By 
Political analyst, Dr. Lawrence Mwelwa, has questioned government’s narrative of economic recovery, arguing that the reported improvements in key economic indicators were not translating into tangible relief for ordinary Zambians.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Mwelwa said while the government continued to highlight gains such as a stronger kwacha, increased reserves, and controlled inflation, the realities on the ground tell a different story.
“The government keeps telling us that things are getting better—that the kwacha has strengthened, Zambia has more money in its reserves, and inflation is under control, signalling an economic recovery,” he said.
“But for the average Zambian, these numbers mean nothing,” Mwelwa said
He pointed out that basic necessities remained unaffordable, power supply erratic, and employment opportunities still limited.
“A visit to any market, filling station, pharmacy, or school shows that nothing has changed. Life is still hard. Food is still expensive. Electricity is still unreliable. Jobs are still few,” he said.
Mwelwa said while the kwacha may be gaining against the dollar, the benefits of that trend had not trickled down to the majority of Zambians.
“Yes, the kwacha is now buying more dollars than it did a few months ago. But how has that helped the ordinary person? Prices of mealie meal, cooking oil, soap, bus fares, and medicines have not gone down. In fact, some are rising,” he noted.
Mwelwa questioned the relevance of a strong currency that does not ease the cost of living.
“We were told a stronger currency would bring down prices, but in our homes and pockets, there is no change. The cost of living continues to climb, and many people are just trying to survive one day at a time,” he said.
Mwelwa argued that while economic reports may indicate growth, most citizens were experiencing the opposite.
“The economy might be growing on paper, but it’s shrinking in the lives of ordinary people. Small business owners are being crushed by high costs and low sales. Farmers are struggling to buy fertilizer or find markets for their produce,” Mwelwa said.
He further argued that families were increasingly forced to make difficult choices.
“Parents are having to choose between paying rent and sending their children to school. Even civil servants, who were once hopeful, are now losing confidence as their salaries fall far behind rising prices,” he claimed.
Commenting on the recently introduced K33.6 billion supplementary budget, Mwelwa said it exposed government’s failure to plan adequately.
“If things were truly going well, why does the government need more money halfway through the year? Why the rush to pay fuel arrears and borrow again, despite assurances that debt restructuring had created fiscal space? Where did the savings go?
“If we were on the right track, government wouldn’t be scrambling mid-year to keep basic services running,” he stated.
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