Election promises: Do they really influence voters?

With polling day fast approaching, Zambians are once again weighing a familiar question: do campaign promises actually shape how people vote? Since 1964, campaign promises have been used unsparingly by ruling parties to win support, and at times those promises have helped opposition parties ascend to power. Unfulfilled promises, in the eyes of many voters, carry little more weight than lies, and no late window-dressing can restore lost confidence. Such promises invite an obvious question: where would the funding come from, since many are not backed by demonstrated fiscal detail? Campaign messaging, Sayila argues, would be more credible if grounded in physical projects already initiated or completed, rather than repeated promises.