UPND TOLD TO TAKE GROW ZAMBIA TO THE PEOPLE

HH MPAKA 2031 People’s Alliance wants party structures to explain how the President’s 10-10-5-3-3-1-1-1 agenda will benefit ordinary households

By Francis Maingaila ♥️

Lusaka, Zambia24 — 6 October 2026 — The HH Mpaka 2031 People’s Alliance has urged UPND structures to go into communities and explain how President Hakainde Hichilema’s Grow Zambia 10-10-5-3-3-1-1-1 agenda will translate into jobs, businesses and higher household incomes.

Alliance chairman Fabian C. Mutale says the economic targets risk remaining largely a political message if ordinary Zambians are not shown how they can participate and benefit from them.

Mr Mutale says UPND members, party officials, MPs, councillors and mobilisation teams should begin holding ward-level meetings to explain the opportunities linked to the targets.

He says the message should be taken beyond Lusaka and into communities such as Masaiti, Mkushi, Petauke, Choma and Mwinilunga.

“The question being asked however is: ‘How do I benefit?’” Mr Mutale said.

He said the agenda should be linked to Government programmes such as the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility (SAFF), Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) and Zambia Agriculture Development Bank (ZADB).

Mr Mutale said President Hichilema had already delivered what he described as economic stabilisation during his first term through debt restructuring, a stronger Kwacha and increased reserves.

He said the focus of the second term should now be on ensuring that economic growth is felt at household level.

“If UPND members fail to explain how a mother in Masaiti taps into five million tourists by selling village chicken, or how a youth taps into 10,000 MW by installing solar, then we have failed the President and the people,” Mr Mutale said.

He warned that failure by the ruling party to explain the agenda could leave room for the opposition to define it through what he called propaganda.

“Grow Zambia must not remain in Lusaka and just on the lips of politicians. It must reach every household,” Mr Mutale said.

On the 10 million tonnes of maize target, Mr Mutale said the opportunity should extend beyond the Food Reserve Agency.

He said FISP and SAFF should support farmers producing on one to five hectares, while CEEC and ZADB financing could help farmers invest in irrigation and dry-season production.

Mr Mutale said a farmer producing eight tonnes from one hectare and selling at K3,500 per tonne could generate K28,000, while five hectares could generate K140,000 under the same assumptions.

He said young people could also benefit as agricultural aggregators, transporters and hammer-mill operators.

On the 10,000 megawatts electricity target, Mr Mutale said the opportunity should not be viewed as the responsibility of ZESCO alone.

He said households and businesses could participate in solar power generation, while farmers could use solar-powered irrigation systems to reduce dependence on rainfall.

Mr Mutale said young people could also find employment as solar installers and technicians.

He called for such skills to be linked to training opportunities available through CDF and other Government programmes.

On the five million tourist arrivals target, Mr Mutale said the benefits should reach communities outside major tourist centres.

He cited areas such as Masaiti, Mpongwe and Chisamba as places where households could develop tourism-related activities.

He said opportunities could include accommodation, food, crafts, tour guiding and cultural experiences.

Mr Mutale also called on wards to identify local attractions such as waterfalls and cultural sites.

On the target of three million tonnes of copper, Mr Mutale said the benefits should extend beyond major mining companies.

He said Zambian small and medium-sized enterprises could participate in the mining supply chain by supplying goods and services such as transport, catering, uniforms and food.

He encouraged young people to form cooperatives and seek opportunities to supply mining companies.

On the three million tonnes of soya beans target, Mr Mutale said farmers could benefit from growing demand for the crop from processors and animal-feed manufacturers.

He said farmers should also explore financing and input-support opportunities available through CEEC and other institutions.

Mr Mutale said the one million tonnes of wheat target could provide opportunities for farmers with access to irrigation.

He said wheat could be grown as an additional income-generating crop because it is used in products such as bread.

He encouraged farmers to explore out-grower arrangements with milling companies.

On the target of one million tonnes of sugar and US$1 billion in beef exports, Mr Mutale said rural households could benefit from increased agricultural and livestock production.

He said Government support for feedlots, veterinary services and artificial insemination could help farmers improve their livestock businesses.

Mr Mutale said livestock could provide rural households with an important source of wealth.

He said opportunities could also extend to goat production as demand for meat grows in export markets.

Mr Mutale said UPND structures should change the way they communicate the Government’s economic agenda.

“Stop slogan politics. Go with BOQ, CEEC forms, CDF forms, FISP and SAFF forms to the people,” he said.

He said party structures should organise household economics meetings focused on how people could access Government financing and empowerment programmes.

“Not ‘Bally will fix’, but ‘how you get CEEC loans and other empowerments for projects’,” Mr Mutale said.

He also called for the agenda to be explained in local languages so that people in rural communities could understand how the targets relate to their own economic activities.

Mr Mutale further urged UPND structures to take people directly to relevant Government institutions instead of simply talking about available programmes.

“Don’t just talk about Grow Zambia, walk them there,” he said.

He said party structures should use practical examples, including bills of quantities for solar systems and boreholes, when explaining potential projects.

“People believe when they see paper,” Mr Mutale said.

Mr Mutale said the mobilisation exercise should start immediately, with wards explaining one target at each meeting and helping residents understand how they could pursue the opportunities linked to the Grow Zambia agenda.