Former President Edgar Lungu has reacted to reports of the United States cutting aid over thefts of donated medicines.
In an article on his official Facebook page, Lungu said no government is without fault, urging President Hakainde Hichilema to take responsibility and act on the concerns raised by US Ambassador Michael Gonzales.
Here is his full statement:
Over the past few days, our country has been plunged into uncertainty following the revelations and subsequent action taken by the United States Government through its Ambassador, His Excellency Michael Gonzales regarding the termination of aid to Zambia’s health sector. These revelations make very sad reading.
Today, Zambia’s health sector faces enormous challenges in combating the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria and the decision by the U.S. Government serves as a damning indictment, a reminder that the goodwill of our cooperating partners must never be taken for granted, or abused.
From the days of UNIP through MMD, and then to us the Patriotic Front (PF), both under the leadership of our founding father, the late President Michael Chilufya Sata, and subsequently under my leadership, we prioritized strong cooperation with the United States and other partners. Through programs such as PEPFAR and the Global Fund, we confronted the HIV/AIDS pandemic with the seriousness it deserved.
This collaboration saw millions of our people living with HIV gain access to lifesaving ARVs drugs that saved lives and significantly improved the quality of life for our people. While Tuberculosis remains a major public health challenge, our partnership with donors led to the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases and the implementation of the “Test and Treat” approach a powerful tool in prevention and control.
Our robust fight against Malaria, which is very high among young children, pregnant women, and the immunocompromised, brought us to the verge of the Malaria Elimination Phase. Further, as part of our decentralisation strategy, we established the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) to streamline the procurement and distribution of essential medicines and medical supplies across the country.
Fellow Zambians, no government is without fault, but the key in all our efforts was to keep a keen eye on the levels of corruption in the supply chain system of all drugs, otherwise we would not have achieved the policy and implementation targets I have outlined.
In contrast, the shocking scale of theft and corruption, as highlighted by Ambassador Gonzales, is a slap in the face to every Zambian because it is the ordinary citizen who will now suffer due to the potential drug shortages this aid withdrawal will cause. As the saying goes, “If you’re not infected, you’re affected.”
Let me now address my brother, Mr Hakainde Hichilema. Your government has consistently refused to accept responsibility for any wrongdoing, choosing instead to blame the PF or all past administrations. But this is not a time for finger-pointing. Our people will suffer the consequences. The blame game helps no one. The period in question, as clearly stated by Ambassador Gonzales, spans from late 2021 to 2023 squarely under your tenure and you, good sir, must take responsibility.
This careless and inept handling of national affairs has now resulted in the U.S. imposing sanctions undermining our credibility and damaging vital relationships. It is a national embarrassment that casts doubt on our ability to govern ourselves and protect the lives of our people.
Zambians detest pilferage, corruption, and incompetence. But for your government to justify, ignore, or shamelessly downplay the very serious revelations made by Ambassador Gonzales is an insult to over 19 million citizens who entrusted you with power. Despite your promised fight against corruption, the vice has not stopped, but worsened under your watch. Where once the long queues of people I witnessed at our clinics receiving ARVs gave me hope, what might lie ahead for our people if these queues shrink, fills me with despair.
My humble request to you my brother, is to act in the present, instead of dwelling on the past.
I call on all citizens to remain united, hopeful, and vigilant. This is not the first time we have faced a national crisis, and it will not be the last. But the power to correct this trajectory lies with us the people of Zambia.
Let every Zambian, now see that those that had promised to do better, those that had called us and continue to call us names, have failed. In fact, they have not only failed to do as they promised but that they have also done worse than us.
As we collectively forge a more united Zambia, one at peace with herself and other nations, let us remain humble, let us always seek the face of God and seek his guidance.
Nothing lasts forever. This misfortune, this suffering you are now experiencing because of the high cost of living, because of deceit and failure of the UPND government, this excruciating pain that you feel, is only a passing phase. Suffering might endure for a while but peace and joy will soon come.
To the American people, we remain grateful for the long-standing support you continue to provide across various sectors. We appreciate that your doors remain open for future engagement.
As we strive for a more united Zambia, one at peace with itself and with the international community, let us remain humble, let us seek God’s face, and let us pray for wisdom and healing.
May God bless our great nation.
Edgar Chagwa Lungu
Sixth President of Zambia
Chairman of the Tonse Alliance,
2026 Presidential Candidate – Tonse Alliance
