Thursday, March 28, 2024

PF has failed, last years fuel reduction was a campaign gimmick -Hakainde Hichilema

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UPND president Hakainde Hichilema disembarks from a bus at Chazanga bus stop
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema disembarks from a bus at Chazanga bus stop

UPND President Hakainde Hichilema says he is glad that he has been vindicated since he warned Zambians that reduction in the fuel pump prices last year was only campaign gimmicks.

Mr Hichilema said all his warning about the negative implications of PF bad policies have now come to pass.

He said what the PF did is common with politicians who only sell people’s hopes back to the voters, in return for the right to exercise political power over the voting population.

The UPND leader was speaking when he rode on buses to Mandevu Constituency areas such as Kabanana, Chazanga, and Mazyopa yesterday and interacted with local people who were delighted to see him as he also attended some funerals in the area.

UPND president Hakainde Hichilema buys from a trader at a local market
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema buys from a trader at a local market

Mr Hichilema said it has been over 100 days after the presidential by-election of 2015 and 100 days in office for President Edgar Lungu and close to four years for the PF government.

‘In line with the Holy Scriptures, we are enjoined to be grateful (1 Thessalonians 5:18), against this background we in the UPND would like to thank God for preserving our country during the post elections violence. We are also thankful to all Zambians for performing their civic duty of exercising their right to vote for the political parties of their choice,’ Mr Hichilema said.

‘In my interaction with residents, markeeters, traders, and party officials we shared with our beloved Zambians to persevere and embrace the culture of hard work because tough and hard times will always come as a result of unfavourable economic policies put by those in power hence an increase in the cost of living in the country.’

He added, ‘Together we can come up with solutions for our country because we know the anguish of not having enough money to pay for the children school fees, and uniforms, or the need to make up the shortfall at the beginning of each month, struggling with house rentals, etc. Just yesterday there was an increase in fuel prices, putting more pressure on the resource envelope of most households.

Mr Hichilema said Zambia needs a clear set of solutions to solve the economic hardships and unemployment challenges.He said women and youths face specific employment challenges such legal barriers, lack of access to finance and cultural norms.

‘These challenges often force women to work in jobs that pay less and are less secure. Young people are almost three times more likely to be unemployed and are more likely to work in informal jobs,’ Mr Hichilema said.

‘It is against this background that we call upon the PF government to urgently provide workable solutions to address the plight of the majority poor masses not endless bye-elections at the expense of addressing economic challenges in the country.’

UPND president Hakainde Hichilema  interacts with residents in Kabanana township
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema interacts with residents in Kabanana township
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema at a funeral in Chazanga compound
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema at a funeral in Chazanga compound
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema interacts with passengers a minibus going to Mandevu
UPND president Hakainde Hichilema interacts with passengers a minibus going to Mandevu

73 COMMENTS

    • For those of you who dont’ read the Energy Board chairperson Pastor Mwape said the adjustment is mainly due to the volatility of the kwacha in January 2015, the kwacha has ranged between an average of K 6.5 per dollar and K 7.42 per dollar in April 2015…ASK yourselves why the Kwacha has been performing poorly.. One of the reasons is poor leadership…from 1964 to date we have had poor leadership.We sell our raw materials cheaply,we do not diversify and invest in Agriculture,we do not invest in education,we borrow heavily ..all we do is insult each other day in day out…HH is no saviour but sometimes he is right.Even if you don’t like him analyse things for yourselves.Zambia is for us not Lungu or HH..Zambia is for our children.Lets build it

    • The price of fuel is pegged to the US Dollar. Oil-producing countries are in trouble because the Dollar has been gaining strength so much this year. Now the Dollar is almost at par with the EURO! The Zambain Kwacha is subject to the strength of the Dollar. Wheether it is UPND, PF Or MMD in power, these forces will be at play. We don’t have an oil well in Zambia.

    • HH speaks sense at times

      I am not sure he can be any worse than Lungu.

      He has matured for me

      Thanks
      Bb2014

    • There he goes trying hard to copy sata political ideologies. Seems he can’t present a unique person with a different approach to the political climate. In January in case you have forgotten someone leaked info to you and you published in the media that govt should reduce fuel in two weeks because the same has been reduced on the int marketmarket and today you ‘ve shifted goal post to want to look like you are smart. People who brag that hh can change Zambia are simply dullliterates.

    • @chama: That’s is the problem with Weird Aranguns like you!! World Fuel prices do go up when IDI.OTS like you think they have gone up!! You have access to the internet so why dont you google that up? Arse.whore!!

    • Here where I am tabalundile. This culture of copying from the neighbours or ‘international’ shouldn’t be there. They should also be able to copy good things then. If for example the price of food is low in namibia, botswana is stable why dont they sat it should be low also in zambia? f00lish!

    • Prices of fuel have been going up world wide and it will not help Akainde to politicize everything.

      Akainde has definitely become boring and irrelevant to our country’s political discourse.

      He belongs to the archives

    • Chama Chama you are funny!!! Anyone with a bit of business training could see that the increment would not last. When did the kwacha start depreciating seriously? If you can answer that question then you will understand. Its about government policy. The VAT arguments with mines and other exporters, the new tax regime now reversed, SI 33, SI 55, massive contraction of loans etc. Unless you are saying these are international issues. A bit of economic understanding will help here. Open your eyes and see.

    • So you were happy the price of fuel goes up? You want to be vindicated at any cost. And I also thought you sold all those companies so we could have a market economy? The market forces should dictate the prices not the president. An less you are telling me that you have been selling your cattle at the same price for the last 2 years. Surely HH stopping exposing your rural i.diocy

    • Mr Hichilema, please dont listen to people who have never really achieved anything in life. Their standards will always be low. I like what you are doing and please keep it up. There are some of us who will support you and who can see that you mean well.

      I dont think you can correct everything that is wrong in Zambia as this may take a number of years to rectify all the bad governance and unbelievable corruption that has taken place in the past 50 years.

      However, you represent a new start towards rebuilding this country. You policies seem fine with some of us who understand these things. To most Zambians, all they have known is poverty, hence they dont seem to see beyond the now. Dont our leaders feel ashamed when they fly back from Europe to see such a mess like Lusaka streets?

    • Iwe Akamanampemba
      So you mean Zambians should be pegged on US dollar. Are Americans pegged on Kwacha? The PF Govt should do something about the weak kwacha instead of imposing your economic arguments down the throats of poor Zambians.

    • HH is now an empty calabash. Fuel prices going down was a global phenomenon. How can he say it was “a campaign gimmick by PF”?

    • Seriously people fuel prices have been creeping up every where recently. When fuel was reduced in Zambia, I was enjoying the lowest of the prices here in the USA. Now the prices are a little higher because crude oil prices have been going up too. Check the prices for crude oil when Zambia reduced it fuel prices and then compare to now. In any case wasn’t HH taunting PF to reduce the prices at the time. What does he mean he has been vindicated. It’s true education is not a measure of intelligence!

  1. Hichilema you must stop bragging on the things you cannot control. Fuel prices are just high everywhere worldwide. If your UPND was in power it would have just been the same. That’s why you always fail to win elections because you first jump to conclusions before you think what can cause something to happen.

    You must investigate thoroughly why prices of fuel have gone up before you start yapping. What do you think makes you better than others? You will continue losing elections until you change your stance on boasting.

    In the meantime there is nothing you can do but watch winners rule you and adhere to the norms of the nation as an ordinary citizen of Zambia. Undermining your friends work will not take you anywhere. You have no public attention even if you jump into a public…

    • @pmk, mwana you talk sense, maybe you are better economist than the presidential aspiring candidate HH. I wish you to be an adviser to HH.

    • Don’t claim that the price of fuel is high everywhere. The price of fuel is very high (if not the highest) in Zambia. Why do you think Zambians cross to Botswana to buy fuel. As a matter of fact Zambia has ridiculously high prices for virtually everything. To put it mildly Zambia is a big mess.

  2. Pf struggled to win the Jan 2015 election. With so much hunger in the country, pf will not have it easy in 2016.

    • The one who created a problem for PF was Guy Scott because he was under strict instruction from the cartel to stop Edgar. Otherwise Lungu was going to win with a land slide. He beat HH using limited resources and only campaigned for 20 days what makes you think HH will defeat Edgar in 2016 now that he is the most powerful person in Zambia with plenty of time, influence and resources? 2016 he will win you do not need a rocket scientist to predict.

    • @Lwengelele
      I think RB lost with all the time, influence and resources at his disposal so we need a rocket scientist to predict

    • Why bother yourself over everyone? Does it mean if you can’t afford it then everyone can’t afford it?

      Remember there are special filling stations, schools and shops for us in PF where prices are very low or heavily subsidized! Where do you think the loans we are contracting and concealing are going? We share, we plunder. So when we go to buy fuel, goods & services do you think we feel the pinch?

      Stop complaining. If u can’t beat them, join them, I mean us. We can’t share with you when you are on the other side. There is enough room for everyone who supports us and therefore your cake is waiting. But it may not wait for you longer than necesaary!

      In fact we shall increase it again before December and reduce it just before general elections next year. For your information we hold…

    • Contd….

      We are clever in PF. In fact we shall increase it again before December and reduce it just before general elections next year. For your information we hold the key. We declare the election date after all. We shall ensure elections are held in December 2016 which is good environment for our political and election maneuvers. After all Zambians are docile, they’ll vote us in again, this time overwhelmingly as incumbent Prezdo!

  3. @PMK. Please, PF supporters, learn to read news stories as they come out and connect stories. ERB Chairman Pastor Mwape said “This adjustment is mainly due to the volatility of the kwacha which resulted in the significant adjustment of the kwacha against the United States Dollars……”. Clearly, the fuel increase is due to the falling kwacha which PF has failed to manage. From the time Lungu came into power, the dollar has lost about K1. So PF supporters, analyse issues before you expose ignorance and failure to follow news stories.

  4. There is no way HH can win in 2016…..the dude spent more time campaigning for 2015 and was beaten by someone who only campaigned for 2 months. Wat a shame.!!!

    • HH can ride in mini buses but it will not help him much in 2016 because Edgar is very much ahead. Sata was Sata and HH is wasting his time by imitating him by riding in mini buses. I just hope he is preparing himself psychologically for another defeat. By the way why is madam Nalumango quiet? Where is Mutati? It is getting hotter by the day. As for madam Nalumango I have great respect for her she contributed alot to Kaputa constituency. She brought a hosipital, boarding secondary school for the first time, electricty , a clinic at Nkosha, several primary schools. The only problem she has is the Party she is marketing, in Kaputa people are not for UPND and she knows it.

  5. Double standards at play, why is it so difficult to start importing fuel from ANGOLA and do away with the so many middle men and agents who make our fuel the most expensive in the southern region.

  6. The reduction of fuel price last year was not a gimmick as HH claims.This was caused by the world wide fall in the price of crude oil and all countries world wide benefited from reduced prices. HH should not use this to gain political mileage because this is cheap politics!!Try other gimmicks not this hopeless thinking!!

    • yes but the oil price dratistically plunged months before we even saw a reduction..why was a reduction not implemented as soon a oil price decreased ?

    • *****..the reduction was 100% political. Why did the gvt not reduce the prices when for a long time the oil prices were trading so low. and by the way why is our fuel still more expensive than all the surrounding countries..think properly you danderhead

  7. THE PRICE OF FUEL IN THE UK IS INCREASING, DOES THAT MEAN CONSERVATIVE HAVE FAILED? NO. THAT COMMENT BY HH IS SUPPOSED TO BE FROM SOMEONE WHO NEVER WENT TO SCHOOL THEREFORE DOESN’T KNOW HOW THE PRICING OF COMMODITIES HAPPEN- SUPPLY AND DEMAND AND OTHER FORCES.

    • @Peter: You are the BIGGEST LIAR!! Fuel prices are NOT going up!
      And you know you are being a dishonest AR.SE unless you dont have a car and cant afford one!
      Some of you are just cleaners cheating people in Zambia by pretending to be living “Large”!!

  8. HH can make things better in this country than Lungu who is being helped to govern this country by Mugabe and Rupiah

    • Do not fool your self ask HH to reduce the price of meat and hear what he will tell you. He is nothing but just a business man thirsty for more riches.

    • Why should HH reduce the price of meat in the face of very high fuel prices in Zambia? The problem with Zambia is that the country is in the hands of mainly clueless and selfish leaders. They bare only good at empty talk.

  9. EL please give HH 6 months to be president and see his miracles at work. Everything will reduce- Fuel K2/L, Mealie Meal K10/50Kg, meat K1/Kg, fertilizer K0/pack etc. By the even RSA have increase the fuel price as the continues to fall against the dollar

    • RSA is being ruled by Zuma,sure,you should know what is means.Food stuffs are much cheaper in south africa,why is the same food expencive here?

  10. It would be nice for once if HH/UPND offered checks and balances to pressure PF into changing some economic policies which will in turn benefit the whole country instead of condemning everything as a way to win sympathy.
    It will be foolish of some people to think that the moment HH walks into State House he will command Millers to reduce the price of mealie meal or tell ERB to reduce the price of oil or order the kwacha trade at 1 to 1 with the dollar.
    Being an opposition party is not all about condemning and throwing mud. Offer some checks and balances. force the PF to work, keep them on their feet.
    Some of HH’s rantings make him sound like a very angry and bitter man. Zambians can see through all this.

  11. It’s amazing that the opposition are taking a blind eye on the reality of global commodities like fuel which affects every single country in the world. Economics is a global issue which affects every one including those in government as such opposition should engage the government on constructive issues which would bring change to the people of Zambia. Opposition should start working now by being a help to the government and the people at large. Stupid politics will not taken opposition any where .

  12. let’s save Zambia. For morality’s sake even ‘the lost son’ reached a point and decide to do what is right. sit and think, even white Americans for once decided to give a black man white house, bring in kachema…

    • Ifintu nikachema! I have made up my mind, I will now go ahead and start telling all my relatives & friends to vote for Kachema.

      Kachema2016 Ifintu ni Kachema, yes Lesa Kachema, HH Kachema, Kachema wesu. Ifintu Bane Ni Kachema! Can someone please translate this in other Languages?
      Thanks, Kachema let’s do this, lets Go!

  13. I hate to admit it but HH does have a point. Guys, the US Dollar has risen out of the ordinary and there has been no evidence of any attempt to curb the rise. Of course every country is suffering the same but not to the extent as we are. It is simple, the government has borrowed excessively and has created demand for the US$ in that they have to settle contractors in US$. The inflation has risen to a level almost equal to the GDP growth rate, the government keeps on borrowing even secretly. I think it is time we give a chance to HH to run the economy. I understand that he is Tonga and that irks a lot of us, but should him being Tonga make us any less likely to vote for him, I don’t think so. Let us vote on merit, I think HH provides that alternative.

  14. There he goes U5,wilakonkelesha ba late,jst make your own strategy.even in his grave pipo still love him dont wast your time in lsk go mu mishi umo taba kwishiba.

  15. Ifintu nikachema! I have made up my mind, I will now go ahead and start telling all my relatives & friends to vote for Kachema.

    Kachema2016 Ifintu ni Kachema, yes Lesa Kachema, HH Kachema, Kachema wesu. Ifintu Bane Ni Kachema! Can someone please translate this in other Languages?
    Thanks, Kachema let’s do this, lets Go!!

  16. Kachema2016 – HH ekachema wandi, ekachema wandi alanchemelela alanchemelela kumenshi yabumi!

    lets put the music to the lyrics folks, you can thank me later – yes you are welcome!

  17. Well , Mr Serial Presidential Contender (SPC) AKA Under 5, we are now getting into that sweet spot zone again where resources are about to go up. Copper Prices have started ticking up, Gold Prices have started ticking up , Cobalt Prices have started ticking up and Obviously the price of oil is heading upward too. This is good news for our resources and the Kwacha

    Commodity prices will always yoyo up and down, I thought you were smart enough not to pin PF on fuel rise. I don’t remember PF saying price of FUEL will always go down and down until it is zero rated. Is UPND promising that if they win in 2015?

    There is a lot of ammunition to attack PF on, and let me list them for you than these waterfalls of fuel price you are chasing.

    • Here are the top 5
      1) PF cabinet is still big, bloated and a major drain on the treasury, attack that
      2) There is no transparency on the use of the Euro bonds, are there projects they spent money on going to generate money we can use to pay back. Where is ZR project at today. Only seen ZESCO projects thus far
      3) Most Roads projects have been abandoned and most local contractors have bolted after getting the first instalment. Attack this.
      4) 650 Health Posts promised, not a single one has been built, prompting last week’s meeting. Attack this
      5) When is PF going to make public what non contentious issues they want to take to parliament as constitution amendments. Nobody knows this. They need to be transparent. ATI looks doomed, so far. You can’t attack this, since you will demo

    • MMD Chief Bootlicker always defending PF? Why not just cross over?
      Looks too old to reason properly. Or is the alliance you are in that makes you pro-PF even when you areMMD Chief Bootlicker? Indeed bootlicker, but from your comments u better be PF Chief Bootlicker!

  18. Now that in Scotland they voted for there own party SN and in London they voted for the Tories .Please comment whether that is also tribalism? If the answer is no then why here in Zambia you cry too much for the tonga & others for voting for UPND

  19. From May 2014 to date, the US Dollar has appreciated against the Euro by 23%. If you did some estimates in euro, you will appreciate my point.
    There are several countries around the world that have adjusted fuel pump prices upwards.

  20. Those pics..lol . It only worked for SATA and will not work for you bwana.

    Come 2016, we are going to show you how it is done – nega nega formula.

  21. Neutral did you even read what MMD Chief Bootglicker posted? He is a very balanced guy as far as I am concerned. unlike most bloggers here who get excited and start ejaculating anyhow immediately they are presented with an article to criticise & praise UPND-HH or government.
    The current fuel price increase is a good economic decision as it is looking at the current upsurge in the commodity price at the international market. Whether it is UPND or PF in power these are economic realities and politicising them is unacceptable.

  22. Oil extends gains as US stockpiles are seen falling for 2nd week
    54 Mins Ago
    Reuters

    Source: Denver International Airport
    Brent crude oil rose above $67 a barrel towards five-month highs on Wednesday after U.S. crude stockpiles fell for a second straight week, suggesting that the world’s biggest oil market is rebalancing.

    U.S. crude, gasoline and distillate stockpiles all fell last week, the American Petroleum Institute said on Tuesday, ending months of builds that have lifted stocks to record highs. The U.S. government’s Energy Information Administration reports on inventories at 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT).

    Oil shrugged off a bearish report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), which said that market fundamentals looked loose as global supplies increased, outpacing…

  23. @22.MMD Chief Bootlicker,
    Clearly you, my friend missed the plot. Like an overgrown school boy with a questionable IQ, you are reacting to the headline of the article which was spun by ba LT, instead of reacting to the substance of what HH is saying in the article.
    Urging HH to attack PF is most unfortunate and completely missing the point in this article.
    HH is saying this was to interact with residents, marketeers, traders, etc.. to come up with a clear set of solutions to solve the economic hardships. The pictures support his statement because as you can see they are NOT showing rallies, but joining people in their everyday activities, and listening to then. In other words, it’s like doing a feasibility study before a capital project.

    You tell me what’s wrong with that?

  24. African politics entail mudslinging, craftily magnifying your competitor’s weakness and potraying impossibilities as possibilities. We just hoodwink to get votes and leave the pledges to sort themselves later. And you dare bring UK’s election comparison. Pathetic!

  25. There are alot of f00ls and idi0ts in this country…Yes ahead of cheating, stealing and manipulating votes.

  26. Cheap popularity ba HH naimwe. Who does not know oil has gone up again all over? Also the kwacha has lost value so where is this cheap politics coming from?

    Tell us something of value with some intelligence…not this crap!!!! Posing with the poor mutuma-pictures atase…

  27. PFR is always deceptive. Most zambians have become f00ls and simply tolerate anything from PF. I recall us rioting when KK increased mealie meal prices as advised by world bank at the time.

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