The opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) has accused government of failing to provide policy direction in its governance of the country.
Speaking during a press briefing at the party secretariat in Lusaka yesterday, UPND president Hakainde Hichilema said the Patriotic Front has failed to inspire Zambians on the economic and social front.
Mr. Hichilema said Zambians expected the Patriotic Front government to give them clear key areas of focus in the country’s social and economic affairs.
The UPND leader also charged that the PF has taken Zambians for granted by not taking issues of governance seriously.
Mr. Hichilema said it was regrettable that Zambians have to allegedly push government to get a constitution when the PF promised to come up with a people driven law of the land within three months of assuming power.
He said the lack of clear policy direction has also led to poor performance of the economy resulting in the rise in the cost of living.
Mr. Hichilema said the high mealie meal prices and the poor performance of the Kwacha against other foreign currencies was a consequence of bad management of the economy.
He said Zambia’s economy needed strong leadership that would bring the country’s financial system back on track through among other means, ensuring maximum revenue from the economy for investment in the social sector.
Mr. Hichilema said the high debt that the PF government has contracted during the period it has been in power will have an adverse impact on the economy as government revenue will now be going towards debt servicing.
And when contacted for a comment, Acting Chief Government Spokesperson, Fackson Shamenda said he needed time to study the statement issued by Mr. Hichilema.
Mr. Shamenda, who is Minister of Labour and Social Security, said in a telephone interview that he did not want to comment on a statement he had not studied.
Okey, now this is the HH I have come to know.
Oppose all, propose nothing.
Pity, there was a glimmer of hope early in the week when he said ………….nothing memorable.
in fact to say accuse, is being very kind and polite. they simply do not have a policy direction. pf are simply lost in the jungle of world economics which they have no idea about. what can you expect from kambwili? gabon disaster stadium?
@nga and Jelita…..I remember reading you two in grade 3 and 4 way way back in the 70s!! How time flies. This young man President HH raises fkey issues: Deteriorated Kwacha exchange rate, continued increase in mealie meal prices, imposing vernecular on our grandchildren (in my time teachers used to whip us for speaking local languages in school vicinity!!), PF’s u-turn on delivering constitution in 90 days (also raised by Catholic bishop’s the other day), rapid accumulation of debt taking nation to HIPC status and general economic malaise. Is his mere opposition or things that you should be concerned of? I go for the latter.
If you want to know UPND read their manifesto and go back to all the statements HH has issued over the 2 years PF has been in power. All HH ‘s statements are sound advice to PF and economics students around the world.
On debt alone and the depreciation of Kwacha against the US$ in which PF borrows money is highly toxic mix. Just by our kwacha depreciating means Zambia’s debt is mounting at an alarming rate due to the exchange rate effect.
HH adviced PF not to remove subsidies PF refused to listen. He has written various letters to the president advising on various policy issues including the Chitimukulu issue. But Sata shot down all HH’s advice with childish replies. Unless Sata and the PF begin to take HH serious they will always miss opportunities to address policy issues…
I don’t blame HH, he has to keeping on talking to remain relevant to his supporters. PF govt is building roads and infrastructure and they have invested heavily in energy development, these two are fundamental to any economic development. Once the infrastructure is in place everything else will follow suit. Rome was not build in one day. Ever been to a construction site, at start everything doesn’t seem to make sense but eventually a structure takes place and you marvel. Give credit where it’s due, PF has done a lot in 2+ years. Compare with MMD who keep acknowledging their past failure each day.
Again what is HH talking about? its only u who has no clue with the great job sata is doing. HH, u are blinded by bitterness and pomposity. u ugly baboon. just a few pointers, PF is making Zambia a land linked state by opening up new routes. its creating roads, like the botton road, mongu kalabo, which have been neglected by previous regimes. its creating 650 new health posts, not to mention a general hospital that has been built in shangombo, the remotest part of zambia. IDC is ob board where we will be adding value to our various raw materials. unemployment is expected to be a thing of the past. how we wish MMd started with this vigour and passion, their 20yr rule would not have been a lost cause
WARNING:
Take HH’s advice at your own peril as a party, government and as a nation.
There is nothing of substance and relevant to the wellbeing of our nation and its people that this selfish boy says ever since he came onto the political scene, through the back door.
He doesn’t even understand the people (Tongas) he claims to represent. How can he then represent 72 other tribes across the country?
if UPND is to be taken seriously, cut off the current rotten head and replace it with a living one that is forward thinking and embraces people from across the country. otherwise you will continue sliding into more political filth.
your choice
@Mulenga. If you have objectively followed HH, He does not only oppose, he offers valuable and solutions which your PF (and your kind) discards like trash. I believe it is due to an inferiority complex on your part.
@Mike and Silozi. Yes he knows what SATA and PF have been doing in the 28 months in govt.
1. Increase in prices
2. Complete break-down in the rule of law
3. Complete disregard of the constitutional rule
4. Chaotic and impromptu decision making – wakes one morning and declares INDECO, 2 weeks later, releases funding etc (OMG)
5. Total failure in agric support – Paya Farmer all the way
6. Unprecedented Nepotism and tribalism
7. Increase in filth and garbage in our cities eg Lusaka
8. Returning our Zed into debt trap.
9. No Internl relations – No visiting Head of…
Just when I thought HH was finally going to make some sense and possibly offer an advice, clearly I was wrong, the chap hasn’t changed one bit. Criticise and offer solutions, if PF wont get your advice that’s not a problem but you ( HH ) you would have done your part. But no no no HH does not do that. Will give you another 10 years maybe you will be a grown up man one day.
HH is clear and he is straight to the point, as such, I advance my argument as follows: PF shaky and vague economic policies impact on the Zambian economy in the following manner. PF’s perpetual interference with the foreign investors especially in the mining sector, retail sector and manufacturing sector does not narrow the country’s deficit. The increasing deficit in turn weakens the local currency and, the depreciating Kwacha leads to the increase in the fuel prices. The high fuel prices contribute immensely to high prices of essential commodities such as mealie meal. This inflationary situation leads to high lending rates (interest rates) which impacts negatively on present and future investments, hence, high unemployment rates. Thus, we see a climate of disinvestments. Sata has…
It’s interesting to see how Bembas think.
What is UPND’s policy direction?
In denial or you lack understanding of basic economics.
It’s bitterness and opposing infrastructure development. Too sad for under 5 to think like that.
Bwana HH thats the same thing the IMF said about these clueless PF villagers running zambia like a roadside kantemba.
Why ask HH for a policy direction as if UPND is in power? The PF has no road map per say, that is why they keep making pronouncements that has no backing in terms of policy. Mwanawasa (MHSRIP) came up with an indaba where all stakeholders were invited to contribute ideas regardless of their political affiliation and came up with the fifth National development plan and the vision 2030 and later the six national development plan which was the policy that saw our economy achieve massive economic gains, reducing inflation rate to single digits, our currency against the US D was 3500, our economy grew beyond 5% threshold, and our coffers had more that 2Billion dollars with massive foreign direct investment and our rating as a country went up. Now what has happened to all these initiatives?
pf is realy collapsing.we are now tired of defending this facebook presido.
You’re not the real Jo are you? Hoping you are though.
Continued, the policy is a vehicle that carries the government’s vision in terms of development; by identifying key areas in the economy in which to expend resources both in terms of funds and humans resource. Stringent measures have to be put in place which are clear cut and can easily be followed even by laymen. Even the IMF and other rating agencies have echoed the same sentiments. The US was recently downgraded because they could not meet certain criteria of economic management. But when we say look, INDECO is a good idea but such an undertaking needs the backing of an act of parliament, so as to safe guard our national resource regardless of who is in power. This is what we want, a clear road map which is a policy, so that laws are not abused at will, like the constitution issue now.
WE HAVE HAD 50 POLICIES AND MANIFESTOS SINCE INDEPENDENCE AND ONLY ONE UNIVERSITY, ONE DUAL CARRIAGE WAY, ONE AIRPORT ETC!
i thank this man means well to zambia.he can make a good presido.he thinks like nicky.
Thanks
HH DECLINES JOINING PACT.-Tribalist
@Chito.You are mis-led young man. H.H has been out of the country for the past 7 days. At the time an alliance meeting was being held,he was not in the country.Check Zambian watchdog story for yesterday.
HH does not need a pact with any party. He can single handedly run and bank roll UPND as he has done for the past 7 years.
Only broke parties want to use HH’s financial muscle to get a platform to launch their mini parties.
Us in UPND will allow that to happen until after 2016 election. Any way by 2016 many of these mini parties will disintegrate due of finances to fund their party activities.
You and your fellow minion Mmembe will not be allowed to dictate the agenda for UPND and HH.
If UPND joins a pact that will be the end if UPND.
VERY BIG NO TO UPND JOINING BROKE PARTIES IN FAKE ALLIANCES. Those from broke parties are how ever very well come to join UPND as members to rise through the ranks.
Right now UPND should get Easterners on board including Andrew and Rupia…
When is this man becoming my president please? This issue of just waking up and hocus pocus there INDECO . . . Venacular shani uko . . . . . .is not just on. Zambia Forward!!
Clueless in the jungle, what an apt description of the situation our so-called leaders find themselves in. It’s like an episode of Survivor, excerpt that the entire 13 million people of Zambia are all participating.
In this time and age, there are so many examples of how other countries developed. Why would we want to do things by trial and error? Why is it that we do not want to learn from the mistakes of others, but we prefer to learn from our own mistakes, which is very costly? Are we capitalist, socialist or communist? Let’s be decided which direction we wish to pursue, then it will be easier to get support because we would have a direction and people will rally behind since we would know where we are headed to. I agree we are directionless!
Sata is not the right one but HH no again. Let us look for a leader.
Though I am usually reluctant to make political comments, I would like to observe that people who are asking the opposition to assist the government come up with development options are misinformed about politics. Ask yourself the question ” why must opposition in the first place provide solutions to government?” These are their strong points in the game. The ruling part came into power because it has a road map to follow. If they cry for assistance from the opposition then they are not ready to govern and must let opposition govern. A man who wants to inherit a wife does not give remedy to the dying husband, period.
so u would rather PF fail and ultimately your old father wallow in poverty than assist the current government for the common of the nation? u are just as bitter as HH. praying for PF to fail. am sure u are tonga
Chester what kind of thinking is that.? Are you saying that if the opposition has some great ideas they should not share them with current gov because its not them in business.? are you saying they must hold on to ideas until such a time they come to be in gov themselves.? Shame.!!
How many times have HH and Chipimo tried to provide help to these nincompoops and what has been the response from your chi sata????
They not only lack policy and direction but also the economic knowhow to development the country. To me, PF is a party and government of cadres ”the spoils system” the way they used to call it in the States in the nineteenth century. All they are interested in especially the President whom they have taken advantage of is to appease the cadres in which ever way possible. just keep singing songs of praises about the president and a position will be secured for you regardless of your academic background. Poaching funds to appease these cadres is their main agenda and they are comfortable with that. Under PF, Zambia’ s economy is in a disastrous situation.
Ba PF accept you have failed. We want press conferences and not face book.
GOD forgive us we didnt know what we were doing by voting for PF.
……Gabon Disaster Stadium ……Gabon Disaster Constitution ……Gabon Disaster Nurse fired ……Gabon Disaster Learning in vernacular……Gabon Disaster Machete Fights……Gabon Disaster Don’t recognize Chitimukulu ……Gabon Disaster Scot Campaigning before E.C.Z go ahead……Gabon Disaster everything
You are being so petty just like your opposition leaders…Eish.. We need to move forward guys.
The colossal investment in road infrastructure and energy development by PF government has encouraged most mining house in DR.Congo to open up offices in Zambia. Big mining companies like MMG, ENRC, Biliton, Phelpsdoge have shown great interest and have opened offices in Zambia.
HH will never appreciate the PF and Sata, because of his bad up-bringing. To know HH and UPND well you should ask Sakwiba Sikota, Edith Nawakwi, Michael Sata, Panji Kaunda, Dr. Kaunda and UNIP.
After carrying out a careful investigation into various problems of general interest in the development of our country zambia, Sata and PF are doing very well and they should continue and update the citizens on developmental projects through the department of information services/ ZIS.
Better if you had given names of other people not politicians from failed rogue regimes.
Well spoken HH. It is nice to note that your comments are issue-based. And So far, no one has opposed the issues you have raised point-for-point because you are right in your observations. It is as clear as daylight. We need issue-based debates in our politics as is the case in developed Counties. Of course there will always be some low-life individuals with mental disability who simply lack capacity to respond point-for-point. But do not relent, once again well spoken HH.
pantaneni fwantaneni party, no direction whatsoever.
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