By Chanda Mwenya
Though Zambians are crudely said to be a people with short memory, at least they can vividly remember what they were told and promised barely 90 days ago. Just incase some have easily forgotten. The Patriotic Front-PF, a then hardline opposition party openly and repeatedly promised the people of Zambia that it would lower taxes, create more jobs, put more money in people’s pockets, reintroduce the windfall, restore the Barotse agreement, and deriver a people driven constitution within 90 days of their forming government.
Without necessarily giving itself a specific time frame the PF also promised to fight corruption and revise the sale of Finance bank and Zamtel once voted.
It doesn’t require a super IQ and an elephant memory to remember and see which of the campaign promises have been realised according to the Patriotic Front gospel.
(i) Lower Taxes and More Money in People’s Pockets? These two promises can technically be married and analyzed together as some economists and optimistic citizens have struggled to do.
The PF government has exempted workers earning less than 2million Kwacha from paying Pay as you Earn (PAYE). Arguably, making such but few people have more money in the pockets. The government has also reduced Bank interest rates making liquidity more available, as Bob Sichinga smartly puts it, but these are some fancy terminologies which made the former government to become unpopular. People in Shangombo and Chadiza neither understand nor eat liquidity, they need and want to see physical and direct benefits from the government.
They want their heads of cattle free from denkede, the foot and mouth disease, people want decent shelter and afford 3 health meals a day, they want to take their children to school and when they fall sick receive treatment.
Going by the lesson given to the former ruling party, Zambians have very little to do with Liquidity issues.
(ii) Job Creation?
So far so bad….as far as my eye can see there has been more out cry of the few employed people, fighting for better condition of service, while the unlucky ones have been fired in the 90 days process.
(iv) Delivering the Constitution? -It has not been done period.
(v) Reintroducing the Windfall tax?– Shiiiiiiiiii
(vi) Restoring the Barotse Agreement? -Don’t Kubeba
(vii) Re-possessing Finance Bank?– Was done with immediate effect
(viii) Re-possessing and Zamtel? – Not yet But……
(ix) Fighting Corruption? With immediate effect….
While it clear to see that the Patriotic Front has lamentably failed to honor some of their campaign promise- at least, borrowing George Kunda’s words. It also refreshing to note that the party has made positive scores and it is still making efforts to implement policies that would improve Zambia’s social, economical and political landscape.
Needless to say the Patriotic Front has made its own mistake within the 90 days period that it has been in government. But don’t Kubeba that we are still counting.
You Zambians are amusing indeed. Even before you vote, you should know that there are certain things that can’t be done in 90 days. The overall picture the PF yhas portrayed so far is positive and thats where the crux of the matter is. Those who are still very bitter with PF victory, will continue singing the 90 days utopia. Thats because they are totally disoriented with defeat. Now grow up, stop talking about the 90 days and lets support PF, you nit wits.
ma Rubish …………..PF
i just wish their term was 90 days.
only if wihes were horses basa
I am surprised upto now pipo are still bitching about the 90 days. The pipo that voted PF in power do not give a fuk about 90 days. Kaunda promised Zambians one egg each everyday did he do it? But most pipo were educated freely by KK.
Ni Makandi chabe ba PF!!
Hello Chanda Mwenya.Hope you are good big bro.I think you have put it right to say “don`t Kubeba and we are counting”.I think the 90 days promise was a pipe dream.Expecting PF to implement and achieve those targets withing that short time frame is an over expectation.Rome wasn`t built in a single day.I would rather the current government takes it`s time and do proper things than rush and ends up messing up more things.It the end of their five year term in office that will vindicate them.Nice article indeed.
i cant believe you guyz are this much dull. PF did not say that all we will be like heaven in 90 days they said you will see changes in 90 days. Why do you count wen you did not vote for them? we put PF in power and we are not complaining…
Your analysis is so negative and yet have overlooked the positive strides PF has made. the previous govt plunged the entire economy into chaos and this is what PF didn’t realise. PF has been correcting the wrongs and putting right policies in place especially to do with corruption. The greatest enemy to Zambia’s well being is corruption and the president has scored the first in the history of Zambia by putting a formidable team of DPP, Solicitor General and Attorney General in place. Utatasha mwana wandoshi. In the next 90 days things will now start rolling out. Watch the space!!!!!
With mad presido and grade 7 caliber cabinet, you Zambians are on a downward spiral…..the rubbish you see now is just tip of the iceberg!
wat about you grade 2 dropout? Just give credit where its due…
No. 1. You have summed it all. We did’nt vote based on the 90 days. All we wanted was change which was denied to us since Mazoka’s attempt for State House. For 20 years the MMD was telling us to sacrifice while they were burying money after fattening themselves. When early elections were demanded they simply were referring for the ballot at the end of the term. So let us wait and see what PF will do in Five years if not happy, we shall kick them out through the ballot.
no.7 keep on dreaming. by the time you accept that Sata is your president his term of office will have finished. governance is not just about intelligence or completing grade 12 and having degrees. people have failed to translate their degrees into reality. there is nothing rubbish we see here. don’t be bitter about reality otherwise you will die a sad man or woman. Be happy.
tell him or her. Its not sata’s fault that he or she is a loser…
# 1 GK. You are so naive, worse narrow minded. Mr Sata promised to fight corruption and Zambians have supported him in total and has demonstrated serious action and we look forward for him to succeed in this area. However, he also promised orher things states in Mwenya’s article. We have a duty to remind him and need to see the same zeal in other areas of governance as is with corruption. Only people with blind optimism think tackling one corruption issue implies Mr Sata has developed Zambia, built roads, schools, medicines in hospitals restored BRE, tribalism is non existent and poor zambians have improved lives. Nay, dont be in denial, a lot hasn’t even began to be done. Be alive to this fact.
We have all thought of cracking that joke but we think its UNÂ LOGICALÂ for a man like you Chanda Mwenya to say it… Don’t bring drama here,,, No one told you b4 publishing this article that, there are a lot of contradictions???.. By the way;
1. what do you what to communicate to your fellow citizens?
2. What are your reasons of writing this article?
3. At what position are you as a Zambian?
4. What is your personal character in this article? is it that of Chanda Chimbe the poor?
5. What is your encouragement or hope are you giving to the youths pa zed…
I sense another poor Chanda pa zambia
Pf shall hardly achieve anything. Wait for more bitter cries in 2012 as even those still supporting the cobra will have no strngth left to do so. Zambia is melting faster than you realize and with a wicked president full of tribalism at the hem we are surely going nowhere.
God can’t be mocked.
Ba #Concerned you are saying as if zambia is a small family he he he he but you are funny guys here.. how old are you,, sorry you said nga…
I wish PF was in power five years ago because what the have haversted in the last 90 days is enough. Just imagine 2.1 billion what if they stay for another 90 days,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Chanda Mwenya don’t be an ignorant thing. Imagine if MMD won where was this ZAMBIA going with gready people who even went the extent to plant money that would have added a step in the develop of mother Zambia. Chikala waba shani?
Ba concerned should be 12 years old.Judging from the level of grammer.
Sour grapes Chanda Mwenya. My gut feeling tells me you are not even Chanda Mwenya.
Enjoy those sour grapes sonny! You will soon get used to their taste for they are all you have got for another 5 years!
Toot toot toot!
I feel sorry for people who voted for PF thinking they will have more money in their pockets and have jobs. You guys must be enjoying,the donchi kubeba slogan. I knew i was going to have the last laugh. Ha,ha, ha, ha…………….
At least 250,000 employees countrywide earn a gross of at least K2m (no GRZ worker earns less than that) and have a tax relief of K250,000 per month which is an over 10 % increase in their take home salaries and amounts to a massive K62,500,000,000 injection back into the economy back in peoples pocket PER MONTH.. thats massive in any economy… certainly massive in ZAMBIA…. one promise met .. more money to spend on purchases fromn informsl sector.. more money in pockts…
We the people who voted for the PF are not worried about 90 days. Why are mugs over the fence worried?
Sour grapes! We are still laughing ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
And you are in the U.K. What about the people back home? Are they laughing with you?
dont just just write crap.. 3% increase in Royalty tax is massive.. Zambia ‘s export value of copper mineral alone is under $8,000,000.. 3% of that is $240,000,000 increase per annum guaranteed… that massive too for a start ….. this was done too. dont write rubbish .. some of us are tax and finance experts so don’t write rubbish like you are shimikaring uneducated chaps in your village… number s are numbers..
Start campaigning for 2021. For now lekeni Sata ateke ba Pushi imwe!
The fact is that 3% would have gone in Mwale`s pockect oh sorry it would have been buried somewhere on a farm!
So far so good. Toot toot toot!
That figure is just from copper.. add another $60,000,000 per annum from Cobalt, Zinc, manganese precious mketals and other minerals.. dull chaps.. $ 300m per year in first transitional year and you uneducated chaps who know nothing about keeping FDI flowing, inflation down and stable exchange regime from avoiding capital flight…. if that what opposition is all about.. writing lies evenm to finance experts like me. then shove it up your …A$$$.. or wait for 2016…
No digga! It`s where the sun doesn`t shine. And, no they are not waiting for 2016, they are waiting for 2021 to start getting people on board. But if they are looking at ruling, it is realistically 2041.
My worry about 2041 is, HH will be strong by then!
Job creation is not measured like that you twit.. this grows over time and directly proportional to quantum growth in production (GDP) .. its people tha make things not dogs.. from what i can tell… there have been no major job losses or corporate entity closures and everyones expanding their businesses recruiting more positioning themselves for export markets into DRC , ZIM, Malawi, Rwanda.. just check the papers for daily job ads… so .. the pace has been set .. the rest of us are busy setting up our plants while you are writing nonsensical stories on LT or ZWD… have you looked at the number of trucks importted on a daily basis? who do you think will be driving those.. CLOWNS
That’s politics for you. Get over it.
Ba chanda mwamoneka kwati amano mwalibulisha, bushe imwe sure mwaleti muli 90 days emo ba Sata balacita milako! alashilya ni nsoselofye! ukweba ati mu nshiku 90 mukamona ifintu fyayamba ukucinja, nacine abali namenso nabamona ukwebaati ba PF balebomba, lelo impofu ishingi tashilemona, nomba kuti twamweelela, kabili mwalipofula.
Lol…..
Academic excellency is different from wisdom. One can be an accomplished academician but still, remains a fool without Wisdom. Leadership goes with wisdom and not how many academic qualifications(degrees) one holds. Far from reality.This world has seen many wise leaders who have done exceptionally well in leadership than those who claim to be very educated. Infact most people who condemn others are themselves pepertual failures in life. Where were you the very educated when 13m zambians went to elect Mr. Sata? Stop talikng nonsense and give President Sata and PF time to correct that which your mmd party of thieves could not do in 20 yrs. The man is on the right track, most of you complaining were benefitting from the plunder of national resources by mmd. Sata is not PF and PF is not Sata
“Arguably, making such but few people have more money in the pockets”. Atase!! I get very irritated by people like this Chanda Mwenya who publish such unresearched reports / stories.. Dont you know that the Civil Service is about 350,000 employee strong and almost all clerical and general workers earn over K1,500,000 per month. there is no teacher below that salary in the CS anymore.. I wont even talk about the likes of MOPANI copper mines that employs over 10,000 direct employees with the lowest paid employee ( Cleaners) earning at least K1,900,000 per month.. NFC have just concluded negotaitions with MUZ & NUMAW .. minumum salary now K2,000,000 per month… Research , investigate , ASK, read.. Zambians like talking instead of reading..
give this uneducated bro some data!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chiefs have have their monthly salaries increased from K1m to K4m for senior chiefs and K500,000 to K2m for the junior ones.. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY BLO&DY CHIEFS THERE ARE IN THIS COUNTRY????? a flipping sh!T load !!! that is not easy and figures are easily in billions.. …… you and the rest of you type should accept you loss and swallow you pride like real men and wait for the next round of games intead of behaving like spoilt children…
Italian Bunga Bunga, if you are having to defend Sata that vigorously within less than 4 months, do you think he will last?
Arguments on topics raised on this forum always drill down to the Bemba syndrome..Imwe ba hachiipuka mapopwe “tongas” na ba shala , whether mulefwaya or not tule teka..you can try to sound smart and repulsive…Ni donch kubeba for the next five years if not more….
@ 30 Punch Drunk Cobra…. Dont attack Italian Bunga or anything else.. lets talk numbers and discuss suggestions.. challenge the numbers carved out and resultant impact on the economy and make suggestions of how to go about things with you own projections in figures.. only dull peoplke attack indivisuals and personalities.. I laugh when I hear some of the opposition leaders complaining.. If they felt so strongly about the lack of depth in the income side of the bBALANCESHEET / Budget , why didnt they send it back to Chikwanda to redo and inclode other income sources like wind fall tax and then bring it back to parliament for further debate and approval????? they approve the budgt , then leave parliament and start condeming their own damn thing they approved !!
Poorly written, this is a complete trash!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Appalling analysis this material is reserved for those bitter fool.s at ZWD under their editor’s choice catergory, how do you expect a constitution to be delivered within 90 days without citizens contributing. How do you expect Jobs within 90 days without a budget, government creates jobs via policies change when are you chaps going to get. You should also thrive to be employers not just seat on you bums in the internet cafe waiting to be paid by the government iwe grade 9 Chanda Mwenya!!
The article has some facts in it and Jack Mwanampapa’s comment is valid. People in Zambia wanted change and they have got it. We shall try to give an opportunity to PF to govern our land, though it will be sometimes painful however, it is their time. I only hope that they will not steal. Yes.Â
HAD A BAD DAY, BUT UPON READING THIS ARTICLE, MY HEART GOT FILLED WITH SMILES.
We are simply stupid people,whatever reasons you can advance to defend the incumbent government,the fact is we were cheated and can not take any politician to task or to be made accountable whilst in government,even for whatever nonsense they can exibit.The only solace is to sing the chorus…lets give him/them chance.
@38
I suggest you go to ZWD you will feel at home there!!!
Rubbish article. PF is on the throne, like it or not. Keep counting down, foolish one, period.
Seems to me that the writer doesn`t even know where he stands in terms of his own opinion.
# 26 Italian bunga bunga @2016 O! no 2021 and 2041 you say HH will be too stron. Where will Sata Cobra be in 2021 or 2041. Bwato tititititititiiiiiiii pa menshi ziiiii.
Ba Chanda wesu, even Franklin D Roosevelt where the concept of ‘more money in your pockets’ was borrowed from, had his own setbacks in his 100 days of reform. Just because you expected to get a job before 90 days and it didn’t happen, does not mean you will never ever get it.
Honestly, I like the display of humour and seriousness of discussion on LT. Yes let us help our brothers and sisters to write well researched journalistic papers if they want to positively contribute to our beloved country. I have personally stopped reading and responding on ZWD. All critical analysis of their postings have not been posted on their site. Worse than the people they condemn. “If you live in a glass house don’t through stones……”
WISHING A HAPPY AND PROPEROUS NEW 2012 TO ALL LT CONTRIBUTORS AND READERS. Let us all work hard for Mother Zambia. We only have one country to call HOME. Wherever we may be is not home. I personally know this very well….
If sata has wisdom then i wouldnt want to have that wisdom. A wiseman cheating about others everyday and shouting at others in public
Pliz mr presido luk at UNZA/CBU workers and students,increase their salaries and give the retirees their terminal benefits. these pipo are suffering. Ba first lady u are a graduate talk to your hubby on behalf of your suffring colleagues. For sure increasing salaries for the chiefs but forgetting these guys.