By 
Chilubi Member of Parliament, Mulenga Fube, has accused the UPND government of using supplementary budgets to conceal its growing appetite for borrowing and debt servicing, warning that the trend is economically unsustainable.
In a telephone interview with Zambia Monitor on Sunday, Fube questioned the rationale behind introducing supplementary budgets before the end of the fiscal year, suggesting it reflected
deeper economic challenges.
“How is it that we are barely halfway through the fiscal year, yet this government is already pushing for a supplementary budget?” he asked.
He stated that: “The answer is simple — they want to satisfy their borrowing appetite and meet debt obligations without admitting that the economy is under pressure.”
Fube accused the government of creating a misleading impression of economic stability while ordinary citizens continue to grapple with high living costs.
“They are painting a rosy picture while people can’t afford basic goods,” he said.
Fube also cast doubt on the credibility of inflation statistics released by the Zambia Statistics Agency, arguing that the figures do not reflect conditions in communities.
He further criticised the recent cut in the mineral royalty tax, alleging it was a move aimed at rewarding party loyalists rather than attracting genuine investment.
“That tax cut wasn’t about investment; it was about satisfying UPND cadres,” he claimed.
Fube warned that continued fiscal indiscipline could plunge the country into deeper economic distress and urged lawmakers and civil society to demand greater accountability.
“We need to stop rubber-stamping these budgets. Zambians deserve to know where their money is going,” he said.
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