By 
Matero Member of Parliament, Miles Sampa, has expressed concerns over the growing debt owed by Zambian government to the private sector, particularly Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), despite government’s promise to reduce such debts following the removal of fuel subsidies.
Last week, Energy Minister Makozo Chikote revealed in Parliament that Zambia’s fuel debt stood at US$597 million when the Patriotic Front (PF) government exited in 2021.
As of December 31, 2024, this figure had reportedly surged to US$735 million.
Sampa, a former banker and deputy finance minister, questioned why the United Party for National Development (UPND) government had not reduced the debt as promised, instead seeing it increase by 23 percent.
He sarcastically referred to the government’s approach as the “kokai theorem of ‘increasing in order to reduce definitely’.”
“The arithmetic doesn’t add up,” Sampa said in a statement on Sunday. “Since 2021, the government has removed the fuel subsidy and has been selling fuel at market prices. Additionally, they’ve introduced a fuel levy and toll fees, generating millions in surplus revenue. So, why has the government not paid down the fuel debt?”
Sampa further criticized the government for spending funds on non-essential projects, such as the redesign of the Kwacha, while failing to settle the growing fuel debt.
“If they have money for an expensive redesign of the currency, they should also have money to repay the fuel debt,” he said.
He also accused the UPND government of being poor payers, claiming that they only settle debts when it benefits them.
This failure to honor payments has reportedly led some oil companies, such as Sahara Energy, to take legal action.
He claimed that in one case, Sahara Energy successfully sued the Zambian government in a Belgian court.
“Don’t be surprised if we hear about bailiffs taking action internationally,” Sampa added.
Sampa further criticized the government for its inability to manage corruption and the ballooning debt.
“The growing fuel debt, despite promises to address it before 2021, is another example of their ‘increasing in order to reduce’ philosophy,” he said. “How else can one explain a debt increase from US$597 million to US$735 million in just four years?”
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