UPND Has No Plans For Social Sectors – Mmembe

…as he warns of potential seed crisis due to inadequate planning by the government
Lusaka, Zambia— Socialist Party President Dr. Fred M’membe says UPND government’s 2025 budget, neglects the pressing needs of Zambians.

In his State of the Nation address, earlier today, he highlighted the budget’s shortcomings across several critical sectors, including energy, mining, agriculture, and health.
Dr. M’membe painted a grim picture of the energy sector, criticizing the shift to higher tariffs under the guise of “cost-reflective tariffs.”

He argued that this move would only benefit a few at the expense of the majority.
He also noted that despite the government’s push for solar alternatives, high demand and costs, coupled with high-interest rates, make these solutions inaccessible to ordinary Zambians.
“Every bank wants a payslip to get a loan. The majority of Zambians are in the informal sector. Where will they get these payslips?” he questioned.

The Socialist Party leader expressed skepticism about the UPND’s plans to revive and expand the mining sector, pointing out that mining taxes remain unchanged, and there is no credible plan for increasing copper production.
“Scaling up copper production is largely dependent on the availability of reliable and sufficient energy supply. Mining consumes a lot of power, so where will this power come from?” he asked, dismissing the government’s proclamations as empty rhetoric.

Dr. M’membe also criticized the government’s approach to agriculture, particularly the focus on efficiency in distributing the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) while neglecting the broader needs of small-scale farmers.
He warned of a potential seed crisis due to a poor farming season and inadequate planning by the government.
“The UPND government has been clueless on agriculture from inception. Poverty alleviation will not be dealt with under the UPND government,” he stated.

Regarding the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), Dr. M’membe argued that increasing CDF allocations will not solve the country’s pressing problems due to corruption and inefficiency.
He also lamented the inadequate budget allocation to the health sector, which he linked to poor health outcomes exacerbated by energy and drought crises.
“Our people are dying every day, and the political leaders we have today don’t seem to care,” he said, emphasizing the need for a substantial increase in health funding.