Zambia is expected to hold tightly contested presidential and parliamentary elections on Thursday, with many voters – especially the youth – worried about the economic turmoil that has hit the copper-rich country.
The governing Patriotic Front (PF) moved back to power in 2011 on the promise of “less taxes, more money in people’s pockets and more jobs.” PF campaign spokesman Amos Chanda stated, “We have remained true to our pro-poor policies. A lot of work has gone into stopping the bleeding of the economy and we are now on the path to recovery.”
However the main opposition, United Party for National Development (UNPD), stated that President Edgar Lungu – who is running again for office – has not met the expectations of Zambians.
According to the view political science lecturer at the University of Zambia, Charity Musamba, who stated, “We have had massive abuse of resources which contributed to the country’s economic problems.”
More than half of the eight million registered voters are under the age of 35. In the past, they have been the bedrock of PF support alongside urban dwellers but amid the economic turmoil due to COVID-19, Mr Lungu and his party can no longer take their votes for granted.
Silvia Mutila, a 25-year-old unemployed nurse who graduated in 2017, stated, “I am not voting for anyone in this election – I am voting for my job. I can’t go four years without a job.” Despite the shortages of crucial personnel in education and health sectors, Zambia still has more than 50,000 teachers, 17,000 nurses and 500 doctors who are unemployed.
