United Party for National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema has pledged to increase salaries, when voted as the next Republican President. Mr. Hichilema also vowed to increase the workers’ allowances and introduce a transparent and efficient tax regime for the benefit of all Zambians.
The opposition leader was speaking at a mammoth rally held at Itezhi Tezhi Basic school grounds in Itezhi Tezhi district, yesterday. He added that his party when in power will re-introduce a well designed and transparent windfall tax system that will make enough money available to increase the salaries and allowances of civil servants, the police and army with the minimum worker to get K5 million.
“UPND government will introduce an open and transparent windfall tax system that will enable us to increase salaries and allowances of civil servants so that the lowest paid will be K5 million.
“We believe that an open and transparent windfall tax system will be achieved by encouraging dialogue around tax issues which our government initiate and we believe that this system will act as a catalyst towards a more accountable political system which Zambians yearn for” Mr. Hichilema said.
He said that his government will also downsize the cabinet to 30 ministers only in order to save K800 billion which he claimed is spent on minister’s vehicles and allowances.
“We want to be an efficient government that will deliver to the people of this country. We will not have a bloated cabinet. We will restrict ourselves to 30 ministers inclusive of deputy ministers so that we can save about K800 billion which is spent on ministers vehicles and allowances” Mr. Hichilema said.
He said by downsizing the cabinet, re-introducing a transparent and fair windfall tax policy as well as introducing innovative taxing system, more money will be made available to improve health, education and road infrastructure in the country.
Mr. Hichilema said that UPND government will introduce free education policy from grade one to university level because the party believes that education is a right and not a privilege.
“We consider education as a right for everyone and we believe it is key to economic development of this country hence our resolve in our manifesto to provide it free up to university level once we form government,” the opposition leader said.
Mr. Hichilema who received applauses from the crowd at intervals, passionately appealed to civil servants, police officers and the army to join the campaign for UPND so that once they are in power, they will enjoy improved conditions services.
He encouraged the electorates in Itezhi Tezhi to accept every chitenge materials and money they are given by political parties but to vote otherwise on 20th September.
Mr. Hichilema asked the Itezhi Tezhi electorate to vote for him as President and Greyford Monde as their Parliamentarian.
Mr. Hichilema also strongly denounced politicians who are campaigning on tribal lines saying that politics of tribalism have no place in Zambia.
And in a discussion monitored on Itezhi Tezhi community Radio station (ITT FM 91.1), Mr. Hichilema sternly warned government officers against the abuse of government property for campaigns.
He said that it was an offence under electoral code of conduct for every officer to use government property that has been bought from tax payer’s money to campaign for a party of their orientation.
He further said that 20TH September 2011 is a year for the people of Zambia to vote for compassionate and corruption- free leaders that will deliver what he termed the much needed development in the country.
ZANIS
Smacks of desperation what a loser this guy is
HE SAID IF HE VOTED INTO POWER IN 2031 HE WILL INCREASE SALARIES BY THEN HE WILL GRADUATE FROM NURSERY OF POLITICS. HH…HHHH…HHHHH…..HHHHH DO NOT WAIST YOUR MONEY. DONCI KUBEBA
IN 2016 JUST VOTE FOR ME ,THE PRETTY GIRL.TRY A WOMAN N SEE THE HEART OF AA WOMAN WAT IT CAN DO
HH mwaice u can not win,u are just a game spoiler.u Luck proper reasoning.Just join mmd.But victory is 4 PF.
no prinples. underground connections with mmd is finishing him. I think Mazoka is turning around in his grave to see his party sleeping with the enemy.M.H.R.I.P
The chaps that always bring up Mazoka’s name are the same people who did not vote for him because he was Tonga. We know the propaganda by these fools. HH is the only candidate who can take Zambia to the promised Land. He is Brilliant an Vibrant. He talks sense everytime he opens his mouth. Sata usualy talks nonsense when he opens his urgly mouth. Shame on Pf. VIVA UPND. VIVA new blood. ViVa Real Change VIVA HHHH
WALIPUKUTA BRICKLAYER THINK BEFORE YOU SUPPORT
Objectively speaking HH is the right person to up the leadership of this country. Even RB and Satan knows this. It’s just the greed that is in man that explains why the old men are still on the ress to state house.
‘Ba Sakala Nyongo’ are at it.
Ati….. Sakala Nyongo…..ke ke ke ke! You have made me laugh and I can’t stop!
What’s cuttin’ with Lt? I gave your comment thumbs up because it’s the only one that sums it all up yet they give thumbs down…..crap!
Viva HHHH. you have the vision for zambia!
HH has no vision for Zambia. What he has is division for Zambia.
Sata – na has satanic vision for Zambia.
VIVA RB Nafuti nafuti RB Nafuti nafuti.
Mr. HH university education is not a right, its a choice..do you know how much Free University education costs even the Developed Countries like Britain, they are starting to charge their students for higher education.
British citizens are rich and can afford to pay. Africans can not and that is why they need assistance. How do you reason?
How old are you? And why do you think the UNIP Gov’t had problems with its socialist policies, not everyone in the UK is well off…so called rich governments are talking about deficits and budget cuts in the public sector, whereas this HH is talking about higher public spending based on Windfall tax don’t you see the irony there..
Now HH, that is underfive politics, windfall profits will only be there as long as the price of copper is high. So how will you pay those workers when the price of copper drops and there is no windfall revenue? Are we going to have salaries pegged to the price of copper, or send civil servants on redundancy every time copper prices drop? If you introduce windfall there is bound to be a negative reaction from the mines, production and investment will dwindle, when production drops so will revenue which means that for every gain in windfall tax revenue there will be a corresponding drop in production revenue. We have been through this before ba HH, just go back to political school and learn a few lessons, and try again in 2016.
What is HH’s speciality? He can’t be an economist nor a politician!! SATAn really fingered him properly – he is an Under-5!!
I agree with you on the point that Windfall tax revenue will not be there permanently hence it would be folly to tie salaries to windfall tax. However the thought that would be reduced investment due to windfall tax is misconception. The main trigger to investment is demand for the product. What you and many others dont seem to understand is that Windfall tax is only a share of abnormal profits. That is after the companies have already made their money. I can assure you no mine investor can leave, if they left there are plenty willing to come.
Honestly, I mean if we where ever totally honest with ourselves, then we are forced to admit that HH is the right man for the job. RB hasn’t done that bad either but honestly HH is the right man for the job.
@winless. Wow.. I think that comment of yours has a valid point..
So it rubs on, clearly HH has learnt a few tricks from Mr Sata. Unfortunately those are the very same tricks that have cost Mr Sata this year’s election and the Republican Presidency for ever.
The reasoning of some PF and MMD cadres is really pathetic. Why do you always use your tribe to think when defeated in an argument? Any normal human being will see sense in what HH is saying but for some of you mud slinging is your form of diverting attention from well articulated political reasoning. With such type of mentality is it any wonder that Zambia will remain a poor country for years to come. People like you are the ones preventing the country from moving forward because you are just interested in serving you selfish desires at the expense of developing the nation.
He has a point but he does not have numbers. The real choice is between continuing with mukoma Banda or bringing in something new in SATA. The choice seem to favor Sata based on the realities on the ground. Mukoma Banda would have been retained, the only problem is that he is standing on the MMD ticket. People are just so frustrated with MMD leadership. Sorry HH, this is the fact. Even MMD knows that you are not a factor, but hang in there.
Then u r dreaming. Never be cheated by that Post propaganda that appears on the front page of everyday’s issue suggesting that PF is popular everywhere-mukadabwa sana!. Mmembe thinks he ll benefit more if Sata came into power but alas 20th september ll be the end of Sata’s political career whether u like it or not. Just prepare a political coffin for him. By the way where ll you burry him?
All you adovacating for HH are from theTonga people’s party you are losers and as such your sort shall never be allowed into state house not in this life time..
Whoever you are, it is not right to use the church’s name. As an adventist I am offended. I pray that you change your name on this blog.
Never mis use the name of the decent Church! Please! repent. or else we will pray for mis use of the church name in piltics. Never Again to do such a thing. for now i will ask God to make you realise the the thing you are doing is bad.
sorry……. KANONGA EBO !!!!!!!!!!!!!. SO YOU THINK SATA ‘S SUPPORTERS ARE O FROM BEMBA PEOPLE’S PARTY? U ARE FINISHED BUT NOT DEAD BECOS U STILL HAVE A BRIGHT LEADER LIKE HH. NON ABUSSIVE NON BURRY, STRAIGHT FORWARD AND CAN TO CHANGE GO POSTS , VERY ARTICURATE, NON VIOLENT. YOU ARE DAMAGED AND INFECTED BY THE DISEASE CALLED TRIBALISM. I DETASTE YOUR THING. GOD BLESS YOU MR/ MRS SDA 18
Where is the money coming from Ba HH?? You can fool those chaps in Itezhi Tezhi but Windfall tax can’t pay for all your promises even though its a good measure..why not encourage and invest in non traditional exports in agriculture then start talking about salary increments for government workers..this chap is forgetting that GRZ is the biggest employer.
Ba maxwell ps mind yo language. When are we going to be civilized? These issues are serious and they will affect our children to come. Dont comment with anger and dislike fo someone. Lets try to lean something from someone than analyse it. lets avoid insults. mind u the whole world is watching us.Jst stick to yo point not abusive language. This is just an advise to you and to the peace loving zambians. I love u all.
From an economist, this is complete waste of space. Talk about sustainable development before salary increments – you cannot have your cake and eat it too, HH. how can you possibly peg government overhead expenditure on windfall taxes?
Iwe you must be a kapuchuchu. if you were a civil servant you would understand were HH’s statement is coming from. By the way where do you live? if u live in any urban area of zambia u ll realise that even 5million is nothing. let me give u a brief breakdown of expenditure in Lusaka: 2million a semi-good house in Hellen Kaunda, 1million on your fuel if u drive and talk abt electricity, water bills and food. be serous man conditions of service is a priority and u ve been told how that ll be done. The problem is we jst argue for nothing.
So, what will happen when copper prices fall bwana? Will it be the same thing that happened in 1978 and began the downfall of KK? That is short term thinking bwana!
@ 6 The Bricklayer…: Wonder what you mean by HH being “brilliant and vibrant”? If he were indeed brilliant, then we could be talking of him having a chance at winning the presidence this year. The MMD has been in power for far too long and Zambians are irking for a change in the up-coming elections. Unfortunately, the opposition has not offered the electorate a choice. RB appears to be the natural choice. In my view, HH is not politically savvy. He won the UPND presidence on a tribal ticket and that still remains his achilles heel.
Windfall tax is the best policy for the people of Zambia to benefit from the mineral wealth of Zambia. Good move HH . Country first
@#22 Ikandulwa
Typical of you Zambians from some known provinces all you think of is tribalism. Hw could HH have won the UPND presidency on a tribal ticket when delegates to the 2006 UPND convention were drawn from 9 provinces? Why don’t you accuse RB or Sata of being tribalist when there are numerous documented instances when they have directly used tribalism to earn political mileage? Can you for once debate issues without using the tribal card!
SATAn and HH are both tribalists!! That is why they will NEVER get into State House. We need a “President for ALL Zambians”!!
These chaps that talk abt tribe are losers. Why not talk abt sensible things.
Bamukukulu babwela nafuti asking for our votes!!Watch out!!
From the comments above one can draw the conclusion that HH’s proposal to raise money from reducing govt expenditure has drawn little or no opposition. It’s without doubt that his aggregate proposal of rising money by re-introducting a well designed and transparent windfall tax system and downsizing the cabinet to 30 ministers is something which is achievable. This is different from the 90 days fantancy. Instead of concemtrating on trivial tribal nonsence what we need to focus on is the pros and cons of such proposal. As bloggers we should for a change try to promote healty debates centred on issues of substance instead of allowing ourselves to behave like street kaponyas arguing after swallowing numerous satches of tujilijili.
@24 Zed Patriot: My good friend, the ball is in HH’s court now. If he is indeed a political genious he must be able to win the presidency very easily this year. In the days of Mazoka, UPND was a national party. There’s no way a UPND of Mazoka’s day could have lost the presidency this year. Otherwise, you seem to be oblivious to the circumstances surrounding the succession of Mazoka in UPND. The party’s image received a deadly blow then and it’s yet to recover from it. I say that HH is not politically savvy because, in my view, I think that he has had enough time to change that negative image. We all want UPND to succeed and this has nothing to do with what province I hail from.
Some bloggers are not being objective and criticizing windfall tax. Windfall tax was introduced by Mwanawasa and the Zambian people started enjoying it’s benefits in Zambia. It is funny how some people are now conveinently calling windfall tax a taboo for Zambia. BUT… wasn’t RB elected in 2008 to continue Mwanawasa’s policies? Is 2% revenue from the mining industry enough to divert Zambia’s economy to Agriculture or tourism? The mining tax regime needs to be transparent and accountable for the Zambian people and its investors to both smile when copper prices go up.
The Cabbage was wrong!!
They call him “under five”. He should use it against them Sata nd RB. They are too old to rule. We dont want to burry another president. He has excelent development plans to use taxes from the mines.
Yaba, I wonder why people think Windfall tax is a magic formula. They never consider the long term costs Windfall tax will have on the economy. Investment will fall, production will reduce and workers will be laid off to cut costs. Windfall tax is at most a short term measure that will have long term repercussions on the Zambian economy.
I would expect HH to talk about sustainable development, instead he is using King Cobra’s formula of empty populist rhetoric. Really disappointing. No country anywhere in the world is introducing Windfall Tax, in fact they are getting rid of it because they want investment.
If you’re gonna use windfall tax then it better be put to much better investment than hiking of salaries for votes.Chile like zambia exports copper and it has done something right given that they deal with the same mkt volatility of copper prices.Their per capita income is $12,000 which means they have invested wisely & diversified even when copper was low.A minimum pay of $1000 in zambia today is not only unrealistic but also fiscally irresponsible for a country that was crying for debt forgiveness a few yrs ago.
#30 what is the use of investors leaving holes in the ground without Zambians benefitting from its wealth. Copper flactuates you have to have a policy that is fair for the investor and country. You can’t say I will make money in 5 years with copper as it is too volatile. Australia has w/fall tax and other countries do not depend on copper as revenue. If investors don’t like w/fall tax too bad at least the copper will still be in the ground for future generations. Does it make sense for Zambia to borrow money for roads etc because our copper revenue is not enough to cover costs? W/fall tax is a very fair tax policy perhaps too transparent and accountable for you.
Read UPND’s manifesto. He cant read it all for you man. He has the best manifesto so far. Your issues abt sustainable development are clearly explained.
we are voting for him do or die! The fact is you have got the sense. Civil servants depends on loans for survival,he is their saviour,i wonder if some blgaz here have children! Vote HH
You have my vote HH
HHH
#32, have you followed the saga of windfall tax in Australia? As for your statement that we can leave the copper in the ground for future generations, what kind of economic reasoning is that for a poor country like Zambia? How would you do the little that you do to develop the country? However, the fact is that you probably don’t understand anything about these taxes anyway. In Zambia we have variable profit tax which captures additional profits due to high prices of copper in the same way as windfall tax, the difference is that variable profit tax is more futuristic in that it gives relief to invetsors who plough back some of the profits into expansion.new mines within the country, thus more jobs, more tax revenue, more development.
I like him without the brian.
Go UPND.
Countries around the world are increasing mining taxes to take some cream from the high world prices on minerals.
H.H’s pledge to increase mining taxes is the smartest move by any party.
Make money from China and not just selling projects for loans.
Zambians don’t want to be shot for complaining about work rights and pay equality.
They want to earn a living from the minerals the country has for a limited time.
Vote UPND this month to move Zambia to modern times.
No more voting for old men from the 60’s who do not know how to create wealth in modern times.
MMD has wasted 20 years enriching themselves and leaving 80% poor.
Vote wisely and vote for modern economics.
Vote for H.H and UPND everywhere.
Chile’s copper production as at 2009 stood at 5million tons/annum against Zambia’s 700,000tons today. Chile achieved that by investor friendly mining tax policies. At that level of production Chile has achieved economies of scale and high production such that fluctuations of copper prices have no immediate impact on their economy. You should see the debate on mine taxes in the Chilean senate (parliament), the opposition is the one which puts pressure on government to maintain the attractiveness of the Chilean mining industry to FDI competitors such as Peru and other copper producers. Read bane, read, don’t just parrot what your politicians claim, they are most probably ignorant and need your guidance too, as it was in the PACT.
The setting is different man. you dont live in zambia to see how these so called investors are leaping off our resources. U r somewhere washing cars please come back home and see for yourself wat is happening here.
” Chile achieved that by investor friendly mining tax policies. ”
Absolute nonsense. Chile has a *STATE OWNED* COPPER MINING COMPANY.
So should Zambia.
From Wikipedia: ” The nationalization of the Chilean copper industry commonly described as the Chilenización del cobre[1] or “Chileanisation of copper,” was the progressive process by which the Chilean government acquired control of the major foreign-owned section of the Chilean copper mining industry. ”
Chilean copper is owned by the state.
@Ikandulwa #27
If you follow political events closely you will no doubt understand that Mazoka’s UPND faced the same tribal accusations that HH’s UPND is facing today. The same people(lead among them is Sata) who were accusing Mazoka of being a tribalist are the same people calling HH a tribalist so nothing has changed bwana.
It is political naivety for you to claim that Mazoka’s UPND would have easily won the presidency this year without analysing factors at play today. Mazoka had a better chance of winning the 2001 than now because back then UPND was the main recognisable opposition party that was considered devoid of links with the hated MMD then. Add in tribal facts & the dynamics are completely different……to be continued
@ 24 Zed Patriot:”……Why don’t you accuse RB or Sata of being tribalist when there are numerous documented instances when they have directly used tribalism to earn political mileage? …” This is flawed logic. You don’t steal just because somebody else is a “also” a thief. The politicians you are talking about have also been reprimanded by the system for resorting to tribalism Otherwise, not everyone who steals gets caught!
@39 Zed Patriot
UPND was Mazoka’s creation and sort of personal to holder party. This is what enabled HH to ride to the party presidency on the basis of a tribal ticket. So, UPND was indeed tribal even in Mazoka’s time, but Mazoka was politically better skilled than HH. Therefore, the accusations of “tribalism during Mazoka’s time were not unfounded. Respect to the 2001 elections, Mazoka did win the presidency but the vote was only stolen from him by Chiluba and his team. Friend, I am probably not as ignorant as you suppose!
ba HH start from your farm and then come and tell us your stories.At Grantthorton they get pinants then you want to cheat inocent Zambians that you will increase there salaries.Ba HH ama politics yabufi yalipwa.What a useless lie.Iwe you have failed to improve condition of service for your workers at your farm and you want to preach about condition of service.Tell us what your workers get and then come and atlk about civil servants.Do you know how many civil servants we have as compared to your backyard garden.Mulekula nangu nimwe ba fresh blood.Thats why ba Sata is better than this fool even though ba Sata cant reach the stage of RB because RB is too execellent for Zambia.You see is now talking about things that he doesnt know.Sometimes its important to stick to what you know than embasin
It seems you dont know wat you r talking abt. Granthorton is a multinatinational company not owned by HH. Dop your homework well. If you doubt that its not possible to get 5million as the lowest pay then u r sick. U must be those cadres that live by handouts from MMD. We knw u.
@39 Zed Patriot: “…It is political naivety for you to claim that Mazoka’s UPND would have easily won the presidency this year without analysing factors at play today…”
Mazoka was a political stalwart. I don’t see how he could have continued to lose the presidency time and again without finding a way to overcome the obstacle. Like Barack Obama, good politicians must be measured by the magnitude of the obstacles they overcome
Viva MMD umuntu ni continuity not ati how improve the condition of service for civil servants when the back yard garden people get pinnants.tell us about those audit staff salaries and how much they get to a civil servant.Tell us about your workers at your farm and come and preach about civil servant.How much does your garden boyi get as compared to a civil servant.Mulebepa abantu as if you are the clever one.Theory mwaiche taipela amano.Mulandafye ifyo tamwaishiba.Ati change do you know what you are talking about.Clean your house first and come back and talk about civil servants mubwe.
I think RB has a better strategy than HH: Invest extra cash from the mines in infrastructure, not civil servants salaries iwe ka HH
Lsk Times: can u allow me to post my comment
NO, you TROLL!! Get off to your SATAnism.
Umwaiche behaves like tasabilila.ati HH watimo ukokakotela you are to young to be thinking like some one who is in the late 200years.Ba RB thinks like is 40years nomba umwaiche ati fresh blood thinks like someone who is going to the grave.Amano ba HH napa public kubepa sure.Iwe ama civil servants these are not like in the time of UNIP they are educated and analytical so stop cheap politics of your neigbour canoe.Ukulabepa abantu has if they are small boys.
@Ikandulwa
Today you have PF which draws most of it’s support base from the North and MMD which is led by an Easterner(with majority support from the East) and has massive resources at it’s disposal to influence the election outcome. The UPND of 2001 had it’s support base drawn from the South, West, N/Western and parts of central. Both PF and MMD have learnt a political lesson from the threat possed by UPND in the 2001 elections and have devised strategies to disrupt the traditional support base. All this political non.sense of UPND being a tonga party or not being national is a attempt to divide the traditional support base of the party. Whether Mazoka was alive today he would have faced the same problem if not worse. HH is doing a good job in keeping the party intact and expanding
Olo kwati tasabilila you want to invest all the money in civil servants and realising that capital investment brings more revenue and more brings more salaries.Mwaiche ayo ma politics yaba KK aya one egg per muntu.Think big mwaiche because you will make us think maybe ama paper yobe yapa matero mwaiche
No 32 For your correction Australia has no Windfall Tax. Do not mislead people… Its was just a proposal which was rejected resulting in the Prime Minister losing his job.
@Ikandulwa #43
‘Mazoka was a political stalwart. I don’t see how he could have continued to lose the presidency time and again without finding a way to overcome the obstacle’
Mazoka’s kingdom began to crumble while he was still alive. Most influential MPs like Teta, Liato. Shampande etc left the party just after the 2001 elections to join MMD. The man became desperate to the point of arranging some deals with FTJ under a tree. Mwanawasa used his Lenje roots to appeal to the tranditionl UPND support base. The UPND HH took over was already on continuous onslaught from Mwanawasa’s MMD because he(LPM) realised they were a threat to his power base.
Umuntu ni RB and RB we shall believe in .Come 20th will prepare a confin for ba SATA because tapali uko baleya.
If indeed HH was as clever as people say he his, he would have known that investment in consumption i.e Government salaries does not yield any return. Kaunda tried it he would do him self some good to go and ask him what happened. A country need to develop its productive sector in order to develop.
Mr HH with your proposal you will over tax the productive sector to invest in consumption. In the end you will kill the productive sector and how are you going to continue to fund the salaries you will increase? Thats why the rest of Africa is poor because of thats kind of thinking.. its very short sighted and unsustainable.
@Ikandulwa #40
‘This is flawed logic. You don’t steal just because somebody else is a “also” a thief. The politicians you are talking about have also been reprimanded by the system for resorting to tribalism Otherwise, not everyone who steals gets caught!’
I am just reminding you of the fact that RB and Sata are the ones who you should call tribalists because there is numerous documented evidence about their tribalist behaviour. HH on the other hand has never uttered any tribal remarks in his political career. He just happens to be a leader of a party which some people conveniently call tribal. It would help if people like you could get rid of your tribal blindness when it comes to your own.
HH is a co-abuser of our PUBLIC resources, so he is not fit for PLOT 1. He is a useless MONKEY!!!
MONKEY kubeba!!
I will VOTE for HH okay
Increasing salaries without increasing productivity is exactly what UNIP used to do. We end up with runaway inflation. If the mines are making a lot of money, they should be encouraged to expand, reinvest and increase employment and not punished by punitive windfall tax. Mr Gordon Brown did this and the result was that when Banks collapsed, there was no extra capacity in the economy. Politicians can please people and buy votes but please do not harm the goose that lays the golden egg.
HH promised to increase civil servants salaries and stated where he will get the money to fulfill his promise. He did not say that he will use all govt income to pay civil servants nor did he say he would use all money raised from windfall tax and downsizing of the cabinet to pay civil servants. Part of the money generated from his proposed inititive plus the usual govt revenue sources would be used for productive investments as well as meeting other needs. Is this too difficult to understand?
You are filling in for him!! He NEVER said such a thing. That is not his manifesto. You are just making it up – unless you are his WIFE and have discussed this in bed.
HH please don’t betray the Zambians. They love you and need you to work with another opposition party to take this country forward. Don’t partner with the current ruling party or else no support for you!!!!!!!
In proposing to increase the salaries of civil servants HH is offering a practical way of reducing corruption. An effective and content civil services will bring about improved service delivery in many ways e.g there would be improved healthy care in hospitals, improved control of animal diseases, improved road management and less accidents, reduced floodings in parts of Lusaka during the rain season, improved crime management, improved educational services etc.
The little faith I had in HH escaped me today. This guy is supposed to be intelligent, right? The only explanation for this hallucination is desperation. So Mr. HH you want to invest in consumption at the expense of production and kill the economy. HH, this is simply unsustenable and honestly absolute rubbish. What happens when the price of copper falls? How do you plan to continue financing your civil service gravy train?
And may I also ask how much you pay your workers at your farm. I bet nothing like $1000/month. Start there before you come on to tell these childish lies. Free education up to University? Please HH!!!!!
By giving Civil servants a minimum wage of K5m means all the development activities currently being seen will stall, all sector employee will ask for salary increases and HH will not handle the strikes, and inflation will spiral; simple economics. But this is just one consumption policy of HH. Sorry we have a wrong guy on the line-up!!
#18
You are an ordained angel of the devil. You must be a cursed person through which sin came through you and the devil satan will work to fight God’s church. Th Bible says ” WOW!! TO YOU THROUGH WHICH SIN WILL BE DELIVERED TO DESTROY MY PEOPLE/CHURCH BY BEING CONTEPTOUS AGAINST ME BY YOUR MOUTH AND DEEDS.
Ba Zed patriot wake up from slumber please.Zambia’s source of income or revenue is what my brother.I thot its mines.Now if you are saying all that revenue goes to people’s salaries where is he going to get money for roads,schools,clinics and more infrusture.baba bushe HH utupepa twake tetwapa matero mwebantu.Umuntu ni RB who has been there not umuntu haikutafye ubwali na mabisi ati how increase salaries for civil servants.Which civil servants baba. Ati ba chairman sure
HH is realy useless and i think those that are following him are lost and we should check him
No matter how many lies you MMD and former MMD(PF) spin the fact remains that HH has struck the right code with civil servants. He said that his government will downsize the cabinet to 30 ministers only in order to save K800 billion which is spent on ministers’ vehicles and allowances. K800billion is more than enough to fund the increase of civil servants salaries from their current earnings to K5million. The income from windfall tax is a bonus. Deep down your hearts you HH haters you know that the man is talking sense. Just swallow your pride and admit it.
There goes HH putting the cart before the horse. He thinks windfall tax will be enough to distribute to civil servants who will further need higher terminal benefits. He forgets that if he chokes investors with tax, they will pull out then he will have no cow to milk. He tells us that he will increase CDFfrom the cuurent K640 Million to K5Billion. He forgets that the number of constituencies will increase from the current 150 to 250 in the new constitution, meanwhile he would have boiled up the investment climate with tax, meaning no FDI, more demand for salaries, double digit infation. What a crisis!!
@The Real People #62
Get real my brother and just admit it that the MMD govt is wasting a lot of money on good for nothing ministers. Think of the money the govt wastes on ministers allowances, hospital treatments abroad, cell phone bills, vehicles and fuel etc you don’t have to be a PHD holder in economics for you to understand that such money could be well used to topup civil servants allowances to K5000 per month. Think of the beuracratic waste and savings from corruption that will result from a happy civil service. Think about improved service delivery and the resultant increase in productivity that will accrue from all this. Lets stop being myopic in our thinking and look at the overall picture. HH is talking sense my man!
Ba HH
Every country in the world is trying to reduce public salary expenditure because its unproductive and a waste of resources. You are the only one who is swimming in the other direction. I have always told my friends that ACCA qualification is below graduate level of understanding of other things besides Accounting and Tax. Thats why even Bob Sichinga (ACCA) can not articulate economic issues. Government is the biggest employer in ZD. Does he really understand the effect of such increases on inflation, budget. We have been down that path with Kaunda… not this time again.
@ 68
So you are against the idea of increasing the salaries of civil servants? Don’t you realise that poorly paid civil servants can be a manace to any civilised govt? Reducing public salary expenditure and increasing the salary of civil servants are two different things. By downsizing the number of cabinet ministers to 30 HH is proposing an effective way of reducing public salary expenditure, baba.
No. 69
And in your wise calculation the salary and benefits of 30 ministers would be able to pay for increase to 500,000 public workers? Am sure you will say Windfall tax like HH. And what happens when copper goes down and no Windfall tax? The answer is to retrench as many public workers as possible. Half of them do nothing why increase their salaries?
What we want is money. so HH you have my Vote with my other workmates come 20th (X)
Ba Zed Patriot you are confused you think runing a government is like runing a kanteba like Grantthorthon or a farm.Iwe those are pety issues.Can a minister’s salary construct a road, clinic.My friend dont have the mentality of poverty naiwe.Think beyond that and that is not a level you can be talking about
The so called rich governments are talking about reducing deficits and budget cuts in the public sector, whereas Mr. HH is talking about higher public spending based on just Windfall tax don’t you see the irony here.
This man is not being generous with the truth, we all know that you are a successful businessman who is pro-capitalist, pro-liberalised markets because that’s where your bread was buttered, don’t preach socialist policies to us, some of us were there in the UNIP days though young we still remember!!!
Ba Kabu think about tomorow not just your stomach.where will your children be going to School if all the money is spent on your stomach.who will build roads as RB is doing if spends all the money in your stomach
Jay Jay think about tomorrow.If HH is educated he should have been thinking of the same
@The Real People #72
I will leave it to others to judge who is confused between the two of us. If you regard the issue of downsizing the cabinet to 30 ministers to save K800 billion which is spent on minister’s vehicles and allowances as petty then God save us! K800billion is a lot of money and no doubt it would go a long way in meeting the increase in salaries for civil servants. HH is proposing practical ways of saving millions of dollars and you call that petty! No wonder people are annoyed with MMD.
No 76
The question is what happens when copper prices fall and the Windfall tax goes away were are u going to get the money to pay the salaries you have increased? Do you release that salary increases lead to inflation which will erode the buying power of the same salaries you have increased and you are back to square one. Like one blogger has said running government is not like Akantemba….
Go ask Obama….he said he will close Quantanamo Bay when he his elected….
When he was elected he released that its easy to piss in a tent from outside… and not easy when you in said because urine stinks
@ 77
The windfall tax income is one source of income to fund the topup of civil servants salaries but the bulky of the money will come from savings made from downsizing cabinet positions. Once the civil service is operating efficiently there will be other savings that will come in like savings from reduced corruption, reduced medical bills for treating govt officials abroad, streamlining of operations etc. No. 75 is one blogger known for yapping continuously in favour of RB, he is one of those bloggers who would defend RB even if he murdered his own mother.
Now HH has gotten himself into the depth of rhetorics such that even the few inellectuals that were on his side are drifting away. Believe me this man now scares me because these are supposed to promises which should bear fruits in an unlikely event that he won, but obiously very dangerous for this country given what we have so far achieved in terms of positive direction.
@ 75
My friend I’m thinking about a prosperous tomorrow, I’m a realist & progressive by nature, HH is blindly leveraging everything on a tax from a natural resource that is fast being depleted….want to talk about of about a sustainable resource invest in Agriculture to boost nontraditional exports = more forex, invest in infrastructure to give our local Business men a healthy environment to operate and be competitive regionally , he should be increasing the number of Ministries into stand alone departments to get the very best out of them like the Ministry of Tourism, Communication, Transport… Zambia has the best virgin tourist resorts as they are not crowded like Kenya hence can charge a premium for that BUT are we marketing that? that’s lost forex right there..(Cont’d)
(Con’td)
DON’T be cheated into thinking that if you reduce the number of ministries you save money who is going to take on that extra workload? The money saved is paltry champ change in government terms…no offence but Zambian civil service are the laziest (Go to the Passport Office and see for yourself) and you need to invest in efficiency training and public service modernisation first before you talk of payrise.
Don’t get me wrong i like HH anything but buffoon Caretaker RB will do for me but you have to REALISTIC at least see the state of the books at Ministry of Finance first DON’T just talk CRAP..
No 82 well put….
Thats why HH will never win an election. Why over pay a civil service which is so lazy. In my opinion for the work the do, they are over paid. None of the ever puts in an effective 2 hours work pay day. Try and go to the ministries in Lusaka
Some of them are bloggers on this site they will probably take offence when they log on on GRZ computers at lunch time any minute instead of attending to customers at peak times!!LOOL
@ Jay Jay #82
To walk a mile you start by covering a yard. HH is proposing pragmatic means of reducing govt expediture by running a reduced cabinet. An economy the size of Zambia can not afford a blotted cabinet designed to appease political cadres. Some ministries can be merged or compltely got rid off. This will save millions of dollars which can be chanelled to improving the conditions of service of core productive works. If the soo called lazy workers are paid decent salaries they will become efficient. The so called lazy workforce is a manifestation of frustration and lack of motivation. As a means of survival the passport workers will deliberately delay their work to induce clients to pay them bribes to supplement their meagre income.
No 85
I disagree with you. We have too many people working in government doing nothing. The solution is retrenchment not increasing salaries. I agree with you ministers need to be reduced. To increase salaries just because you have windfall tax is a waste of resources. Take that money to productive sectors. I would for example take that money to turn Livingstone into a world class tourist town. The place looks like the war ended yesterday. Look at the road from the airport? Go see the Zambian border customs and immigration office. With proper structures that place would attract millions of tourist bringing in sustainable income.
@86
By reducing the number of ministers it is no brainer that what HH is proposing would reduce some of the support staff for those ministers who go. As I said before once the civil service becomes effective the govt will save a lot of money from streamlined govt operations and such money can be used to increase workers salary in case income from windfall tax drops. Moreover HH did not say he proposed to spend all the money from windfall tax on salaries, he was just explaining how he would raise money to meet the cost of increasing civil servants salaries to K5m
@ 85 Zed Patriot
My friend hand on heart now, do you think if you were a lazy chap yesterday, you’re telling me you will be hard-working tomorrow when I increase your wages?? That’s really laughable…this laziness is an ingrain attitude which cannot be changed overnight but through public investment via technology and training we can try to turn the tide. Oh my god, I don’t believe that you were just justifying bribes in the Passport Office in your post.
As for the scaling down the ministries, its taking a few takes backwards look at TRANSPORT & COMMUNICATION MINISTRY or TOURISM, ENVIROMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES MINISTRY I’m looking at four stand alone depts.right there as these sectors ain’t what they were 10 years ago too much activity today, that needs dedicated focus you just need make them more efficient.
Irrespective of what HH said when you tinker with GRZ salaries which happens to be the biggest employer you better have sustainable steady guaranteed revenue stream (not Windfall tax) that’s liken to a farmer increasing farm workers’ salary based on a bumper harvest and heavy rainfall next season or its back to the World Bank and IMF with a begging bowl.
it will be back again to the World Bank and IMF with a begging bowl.
@ 89 Jay Jay
A highly paid civil servant is less likely to be bribed while a lowly paid civil servant is more likely to be bribed. This is the fundamental truth. Ever wondered why govt workers in the Western world are less corrupt compared to govt workers in Africa or the former Eastern block countries? If you call this elementary explanation as justifying corruption then you better sit down and reflect on why corruption is soo rampant Zambia.
You do not increase the effectiveness of a ministry be increasing the number of ministers, this is achieved either by improving the operational structures or hiring the right managers.
Zed Patriot, I have not heard such drivel from a suposedly educated and smart guy. What Zambia needs right now is investment both in the form of FDI and infrastructure. To give the money to our lazy civil servants to fuel inflation is a no no.
I share the same view as Jay Jay and others above. The priority has to be growing the economy and that’s not going to be done by Govt, but enterprise (private sector). That also means we have to have a business friendly environment so that the mines can expand and create more meaningful jobs. By expanding Govt you will be suffocating businesses. HH is completely wrong on this one. We might as well let RB, Musokotwane and Mutati continue.
Copper accounts for 70% export in Zambia. Engineer (Australia) and Katie if variable tax is so good why does it only bring a revenue of only 2%? In relation to jobs why does agriculture and other industries account for more jobs than mining in Zambia? Katie you can not compare Chile mining tax regime to Zambia.Chile has better governance of its mineral resources and they are more accountable and transparent on the revenue unlike Zambia. If Australia withdrew the w/fall tax . Guess what they can afford to do it. Unlike Zambia they have an economy that does not depend on copper. Mwanwasa had a good reason to introduce wfall tax and believe me when copper prices go down MMD will realise what a big mistake they made on abolishing w/fall tax. This 2% revenue nonsense can go on for 20 years
Please do not mislead us. We would appreciate your constructive critism but just telling off HH without invalidating his compaign message shows unfounded hatre nad cadrism. If you do not know taxation please leave to run Government with HH will demostrate. Let not hate him let us him get into power we demosntrate how we are going to turnaround the country. Modern politics should allowto co exist.VIva HH.
I don’t agree with HH using wfall tax money to increase wages 4 govt officials. The money from copper should be invested in tourism,infrastructure agriculture or put in a reserve. The govt departments need to be decentralized to increase their revenue. For example, if the Ministry of Tourism can become more efficient they would have more revenue from the Tourism industry. This may mean getting MBA managers & expatriates from places to help run the ministry. The headquarters of Tourism can be based in L/stone instead of Lusaka so that it eliminates the problem with beaucracy. Ministry of Tourism can be separated from forestry & ECZ. At the momment the Ministry of Tourism is too big for one minister to manage effectively.Thus, Ministry of ECZ and Ministry of Forestry needs to be formed.
Are you guys not expecting too much from an “under five”? When they say that HH is an “under five” they are not referring to his chronological age, but rather to his political stature. As far as other politicians are concerned, HH is an infant, a toddler and a kid. A kid can punch you in the face and you can still afford to smile. If HH was indeed brilliant, he could have outlined a clear economic policy for the country he wants to be president of. His talk about windfall tax is sheer mimicry!
#69 CORRECTION!!
HH is not an accountant. He is not ACCA. He is a UNZA economist who joined Coopers & Lybrand as a Consultant and was running their consulting practice. Blame his ignorance on his educational background and not ACCA. Accountants just do accounting and not foolish blabbering about things they don’t know about like HH!!
@77
Do your Kaponya maths: K800bn is $160m!! HH is lying through his teeth. There is no way govt can spend $160m on ministers only. Does he even know the total budget of the country? That is the trouble of not thinking; HH is worse than the late Cabbage!
@92 Bakulu
Just express your opinion without calling others names, what makes you think you are more intelligent than me. If you agree with some like minded bloggers fine but you should also know that there are million more who share my views. Emotion blackmail can not work with tough minded people like me, try someone else.
@ 98 iChipondocandi
Have you got the facts or you are just waffling like some MMD kaponyas on this site?
@54 Zed Patriot: “……I am just reminding you of the fact that RB and Sata are the ones who you should call tribalists …..”
Should HH lose the elections this year, it will not be because of his blood, but rather it will be because of his brain. Tribal politics in Zambia is a failed approach.
A good president does not talk about how he is going to spend tax money to a non priductive service . He should find a way the public service can start generating money for their survival and government will only support them to acquiure the necessarry tools and equipment to meet their go. May the GRZ should send people to USA to study the system here were government departments generate their own income.And besides the that, he shuold talk about down sizing the civil service which is too bigand therefore does not perform good. Computerisation is one way they can make the civil service perform with a lower workforce. I know at this time he can not talk about downsizing the public service, because it will make unpopular. Tax money must be used in ares of need like Roads. Not paying salaries
@ 101 Ikandulwa
So you are still kicking. I have challenged you to mention one incident were HH made a tribal remark. Just claiming that the man is a tribalist simply because someone said UPND should be led by a tonga does not make him tribal. What if the person who made that remark(Mwananjiti) was paid by MMD to utter such nonsense? If that is your creteria for calling HH a tribalist then why don’t you say the same about Sata or RB. For your own information Sata and RB have been labelled as tribalist by the same newspaper(the Post) that has been peddling this same tribal nonsense about HH. The problem with some people is that tribalism is too much impedded in their brain that they interpret everything as tribal. Just learn to debate with facts.
Imagine if the copper prices go down, the w tax will also go down and where will HH get the money to pay salaries, because he will not reduce their salaries. And by the way, when there is too much money inflation will also go up.Zambia is now a consumer economy with all commodities coming out of the country.HH must talking about Zambia to start producing affordable local goods hat the current that the people can buy with their current earnings.In USA, the post office pays its salaries by selling stamps. HH shuold look at issues realistically and not borrow a leaf from people like Sata injust politicking. He shuold be different from others, and that way he will have the support of the young generation who happen to understand issues better. It is him we are looking to, for 2016.
#102 you have a valid point. Computerisation makes a big difference. In addition, if the salaries are low they need to motivativate govt staff by paying them bi weekly. In order to improve the work ethics amongst govt officials they need to make them clock in to work to account for the hours they spend at work. Introduce a job appraisel system linked to their wages or bonuses. Britain is very efficient when it comes to running administrative issues Zambia can learn a lot from their management style. However, I think the way America has a decentralized system where states have more control with budget spending would suit Zambia . This could bring more accountability to budgets and projects in different provinces.
@ 102 & 105
The problem with you MMD cadres is that you do not want to acknowledge mistakes. With or without computerisation a lowly paid, demolarised worker will be less productive. As a computer expert myself, working in a highly computerised nation I know what I am talking about. Computers only aid human beings and if the operators are demotivated they will not benefit from a computer. Civil servants need to be paid decent salaries for them to perform at their best. Frustrate them and you will get what you deserve. As long as they struggle with daily life needs of life they will be tempted to be corrupt.
#106 I am not an MMD cadre. I don’t support any party…I am just trying to give an objective view to the topic at hand. If you notice my blogs I criticize and give credit where it is due to all the parties. Our prayer is that God gives Zambia a president who has a vision, and cares about the Zambian people. I agree civil servants need a decent salary in Zambia but they should work efficiently to receive it. Most goverment ministries have the potential to get revenue from their departments if the goverment thought outside the box. As long as they don’t sort out the effectiveness of departments any increased revenue is putting money in a hole. Anyone who becomes president needs to sort out the foundations of how these govt ministries work.
#106 I do commend HH for planning to introduce windfall tax. That will immensly help Zambia’s economy in the short and long term.
Zed patriot, you are mistaken to think that iam a MMD cadre. To support any party in Zambia will be folly of me because I live in USA will do so for many years to come. However, as a Zambian i have the right to contribute positively to the happenings in my mother country.The introducing of windfall tax is a welcome idea, it the proposed use of the same by HH which Iam opposing.The problems in Zambia are not just with the civil service but rather the whole Zambian population. When addressing the problems Zambia has you should look at it from a broad spectrum and not a few individuals . Ihave seen what computers with aid of human beings have done in USA and how efficient the system is with a sizeable workforce. So number 106 Mr protocol be realistic and Zambia grow meaningfully.
IAM SORRY PROTOCOL, I MEANT TO ADDRESS ZED PATRIOT AND URGE HIM TO HELP ZAMBIA GROW MEANINGFULLY.
jealousy !! Even in places of its their we face it! Online its worse! Watch this spirit !
@ 103 Zed Patriot Albert Einstein is credited to have said: “reality is merely an illusion.” It’s further construed that perception is reality. Kenya is perceived to be a better touristic destination than Tanzania. In one particular year Kenya about 850,000 visitors while Tanzania hosted only 290,000. The reason is clear: Kenya spends hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to spruce up the country’s image abroad and Tanzania doesn’t. The question is not whether HH is a tribalist or not. Rather the question is whether or not UPND is perceived to be tribal?
@103 Zed Patriot: Albert Einstein is credited to have said: “reality is merely an illusion.” It’s further construed that “peception is reality.” Kenya is perceived to be a better touristic destinations than Tanzania. In one particular year, Kenya hosted about 850,000 visitors while Tanzania hosted only 290,000. The reaons is clear: each year Kenya spends hundreds of thousands of dollar to spruce up the country’s image abroad and Tanzania does not. The question is not whether or not HH is a tribalist. Rather the question is whether or not UPND is perceived to be tribal?
We are not expecting MUCH from HH he has the track record of financal and buiness matters at a high level than the person calling him under five. Probabaly we are expecting much from your President who can talk even about Agriculture and he does not have a farm. I agree let us be cautious and evaluate the presidents’ offers for the people of Zambia.Objectively HH beats them all. He has a background of prudence. For me it does not wether a a Zambian is Tonga or Bemba or Easterner. What is imporant is practical National Agenda. We are civil servants we need better salaries to get motivated. what is wrong with that? If we do not get better salaries in Zambia where else are we going to get?? Are we saying unless this offer can from Sata it will not under five politics??
You are right man. The problem with PF supporters is that they don’t reason properly. When their man says more money in your pocket what does that mean? When he says we ll get more money from the mines how is he going to do it and where will that money go? .This is the same language HH is using but the problem is that it is coming from him and not Sata. If itIts a shame that we allow how differences determine our arguments.When sata says he will develop zambia in 90 days that is Ok these guys cant question that. Lets be objective.
if copper falls windtax goes what heppenz then
PAKWANJA CHABEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. WE PROMISED YOU HH THIS 2011. OPINION PALL FYABUFI WE ON THE GROUND.
I LOVE HH YOU JST BRILLIANT, FACTUAL, U DONT CHANGE GOAL POST, NON LANGUAGE ABUSER, ALWAYS AT HEART WITH ZAMBIA, NON VIOLENT, NON BULLY LIKE OTHERS, DOWN TO EARTH AND SOBER MINDED. VERY PATIENT PERSON.
THESE ARE THE UNIQUE QUALITIES U HVE IF U DIDNT KNOW. U ARE JST GREAT FOR THIS GENERATION.. .MY VOTE IS YOURS. ZAMBIA FORWARD.JST GET ALL BAD AND GOOD COMMENTS THEY WIIL BUILD U AND THE PARTY. AFTER ALL TO ALL B A LEADER U HV TO TAKE ALL CRITISIZIMS AND USE THE FO CORRECTIONS.GOD BLESS U.
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