By Chiti Manga
For years, opposition parties and perennial naysayers built their political messaging around a familiar list of grievances: unpaid farmers, endless load shedding, a weakening Kwacha, high fuel prices, and a rising cost of living.
These issues were repeatedly cited as evidence that the government could not deliver for ordinary Zambians. Today, however, the narrative is steadily changing as the United Party for National Development (UPND) demonstrates, through policy and practice, that those long-standing concerns are being decisively addressed. 
Perhaps nowhere is this shift more evident than in agriculture, the backbone of Zambiaโs economy and rural livelihoods. The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has confirmed that it has mobilised sufficient resources to pay all farmers who supplied maize to the agency. Making the announcement, FRA Executive Director Justin Chuunka has assured farmers that payments will be completed, putting to rest fears of prolonged delays that in previous years undermined confidence in government programmes.
Speaking to ZNBC News in Chisamba after inspecting the payment process, Chuunka explained that payments are now being conducted through MTN mobile money. He urged farmers to embrace digital payment platforms, citing their efficiency, transparency, and security.
Going forward, all FRA payments will be made via mobile money, a move designed to eliminate long queues at banks and reduce travel costs for farmers who often cover long distances to access financial services.
The response from farmers has been overwhelmingly positive. Abraham Mutenge and Hellen Musonda of Kabwe, in separate interviews, said the digital system has removed transport challenges and saved them both time and money. Gervas Mungongala, who supplied maize through the Mpelekese Depot in Chisamba, thanked the government for honouring its promise to pay farmers by January 10.
For a sector long plagued by uncertainty, timely payment is not just an administrative achievement; it is a restoration of trust.
On the macroeconomic front, another frequent opposition talking point โ the underperforming Kwacha โ is also losing traction. The local currency has recently appreciated against the United States dollar, currently buying at around K26.29 and selling at K26.68. Renowned economist Lubinda Haabazoka attributes this improvement to deliberate government interventions, including the Export Proceeds Tracking Framework introduced in 2023 and actively enforced in 2024.
Dr Haabazoka explained that increased foreign exchange supply, effective monetary policy, and improved agricultural performance have all contributed to the Kwachaโs recovery. The Bank of Zambiaโs contractionary monetary policy has reduced excess liquidity, stabilised inflationary pressures, and supported the currencyโs value.
Additionally, good rainfall has boosted domestic agricultural output, reducing imports and easing pressure on foreign currency demand. While he cautions that the Kwacha may face seasonal pressure during festive periods, the medium-term outlook into the third quarter remains positive.
Energy supply, particularly load shedding, has also dominated political debate in recent years. Although earlier projections that load shedding would end by December 2025 have been adjusted, the UPND government has been candid about the challenges and clear about the path forward. Officials now project significant easing by mid-to-late 2026, anchored on tangible developments rather than wishful thinking.
New power projects, including the 750-megawatt Kafue Gorge Lower Power Station, alongside increased solar and coal generation, are steadily boosting supply. Crucially, the government is addressing the structural weakness of over-reliance on hydroelectric power โ previously accounting for about 80 percent of generation โ by diversifying the energy mix to cushion the country from drought-induced shocks. Reforms aimed at improving ZESCOโs financial health and attracting private investment further signal a long-term solution rather than temporary relief.
Fuel prices and the cost of living, which were sensitive issues in every household, are also being confronted head-on. Parliament has recently engaged in measures to reduce fuel prices, recognising their knock-on effect on transport, food, and basic commodities.
While the cost of living remains high, the trend is gradually stabilising, with improvements coming โslowly but surelyโ as macroeconomic fundamentals strengthen and supply-side constraints ease.
What distinguishes the UPNDโs approach is not the claim that challenges no longer exist but the evidence that they are being systematically addressed. Farmers are being paid, the currency is stabilising, load shedding is being tackled through diversification and investment, and fuel and living costs are now the subject of concrete policy action rather than rhetoric.
In contrast to years of political noise built on unresolved problems, the current trajectory suggests a government focused on delivery. As results begin to replace excuses, the familiar opposition refrain is losing its potency.
For many Zambians, what matters most is not who talks the loudest, but who delivers โ and on these key concerns, the UPND is steadily doing just that.
