You can’t run 24-hour economy in the dark, says Kopulande

You can’t run 24-hour economy in the dark, says Kopulande

By a Correspondent

OPPOSITION People’s Party (PP) leader Sebastian Kopulande has described the United Party for National Development (UPND) administration as a copy-and-paste government that has failed to generate original policy ideas capable of delivering meaningful change for Zambia.

Commenting on the transition to a 24-hour economy, Dr Kopulande said the concept was not a UPND innovation but had been developed by the Patriotic Front (PF) and other stakeholders before the current government came to power.

He said while his party supported the principle of a 24-hour economy in theory, the country’s current structural foundations were inadequate to sustain it in practice.

“The idea of a 24-hour economy has been part of Zambia’s policy discourse for years, but it was never implemented because the country lacked the structural foundations required to support it,” he said.

Dr Kopulande said transforming Zambia into a 24-hour economy required more than extending business hours.

He said there was no way a country could run a 24-hour economy on a 12-hour infrastructure.

Dr Kopulande outlined critical conditions needed for the policy to succeed, with energy security topping the list.

“No economy operates in darkness,” he said.

He cited the need for improved security, saying businesses and citizens could not operate effectively without adequate nighttime safety, including proper street lighting and policing.

Dr Kopulande also said the absence of reliable public transport at night would make it difficult to sustain round-the-clock economic activity.

He said government should instead embark on labour reforms first.

Dr Kopulande said running a shift-based economy must guarantee fair compensation and protections for workers.

“Under current conditions marked by infrastructure gaps and limited public services, the policy risks becoming a political statement rather than a practical economic solution. If poorly implemented, this policy could increase the cost of doing business, expose citizens to insecurity and strain already weak systems,” he said.

Dr Kopulande maintained that while the People’s Party supported the concept, it rejects politically motivated announcements without clear implementation strategies.

He said a future government should anchor the policy on energy reform, infrastructure development, labour protections and a phased rollout beginning with sectors capable of sustaining 24-hour operations.

“The goal is not just longer working hours, but building a productive, secure and inclusive economy that benefits Zambian’s day and night,” he said.

Dr Kopulande called for careful planning, pilot implementation and accountability.

He urged the government to focus on delivering practical and sustainable policies rather than recycling old and populist ideas without a proper groundwork.