Will Voters Donchi Kubeba in 2021?

President Lungu continues to distribute PF branded materials in an attempt to win back support from voters ahead of the upcoming elections in August.

In recent days the President donated bicycles to village headmen in Monze District of Southern Province to support them in their duties. It was reported at the same time that 100 opposition supporters had defected to the PF. However, it is not clear whether these defections are genuine or if voters plan to donchi kubeba as they did in 2011 when they booted former President Rupiah Banda and the MMD out of State House.

The distribution of branded goods has once again sparked comments from civil society asking where the party and president is getting the funds at a time when the country is so impoverished and unable to provide for citizens.

Commenting on the latest giveaway Alliance for Community Action Executive Director Laura Miti writes, “The President is distributing PF branded bicycles, seemingly, to every headman and woman in the country. Where he is getting that money he is not telling? Is it from his newly deep pocket?”

“He says even less about his prioritisation process. How has he decided that bicycles for headmen are what need presidential attention at a time when the economy is in the ICU? When citizens are panicked about the sky rocketing cost of living, with many desperately begging, on social media, for stuff government should routinely pay for,” she continues.

"Why, when the country needs a President, is the current President playing rich, visiting uncle?” Miti concludes.