109 Views LUSAKA, July 15, 2026 – National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRP-UP) vice-presidential candidate Makebi Zulu says it is an illusion for the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) to believe it will retain the rural vote in next month’s General Election, arguing that voters in rural Zambia have turned against […]

109 Views

LUSAKA, July 15, 2026 – National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRP-UP) vice-presidential candidate Makebi Zulu says it is an illusion for the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) to believe it will retain the rural vote in next month’s General Election, arguing that voters in rural Zambia have turned against the government.

Speaking alongside NRP-UP presidential candidate Brian Mundubile during a live interview on Hot FM’s Red Breakfast Show on Tuesday morning, Zulu said the opposition’s campaign tours had convinced him that the political mood in the countryside had shifted dramatically.

“It is an illusion that the UPND will win the rural vote because the rural vote is gone,” Zulu said.

He said the Tonse Pamodzi Alliance-backed presidential ticket had campaigned extensively in Eastern, Muchinga, Northern, Luapula and parts of Lusaka Province, where they found what he described as widespread dissatisfaction with the government’s performance.

According to Zulu, many rural communities had expressed frustration over agricultural policies and the handling of the farming sector.

He criticised the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), particularly the practice of farmers sharing fertiliser allocations, saying the arrangement had disadvantaged small-scale farmers.

Zulu also claimed that the marketing of agricultural produce had become more difficult under the current administration, adding that many farmers were unhappy with delays surrounding the commencement of maize purchases.

He pointed to what he described as conflicting messages from President Hakainde Hichilema and the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) regarding the announcement of this year’s maize floor price.

According to Zulu, President Hichilema recently indicated that moisture levels in harvested maize had reduced and that the FRA would soon announce the floor price, allowing farmers to begin selling their maize and receive payment within two to three days.

However, the FRA later stated that it could not announce the buying price or commence purchases because moisture levels in the grain remained above the required standard for storage.

Mundubile questioned why the Agency could not announce the maize buying price even before actual purchases commenced.

“Why can’t the FRA announce the price so that farmers know what to expect, even if buying starts later?” Mundubile asked during the programme.

Zulu responded by alleging that the FRA was facing financial challenges, although he did not provide evidence to support the claim.

Mundubile further alleged that individuals connected to the ruling party had supplied maize directly to some milling companies without first selling it to the FRA. He also claimed that some of the maize had originated from private farms. These allegations have not been independently verified, and neither the FRA nor the UPND had responded to the claims by the time of publication.

The opposition leaders said agriculture had become one of the dominant issues during their nationwide campaign and expressed confidence that their proposals had resonated with voters.

Among the promises made by the NRP-UP are increasing fertiliser allocations to farmers, investing in maize drying facilities to reduce delays caused by high moisture content, ensuring prompt payment for maize deliveries, and reforming agricultural marketing systems.

Mundubile said the response received during the alliance’s campaign tours indicated that many Zambians were seeking political change.

“The people are yearning for change, and they see the NRP-UP as their hope,” he said.

The Tonse Pamodzi Alliance-backed ticket is this week campaigning in Lusaka Province, where it has scheduled roadshows in several constituencies before holding what the alliance describes as a major presidential rally in Matero on Friday.

Meanwhile, the ruling UPND has continued defending its agricultural policies, saying reforms introduced since 2021 have expanded support to farmers, improved food security and strengthened the country’s agricultural sector. The August 13 General Election is expected to feature agriculture and the cost of living among the key issues shaping the presidential race.