UPND ECONOMIC STATISTICS ON PAPER WITH NO IMPACT ON THE GROUND REALITY – SAYS MUNDBUBILE

UPND ECONOMIC STATISTICS ON PAPER WITH NO IMPACT ON THE GROUND REALITY – SAYS MUNDBUBILE

At a recent election rally in Nyimba, Brian Mundubile, president of the National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP), delivered a compelling critique of the current economic narrative championed by the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND).

While the government proudly touts $6.4 billion in international reserves, an annual inflation rate at a modest 6.6%, and a stable exchange rate around 17.90 Zambian Kwacha per US dollar, Mundubile challenges the disconnect between these impressive figures and the lived experiences of ordinary Zambians.

He said that on paper, these figures suggest a healthy economy. Yet, for many Zambians, these numbers feel hollow—there is no money to pay local suppliers, hospitals offer prescriptions but lack medicines, council workers remain unpaid, and the cost of basic goods, housing, and transportation continues to soar unabated.

According to Mundubile, this sharp disconnect raises pressing questions: What value do reserves, a seemingly strong currency, and low inflation hold if they do not translate into tangible improvements in the lives of ordinary citizens?

He said that economic statistics and graphs are designed to tell a story about a nation’s well-being, but when those narratives fail to touch the daily struggles of people, they are meaningless.

Mundubile aptly likened relying solely on these figures without real-world impact to “applauding a beautifully painted window when the house inside is crumbling.”

His metaphor highlights a critical truth—economic data alone cannot mask fundamental hardships. The promise to reduce the cost of living must not become an abstract political slogan celebrated through charts but a lived reality felt by all Zambians.

Unless these statistics are artificially engineered, questioned Mundubile, a suspicion is unavoidable: why then do they fail to alleviate the financial or cost of living pressures people endure?

He said genuine economic progress should reflect in the affordability of essentials and consistent public service delivery—not remain a parade of numbers detached from practical life. True success lies not in rehearsed graphs, but in transforming these figures into shared quality life.

Mundubile said his government will ensure that it addressed the urgent task of translating impressive statistics into meaningful outcomes, ensuring that economic policy centers on people’s well-being rather than mere data points.

Without that, Mundubile said that numbers remain just numbers—empty symbols in the face of everyday struggle.