Thursday, March 28, 2024

Investing in Education is the best investment Zambia can make -HH

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Children learning under a tree at Sialwala Primary School  located in Sinazongwe,due to lack of classrooms.
Children learning under a tree at Sialwala Primary School located in Sinazongwe,due to lack of classrooms.

Today we celebrate Zambia’s most valuable asset – our unity. Modern Zambia was founded upon the notion of unity and championed by our great leader Dr Kenneth Kaunda. Following independence this nation was built brick by brick on the belief that to grow we needed to cast aside tribal stereotypes and instead highlight all the qualities we share.

Today with over 70 different tribal groups and approximately 14 million inhabitants, Zambia is one of few African nations that does not have the burden of inter-tribal violence and animosity, I am proud to be a Zambian, and proud of our commitment to being a unified country. Indeed, the UPND has a strong vision for Zambia – a vision of a united, prosperous and equitable Zambia. We believe our policies and practices will foster the solidarity we need to drive this great nation forward.

There are those who would see us divided and who throw around tribal labels irresponsibly for personal or political advantage. They attempt to use them to score political points and distract Zambians from the important issues and the unacceptable truth that more than 50 years after independence the majority of Zambians still live in poverty because their government has failed them.

In the UPND we open our arms to all Zambians equally. We know that our potential as a nation is great, but that we will only be able to reach this if we join hands and work together. We encourage debate and disagreement, both within the party and with our colleagues in government and the opposition. This is an important part of any healthy democracy. However, we strongly believe that this debate and difference of opinion must focus on the issues and the policies, not on tribal or any other personal labels, which only serve to undermine the interests of us all.

In order to continue moving forward together and to protect our unity as a nation we must employ several different tools. Firstly, we need a foundation of good governance, which means the new people driven constitution with proper protection for the human rights of each and every Zambian. It also means an open and transparent government that does not shy away from criticism and that can be held to account by the people, the media and civil society.

The most important factor in all this is a personal passion of mine – education, education, education. Education is the strongest weapon in our fight against disparity and inequality. We believe that a strong education system is the best investment we can make to ensure that each and every Zambian gets the best start in life.

Every Zambian deserves the chance to succeed and live a happy, plentiful life. This starts with making sure Government provides stability in schools and universities across the country, whether that is a primary school in Choma or a university student at CBU. We must raise the quality of education available to our children and ensure access across the board. This should be a daily focus for government. Only by giving our children a better and equal start in life can they carry forward our unity into the future and help continue our journey forward as One Zambia, One Nation.

Hakainde Hichilema
UPND President

<h2>’Together, we can'</h2>

48 COMMENTS

    • I feel sorry for people who support HH and give him money. Yes he may know something about economics but he is not going to be President of Zambia ever! Talking too much never made anyone a good leader!

      What is his track record? What is the one thing that he has done that has changed Zambian’s lives?

      Anyway keep dreaming.

    • nubian prince, what is the ELs track record ? at least HH is a very successfully business man, what has EL done that has changed Zambians lives apart from throw a blanket of dept over them for generations to come ? In fact the whole PF are abusing public monies by agreeing to pay for building the most expensive roads in the world by using public funds, they have watched over and participated in the over charging of this road building because in their thieving way of thinking it is borrowed money being used and Zambians will not immediately feel the pinch.

    • As the great Chitimululu said ‘Politics is the interaction between a person and a situation. And different kinds of situations elicit different behaviour from people….politics is not like the lines of mathematics and no lines can be laid down for political wisdom’. Therefore you can not grade HH as a politician or talk about his past record as a politician.The occurences in Zambia are unique and dynamic.For instance we have never had 8hrs a day of load shedding,we are the only country that has lost 2 sitting presidents in less than a decade,we have numerous by elections we cant afford…etc These are unique situations,the playing field is level and anyone who comes up with a good solution should be welcomed,not condemned.

    • Well said Mr.President. There is nothing to add to this great visionary statement. If only all our past republican presidents were visionary there would be no land shedding we re experiencing today.

    • This is very true. Only a jealous f.ool would disagree with your statement Mr. President. One day and I say one day you will be favored by all Zambians just like they favored Sata. The way things are moving and EL many are losing hope becos of njala.

    • You only see or hear what you want to see or hear from a person! What pushed away people like Patrick Chisanga, Bob Sichinga, Sakwiba Sikota and the like away from UPND?

      When you fall in love with a woman it does not matter what others shall say but to you it will be something else.

    • Thanks for the great statement President HH. One would expect the national president to be making such a statements but thanks anyway. Probably he’s too busy at an independence celebration somewhere.

      You are correct, without human development, our country will still remain the same poverty stricken nation it has been for many years.

      And it’s not just a matter of building primary schools, Our teachers have to be properly trained, schools properly equipped so that our students can receive worked class education. Through world class education comes world class innovation. Without world class innovation, we will not be able to produce internationally competitive products or services that will earn our country the much needed money.

      I highlydoubt if Lungu and his PF minions…

    • I agree with @Nubian Princess. We collectively agree that HH is a very rich man so why wait to be president to help people you want to vote for you. HH wants to be president really badly so why not start by helping impoverished communities now, and then maybe they can make him president through his deeds!

    • @ muleya-kabulo ask the people you mention and after their response refer back to your opening sentence.

  1. Well HH you speak the truth and hopefully the people will give you the chance to liberate them from the fangs of hell. At the rate we are moving, I see no hope of improvement under PF. But the problem with UPND, only HH articulates issues and the rest are just quiet.

    • HH should start by teahing his people to stop tri.balism coz they are the chapions of tri.balis wether or not they like it.
      Point is you can’t be in denial, you have to first accept that you are tri.bal and then you look at how you can reduce it

    • Thanks my presido 4 that visionary statement.Continue helping the comunity and God will greatly reward u.

  2. Brilliant statement on Heroes and Unity day. I always appreciate leaders with analytical skills and HH falls in that category, sadly majority of our people go for empty slogans, but hey, that’s democracy- it’s a game of numbers (quantity) – it’s never about quality sadly.

    • @Chosen One; any dam.ned f00l can identify a problem, the responsible ones look for solutions. HH’s only solution is to be voted in as president. If we all thought like HH, waiting to be presidents in order to help our communities, this World will be a very sad place to live in. And he wonders why he is still toiling the compounds begging for votes when he can easily be voted in by building schools, helping out health centers and play grounds because he has the money but he wants to be president first! What a shame!

  3. This country has been destroyed by opportunists.
    Those that use power to appease the FBI (friends bululus and inlaws!)
    But have no vision or passion to alleviate the poverty of the person in namushakende village or shangombo.
    Can you imagine lusaka has only 1 railway platform after 51 years and $120 million bond money?
    What heroes what unity?
    The heroes died with UNIP!
    The second are the plunderers who instead of getting the best deals for the nations privatisation acyltally buy the very companies and become shareholders themselves!
    There can never be unity with such disparity in the way we look at serving people.

  4. A Very good analysis devoid of political temperament. Sometimes I miss to see the practical leadership of HH one day and the implementation of the points he lays out. Zambia can be ‘heaven’ if the issues he analyses is anything to go by. I wish at times we read from similar scripts free from political inclinations. Thank you.

  5. The only problem we have as Zambians is that people with eyes to see and brains to analyze how the economy has been messed up by the PF govt don’t vote. PF is the most indiscipline party in government SADC has ever seen apart from ZANU-PF in Zimbabwe

    • The other fact is that us with brains and analytical minds are overwhelmingly outnumbered by dunderheads like Nubian prince. We can never experience true democracy with this level of illiteracy. The dull will vote for the dull because they speak the same language. The language of false promises such as the 90 day promises without analysing how such promises will be achieved. To these dull people like the Nubian, the mention of hard work sends their little brains spinning. They would rather have thieves in government who turn a blind eye to corruption. If indeed HH has put US$80 million into the construction of a university, shouldn’t we applaud such a noble gesture? God has given you HH to get you out of your misery, but you choose perpetual suffering, because that’s all you know. SHAME

    • Dombwa its very true that the enlightened shy away from participating in influencing decisions that would be beneficial for the country worse still they make no efforts to help open the eyes, ears and, brains of their less fortunate relatives to wise up on issues leading to situations they are in.

  6. Dr. Kaunda is not a great leader. If he was, Zambia would have been a middle income country by now with poverty levels below 10% not the current 86%! The mismanagement of our country started with him and has continued to this day.

  7. Zambians we are just a bunch of jockers so what is wrong with what HH has said.Nowonder there are blackouts everyday and no one sees anything wrong.The country is ours and we hold its future in our hands let us stop being myopic like chickens with small brains.

    • Saka – Because he is calling KK a great leader, yet he refused to listen to him when he was advised to become Mr. Sata’s VP at the failed merger talks.

    • I agree with u @saka. Dunderheads like Nubian are what is costing Zambia. Just listen to what this orangutan Nubian vomits each time. Just sewage.

    • I agree with you. Zambians are not as smart they seem to portray themselves, ask yourself which building in Zambia was designed and built by a Zambian? Even after 50 years of independence … a basic right of a child education is not available, but they keep voting for the loudest mouths in the country.

      Poverty galore …. the SA malls they see now, they don’t even know its people like HH who bring such investments. Still out of the country even to buy pins and nails after 50 years … awee mwee. shame!

    • Observer- Is it not true that KK was a great leader regardless of his few weakenesses which u also have? And how come u pick only the KK issue from the entire statement? hmmmm Some Zambians are really st.upid. U wonder what type of brains they use to think with. Kapena they think with matako.

  8. @ kapeya
    When you say Zambians are st..pid I hope you mean your relatives especially your parents who taught you to be insulting whoever does not agree with your fuulish thoughts.

  9. @ Saka and Observer. Turning down the VP post offer should not be interpreted negatively. Many would have compromised their principles to benefit themselves from the post and the priveledges that come with it. HH stood by principle as he viewed the broader picture at his expense. Only the mighty can overcome such temptations and wait for their dream to come true. RB for example has betrayed his MMD loyalty for less. How else would you have behaved, if you were in HH’s shoes? You sound very cheap if your interpretation is anything to go by.

  10. @observer, we know how surtle sata was like a snake. Just like his name. He was going to turn against HH and destroy him. Even I cud never accept to be sata’s vice. Why didn’t accept to be vice instead? This chap called sata who u. R glorifying was the WORST THING to happen to Zambia. Actually, he should never have been born.

    • jamakudi – Very correct, but turning against and destroying HH is an assumption. We can also assume that the opposite could have happened. HH should have taken the risk – by the way, even RB made two attempts at working with HH – remember what the late VP GK said?

  11. Intellectuals do not insult, the really do not throw venom at a lady. The sky is sometimes blue. We all already know education is important; let us move Zambia forward.

    • How can we move Zambia forward when we are being burdened with external dept to pay for roads that have been overpriced to be the highest priced/Km in the world by our own so called leaders who are supposed to be the protectors of Zambia’s future ???

  12. Mr HH,Why did you not mention a primary school in any other province instead of Choma. Does it mean you only know Southern Province better than other provinces? Is Southern Province, the only province where pupils are learning under a tree? Is it also not possible to take the tables and chairs outside the classroom and put them under a tree for political gain? The article is very good and provocative at the same time.When PF came into power, most of the colleges were upgraded to university status and building of schools continued. I think, MP school begin to work by identifying areas in their constituencies which need schools. They should not wait until you Mr.HH become president thats when the schools are built in choma. You will not use your economics ormathematics orengineering to rule.

    • Infact that is not the worst case scenario. There are other places where they learn under trees and seated on rocks, stone or ground. So that picture was just staged

    • @mwamba mwamba, why did yo sata build a university in muchinga, where there is already one, other than chipata or choma? You r so shallow in thinking. Wanza weyi.

    • There we go …. mention of “choma” raises dull eyebrows, in the same sentence theres another region, that was totally ignored. You are the tribalist HH is addressing right there … Go to school!

  13. Continue..
    I meant MPs in all constituencies should not wait for Mr. HH to include a photo of pupils under a tree and politicise it. MPs should not just receive their allowances and drink tea when pupils are learning under the tree in their constituencies. Is HH the MP for Choma or for Kitwe Riverside where CBU is ? Are the MPs sleeping for those constituencies? If HH is interested of reporting constituencies matters, why not contest as MP for Choma. Definately, he will win. Face it, he can not win Luapula, Copperbelt, Eastern, Northern, Lusaka,Muchinga, North Western(now without Kapita`s influence) , Central (50/50), western (50/50) and he has 100% Southern Province. So when will he rule Zambia, big task ahead of him in 2016. Politics is about numbers people not number of degrees one…

  14. @ Mwamba, in fact to be precise your argument does not hold water. You are just fighting a losing battle. What specific point are you driving home other than scattering too wide without specifications? Simple reasoning shows that you need to be among the first beneficiaries of what HH is agitating for- fighting ignorance. Good luck during the first enrolment!

  15. HH Is Going To Win In All The Provinces Except Eastern Were Jameson Comes 4m. If U Want To Knw Wat HH Has Done,wait U Wil Hear It Wen He Wins And They Start Analysing Him Startng With His Family Background.

  16. Dear HH

    Most Zambians, truly want to like you, and indeed we do like you as a person. You have shown great tenacity in bouncing back loss after loss, and that is brave. On a personal level, tenacity like that shows character. In fact I share that quality with you. I never give up on education or any personal direction I have elected.

    However, your passion on education is unfortunately also your weakness. We have witnessed and have been victims of attacks by ‘Elitist Educated’ supporters of yours. Education has been a mantra used to disqualify the views and rights to an opinion on gov’t of those considered to be ‘uneducated.’ It is a bit of a stretch to expect ordinary folk tobelieve that your passion is a benevolent one or that it is a view of a kindly Benefactor.

    • Also, on Zambia’s Poverty Levels, 50 years after independence….are we comparing Zambia to ALL African States? Truthfully, most states in Africa that were well off just after independence are currently also experiencing a new regeneration after economic failure that goes beyond African Gov’t capability.

      Our economies in Africa have been at the mercy of a Western Countries and have heaved and crashed due to Market Economies and the 10 year cycles of Recession and Depression. In my Adult years, I have been squeezed I between the Margret Thatcher Recession era and the current one (which the world gov’ts pretend has ended). We are not doing tooooo badly. Thanks, please try not to break spirits of the people.

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