By Brian Matambo – Sandton, South Africa

16 October 2025

Presidential hopeful Mr. Willah Joseph Mudolo says Zambia cannot end corruption by fear or punishment alone, but by first ensuring that civil servants are paid fairly and treated with dignity.

Appearing on the Daylight Breakfast show on KBN TV, Mr. Mudolo said most corruption in the public sector stems from poverty and frustration among government workers who are struggling to survive. “An empty stomach has no knowledge of a jail,” he said. “Before enforcing the law, we must remove the hunger that drives people into corruption.”

He explained that his plan begins with improving salaries and working conditions for teachers, police officers and other public servants. Once this foundation is set, he said, strict enforcement of anti-corruption laws must follow. “When we pay you well and look after your family, there will be no excuse to steal,” he said.

Mr. Mudolo, who has studied finance and sustainability in the United Kingdom and South Africa, linked his anti-corruption stance to a broader programme of youth-led economic reform. He said Zambia must reduce dependence on copper and instead support young entrepreneurs, small traders and agro-processors through development finance institutions designed to provide fair access to capital.

He believes that a motivated and fairly paid civil service will not only reduce corruption but also drive national productivity and innovation. “We cannot build a clean government on empty pockets,” he said. “We must first empower the people who run the government.”

Mr. Mudolo said he remains part of the Patriotic Front family but called for fresh leadership and practical solutions. He confirmed plans to return home soon to begin nationwide consultations and youth mobilisation ahead of the 2026 elections.

“Change begins with fairness,” he said. “If we pay civil servants properly, corruption will no longer be seen as a way to survive but as a crime that disgraces the nation.”