Stan Kristafor, a former MMD National Chairman and Minister of Information, says the UPND has shown it can govern and is challenging opposition leaders Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu to spell out how they would create jobs and grow the economy.
By Zambian Economist Analyst | August 10, 2026
Former MMD National Chairman and Minister of Information Stan Kristafor has thrown his weight behind President Hakainde Hichilema and the ruling UPND ahead of the 13 August general election, arguing that the party has already demonstrated it can run the country.
Kristafor, who also served as Member of Parliament for Kitwe, said his decision to campaign for the President rests on the UPND’s track record in office rather than on party loyalty. He argued that the opposition currently has nothing credible to put forward as an alternative, describing the Patriotic Front as effectively spent as a political force.
A defection-era endorsement
Kristafor pointed to the movement of former PF figures into the UPND, most notably Miles Sampa, as evidence that support for the President continues to widen beyond UPND’s traditional base. Cross-party defections of this kind have become a recurring feature of the run-up to this election, and Kristafor framed his own endorsement in similar terms: a MMD-era figure choosing to back the incumbent rather than the parties competing against it.
The pattern fits a broader theme this campaign season, where the opposition’s ability to consolidate around a single alternative narrative has repeatedly come under scrutiny. Zambian Economist has previously examined how the contest has increasingly shaped up as a two-way race between Hichilema and PF/opposition figures, with smaller parties struggling for visibility.
A direct challenge on jobs and the economy
Kristafor directed his sharpest remarks at opposition leaders Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu, challenging them to explain concretely how they intend to create jobs and develop the country if elected. He argued that President Hichilema’s background in business and economics equips him to steer national development more effectively than his rivals.
That framing echoes a line of argument UPND figures have leaned on throughout the campaign: that criticism of the government’s economic record has not been matched by opposition parties offering distinct policy alternatives of their own. Zambian Economist reported on a similar argument made by UPND Deputy Spokesperson Elvis Nkandu, who contended that opposition parties have largely adopted UPND programmes rather than proposing new ones.
A call for a peaceful vote
Kristafor also urged Zambians to keep the peace before, during and after the polls, and said all political players should accept the outcome of the election and support whoever is elected to govern. He said political differences should not be allowed to degenerate into violence or conflict, a message that has taken on added weight after a campaign period marked by sporadic unrest and repeated appeals from state and religious institutions for calm.
Why it matters
Endorsements from former rival-party officials carry a particular kind of signal in Zambian politics: they are read less as ideological conversions and more as bets on which side is best placed to deliver stability and continuity after the vote. For businesses and investors watching the election for signs of policy continuity, statements like Kristafor’s add to a picture in which UPND messaging is increasingly built around its record in government rather than fresh promises, while opposition parties face growing pressure to present a concrete economic offer of their own.
