“Amos Chanda’s Misplaced Confidence in President Hichilema Is Detached from Reality and an Insult to Zambians”

Issued by: Patriotic Front (PF) Media Directorate

The Patriotic Front (PF) wishes to respond, with great concern and clarity, to the remarks made by Mr. Amos Chanda during his appearance on Diamond TV, where he expressed an unrealistic and misguided confidence in President Hakainde Hichilema’s re-election chances in 2026.

Mr. Chanda, a former press aide to President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, has now taken a shameful detour to now speak glowingly of a President he once opposed, defended the arrest of, and labeled unfit for leadership. This hypocritical shift does not reflect political maturity—it reflects opportunism of the highest order.

Let us remind Mr. Chanda and the UPND government that governance is not about optics or hollow television appearances—it is about delivery. And on that front, the UPND has failed lamentably. Since forming government, President Hichilema and his team have run on a platform of broken promises and mass deception. The cost of living is unbearable. Youth unemployment is at record highs. The kwacha is losing value daily. Fuel prices have hit the ceiling. Farmers are suffering. Teachers and health workers remain underpaid and neglected. Is this the victory Mr. Chanda sees coming?

We challenge Mr. Chanda: instead of indulging in elite fantasies, take a walk through the compounds of Kanyama, Chawama, Misisi, Kalikiliki, and Chibolya. Go to the rural parts of Eastern, Northern, Luapula, and Muchinga provinces. Speak to the struggling marketeers, unemployed graduates, and civil servants. You will find not hope—but betrayal. Not excitement—but anger. The so-called “New Dawn” is now a long, dark night for the majority of Zambians.

Mr. Chanda also seems to forget that it was these same UPND leaders who ridiculed and insulted President Lungu’s projects, only to shamelessly commission them today as their own. The soon-to-be-commissioned 102-million-litre fuel reserve—one of the largest in the region—was conceived, designed, and built under President Lungu. It is a PF legacy. It is vision. It is planning. It is delivery. And it stands in contrast to the UPND’s lack of any tangible infrastructure success three years into office.

Furthermore, Mr. Chanda should not pretend to speak on behalf of Zambians. He has no electoral constituency, no grassroots following, and no political mandate. His political commentary does not reflect the sentiments of the people, but rather the self-preserving acrobatics of a man desperate to stay relevant in circles of power.

Let it be known: the people of Zambia did not vote for the UPND to inherit PF’s projects. They voted for economic emancipation, jobs, affordable food, and justice. Today, they have received none of that. Instead, they are told to clap for IMF conditionalities, jobless statistics, and soaring prices.

Conclusion:

As the Patriotic Front, we reaffirm that the people of Zambia will not be fooled twice. We are on the ground, and we see the tide turning. The hunger, frustration, and anger cannot be ignored. Come 2026, no amount of television commentary, PR spin, or sugar-coated lies will save the UPND. The people are ready. The people are watching. And the people will speak—decisively.

Issued by:

PF Media Directorate
Patriotic Front
Headquarters
Lusaka, Zambia

Ends.