Opposition presidential candidate Brian Mundubile has laid out his administration’s opening priorities on the eve of Zambia’s election, pointing to national reconciliation, cost of living relief and constitutional reform as the first items on his agenda.
By The Zambian Economist Analyst
Leading opposition leader Brian Mundubile says his administration will make national reconciliation its first priority during the first 100 days in office, followed by urgent measures to address the cost of living. The National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) presidential candidate made the commitment during a special interview on Hot FM ahead of Thursday’s polls.
Reconciliation before economic relief
Mr Mundubile told Hot FM that reconciliation would come first, with cost of living measures following soon after. The sequencing places social healing ahead of the economic relief that has dominated much of the campaign, including in the two-horse race between Mr Mundubile and President Hichilema that has framed the final stretch of the vote.
Constitutional amendments and cyber law reform
Mr Mundubile says his administration will begin a comprehensive constitutional amendment process and pursue legislative reforms, including changes to cyber laws, while ensuring Zambians are free to speak openly without fear. He says the NRPUP is not only seeking to change government but also the way government operates.
The pledge on open speech comes against the backdrop of a campaign in which media conduct has itself become a talking point. Government has separately accused Hot FM of running undisclosed NRPUP political adverts, a claim Hot FM and NRPUP have not responded to. Mr Mundubile chose the same station for Wednesday’s interview.
A dedicated youth entrepreneurship desk at State House
Mr Mundubile says his administration will further establish a dedicated desk at State House to address youth entrepreneurship and employment. The proposal follows a pattern in his campaign messaging of pairing political reform with direct economic interventions aimed at young Zambians, a theme he has also raised in international interviews on his opposition economic vision.
Makebi Zulu on the stakes of the vote
NRPUP running mate Makebi Zulu says the upcoming elections are about determining Zambia’s future and has called on law enforcement agencies to allow the will of the people to prevail. The appeal for restraint from security services echoes concerns raised elsewhere in the campaign’s closing days, including in the Independent Broadcasting Authority’s warning to broadcasters against speculative election results.
What it means for business, investors and policy
For businesses and investors, the 100-day sequencing signals that an NRPUP administration would spend its opening period on political and institutional questions, constitutional change, cyber law and reconciliation, before turning to cost of living policy specifics. That order may leave markets waiting longer than they would like for detail on tax, subsidy or currency measures, even as it echoes NRPUP’s broader argument that governance reform must precede economic delivery. As with earlier opposition messaging this campaign, the plan is still framed in broad terms rather than costed policy, a gap our coverage of Mr Mundubile’s international interviews has also noted.
The constitutional amendment pledge, if pursued, would also be a multi-year undertaking regardless of who wins on Thursday, meaning any changes to cyber law or free expression protections would likely unfold well beyond the first 100 days even where they are announced within it.
Zambians vote on 13 August, with results expected within days through the National Results Centre the Electoral Commission of Zambia launched in Mulungushi on 12 August.
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