YOU DON’T CHANGE A WINNING AND GOAL-SCORING STRIKER AT A CRITICAL TIME
By James Sakala
In football, coaches do not substitute a striker who is consistently finding the back of the net when the outcome of the match hangs in the balance because doing so would risk disrupting the team’s momentum and jeopardising victory. The same principle applies to national leadership, where continuity often becomes the key ingredient for sustained development and long-term prosperity.
Since assuming office in August 2021, President Hakainde Hichilema has steered Zambia through one of the most challenging economic periods in the country’s history with determination, discipline and a clear vision aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability, rebuilding investor confidence and laying a solid foundation for inclusive national development.
The UPND government has recorded notable achievements across various sectors, including the successful restructuring of Zambia’s external debt, increased Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocations, the recruitment of thousands of teachers and health workers, the restoration of free education, expanded Social Cash Transfer programmes, improved support for farmers through agricultural reforms, and renewed investment in infrastructure and energy.
These achievements have not only eased the burden on ordinary citizens but have also demonstrated that sound economic management, transparency and prudent governance can produce measurable results that benefit communities across the country.
Investor confidence has steadily improved under President Hakainde Hichilema’s leadership, with Zambia increasingly attracting international partnerships and investment opportunities that are expected to stimulate industrial growth, create employment and strengthen the country’s long-term economic resilience.
The government’s commitment to decentralisation has empowered local authorities and communities to identify and implement development projects that directly respond to the needs of the people, ensuring that development is no longer concentrated in a few urban centres but reaches every corner of the nation.
While challenges remain, as they do in every developing country, the progress achieved over the past several years provides compelling evidence that Zambia is moving in the right direction. Many of the reforms currently underway require consistency, stability and time to realise their full potential.
Changing national leadership at a time when key economic and developmental programmes are gaining momentum would be comparable to substituting a goal-scoring striker in the closing minutes of a crucial match—a decision that could interrupt progress and reduce the chances of securing lasting success.
The strides made under President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND government present a compelling case for continuity, allowing ongoing reforms to mature, investments to bear fruit and development projects to be completed for the benefit of present and future generations.
As Zambia looks ahead, the national conversation should not merely focus on political competition but on safeguarding the progress already achieved and ensuring that the country continues advancing towards economic transformation, job creation, improved public services and shared prosperity.
The principle remains simple yet powerful: you do not change a winning and goal-scoring striker at a critical time. For many Zambians, continuity of leadership represents the surest path towards consolidating the gains already made and building a stronger, more prosperous nation for generations to come.
As Zambia approaches the forthcoming August polls, every eligible citizen has an opportunity to shape the nation’s future through the democratic process. The election presents an opportunity to sustain the reforms and development initiatives that have been undertaken over the past several years, ensuring that the progress already achieved is not interrupted.
Continuity will provide the stability needed to consolidate economic recovery, complete infrastructure projects, expand employment opportunities, strengthen education and healthcare, deepen agricultural transformation, and accelerate reforms aimed at improving the lives of all Zambians. Maintaining the current course will allow ongoing investments and policy reforms to mature, creating greater opportunities for economic growth and shared national prosperity.
Just as a football coach keeps faith with a striker who is consistently delivering goals, Zambia should maintain confidence in leadership that has demonstrated measurable progress and a clear vision for national development. The ultimate decision rests with the people of Zambia, who will exercise their constitutional right to choose the country’s leadership in the forthcoming elections.
The future of Zambia depends not only on preserving the gains already made but also on providing the stability required to build on those achievements. Development is a continuous journey, and every milestone reached today becomes the foundation for even greater accomplishments tomorrow.
FORWARD TOGETHER FOR BETTER DAYS
