UPND's Media Team Shake-Up: A Desperate Attempt to Repackage Failure- Thandiwe Ketis Ngoma
UPND’s Media Team Shake-Up: A Desperate Attempt to Repackage Failure
By Thandiwe Ketis Ngoma
The UPND government has once again reshuffled its media team, grasping at straws to repair its crumbling public image. But let’s be brutally honest: this move is nothing more than political window dressing. The UPND’s biggest public relations disaster isn’t about how they communicate; it is the fact that Zambians no longer trust a word they say.
No amount of media strategy, spin, or PR gimmicks can erase the deep frustration, disappointment, and betrayal that Zambians feel. People are not struggling because of a “communication problem.” They are struggling because of failed leadership, broken promises, and an economy that continues to sink under President Hakainde Hichilema’s watch.
Zambians do not need well-crafted excuses. They need solutions. They need relief. They need a government that delivers results, not one that thinks a media makeover will somehow make people forget their suffering.
The “Father of Promises”: Bashing Promises Like Never Before
President Hakainde Hichilema has rightfully earned himself the nickname “Father of Promises” because of his unmatched ability to dish out grand promises, only to bash them later with excuses.
Before taking office, he loudly condemned high fuel prices, load shedding, and the rising cost of living. He boldly declared that he had the answers. He convinced struggling Zambians that he would fix the economy, reduce the cost of living, and put money in their pockets.
Fast forward to today, and what do we have? The very issues he once used as political weapons against his predecessors have become even worse under his leadership.
Fuel prices have skyrocketed, making transport and goods more expensive than ever.
Electricity blackouts have become unbearable, crippling businesses and homes.
Mealie meal prices have reached record highs, making it harder for families to put food on the table.
Businesses are collapsing, and job losses are increasing daily.
The Kwacha is weakening, driving up the cost of imports and making life even more expensive.
The painful truth is that the UPND does not have a PR problem but a performance problem. No media reshuffle can fix that.
A New Media Team Won’t Save a Government in Freefall
Let us not be fooled. Changing faces in the media team will not bring food prices down. It will not end load shedding. It will not create jobs. It is an insult to Zambians to think that the solution to their pain is better press statements or a sharper social media strategy.
If the UPND truly cared about restoring public confidence, they would not waste time reshuffling their media team. They would focus on:
✅ Fixing the collapsing economy instead of blaming past governments.
✅ Reducing fuel and electricity prices instead of making empty excuses.
✅ Creating sustainable jobs instead of forcing citizens into desperation.
✅ Lowering the cost of living instead of telling people to “tighten their belts.”
✅ Delivering real development instead of recycling the same broken rhetoric.
The people of Zambia are tired of waiting. They are tired of excuses, delays, and blame games. They want action, real tangible results that improve their daily lives.
Repackaging Failure Won’t Work
This media shake-up is nothing more than a pathetic attempt to rebrand failure. The UPND has lost public trust not because their message is not reaching people, but because their message no longer holds any weight.
Zambians see through the lies. They know that no media team can spin hunger, unemployment, or blackouts into success. They know that no amount of PR can change the fact that life is getting harder.
The question is simple: if the foundation of a house is collapsing, does repainting the walls fix the problem?
That is exactly what the UPND is trying to do: repaint a government that is already cracking under the weight of its own failures.
The Clock Is Ticking
Zambians are running out of patience. They were promised change, prosperity, and relief. Instead, they got higher costs, more suffering, and a president who seems more interested in media strategy than in fixing the mess he created.
No media team can save a government that refuses to listen to its people. No press briefing can erase the frustration of a hungry mother. No social media post can comfort a business owner who has shut down due to power cuts. Only real solutions can.
In 2026, Zambians will not vote based on who had the best PR team. They will vote based on who actually improved their lives.
Until President Hichilema and his government wake up, stop hiding behind PR gimmicks, and start delivering real change, no amount of media reshuffling will save them from the growing anger of the Zambian people.
The time for excuses is over. Zambians deserve better.
