DON'T FALL FOR EMPTY PROMISES



Hikaumba Warns against unsustainable Promises, Urges Voters to Demand Clear Economic Plans from Political Parties

By Francis Maingaila ♥️
Lusak, Zambia24  -- (22-06-2026)  -- The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has urged Zambians to carefully scrutinise campaign promises and reject political pledges that are not supported by practical economic plans.

MDC Vice President Leonard Hikaumba said many opposition political parties were focusing on how they would spend public resources without explaining how they intended to generate the revenue needed to finance their promises.

Mr. Hikaumba said commitments such as increasing salaries for public workers, introducing debt swap programmes, raising student allowances, purchasing maize dryers, buying produce from marketeers and providing expensive equipment like excavators required sustainable sources of funding.

“Leadership is not only about promising people what you will give them. It is about showing the people how you will create wealth, grow the economy, and generate resources to meet those promises,” Mr. Hikaumba said.

He urged citizens to examine the economic policies of all political parties and support leaders with realistic plans capable of sustaining national development.

Mr. Hikaumba said Zambians must protect the economic gains achieved under President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND administration, arguing that economic progress depends on consistency, stability and responsible management.

He warned voters against supporting promises that are not backed by credible economic strategies.

“People must be careful with those who promise to distribute wealth without explaining how that wealth will be created. A country cannot survive on promises; it survives on production, investment, job creation and sound economic management,” he said.

To illustrate his point, Mr. Hikaumba shared a story about monkeys that celebrated after the death of a man who used to chase them away from a maize field.

“The monkeys thought they had finally gained freedom to enjoy the maize without disturbance. However, the following season there was no maize because nobody was there to cultivate the field. They celebrated the removal of the person protecting the harvest, only to discover that without production there was nothing to enjoy,” he said.

Mr. Hikaumba said the lesson highlighted the importance of protecting systems that create wealth rather than focusing only on how resources are distributed.

He called on citizens to demand accountability and detailed economic plans from all political parties ahead of the elections.

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