…Says Kabwe teacher’s reported suicide over debts is a painful wake-up call for government action

By NATION REPORTER in Mporokoso

NRPUP presidential candidate Brian Mundubile has pledged to introduce a strong debt swap programme for teachers and other civil servants, saying public workers trapped in loans, salary deductions and mounting financial pressure deserve immediate relief.

Addressing a campaign rally in Mporokoso alongside his running mate, Makebi Zulu, Mr. Mundubile said the reported suicide of a teacher in Kabwe over debts was a tragic and painful reminder that many civil servants were living under unbearable financial strain.

He said the situation demanded urgent intervention from government, arguing that no teacher, nurse, police officer or other public worker should be pushed to the point of despair because of debt.

“Our teachers and civil servants serve this country with dedication, yet many are trapped in debt and left with little or nothing at the end of the month. The reported death of a teacher in Kabwe linked to debts is heartbreaking and unacceptable. An NRPUP government will implement a strong debt swap policy to consolidate and restructure these loans so that our workers can breathe again and live with dignity,” Mr. Mundubile said.

He said the debt swap programme would help ease the burden of multiple deductions by allowing civil servants to reorganise their loans into manageable repayments, thereby restoring take-home pay and reducing the financial pressure that has left many families struggling.

Mr. Mundubile said the policy was not just about numbers on paper, but about saving livelihoods, protecting families and restoring hope to workers who have been pushed into a cycle of borrowing to survive.

On agriculture, he promised that farmers would be paid promptly after delivering maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA), saying the days of farmers waiting for long periods to access their money would come to an end.

He also pledged to announce crop prices on time, guarantee a reliable market for farmers and ensure the timely distribution of farming inputs in order to boost productivity and make farming profitable again.