By Bishop Musonda Trevor Selwyn Mwamba,President of the United National Independence Party (UNIP)
In the sacred theater of national governance, language is more than a vehicle for political ambition; it is a solemn covenant between the leader and the led. When used with integrity, it builds the foundational walls of a prosperous nation. When abused, it shatters public trust and fractures the very soul of a republic.
True leadership is not merely defined by technical management or polished international public relations. It is fundamentally an exercise in moral courage. It demands an unyielding adherence to truth, a bedrock of unshakable principles, and a deep reverence for spiritual accountability.
For Zambia a nation which prides herself in Christian ideals and celebrated for its peaceful democratic transitions, the character of the Head of State serves as our collective moral compass.
Tragically, under the current administration, that compass has spun brokenly off course, plunging the country into an era of systematic deception where campaign promises are discarded as mere political tools.
When a leader’s word becomes fluid and untrustworthy, the pillars of our democracy begin to crumble, leaving citizens to question the moral legitimacy of those in power.
The depth of this betrayal is felt most acutely in the crushing economic reality that daily insults the intelligence of the Zambian voter.
Prior to taking office, the opposition rhetoric was definitive, unyielding, and overflowing with specific guarantees. The price of our staple food, mealie-meal, was promised to plummet to fifty Kwacha. A bag of fertilizer was guaranteed to be affordable for the local farmer. The local Kwacha was supposed to stabilize immediately upon executive transition. These were not presented as distant, long-term aspirations; they were framed as immediate, mathematically certain results of competent governance. Yet, years into this “New Dawn,” the reality on the ground tells a devastatingly different story.
Mothers stand in endless queues for expensive mealie-meal, the local currency faces unprecedented volatility, and families are choked by the soaring costs of fuel and basic commodities. Rather than facing these hardships with transparent humility, the administration routinely shifts the blame to external global factors and climate crises.
While regional challenges are undeniable, the rewriting of history and the denial of explicit, calculated promises constitute a profound assault on truth. A leader who truly fears God and respects his people does not manufacture fairy tales to capture power only to offer excuses once he is safely inside State House.
Equally alarming is the aggressive rollback on the very civic freedoms that were fiercely championed on the campaign trail. The nation was promised a complete departure from the dark days of political intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and the weaponization of state police against dissenting voices. Citizens were assured that under a new dawn, no Zambian would fear speaking their mind. While the repeal of the archaic law on the defamation of the president was celebrated as a milestone, it has proved to be a cosmetic concession. In its place, alternate and equally repressive statutes—such as laws concerning cybercrimes, sedition, and unlawful assembly—have been ruthlessly deployed to muzzle opposition leaders, critical journalists, and independent civic activists.
To campaign passionately against authoritarianism, only to adopt and refine its mechanics once in power, reveals a glaring lack of moral consistency. True civic freedom cannot be conditional; it cannot be extended only to those who praise the executive while being weaponized against those who dare to hold power accountable.
This toxic culture of deception must be vigorously rejected because dishonesty erodes the invisible moral currency that holds our society together: public trust.
When a presidency normalizes the act of saying one thing while doing the exact opposite, that rot permeates downward into every level of civil service, law enforcement, and local governance. For a country that identifies with Christian principles, leadership cannot be decoupled from righteousness and integrity. A nation cannot expect divine favor or genuine peace when its leaders treat honesty as an inconvenient political strategy rather than a moral imperative. Zambia stands at a critical historical juncture ahead of its general elections on 13 August, 2026.
Our challenges require leaders of proven character whose “yes” means yes, and whose “no” means no. We must look beyond charismatic slogans and demand leaders who embody genuine principle, recognizing that a nation’s true prosperity can only be built on a foundation of absolute truth. The ultimate antidote to political deception does not lie in passive complaints, but in the potent, democratic power of the ballot box.
As the 2026 general elections fast approach, Zambian voters must undergo a radical shift in consciousness. We can no longer afford to elect leaders on the flimsy basis of polished eloquence, lofty credentials, or emotional populist rhetoric.
We must look closely at the fruits of character, testing every word against the baseline of honesty and the fear of God. When a politician stands before you, look past the charm and evaluate their consistency, their reverence for truth, and their willingness to admit failure rather than fabricate excuses.
As citizens, your vote is your voice and your judgment. Use it to declare that integrity is non-negotiable. Reject the pathology of political lies, banish complacency from your communities, and vote exclusively for leaders whose lives exemplify the principles, honor, and fear of God that our great nation deserves.
