Opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has charged that Zambia is facing one of its greatest economic challenges because President Edgar Lungu has allegedly failed to provide leadership.
Addressing a news conference at the party’s Secretariat on this morning, Mr Hichilema said President Lungu has absconded from his responsibilities.
Mr Hichilema accused PF of killing poor Zambians by failing to provide leadership and sinking a once prosperous economy.
When PF took over in 2011, the Kwacha was 5.40 to a dollar, four years down the line, the Kwacha is now at K 10.4 to a dollar, that is over 100 percent depreciation
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“When PF took over in 2011, the Kwacha was 5.40 to a dollar, four years down the line, the Kwacha is now at K 10.4 to a dollar, that is over 100 percent depreciation,” he said.
He warned that more Zambians will face untold suffering by December tis year as Maize prices are expected to be hiked.
Mr Hichilema also revealed that more mining companies will place their operations on care and maintenance following reduced production as a result of increased load shedding.
“What we are seeing at Baluba mine where the treatment plant had to be closed and 1,600 jobs put on hold is just the beginning, more is mines will be put on what is called care and maintenance,” Mr Hichilema said.
“What Zambia needs is a leadership with a clear vision. A leadership that won’t blame external variables such as China for its failure to provide basics amenities for its people.”
Mr.Hichilema said President Lungu should cut down on is international trips in order to focus on addressing issues at home.He said, “We want to tell Lungu to have self restraint. Even if there is a lot of beer in State House, don’t drink all of it, leave some of it.”
Sort out the Kariba North bank issue, those are management issues, we are demanding that Mr Lungu stops travelling. He should not travel to his upcoming trip to Kenya, go and tell him that HH says don’t travel
Mr Hichilema added, “Sort out the Kariba North bank issue, those are management issues, we are demanding that Mr Lungu stops travelling. He should not travel to his upcoming trip to Kenya, go and tell him that HH says don’t travel.”
The UPND leader said, “When you have a serious person in State House, that presidential jet is packed most of the time so that you can concentrate on domestic issues.”
Mr Hichilema also stated that President Lungu has no capacity to address the increased load shedding.
“Our friends in Kenya are investing in solar, what are we doing? We are exporting power, we demand that Lungu renegotiates those power export agreements forthwith.”
[pullquote]Stop the Maize exports because the price of mealie meal will be high by December, let FRA buy the Maize and pay cash to the farmer[/pullquote]
“I am advising Lungu to address the electricity issue. So factories, saloons and the window frame maker can be productive. Stop the Maize exports because the price of mealie meal will be high by December, let FRA buy the Maize and pay cash to the farmer.”
He said at the rate the crop marketing season is going, the FRA will fail to meet its targeted 500, 000 metric tonnes of Maize purchases.Mr Hichilema also advised President Lungu to focus on the production side of the economy and not on the expenditure side.
“Miteno za misonko zadula, (fees for various licences have one up), we are saying as UPND, you will only renew your licences every three years so we help you survive during these difficult time.
HH learn to respect the authoriy at least say PRESIDENT LUNGU nad not call him lungu for wat dont be so bitter that bitterness will not takle u anywhere,just short ago u used to complain that President SAT is jst sitting home without travelling out side zambia bt to day u saying PRESIDENT LUNGU shud not be travellling out side zambia,what type of a person are u.I think u do use yo legs to think and talk jst look at u ?the way u tok rubbish comes out of your mouth.Nowounder RB was doubting if at u are a zambia.Critise contructively and advise accordingly.
HH was so right. I listened to the press con on 87.7 Hot FM. HH spoke like a leader, like a president. I can bet my life Edgar is not able to articulate economic issues affecting the country like HH did. HH provided solutions and there was no bitterness in what he said just plain truth as it should be. Unfortunately he was advising a president that is so incapable. Edgar said he has no vision, we should have listened
Who is the economic adviser to the President? Just asking…
by the way, I cannot believe we are still exporting power even when mines are closing, is this true?
@ zamzam
NO WAY CAN I CALL THIS CLOWN PRESIDENT!
He has shown he does not even know what the word President means.
THIS IS TIME FOR ALL WELL MEANING ZAMBIANS TO VOTE FOR HH AND SAVE THIS COUNTRY FROM SERIOUS ROTTING WE ARE SEEING UNDER ‘CHANIGWETSA NI JAMESON GOVERNMENT.’ I FOR ONE AND MY FAMILY TOGETHER WITH MY FRIENDS I MINGLE WITH ALL OF THEM ARE FOR HH. LET US PUT ASIDE ALL NEGATIVES AND LOOK FORWARD AND CREATE A GOOD ZAMBIA FOR OUR BEAUTIFUL BABIES WE HAVE.PF HAS GOT NO HEART
This is very childish from Hakahivotela…you are insulting all our elderly and most importantly God by not acknowledging that the one you are referring to as Lungu is your President… HH wants to be president but I guess he will never ever ascend to the highest office in the land because of small things such as RESPECT. I believe if tables were turned President Lungu would not call HH Hichilema, maybe as his last name suggests he is Hichilema in his head.
If there is need to change governments Lord God give us any other leader but HH… Amen
People wait! Today i wil speak for president lungu! Aa you people you dont know,this man has leadership,,,,,,, especially on friday and saturday night outs! Awe shuwa isotambe. So stop attacking him, some of us stil have “weekend headach” from his leadership
tha advisor to president lungu is kaier zulu the inbred. these *****s are just busy stealing and doing nothing at all. All of a sudden abena kaizer are rich when they should be advising the president properly.
PF leaders have forgotten Just how rude they were and there MMD counterparts…UPND is far much less of thug party than any of the past and present two…
CHAMA put it very straight and clear……..COME 100 YEARS from now, the TRIBE would have produced enough voters to give us a PRESIDENT. Has the 100 years passed already? NOOOOOOOOOO!!! Has the TRIBE produced enough voters yet???????? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
@YALUMANA
The tribe does not eat monkeys so there is noway it can reproduce in large numbers, like flies, even if it is given a thousand years.
Ba HH, leader of cows and losers
President HH our kateka has spoken.
Don’t give these corrupt PF minions a free ride. Right now they are reaping heavily and enriching themselves. The everyday Zambian problems do not affect them at all
President Lungu made many of his appointments in good faith I believe but am not sure if all those he appointed meant to work for him. I think he should tevisit some of the appointments! Eg Bank Governor. It is better to work with people who are honestly on your side than just for the sake of regional balancing.
Let him come here and we will teach him leadership skills and other sources of energy like wind. I will be very glad to see that guy who openly confessed he has no vision and yet won. Laughable to say the least
Zambia 2 Kenya 1
connect with voters than being know it all and stop buull shiiting around
HH did not provide any solutions that are currently not being undertaken by PF. I found his press conference to be more of ridicuing the president than offering solutions. I think the more he talks the more he is becoming just like every other politician. at least he could have had the decency to hide his bitterness
Which solutions do you want to be offered? Why did he choose to be president if he can only wait to given solutions by the opposition?
I think mr hh you should have addressed real issues instead of attacking Eddie. It’s true we lack leaders in Zambia, articulate issues otherwise people won’t see the difference between you and the others.
Lungu did not say he has no vision. He said he is following the vision for the party once elected as president and that’s why we voted him as president not other masquerades in the name of great visions which are useless. @man kenya I did not expect you to comment after that humiliation defeat at your home by king david mbesuma.
Comment:a country led by a visionless leader,leading visionless people.
You the wise are losing in 2016 again.
We cant force HH to believe that lungu is our president and will be president after 2016 elections. Its like a child saying you are not my father just becoz the father failed to do something.Well lungu is there and making things move though evil forces might think otherwise.
Even in TITANIC those people with vision and brains saw that the boat was sinking and sort for help, those who felt TITANIC could not sink and really wanted to enjoy all the wines after the rich sort for rescue perished. Don’t be surprised when change comes because you can’t tell me that you are not affected by Chanigwetsa ni jameson’s leadership.
wat wil make a headless cadre believe their leader is headless.
Absolutely nothing. You cannot educate bunch of 1mbeciles. Time wasted.
I support HH, but he is acting desperate. Why should you propose suspension of road tax for three year. How much revenue will government lose in revenue from that. Things are already bad as it is, there is not need for fake and desperate promises.
Being in opposition is less stressful. HH even displaying rare humour. Love the tongue in cheek jab “allegedly” failed. A lawyer should appreciate the opening. Come on ED. This guy is telling you not to travel. Let’s go meditate ED. They won’t catch us when we astral travel. Cheap and invisible. We don’t even have to be sober. I am all about escapism now. Let’s forget our worries and zone out. Don’t bring the hat though…
As usual HH and his cheap rantings. This man will keep on the same thing “continuously keep shooting himself in the foot. In all honest, i find all the people that support this loser, total losers. I have never been convinced with all the things that come from his mouth. What about the windfall stories he so much used to talk about in 2011, what has happened to all that….
@ The Induna
Hahahahaa you are absolutely shallow I am afraid there is not hope or help for the likes of you… hate is written all over your comment. you probably have no idea how hard hit the economy is and cant understand a word of what HH is saying.
Instead of scaremongering and name calling why not talk policy because that is the only thing that will save our country!
At least he has accepted that those power export contracts have been there for a long time and you just can’t wake up and stop exporting power and fail to honor your obligations.
Where on earth do people renew their licenses including road licenses after 3 years?
They need an ear syringe to flush their ears to listen. AS long as jemason flows, they won’t listen
We have to say something no matter what. The country is really going down. We need a saviour. Jesus? God help us.
Me, am in the bush sniffing out gold and diamond deposits, anyone care to join me? Once we find these they will be our saviour.
@Bushman. Have my shovel ready. Let’s start in the Western zone. My grandma always told us a story of the foreigner who only came round once a year with his digger claiming to be clearing a road for the locals. Told all the kids to bring every shining stone they played with to him…
Comment:
Who can you cheat or mislead Icilema? Obviously only the gullible public may accept your diatribe, the rest of the people are well aware of the global economical ramifications arising from financial issues in all the major players, from China, and the western countries, from Russia, nay from everywhere. So, Icilema, pipe down!
In the legal fraternity we say ‘res ipsa loquitor’ ie. the thing speaks for itself.
The depreciation of the dollar speaks for itself.
The increase in corrpution speaks for itself.
The increase in PF cadre violence and thefts at bus stops and markets especially Soweto, City Market and Buseko speaks for itself.
The increase in all prices for essential commodities speaks for itself.
The in load shedding speaks for itself.
Donchi Kubeba, PF, you can fool some people some of the time but you cannot fool all the people all the time!!
Malabishi PF
We agree that there are ramifications but it is the effect of the global ramifications that we use as a gauge for Lugus mediocre leadership. Have other currencies also been devalued by 100% over the past 9 months? The answer is no
Are those economic ramifications from 2011 when the ZKW started this downward spiral.??
@ Sponge bob: Control your emotions brother. Do not intimidate me with football. After all I am not a football fan. Notwithstanding even if Lungu followed PF’s vision, he is entitled to change depending on the circumstances. Probably PF had not planned for such hard times. Thats where HIS own vision applies. For your information, I neither support HH. I analyse things as they come bearing in mind that HH is also a candidate vying for the highest office on the land and can use all means to tarnish Lungu. Play it cool.
The PF has lost its mandate to govern. It is clear that more than 50% of the country does not support the current government policies. The PF has even deviated from its manifesto!
Hahaha Lord Lord Lord…50% you say do not support Lungu, well keep believing what you want to believe and come 2016 HH will be history as usual…wake up and smell the coffee bululu. HH must play the game different by 1. Acknowledging that E. Lungu is his president. 2. Offer solutions and focus more on that than belittling Lungu. 3. Show that he is not just politicking but that everything he says is feasible. Unless he does tackle these things – HH will remain the same – Under5. 3 years no taxes.?
@Big L
So Lungu and PF will return to government even when the whole country is broke, prices are skyrocketing, kaloba debt in shooting sky high, corruption is endemic in PF road contracts, fuel and electricity prices are on upward trajectory…..then this is another Zimbabwe!!
Comment: H h won’t be president of Zambia,I am sorry to say so but its true.
@Real Real keep on dreaming ,things have changed Boss.wake and rub your Manongo’in your eyes so you can see clearly.HH is our next president.
Boza iwe chi Sido Mark, President where? In Sinazeze? Maybe. By the way your Hypnotised Hyena is now becoming as boring as a broken record!
Come 2016 , PF watch out
ZAM ZAM, The Iduna,If you are Zambian then see this international comment and not HH please.
Zambia Trying to Avoid IMF Runs Out of Options as Kwacha Slumps
Xola Potelwa Matthew Hill
September 7, 2015 — 6:01 AM SAST
Updated on September 7, 2015 — 11:01 AM SAST
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Zambia Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda, left, speaks with Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara.
Zambia Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda, left, speaks with Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara.
Photographer: Issouf Sanogo/AFP/Getty Images
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Zambian currency is world’s worst performer this quarter
Widening deficit, rising yields may force government’s hand
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Though some points were okay but we expected further than that We listened carefully expecting him to say something on the investments Strategies Zambia should be pursing in the divergent global markets were commodity prices are depressed given also the current characteristics of Fiscal Indebtness at the same time the opportunity that lies in the Euro Bond raised
At least someone should have expected him to raise hopes on the opportunities that lies in the 32USD a barrel oil price projected 2016,the yields on the bonds as impacting policy as the euro region and other markets exhibit extreme volatility and speculation including distress as shown by the recent Chinese bubble preparing…
Mwalimu did you expect our village economist HH to speak of all such things you are pointing out? The Rand is at its lowest level in living history but I have not heard the DA blame the ANC for that. May be the DA need our village economist as their leader but then of late he has been talking crap that I do not think there is any party in SA which would have our dull economist as its leader.
shown by the recent Chinese bubble preparing the case for Zambia’s Portfolio’s to profit and emerge and profit as global markets emerge as the cycle continues
There is need to raise the leadership policy standards and analysis looking at the long-term opportunities changing course to sail through to projected
We need to see Quality leadership well reasoned with practical policy pronouncements affecting Zambia’s portfolios rebalancing to even shrug and maintain stability even when the global markets are in distress picking up stocks as it were
Modern Policies with little lead time
Analysis the Three Statements and Interviews HH and Chanda,Chandas statements and Interview at ZNBC was more coherent and reflected the position of Zambia Accounts though we less agree with the exchange controls Its will only spiral the Black market and further make it Like in ZIM as hinted by the article by Dr CALEB
Listen and examine statements carefully and see the policy paradigm Its about leadership quality Zambia in policy that will save the country not Names and Parties inclined
All comments, for and against are hopeless. There is neither the ruling party nor opposition party in Zambia. They are all a serious bunch of jokers.
Comment: He could not give the solutions , all dii was to critise trying to gain political milege.
At least he keeps the pressure and checks the colleagues but he needs to be coherent and very alive to facts in Zambia otherwise his speech and conference will need to structurally fit first Zambia then Regions closing with Global taking the whole Zambian Assets and commodities including soft issues like systems both Financial and Other and dwell more on finding opportunities for Zambian Portfolios even in distressed Global markets It will never ever be on the silver plate then the whole citizenry will move there investments to Zambia but rather opportunism and manage the downward risk as part of the global asset composition
You create the environment and opportunity to…
@MWALIMU. You give this chap too much credit
Quick question: Is Zambia moving in the right direction? It’s a yes or no answer.
No He is misplaced in global Zambian policy as critically observed ;when you talk about Chinas happenings know your influence there is a saying that ”He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot, will be victorious.” The happenings in china are well documented and the reaction should not be light fighting off as said above by HH You will need to know what strategies and when to fight
Though the Shanghai or Shenzhen stocks have not performed as expected for those margin accounts ,china itself is not collapsing so know when to fight react and what strategies to use in those Chinese stock bubbly
Comment: it is brilliant that the opposition is clearly airing thier views because it gives the people of Zambia a story from both sides the voters get to know what the opposition is offering. This also gives the people in power a wake up call which in my opinion they need because the economy is not getting any better,.
The corrupt PF and their equally corrupt kaponya suppoters will blame every thing on any thing, the most convenient being the weather for load shedding but we know they corruptly bought wrong generators. China for the fall of ZKW while we all know the drop started in 2011 when the global economy was on a upswing. coffers are being depleted by them making building projects the most expensive in the world. Oil prices have droped globally and countries have reduced prices, their excuse for not doing so is they paid for the current oil when prices were high. As a matter of fact I hope PF win so the rot continues and the majority of the pipo who votes for them suffer and some of of us can say, “we told you so”
HH is one guy I respected and hoped that maybe he would bring hope for Zambians who in the truest sense are really suffering. However, HH’s major interviews for example in London and south Africa this year (2015) were distrous in that the president could not clear show and share his vision for Zambia, however, the man dodged major issues by leveling criticisms on the current president. It was interesting to see that HH struggled to table the issues, particularly his plans for Zambians and where he will take mother Zambia.
Getting a vivid picture of the economic plans and transformations that this economist plans to implement for Zambia is becoming difficulty. Therefore slowly and on principle I have come to a conclusion that HH in a number of ways lacks the caliber to give Zambia…
No on this one Mr HH, you are wrong. Show some respect to the president, you are not an illitrate ganja smoker like Sata, MHSRIP. Pipo tend to back the downtrodden underdog and you showing no respect for the president makes him look like that. You will lose some votes.
HH thinks he is the pot of wisdom, intellect, leadership, management, wealthy and solutions to the real world problems, but let him know this, we are the ones who vote and know exactly what PF has done and is doing in their power to develop Zambia.
1. If indeed he is the magician to the power challenges we have today because of low water levels, let HH provide the alternative solution like yesterday which the PF is not working on, people will believe him.
2. The man claims the depreciation of the Kwacha is everything bad, let HH tell the nation what he advised Zambians to do with Kwacha when it was doing well against the dollar
3. HH has opposed to the launch of more than 500, 000 jobs for the youths, let HH tell the nation then how his magic will work to create employment and…
5. HH claims he is the economic manager and everything he touches on becomes gold, can he explain to the Zambians the rationale of raising his campaign money by lobbying from the poor when he can just do his magic and sponsor his party?
6. HH and UPND have never told Zambians the alternatives to create wealthy by being innovative, worse still, to him Agriculture means keeping cattle only
7. HH has been against infrastructure development being undertaken by the PF Government, can he tell Zambians which country has developed without solid road network, Airlines and good communication network?
8. HH and UPND says ZESCO all staff in Parastatals are incompetent, does he have a clue that these institutions are run by native Zambians?
9. HH says FRA should pay farmers cash on spot, as an…
Let me say this:
hh is not normal. hh has realised that tapali ichakwe. So he is there to destroy, thinking like ka kamushi ati “Tulefilila mu nsenga”.
hh is a Satanist who has just realised that despite his luring GBM as his vice president, he is not going to win the elections, now that GBM is still PF. hh is confused. hh realises too that GBM is just fooling him or in-fact hh now thinks that GBM wants to replace him as upnd leader. hh is so mean that he does not want to spend another colossal amount of money as he did in January by elections knowing that the Bembas will just chew his money and never vote for him. hh is a selfish individual who can never serve Zambians as a whole but Southerners. Just look into his eyes…he is confused and terrified to the bones.
Let me say this:
hh is not normal. hh has realised that tapali ichakwe. So he is there to destroy, thinking like ka kamushi ati “Tulefilila mu nsenga”.
hh is a Satanist who has just realised that despite his luring GBM as his vice president, he is not going to win the elections. Now that GBM is still PF, hh is confused. hh realises too that GBM is just fooling him or infact hh now thinks that GBM wants to replace him. hh is so mean that he does not want to spend another colossal amount of money as he did in January by elections knowing that the Bembas will just chew his money and never vote for him. hh is a selfish individual who can never serve Zambians as a whole but Southerners. Just look into his eyes…he is confused and terrified to the bones.
For me it does not really matter whether HH does not become a President come 2016, the most important thing the gentleman is and continues to do is to provide proper checks and balances that some of your people can not do. HH has equalled himself to a once strong Post Newspaper, for right now the Post paper is under duress. HH is already a rich man and most of his money is never in Zambia, as a result he has the means to come out in the open and provide some of the best peces of advices to LUNGU the man surrounded by a butch of thieves.
True, EL is a space waster but HH too needs to improve on his communication skills. Why keep preaching about PF’s failures without providing detailed solutions. Everything he said above are things we already know. People need to hear more details to make informed decisions. I remember Charles Milupi, an engineer by profession, once told us that the poor rains story by PF is just a cover up because the Kariba dam was designed in such a way as to maintain normal power generation even in an event that the country goes for three years without normal rains. The power generated at Kariba is enough to keep our country going till the next rainy season if only Zesco temporarily stops exporting electricity to neighbouring countries. These are details HH needs to bring to the attention of people…
JJ well said, I so agree with you. HH has all the potential to do better and even improve the situation in Zambia. However, when it maters the most, that is when the big man disappoints.
YES INDEED MR. PRESIDENT HH,GOOD OBSERVATION MADE. LUNGU IS SLEEPING ON DUTY. ZAMBIANS NEED TO FIRE THIS SLEEPING ON DUTY PRESIDENT COME 2016. VIVA HH VIVA!
Ba Jimster Mbewe. Ne Chisaungu cha kuchipata….. be real my traditional cousin. Times are hard and let us be realistic. I have no problems with the Zambian President meeting Zambians anywhere but I have a problem with people taking advantage and using his visit as a party fundraising venture. All I am saying is that we send wrong signals to our colleagues out there when we try and abuse the president’s visits. If the PF in New York can afford to pay $1,000 per person, which is equivalent to K8,500 back home then I think the PF will have no problems raising funds for their campaign next year. I believe we will not see them use Tax payers cash for that. Go ahead my brother KingFred Chisanga and raise as much cash and please let us know how much you raise at the end of it all and send it…
ECL is a silent archiver and not a politician who comments on anything even commenting on which direction ECL faces when sleeping:
Comment: @ ZUNGALUME
I lik yo comment. Coz very soon we xpect HH to comment about the type of food the President eats. NO POLITICAL NEWS FROM HH BUT NOISE. United party for national demons (upnd) cannot form govt next year. Coz their leader KADOLI DANCER does nt know politics but only LIES, HATRED, STEALING, PRIDE, BONKING , SELFISHNESS , TRIBALISM e.t.c. PF is winning next year, so stop dreaming about becoming the president next year. HH since u are a Freemason. Do yourself a favor by turning all the cattle in zambia into pipo. May be u can hav more votes to win an election. Begin to negotiate with castle owners. coz de total number of cows in zambia, is more than de 27,000 difference for the January 2015 election. Only the cattle formular can help upnd win an election…