3 Years Under PF Rule and Half way into 2014

3 YEARS UNDER PF RULE AND HALF WAY IN 2014

PREAMBLE

2014 seemed to be a year in which the PF government was going to operate on something that was theirs, unlike in the previous years when they blamed everything on the MMD. Since 2011, life in Zambia has not been the same. Our beloved country has faced a lot of challenges and unfortunately problems are escalating hence life in Zambia has become very tough for workers, businesspersons and worse still, for the unemployed. The Orphaned and Vulnerable People are surviving by the grace of God.

THE ECONOMY

Ever since the PF government took office, the economy in this country has been going down to an extent where it is now extremely poor or none performing. We have seen the Kwacha weaken to an extent were our currency hit the record of being the weakest in the world. The cost of doing business is high for Zambians while others are boasting of making US$500million per month. The Bank Governor, who is a qualified Lawyer is found in strange territories trying to balance Books while the Minister of Finance who was using a 4 X 4 calculator in 1973 is now trying to balance and expend the National Budget and has to cope with 21st Century state of the art dynamic systems and technology.

The solution to this problem is for government to swallow its pride and constitute a team of professionals like Ng’andu Magande, Situmbeko Musokotwane, Caleb Fundanga, our very own Frank Sichone, Kalale Musonda and any other Zambians with the prowess to manage the Economics of this country for the sake of mother Zambia and not necessarily having Ministerial positions.

COST OF LIVING

The cost of living in Zambia has really gone up and is too high. People are suffering yet the PF which claims to be a pro-poor government is doing nothing to eradicate poverty in the country. Fuel prices have gone up, bus fares have also risen, and electricity tariffs too have gone up. With the removal of subsidies coupled with fuel increases, food prices have also gone up hence making it difficult for people to have three meals a day. Life under the PF rule is so tough such that people are regretting ever voting for the PF. The PF have brought nothing but misery and disaster in the lives of the people because of the way they manage affairs.

In Mindolo, Zambians are sleeping in the cold because government doesn’t care and because officials who represent both local and central government are corrupt. In Garden House, families have been displaced.

We need to mobilize our personnel who will be tasked to shift every economic impact away from the people and to put in some measures like reducing the blotted government, reducing the expenditure on the Executive, cutting down on the gratuity for MPs and Councillors.

HEAVY BORROWING

The continued borrowing of money from other countries is very unfortunate. This government is not sober when it comes to matters of national interest. The US$750million Euro Bond, the US$1billion Bond and the many other loans and grants that the PF government has borrowed have not been properly explained and yet the Ministry of Agriculture announced that it was contemplating borrowing US$ 1 billion for the agriculture sector. Honestly, what sort of a government thinks of borrowing all the time? As far as we are concerned, and following the current agricultural policies under the PF government, we don’t see any change in this sector. Food Reserve Agency, which is Maize focussed should be transformed to accommodate diversified agriculture and possibly turned into a viable sector that allows its farmers to control its calendar visa-vies production and export. Currently, commercial farmers can’t sell maize to FRA and are restricted on exports.

The PF should tell the nation how they intend on paying back the close to US$3billion already borrowed. We seriously need to know how the previous Bonds have been utilised and they also need to explain to the nation on how they intend to use the money they want to borrow. It is now clear that at the rate we are going with the borrowing, our children and our children’s’ children may be indebted even before they are born. The PF have failed and the time to put a responsible government in place has come. 2016 or sooner, we can’t wait to save mother Zambia.

LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN MINISTERS

The President himself, Mr Michael Chilufya Sata openly told the nation that some of his ministers are useless. We now fully agree with Mr Sata because some ministers have failed to handle their ministries in a manner expected of them. Some are even reshuffled to other ministries but that does not help at all. All that these PF ministers are good at is intimidating the media, blackmailing innocent citizens and exchanging words with their fellow ministers through the media. We have seen drama at its best under this government where one Minister issues a statement only later to be reversed by another Minister. In the incidence were Kambwili gives a 14 day ultimatum only for Shamenda to embarrass his counterpart with unpalatable reversal. We have a Vice President who calls himself a ‘Chola Boy’, an Acting President who appoints a District Chairman to position of Acting Secretary General, Ministers who can’t pronounce Boko Haram, and Ministers who do not know the whereabouts of the Head of State. We have Ministers who go to Kapiri Mposhi and leave the TAZARA situation worse off than they found it. Our current crop of Minister does not inspire confidence that the country is being looked after by well-informed leaders as they seem to be misguided, uninformed and amateurs.

THE HEALTH OF THE PRESIDENT

The Health of the President has been a huge sense of concern in Zambia. In other countries like South Africa, the health of the Head of State is a National matter. In Zambia it is a secret affair. Some of us don’t wish ill of our Republican President. We are very much aware that the people of Zambia gave him a mandate to rule this country until 2016. We are also alive to the fact that the Bible tells us to pray for all those in authority so that there can be peace in the land. Hiding the health of the President is depriving the people of Zambia from praying and fasting for the health of its leader. The president’s travel to Israel for what government terms as a ‘working holiday’ remains a jigsaw puzzle to solve because there are so many pieces that need to be put together. The travel has changed from working holiday to a private visit where he is receiving treatment. Why isn’t ZNBC showing the footage of the President on working holiday in Israel? Why is the President so quiet? His Facebook page has been abandoned; it is no longer active as it used to be. How long will the President be in that country? These are just so many of the questions that Zambians are asking. It is surprising that even the people that works with Mr. Sata claim to be in the dark about the matter. For the record, NAREP is praying for Mr. Sata to finish his term unless he is so weak, then he should resign to preserve his health.

As a word of advice, we ask the President to resign on Medical grounds. Maybe, if Dr Mwanawasa (MHSRIP) had resigned when people asked him to, who knows, he could have been alive today. If Nelson Mandela hadn’t resigned after his first term in office, he could have died earlier than later.

The pictures of our President at the Courts and during the visit by the Chinese Vice President should not be used for political mileage but for sympathy, thereby driving the nation to prayer.

STILL UNFULFILLED PROMISES

The PF up to now have failed to fulfil the promises they made to the people of Zambia during their 2011 campaigns. The constitution has not yet been delivered to the people, there is still a high level of unemployment in the country, and the people have no money in their pockets while taxes and tariffs are rising every day. The people of Zambia are worse off under the PF government than they were under the MMD.

SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

Zambians cannot afford to experiment with top leadership of this country. The Miners are still crying foul especially that some of the people vying for the top job sold the Mines they so dearly treasured, while some other people cannot be trusted again. Am sure people always ask themselves this question: where do we go from here? There’s hope. A new and unadulterated leadership awaits to take up the helms of leadership.

Dr Kenneth Kaunda was only 40 years old when he took over the presidency of this country with a cabinet that averaged 36 years of age. Look at the work they did. Dr Frederick Chiluba (MHSRIP) was 48 years old when he became President of Zambia and testimonies of the liberalised economy still resound to date. Levy Mwanawasa (MHSRIP) was 53 years old when he took office as President and the new deal under HIPC did wonders. We then gave Rupiah Banda at 71 years old and Mr. Sata at 73 years. It’s not the issue being old but being out of touch with reality of change of times.

CONCLUSION

Zambia has an opportunity to make amends and this time around to vote wisely and remove this Party that has caused misery and pain in this nation. We need real change. We need to Restore the dignity of our citizens and set this country on course to recovery, prosperity and development. The principle of the captain dying on the wheel of the ship does not apply here because we are not on the ship but on shore hoping the ship will dock and offload the long awaited consignment. Zambia shall be restored. National Restoration Party.

Reverend Jevan Kamanga
National Secretary
National Restoration Party (NAREP)