More pain if UPND wins again, warns Chungu
By Ludia Ngwadzai
FORMER opposition chief whip Stephen Chungu has warned that life will be more painful for Zambians if the United Party for National Development (UPND) wins the 2026 elections.
Speaking in an interview with The Mast, Chungu, a former member of Parliament for Luanshya, urged opposition parties to unite behind single candidates and oust the UPND.
He said Zambians had already given a signal about the need for the opposition to come together and present a single presidential candidate to remove the UPND from power.
“The Zambian people have voiced out their readiness to vote out the UPND government, but unfortunately, it is just the politicians that are going to let down the Zambian people at a time when they have very high hopes,” he said.
Chungu said efforts by civil society, the church and other leaders to push for unity had failed due to personal egos and ambition among the opposition leaders.
He said some party leaders with little electoral support were still insisting on contesting for the presidency and other seats, disadvantaging the public’s wishes.
“I’m just praying that one day each and every party leader going for this position will be spoken to by God to say, look, move out or withdraw and join your friends so that you can move together. So that you remove this brutal regime,” he said.
Chungu said the rising costs of fuel, mealie meal and other essentials had largely contributed to the downfall of the UPND government.
He said workers’ incomes had remained stagnant while prices had risen by 300 to 400 per cent in some cases.
He said the recent load shedding and fuel price hikes were evidence of economic mismanagement and failure to prioritse the needs of the poor Zambians who were the majority voters.
“The decision should be made now to vote out the UPND. It is not something that is debatable for now because this economy is never going to come out of this current situation with the people who are managing this country. Zambians will face the most excruciating pain if they make mistakes to vote the UPND back in office,” Chungu said.
Chungu accused the UPND government of pursuing self-interest, citing the constitutional amendments to protect its stay in power.
“This chance should not be misapplied by the Zambian people. I plead, I cry for the Zambian people, I cry for the voiceless people, for those going hours and days without food, for those dying in hospitals without medicines,” he said.
He said if the opposition failed to unite, the outcome of the August elections would be worse than the current situation.
“There is no hope in the UPND. There is hope in the opposition, but the opposition should come together and use one platform. Candidates should withdraw and leave one candidate for each position, from president to councilor, so that we put all our efforts and votes into one basket,” he said.
