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Democratic Union (DU) Party President, Ackim Njobvu, has criticised government’s handling of the ongoing medical drug theft scandal, urging President Hakainde Hichilema to initiate dialogue over the crisis.
Njobvu accused the top leadership of negligence, complicity, and a failure to uphold accountability, particularly in managing diplomatic engagements related to one of Zambia’s most critical sectors—public health.
In an interview with Zambia Monitor, Njobvu expressed disappointment that the United States government had reportedly raised concerns as early as 2021 about deficiencies in Zambia’s medicine procurement and distribution systems.
He urged the government to take swift action based on evidence already provided and to stop delaying meaningful investigations.
“It’s disturbing that such a vital issue to public health and international trust has been treated with dangerous casualness,” Njobvu said.
“If we are to restore confidence among Zambians and international donors, we must change the leadership. This government has failed to protect the health of its people. We demand answers.”
He also proposed broad reforms, including the adoption of advanced stock control systems, minimal human involvement in drug procurement and distribution, and increased transparency in managing donated medical supplies.
Njobvu stressed the importance of tracking where medicines go missing—whether during procurement, transportation, or at the point of distribution.
Similarly, Civil Rights Activist Brebnar Changala condemned government’s response to the scandal, describing it as “dismal” and called for an end to the blame game.
“The UPND government has consistently been defensive and quick to shift blame when faced with criticism, instead of taking responsibility,” Changala said.
He argued that the scandal reflected government’s failure to hold senior officials accountable for corruption, instead focusing on low-level offenders.
Changala further warned of what he described as growing authoritarian tendencies, including interference with democratic institutions, suppression of dissent, and the persecution of opposition leaders and journalists.
“Reality has now dawned on the UPND government, which used to accuse former President Edgar Lungu and the Patriotic Front (PF) of corruption and slander. The UPND could prove to be even worse when it comes to corruption,” he alleged.
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