would be a people’s government and not a party or regional administration the way the United Party for National Development (UPND) was.

Dr M’membe said Zambians needed an honest leadership to drive the national agenda together with the people.

“Our lasting solution lies in the collection of fair and adequate revenue from the mining sector for support to secondary industries such as manufacturing. It lies in the development of the arts, a hugely important industry that those in power today have reduced to a footnote in a ministry!” he said.

Dr M’membe said the challenges the nation was facing should not depend on International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme but on homegrown solutions.

“It lies in increased state support to agriculture and enhanced food security, but those in power today are quicker to listen to the IMF and remove subsidies on farming inputs, even when the US and other Western countries still subsidise their own agriculture industry. It lies in increased state investment in social sectors such as education and health,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr M’membe said socialism is the way to go as it is a programme that reflects ubuntu.

Addressing critical policy commitments in the party manifesto, Dr M’membe explained that Zambians would have an inclusive leadership if SP was elected next year.

“With a Socialist Party-led government, it will not be the ‘politics as usual’ and Zambians will certainly have better political leadership. We emphasise moral conviction, people-centered governance, and specific policy commitments to social welfare and economic sovereignty. Our government will focus on tangible improvements in citizens’ daily lives,” Mr M’membe said.

He said the SP in government would promote a leadership of integrity and discipline.

Dr M’membe said Zambia needed leaders who acted with integrity, spoke with conviction, and served with discipline rather than for personal or foreign interests.

He said his commitment to servicing would be people-centred and promote unity for all based on unwavering moral conviction and fraternal love.

“These promises of better leadership are tied directly to our manifesto, which includes specific, costed policy pledges, such as universal healthcare, which will offer a socialized health system offering free services and expanding primary and mental healthcare, with 20% of the national budget allocated to this sector,” he said.

Dr M’membe said the SP would implement a free, quality education policy from primary to university, with free uniforms, books, and meals for primary and secondary students.

“It aims to allocate 25% of the national budget to education to build a skilled workforce. The SP aims to invest heavily in agriculture, the largest employer, to ensure food security and support farmers who have faced challenges with the current system,” he said.