Fellow countrymen and women, tomorrow, the 19th September, 2014, President Sata will be opening parliament. Why is this day significant? It is significant because this particular session of parliament is the one that discusses our national budget; the singular most important document that underpins our development as a country. There will be pronouncements in the President’s speech, pronouncements that will state how much progress the PF government has made since 2011.
Contrary to those PF pronouncements, here is what is really happening in Zambia; today a teacher has spent extra time with a student who needed it, and did her part to up lift Zambia’s literacy levels to a level higher than last year. A nurse stood up longer than necessary to administer a drug and monitor the patient come out of danger to contribute to the higher life expectancy we are talking about today. A doctor went out of his way to ensure that, a mother who had a complicated pregnancy lived so that she does not become part of the statistics on maternal deaths.
A farmer in Lundazi, went into the field. He cleared that field so that he can produce enough food for his family and the nation at large so as to contribute to national food security. A young man and young woman have woken up, set up their small businesses and are planning to add to the job creation that President Sata will most likely be talking about in his speech to Parliament. A miner on the Copperbelt just emerged from the bowels of the earth where he has been since 18 hours last evening up till 6 hours in the morning today. That miner has indeed made his contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of our country.
As President Sata sets the policy direction for the next year, the people I have mentioned above, and many others, must be central in his speech. What did the country pay back these people in 2014? The teacher was told, you will not get a helper because we are freezing employment. The nurse was fired when she asked for better conditions of service. That Doctor has been crying for diagnostic equipment and better facilities so that he can do his job better, but the PF Government has responded with a high portfolio of Ministers and ignored his calls.
under a tree shade.
That farmer in Chipata has been responded to by delaying his inputs and later, delayed payments for his produce. The young man and young woman have ideas to expand their businesses so that they can employ more youths and help augment the local industry but they cannot borrow due to high interest rates as a result of Government’s carelessness and bad economic policies. That miner has shown that he can put in so much, yet pays more tax on a comparative basis, than the mine he works for. And sadly, our miner will get nowhere near owning a piece of that mine because this PF Government has no interest in creating wealth redistribution policies.
This particular session of parliament must address the needs of our citizens. We expect President Sata to address the high cost of agriculture production. We cannot continue buying mealie meal at close to K100 per bag. We cannot expect our citizens to get to hospitals where the nurse is frustrated; understandably so, because she has not taken her nights off due to staffing constraints caused by the employment freeze and firing of her colleagues. The nurse is over stretched because someone somewhere thinks it’s alright to fire 500 nurses at once. Citizens get to the hospital but the Doctor has to guess what has brought them there because he is using outdated diagnostic machines. As if that is not enough, patients are sent home with prescriptions and not medicines because the pharmacies are empty.
When that teacher in Zambezi West goes into a class room, he stands because there is no teacher’s chair, he uses charcoal to write on the board while his pupils seat on the floor because there are no desks. Not to mention that most of the children had to walk a long distance to get to school.
These are the conditions our people live in, if at all we can call this living. Let us for once pull in the same direction, let PF listen to other people’s opinions on Governing this country. A citizenry which is economically empowered, healthy, educated and above all properly fed, will deliver this country into the 21st century. The Zambian people are hardworking but the PF has failed them.
In this session of parliament, as debaters stand up to deliberate on the budget, they should ask themselves these questions: Am I being progressive or retrogressive? Is what I am defending making this country a better place for all or making it a good place for only a few? Am I here out of the will of the party or will of the people? How one answers these questions will determine the course and future of this country. We in the UPND are committed to making PF answerable to the people who put them in Government by providing checks and balances.
[pullquote]As a country, we have spent huge sums of money starting with the Chona Commission in 1972. In the interim we have had the Mvunga Commission, the Mwanakatwe Commission, the Mung’omba Commission, the National Constitutional Conference and now under President Sata, the Silungwe Technical Review Commission.[/pullquote]
This country needs to make progress. This country needs a robust constitution which will limit the Presidential powers and protect the rights of the citizens. We need a constitution which will ensure a democratically elected, majority Government. We should no longer play hide and seek over this important matter. As a country, we have spent huge sums of money starting with the Chona Commission in 1972. In the interim we have had the Mvunga Commission, the Mwanakatwe Commission, the Mung’omba Commission, the National Constitutional Conference and now under President Sata, the Silungwe Technical Review Commission. Still the people’s constitution has not seen the light of day. Give us our constitution now. Only a strong constitution will help our Ministers become useful by making them accountable to the people. Only a people driven constitution will protect the independence of the Judiciary. A people driven constitution will guarantee the independence of the Electoral Commission. It will restore pride and professionalism to our men and women in uniform by protecting them from abuse by politicians. We say to them: GIVE US OUR CONSTITUTION NOW!
It is now three years since PF came to power. In these three years the prices of food, transport, fuel and electricity have risen continuously. In this short space of time; the cost of one 25kg bag of mealie meal has increased by at least 170 percent. The Kwacha has similarly depreciated considerably within these short three years. The consequence is that our country has increasingly become uncompetitive. We cannot export competitively because our prices are untenable. A ton of Maize in Zambia costs US$213 before transportation costs, yet the same commodity in South Africa is only US$162/ton.
Today, our people think they can exist without the Government. This is the reason they don’t see any value in participating in elections. This voter apathy is a sad story and is a topic for another day. Many times people arrange their own education, their own security, their own waste management and sometimes even their own roads. So where is the Government? Why do we pay tax at all?
I call on everyone who is patriotic about this country to call upon this Government to deliver on its promises to the people of Zambia. Let us engage everyone in analyzing what others are calling progress and give constructive criticism. Those being criticized should be magnanimous enough to ensure that they take the point before looking at who is saying it.
Lastly allow me to share with you our vision as UPND. Our vision is to build our nation on the basis of four pillars; (i) a strong economy to ensure stable prices and deliver quality jobs, (ii) quality affordable food for a strong citizenry, (iii) quality healthcare and (iv) free education to act as feed stock for national development. As you can see the four pillars support and complement each other. On this basis we can build our middle class; the single most important driver of consumption and savings. We need to lower the interest rates to support growth. We must collect equitable revenue from the mines and other businesses for reinvestment to other parts of the economy and the social sector.
As UPND, we will manage the fiscal side to broaden local participation in the economy and transform it to an export based economy. We will enable more Zambians to participate in the manufacturing industry. We will promote value addition in the agricultural sector for export to encourage price correction and also job creation.
We must exploit to the maximum our geographical positioning, our plentiful water resources, our vast tracks of arable land, our mineral resources and above all our generally honest and hardworking people.
Brothers and sisters, all is not lost. Our current conditions may be gloomy but the future can only be bright. Together we can build a nation which we can all be proud of. We can build a country where every child has an equal chance to succeed. A country where a citizens will be judged on the basis of their character and ability and nothing else; a country which will truly resonate with our national motto; one Zambia, one nation.
I thank you fellow citizens.
Hakainde Hichilema
UPND President
I think this article is unfair and undermines the President
The state of affairs is as follows:
. The president is opening Parliament
-More universities are built
-More graduates than at any stage
-More money in people’s pockets
The economy is better now than at any other stage in the history of Zambia
I urge all of us to vote OF in 2016 so that the status quo is maintained
Thanks
The bible demands all opposition reach out to the current government and work with them for the betterment of the country
Hebrews 12:14
“Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”
This is talking about anyone with malice against Mr sata
The bible goes on to explain 1 Peter 5:5
“Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
This means we need to be humble and stick together and praise the current regime with total humility
I hope you take this on board people
Thanks
And this mentally sick opposition leader just had to choose this moment to spew his garbage ? Nonsense.
If only our political leaders and mainly elected members of Parliament can understand the merits of the article Zambia would be on the high way to development. But alas, It’s Sata wamuyayaya even in his sick bed. Tomorrow they will be talking about their (PF) elections victories and attributing that to evidence of development.
I can forgive the ordinary Zambian without an education for blind following and falling for a dangling carrot, but not the educated and nevermind the eleceted ones…
@ Mushota….I totally agree with you!!!
Useless article that only brain damaged cadres like Wanzelu,Ndobo and Nostradamus can applaud.Wasted 5 minutes of my precious time on this trash.I feel like puking.
The people in Mwalubemba who are letting their kids learn under a tree are lazy. They could build a classroom if they all got together, then ask government for help. If Zambians don’t learn initiative, their communities will never flourish.
@Mushota: I’m really alarmed at your chaotic mind, no aota of analytical thinking, simply garbage head.No brains to think deeply about issues, as long as it is one of you, every thing is fine. This Northern circuit should not cause Rwandanilisation in zambia and the ground is very fertile for this scenario. end
HH should be awarded at jubilee, that’s simply too much of wisdom. Data should rewrite his speech for tomorrow. What a way to prove Zambians that HH is indeed the president.
may God bless Zambia.
HH ena kuwayawayafye bakamba.Lee bow law lyamuntu
Mr. HH these these things have always been their, u are just stupid
its undeniable that HH has been trying to undermine the PF govt but he has lamentably failed to even cause a dent.
Why has HH failed?
1. He is an accomplished opportunist with no workable plan of his own as a leader or as UPND.
2. He condemns PF for whatever they do regardless of the benefits to the nation.
3. In his naive and parochial mind, he believes that acknowledging something good done by govt s a sign of weakness. for his its oppose and oppose and oppose.
4. He is a lone ranger and lacks support within his own party but they are afraid to come out in the open.
5. HH is a divisive & a shameless tribal element and has refused to divorce himself from such repugnant views.
PF is delivering and moving the country forward to the chagrin of HH & UPND
Brilliant political masterstroke from HH, he has literally removed the carpet from Sata’s feet. This will force Sata to reorganize his speech to meet the challenges presented to him instead of the usual waffles.
Some blogger names just give the people behind them away. Names like Dead( brain dead), Paolo Di Canio( a nazi supporter by the way), Gen( short for genital !”£$$) , Wiseman (not very wise), Nubian Princess(from a certain region in northern zambia but from east africa really)…..Saulosi is a good name, but i don’t know what happened there.
Anyway, for those of you who said HH does not give alternatives, he has just done that.
I am a UPND cadre and i am from Ngombe compound Lusaka.
HH may be president of one the leading partys in Zambia but his followere seem to be more intelligent than their leader.
When you are opposing something which people are seeing coming up, you dont say nothing is being done. Such a position will imply that your party in government will do nothing. Surely if you oppose roads, schools, clinics, hospitals, airports, universities, stadiums then what are you yourself going to do when you come into office?.
What HH should be saying is that he is not happy with the quality of work. Or PF is stealing money for the projects or the tender procedures are being flouted.
I thought ZWD including Wnzelu reported that our president is dead. So who will open parliament tomorrow? PF is doing very well. May God bless Michael Chilufya Sata
Some names like, “The one” ( the one who runs away from any battle).
Chilufya’ health issue is exhausted. The is Mine tax and Chikwanda, Shamenda and Dangote scandal, Chilufya’ successor wars even after sacking and booting W Kabimba…
The state of the nation is exactly as it was 250 years ago and further declining.
The attention seeker is at it again !! Whats wrong with Sunny Chitombwa aka HH ? This man has issues. Hey just be patient until Sata gives that speech tomorrow. Don`t put words in his mouth. Using teachers and nurses who are apparently enjoying bumper salaries is a cheap jab. Bide your time bwana Chitombwa !!
Glad you saw through the man S
He underestimated your 3D eyes
I am not surprised they are one of a kind.
Keep stripping them one by one.
Thanks
Spot on! I’ve said it before and i’ll say it again. UPND lacks strategic direction and that is the second biggest problem they have after this liability called HH
This HH is just worthless. Even after the president gives a speech tomorrow he will have something negative to say.He is full of crap.
You PFs have been whipped your asses. Your president is now disturbed. He will use his little energy to attack HH in parliament.
wait until my president release his statement.
Awe kwena HH aminaya!This is the best speech I have ever read in the history of Zambia.
Lets waist and see tomorrow
am waiting for the presidential speech hoping kaingu wont do as he diid last time,tearing the so called presidential speech,this time boss stick to the notes.
Mushota,you are right for once.we will vote OF in 2016. zambia is declining.we miss Levy.Sata won’t talk for more than ten minutes,ninshi anaka.
There are things that have been said in this address that actually make you pisha the pen,…!!
Especially when you think of corruption and CAdres and so on,…
That said,….. I only voted once, in 2006,….
Ordinarily a speech like this would be dissected by those that read it. From my standpoint, we should wait for Mr Sata to see if what this man (who should have an opinion regardless) is saying will be responded to by the policy direction from HE Sata. So lets hold our horses and be objective in analysis.
The worry with UPND is that they lack clear message.
One has asked before whether:
? They think that Zambian citizens are really free and independent. Has Zambia completed with her struggle for independence and individual freedoms? Certainly not! True or total independence is yet to reach the Zambian citizens. That, independence is only at State House that is yet to pass it on. It is yet to reach the people. All liberties are currently the preserve of the President and his cabinet. That the Presidency needs to give the people the freedom they fought for from the colonial masters. The successive governments have acted exactly like the white-colonialists. They are themselves black-colonialists!
? UPND talks about democracy as though there were any semblance of democracy in Zambia…
@Maano
If the above message doesnt give a clear message, then I dont know what does. It is as clear as the lies that Sata read out in his first and second opening of Parliament.
Whoever can support the nonsense this useless leader (HH) writes needs to be examined mentally. This leader is unusually dull and even worse are those UPND members and supporters. If you support UPND you are dull indeed. Kudos to the president tomorrow is another chapter in our developmental agenda FORWARD>
(HH) Kapoli says: We need to lower the interest rates to support growth. We must collect equitable revenue from the mines and other businesses for reinvestment to other parts of the economy and the social sector.
and this is the chap UPND cadres say is a smart brain from the world of economics?
the drudgery of reading through this nonsense, even a grade 12 can write a better essay. (HH) is indeed daft, but learn this one lesson jembele: If Sata hasn’t done it, it can’t be done
Oh my word Kudos, just when i thought your level of dullness could not get any lower, you just hit the negative range. Have you done ANY research at all to assess that all you have mentioned cannot be done? I have worked in the financial sector close to 12 years my friend and this is sh!t we deal with everyday. Do not try and apply your chicken rearing reasoning in matters you have no clue about. Hopeless chap! I actually summoned my juniors to come and read your laughable statement and some of these kids are PF. They are laughing right now and others are saying ‘These are the people who embarrass our party. YABA!! You need to learn that in the world of Financial Strategic management and planning, the word ‘can’t’ does not exist, comprende?
And the only reason sata has not done it is because he is as dull as you are. A party that hires South African consultants to get rid of street vending is sure to produce chaps like you Kudos, only in PF do you find the largest concentration of dull people ever recorded int the history of the world in one place. Invest some time in thinking, it helps.
Keep up with the work Kudos.You the man.
Nurse goes on strike and people due to her/his negligence in handling professionalism and someone supports this. Unless someone is sick upstairs that is when you can support murderers who killed patients by going on an illegal strike. If i were Dr Kasonde i would have imprisoned them for killing innocent people. Most of the issues mentioned this article are being addressed such as building schools, hospitals,/clinics training of manpower, building of raods, delivery of fertiliser on time, buying of farm outputs etc. Thus, there is nothing special in this article
What caused the Nurses to go on Strike? Was it not your Government that failed to meet its proclaimations? Daft pf cadre!!!
So you can’t just debate like s human being and use your intellect which God gave u? you are the kind of people of people dividing Zambia on tribal lines. Get this straight into your bongo bwabila: it is tradition before any of State of The Union Adress or at similar events to voice your wishes world over. Many people in this country have made or are trying to make their wishes known to our president HEMCS. what makes you think HH should not do the same is most likely a high degree of chaotic process in your brain. You PF cadres should learn to have respect for people who dont share your views.
It always surprises me how Sata, an uneducated, uncouth man with no diplomatic etiquette whatsoever and no grasp of economic and fiscal knowledge, makes pronouncements without planning or consulting (Mongu football stadium) has no clue when it comes to strategic planning, a divisive factor even in his own party (the Kambwili Saga), no respect for basic human rights like freedom of assembly, that this kind of man is practically worshiped by his followers as opposed to the way our previous and generally intelligent presidents were accorded normal respect and support without reaching fanatical levels. What is so special about this dull man that people sound like they would die for him? This reminds me of how South Africans got rid of an intelligent Mbeki in preference for Zuma. Baffling.
He resonates with most of us because he talks the language we understand(politically and not tribe). We identify with him because he is down to earth realistic unlike pipe dreamers like Hakainde that promises to build castles in the air.
Reality, he is not running a village, this is a country. Are you telling me that the only time a company will do well is if the CEO is down to earth and pops into the cafeteria for a quick cup of coffee with the janitor? Your thinking is operational. The presidency needs a strategic thinking person who will not be bothered whether Kambwili has aspirations to be president or not. Come on man! The presidency should be a respected office that all of us should be in awe of. We want a developed country, affordable food and so on. How will identifying with Sata achieve these objectives?
That guy #Kudos! and his fellow PF cadres with a skeleton doesnt think at all. No wonder he chose a skeleton which does not have a brain at all. Choices reflect our charactor and who we really are. Thats how PF cadres and their blind leaders are. So I dont even expect you to improve your thinking, you will always be like that.
Agony is following someone who can not lead you where you want to go. As long as one is not popular in Eastern, Central, Copperbelt, Lusaka, Northern, Luapula, and Muchinga Provinces he/she can not a President for Zambia. Remember Southern Province taught Zambians how to vote. Mazoka almost won.
Those with ears will listen, those with grey matter will dissect and wisely conclude that what HH is saying makes a lot of sense.
Am afraid the Bantustan president will never convince Zambians and unfortunately will never rule this country .Too bad
It is worth noting that, the 3 year period PF has been in power was during the worlds worst recession/depression. HH has failed to give his critic in relation to this.
All in all PF. Has done a good job in growing Zambian economy in comparison to dying western economy. That is why the West are pouring investment into our growing economy.
I will post more when I have repose red my IPad………..!!!
Re-powered!! That us correction of repose
Why ubufi naimwe, the recession was winding up in 2011 after RB had handled it very well. The recession started as early as 2008.
Splendid article. Perhaps Zambia’s curse is a lack of a culture of thinking. As a people, we are more apt to use our mouths than we do our brains.
it easy to criticize, i wonder if the criticizer can turn around things in no time.
someone needs some serious mental flossing
For sure……!!! Lets work up as Zambians and defent ths Nation.
We need Patriotic men and women !!!!!
What time is HE MCS expected to open parliament tomorrow?
Really? HH has written this article. It is such an embarrassing message from an opposition leader. So hollow that it sounds as if he is crying out loud for help. Can you imagine this is the vision of UPND as per HH
“Our vision is to build our nation on the basis of four pillars; (i) a strong economy to ensure stable prices and deliver quality jobs – [is he suggesting price controls??], (ii) quality affordable food for a strong citizenry,[not sure what this means] (iii) quality healthcare [as in…?] and (iv) free education [yayaya] to act as feed stock for national development.”
Where has HH been people – Zambia has moved on.
George Orwell’s satire at its best. The pigs, now the new masters, sleep in old Jones beds, cover themselves with blankets and drink the milk from the cows. Meanwhile the star of the show is Boxer with his slogan: “I will always work harder and Napoleon is always right.” But it is he, who, when things get sour for him, the pigs decide to sell to the knackers.
See how vivid the depiction of it, as the animals, all line-up, singing “Goodbye Boxer, Goodbye Boxer..” Old Benjamin looking on, hardly believes what he sees. “Fools, Fools..” he shouts. “They are taking Boxer to the knackers.” With that, the animals jump in unison, wanting to rescue their most endeared hero. But it is an effort in futility. The gates instantly close them in and Boxer is gone! Think of it.
@Mei Matungu, good recital of George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’. Question is, How many bloggers on this site understand the implied meaning? Very few, and therein lays the problem.
@Cactus: Are there no schools in Zambia? I attended Kalabo Secondary School from 1973 to 1977. That’s where I read the book Animal Farm by George Orwell. Kalabo is a remote part of Zambia. I should expect at least 70% of Zambians, those who have been to school to at least to be familiar with such books like Animal Farm, one of the most outstanding satires ever.
@Cactus: I do want to believe you have a point though.
HH fails to award PF any kudos for all the new developmental activities and that is a little underhand of him. Let’s be realistic:
PF Came into power 2011; it is risible to expect they could have catered for all those people in 3 years! He failed to keep a perspective balancing what has been done so far to what he thinks he could have done differently in 3 years.
His piece above has a failing, the usual failing, and that is he tries to use emotional blackmail to ‘encourage’ people to change sides. Anyone can use emotive narrative and put up pictures of children with torn clothes. You see this tactic in Oxfam, Red Cross charity adverts. That approach is meant to shock people (mostly put them off their large dinners), in order to activate the compassionate.
Personally, I wish President Sata to be inclusive in his mandates. Inclusive in improving the life for women. My mother when widowed had my fathers brothers and sisters walk into our home and take everything from her (even though she had contributed through her work and businesses). She was a diabetic. My sister was in the last stages of a terminal illness. They were left to fend for themselves in terrible circumstances. They are both now dead prematurely. So what do I want from President Sata in which I am in agreement with HH and SACCORD?
GIVE US OUR NEW AND MORE POWERS IN THE CONSTITUTION. To protect women like my sister and mother from family criminals.
INVESTORS- more revenue, chase those taxes or nationalise
CORRUPTION- too much money siphoning by government servants.
I will though support PF until general election, at which point I will take stock. There is need for Zambians to aim for 2016, as any changes before will be detrimental to our development. Generally PF are on the right route. However they need to reconnect with the people and recognise their rights. There is unruliness in PF, and control of this is necessary.
HH is also correct in saying opposition parties should challenge the government on their spending decisions, but not just to cause trouble.
Look at the comments from PF chaps, the can only look at the positive when Fred M’membe has hit them from the back.
Useless article. It lacks merit and contains no substance. PF may have failed in some areas but they have done a lot for these few years they have been in government and they deserve a credit. I’m a teacher myself and I thank this government for uplifting our standards
Well spoken HH. The fact that none of the people opposed to the points raised by HH in this article have come up with any credible counter-points to challenge HH speaks volumes. This is indeed the sad state of our Country.
HH is making sense. Man of wisdom……I ve now made 180 degrees from PF to UPND viva HH
Now I believe! HH is seriously a waste of space!
This is the furthest HH can go. Hallucinations and day dreaming. Planning, planning and planning, no action
the article by UNDP is average anyone one can arrange these points in this order,the PF has done quite well in addressing almost if not all of the issues raised in this HH article.I see desperation in the article,if HH is clever he should also give some credit where th PF scores to show objectivity,otherwise desperation is visible in this guys face…
The entire article is typical of a wannabe president. Let us be honest people. At least the PF is making strides to improve people’s lives in all areas. It is only myopic characters such as Hechi Hechi and his followers that want to pretend that such is not happening. Universities, schools, hospitals, roads etc are being constructed. Look at the agricultural sector as well. Things are happening. Only a certain clique bent on maligning the PF’s efforts seem to have a problem with the developmental agenda of the PF. Hechi Hechi is a very jealous, pompous, undemocratic and directionless character who is so much engrossed in a cocoon. By 2016 there will be absolutely nothing to talk about by the opposition because most of the plans the PF has shall by that be completed.
halenya halenya up nd down pants down the president has just given the nice speech