Harry Kalaba

Zambia’s path to prosperity lies in eradicating the structural bottlenecks that stop its industries from growing. National prosperity is not accidental. It is built when policy is precise. Zambia cannot export its way to prosperity on raw materials alone. Value is created when minerals, agricultural produce and inputs are processed locally, close to power, skills, and markets. That is why the CF’s strategy is about creating industries and growing productive capacity, as opposed to the so called “New Dawn’s” approach of simply managing decline. The question is often asked: Uncle Harry, how will you do it? Yet our answer is always practical: Firstly, we will combine hydroelectric stability with solar and battery storage to keep factories running year round, while tightening power management and oversight to ensure Zambian industry is prioritised over power exports, so that exporting power can only occur when there is genuine surplus. This will be complemented by captive power solutions in industrial zones and a strengthened national grid to prevent outages. Equally important are efficient transport corridors that make it cheaper and faster to move finished goods than to export raw materials. This means upgrading railways and roads not only in Lusaka, but in strategic production areas such as Kasempa, and Lufwanyama where goods are handled in surplus, while modernising corridors like TAZARA to connect our factories to regional and global markets. Our industrial zones will be fully functional not just on paper like today, but with reliable power, water, logistics, and a clear focus on high-value sectors such as agro-processing, steel fabrication, and electrical components. We will train thousands of Zambians to run and maintain these factories. This will ensure that our skills match our industrial ambitions and create thousands of jobs. Like this we will allow our own people to directly drive the growth of their own economy. Other African countries such as Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Egypt have shown that transformation is possible by committing to long-horizon industrial plans and clear value addition pathways linked to their natural resources. Zambia is no different and is just as capable. What has held us back is not a lack of potential, but the absence of focused leadership and a so-called “new dawn” approach that has prioritised short-term thinking. The CF will bring to an end such mediocrity this August when the Zambian people make their voices heard. Harry Kalaba, Citizens First

Thank you Chawama!

Teachers are the backbone of any nation’s future, yet in Zambia too many are being asked to carry impossible burdens. Across the country, qualified teachers remain unemployed for years, while those already in service face growing pressure with little support. Many teachers are deployed far from their families, sometimes separated from spouses for years, with no relocation support and no salary adjustment. Others are sent to rural areas without adequate housing, transport, or incentives, despite the higher cost and hardship of serving in those communities. These sacrifices are real, but they are not being matched with fair compensation or improved working conditions. In many public schools, class sizes now exceed what any teacher can reasonably manage, with some handling over 100 pupils in a single classroom. In these conditions, meaningful learning becomes impossible. Yet teachers in overcrowded or rural schools receive the same pay and benefits as those with far smaller classes in more conducive environments. This situation stems from a rushed approach to fulfilling so called ‘promises’ without proper planning to protect education quality. The CF believes this can be fixed with practical, targeted reforms. Employment of teachers must be planned alongside classroom demand, so trained teachers are absorbed where shortages exist, reducing class sizes and improving education quality. Deployment policies must prioritise family stability, with transparent placement systems and support for teachers assigned to hardship areas. Rural service should come with clear incentives, including housing support and structured allowances. Classroom realities must also be recognised. Managing large student numbers is not the same workload as teaching smaller classes. Fair workload recognition, support staff where needed, and better resource allocation will allow teachers to focus on teaching and not survival. Investing in our teachers is not a charity case, it’s securing our children’s education. A country that values it’s teachers invests directly in its own future. Harry Kalaba, Citizens First

Happy NYUUU Monday!

The CF stands with ArchBishop Alick Banda and the Catholic Church and will escort His Grace to the DEC on Monday.

My fellow Zambians, As we put the year 2025 behind us, we do so not with the light-hearted hope of celebration, but with the heavy hearts of a people burdened. The past 12 months have been a relentless testament to the failure of leadership. Across our towns, cities, and rural communities, families have endured unprecedented hardship, we have watched as the cost of living has soared out of reach, fuel prices have continued to rise relentlessly, farmers have waited far too long to be paid for their hard work, and citizens have had to endure some of the longest power outages in our history. The unbearable mathematics of these blackouts have forced industries to shutter and countless small and medium enterprises which are the engines of local employment and innovation have closed their doors permanently. The current administration watches this collapse, yet its focus remains on profit rather than protecting the welfare of Zambian citizens. What is more, is that the very leadership that ought to unite the nation has been making frantic efforts to be a purveyor of divisive utterances with the full intention of dividing rather than uniting the nation . In spite of all the challenges, we want you to know, that we see you, we hear you, and we understand your pain and hardship. We are fully aware of the frustration, disappointment, and betrayal by the very government you put in office. We are aware that besides all the effort and support you have given this government, it continues to prioritize foreign interests over you. This disconnect has left many of you frustrated and feeling abandoned in your own country. To the youth, do not lose hope. Even when the future looks bleak and opportunities seem out of reach, know that you are not alone. The CF has your back covered. We believe in your potential, your creativity, and your resilience. A CF-led government will restore hope and build a better and more inclusive Zambia that deliberately creates opportunities for you. To the Women of Zambia. Your role as key agents of development has been sidelined for too long. Despite historic individual appointments, women remain severely underrepresented in governance and leadership. This is not just an injustice; it is a national failure that stifles our progress. The CF is committed to turning pledges into practice. We will implement decisive policies and support structures to ensure women have equal opportunities to lead, decide, and shape the Zambia of tomorrow. To the working citizens of this nation, we acknowledge your tireless effort and sacrifice. You have continued to work, produce, and contribute, even as leadership has failed you by overtaxing your businesses and the workers while foreign firms continue to enjoy generous tax breaks. These firms make supernormal profits that they end up externalizing, and leave Zambia and Zambians worse off. This injustice cannot continue. When CF forms government in 2026, we will level the playing field, protect local enterprise, and ensure that Zambia’s wealth works first and foremost for Zambians. Zambia is a rich nation, blessed with resources, a vibrant population, and a profound history of peace. The crisis we face is not one of scarcity but of mismanagement and misplaced priorities. The CF government will harness what is good for all, unlocking our collective potential to make Zambia not just stable, but the best country on the African continent. As we extend our heartfelt gratitude to you, the people of Zambia, for sustaining the peace that our country has enjoyed for the past 61 years. This peace is our greatest inheritance, and it is the same peace that the CF intends to protect, preserve, and strengthen when we form government. To the CF, the dawn of 2026 is more than a New Year; it is the year we choose a new path. A path of light over darkness, of internal focus over foreign distraction, and of inclusive prosperity for all Zambians. Harry Kalaba President - Citizens First

SEASON’S GREETINGS & MERRY CHRISTMAS Fellow Citizens, As we celebrate this Christmas season, we do so after endured deep economic hardship, social strain, and moments that tested our resilience as a people. Families have struggled, opportunities have narrowed, and hope has often felt distant. Lost our Sixth Republican President, whose remains are yet to be interred. Yet through it all, the spirit of the Zambian people has not been broken. Christmas reminds us that even in the darkest of times, light is born. It is a season that assures us that hope is on the way, renewal is possible, and restoration will surely come. Better days lie ahead, and Zambia shall once again rise to her greatness. As we reflect and celebrate, let us also remember our collective responsibility to one another. We cannot afford to lose even one citizen. Let us take care of each other, extend compassion, and stand together in unity. The task of rebuilding our nation and restoring hope belongs to all of us—young and old, rural and urban, across all divides. Only together can we secure a stronger and more just Zambia. May this festive season renew our faith, strengthen our resolve, and inspire us to work for even harder towards united Republic anchored on dignity, shared sacrifice, and common purpose. May God bless you and your families, May God bless our beloved nation - Zambia. 🎄 🎁 Harry Kalaba Citizens First

These people are busy taxing small mobile money traders but failing to tax big multinationals. 2026 it’s to vote Mano Mano!

Vox populi, vox Dei. Unjust rules and flawed decisions have existed throughout history. Time and again, authority has erred, trust has been broken, and power has been misused under the guise of legitimacy. Yesterday’s passage of the darkest bill in history fits into a long and painful record where the will of the people was set aside for narrow interests. Again and again, the interests of the many have been set aside for the benefit of a few. But history also teaches us something stronger: people always endure. Rules can be enforced, but conscience cannot be erased. The voice of the people, always has a way of rising above fear, manipulation, and even time itself — vox populi, vox Dei (the voice of the people is the voice of God). Let us not lose hope. No one clings onto the helms of power forever. Change is the only constant. Empires fall, bad laws collapse under their own weight, and truth always outlives authority. In the end, they won the bill but lost the people, NEXT YEAR THE PEOPLE WILL WIN.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” — Matthew 5:6 This scripture reminds us that a nation is not built by comfort, but by conviction. When we choose what is right over what is easy, God honours that stand. Let us be a people who hunger for justice, truth, and servant leadership because righteousness is the foundation upon which lasting peace and prosperity are built. Have a reflective and blessed Sunday. Harry Kalaba.

Good morning Zambia, and happy Sabbath! As we take time to rest, reflect and spend time with family on this sabbath day, let us also reflect on the kind of country we want to build together. May this sabbath renew our faith, strengthen our resolve, and remind us that Zambia can and must do better. God bless you, and God bless Zambia.

Zambia has over 42 million hectares of arable land according to the Ministry of Agriculture, yet less than 15 percent is under cultivation. With irrigation still limited and vast fertile areas lying idle, our national output remains far below what our land is capable of producing. This underutilisation weakens food security, limits export opportunities, and keeps thousands of farmers trapped in low productivity cycles. At the same time, our farmers face persistent structural challenges. Programmes like the Farmer Input Support Programme absorb billions of kwacha in public funding every year, yet many farmers still struggle to transition into fully commercial operations. Storage facilities, including those of the Food Reserve Agency, remain limited compared to the volume of crops produced, resulting in high losses and wasted potential. Such bottlenecks continue to constrain the agricultural sector and keep many of our farmers trapped in poverty. The CF will make agriculture a top national priority and turn it into a source of jobs, exports, and growth. First, we will reform the Farmer Input Support Programme so that it rewards results. Farmers will receive support for up to three years, and those who use it well will get access to irrigation, machinery, and guidance from extension officers. Cooperatives that meet clear performance targets will also receive dedicated support. This approach ensures help goes to farmers who use it effectively, cutting waste and increasing production. In the long term, we will expand irrigation by building Zambia’s first National Irrigation Grid, aiming to increase irrigated land from 6 percent to at least 20 percent within ten years. This will be done through partnerships with commercial farmers, extending canals near the Kafue Flats, and supporting smallholder solar irrigation. Irrigation is what turned countries like Ethiopia, Morocco, and Egypt into food secure nations, and Zambia is just as capable. The CF will help farmers sell high demand export crops like avocados, macadamia, citrus, paprika, soya, beef and dairy through out-grower partnerships. To increase their earnings, we will create 12 Agro-Processing Parks along major roads and power corridors. These parks will be responsible for tasks such as processing crops, making oils, drying and packaging fruit, processing beef, and producing blended fertiliser. All of this will be funded through better managed mineral revenues, recovered arrears identified by the Auditor General, and private sector co-investments, starting with a K2 billion Agricultural Transformation Fund. This fund will provide affordable loans to help farmers invest in inputs, irrigation, machinery and processing. Zambia can become the food basket of the region, supplying the DRC, Angola, Namibia, Botswana and even Middle Eastern markets. Agriculture can contribute up to 30 percent of GDP and create hundreds of thousands of jobs for our people. We have the land, we have the water, we have the people. What we need now is good leadership, and the CF will provide it. Have a great weekend! Harry Kalaba, Citizens First

Zambia is among the countries with the busiest roads in the entire Southern African region. We in the CF believe that our capacity to generate revenue from our roads can be increased without placing any added financial burden on our citizens. This is especially true when it comes to our toll gates. The National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) collects most tolls nationwide, but the so called “new dawn” has handed over the operation of major toll points on the Lusaka–Ndola dual carriageway, to a private foreign consortium known as Macro Ocean Investment Consortium. This arrangement made by the “new dawn” gives a foreign company the right to build and operate a major national road and earn from our toll gates for a total of 25 years. The agreement includes 3 for construction and 22 years in which the consortium will operate, maintain and collect toll revenue from that road. This means that foreign interests will continue earning a large share of revenue from our roads until the year 2048. The NRFA reports that K4 billion was collected from toll gates across Zambia in 2024. With proper planning, this level of revenue is more than enough to support the construction of factories, power projects and large industrial parks. Yet because significant sections of our main highways have been placed under long concession arrangements, Zambia continues to lose control of a major source of national income. Our country cannot build a strong industrial base while the largest slices of toll revenue are committed to long term agreements that favour foreign operators. This approach must change. The CF will renegotiate these arrangements so that Zambia keeps the majority of the revenue collected on our roads. Roads exist to move people and products, not to transfer wealth away from citizens. To make this a reality, we will see to it that every major contract will undergo a parliamentary and public review, so that citizens can see how their money is being used. At the same time, we will conduct an immediate public audit of all toll revenue and existing toll agreements, so that Zambia keeps the lion’s share of the money collected on our roads. Toll gates are among Zambia’s most reliable sources of revenue. We have the power to transform our economy into a true industrial powerhouse, but this will only happen if we restructure how we collect and invest every kwacha to benefit Zambians first. Harry Kalaba, Citizens First

Morning Zambia! We as Citizens First believe that Zambia’s path to lasting prosperity is through industrialisation. It is the most sustainable way to generate alternative revenue and drive economic growth. By industrialising, we can turn our minerals into factories, jobs and national wealth. Zambia has the resources; what we lack is the leadership to use them effectively. In recent years, the so‑called “new dawn” granted mining companies generous incentives, including duty‑free equipment imports, VAT refunds, and royalty deductions. As a result, Zambia often gives back most of what it collects. In April 2024, for example, mines paid about K1.8 billion, but after refunds the government kept only around K600 million. In some months, nearly 70 percent of mining tax was returned, leaving the country with very little actual revenue. Research shows Zambia loses up to US$3 billion a year through mining tax avoidance, profit shifting, and exemptions. This is money that could build industries, factories, and create thousands of jobs. In 2022, Zambia borrowed US$1.55 billion from the IMF, a sum that could have been covered by collecting just half of the revenue currently lost in the mining sector. The CF will revise these tax breaks. Not to chase away investment, but to secure fair returns for our people. By adjusting the mining fiscal regime to capture even a fraction more revenue, we can fund industrial parks for steel fabrication, agro-processing, and battery manufacturing. As long as we keep exporting raw materials without closing the financial leakages in the mining sector, other countries will continue to profit more from our resources than we do. The real value lies in building industries that can process and manufacture our minerals, because that keeps the wealth here at home, where it can benefit all our people. Harry Kalaba, Citizens First

Mr @HHichilema has now suspended all talks with the Oasis Forum. Honestly, I wish I could say I am shocked but Mr. Hakainde’s body posture during that meeting told the whole story before a single headline was written. It was the classic “my way or the highway” script, performed with the same stubborn flair Pharaoh displayed when he refused to let the Children of Israel go. The Oasis Forum went in hoping for dialogue, for respect for the Constitution and for peace. Instead of welcoming advice, it seemed like State House was more focused on stopping a peaceful protest than dealing with the real issues affecting Zambia. At this point it feels like the idea of citizens gathering to pray or speak worries this administration more than the injustices people are speaking about. This hardened approach is becoming predictable. Zambia asks for engagement but Mr Hakainde answers with what clearly looks like arrogance. The nation asks for leadership but what we see is defensiveness. Civil voices ask for dialogue but the door is shut. Pharaoh’s heart did not harden in one day. It hardened little by little every time he chose pride over humility and power over people. And right now we are watching a similar pattern unfold. If ignoring the Oasis Forum is meant to intimidate, it will not work. If suspending dialogue is meant to silence the conscience of the nation, it will not work. And if this is what the new dawn represents, then daylight has clearly failed to break through. Zambia deserves better. And people will continue to speak up whether State House listens or not. Harry Kalaba, Citizens First

Unity of purpose is the only way we can bridge the divide. It was unity that saw us through independence, helped us support the liberation of our neighbours, and guided us into multi-party democracy. In every difficult moment, Zambia rose above because we chose to stand together and protect the peace our country is known for. As we begin this new week, I sound the same alarm. What brings us together as a nation, is far stronger than what divides us. I wish you all a happy Sunday!