Opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema says the party stands with the nation over the outbreak of Cholera which has so far claimed 50 lives.
Mr Hichilema said this is not the time for politicking.
He has since called on Zambians regardless of political affiliations, to take responsibility to help in combating this epidemic and save lives.
“This will be tough for all of us and will affect our livelihoods, but we must eradicate this disease at all costs,” he said.
He added, “In September last year, we warned the nation, especially our colleagues in the PF leadership, on the need for robust measures and preparedness for the anticipated rise in cholera cases.”
“Back then a few cases had already been recorded in some of our high density areas such as Kanyama Compound. We even obeyed the health professionals’ warning not to hold our planned political gatherings in form rallies as a means to save lives. The government’s late, inadequate and slow response has led to a panic situation where cholera cases have increased rapidly, resulting in the avoidable deaths of our citizens,” he said.
“We convey our deepest condolences to the bereaved families who have lost their loved ones while wishing those affected a quick recovery. We also fully sympathise with majority of our citizens who have abruptly been made to vacate their trading places without being given alternative sites with suitable hygienic conditions for them to earn a living in these harsh economic conditions. The entire nation has now been affected by the deadly epidemic which has now forced the closures of schools nationwide.”
Mr Hichilema said those charged with managing the affairs of the country must use this period for deep reflection in terms of priorities in the application of the meager resources and timely decision making.
“Was it really prudent to corruptly acquire 42 fire engines at US $1 million each when documentary evidence shows these are just basic machines that can be bought at US $ 250,000 each? We could have saved a huge chunk of money that is desperately needed in public health and education. Our citizens must always connect the inherent corruption of our PF colleagues, which is even being admitted by fellow senior PF leadership colleagues, to how it affects our everyday lives.”
“To our brave armed forces who are working tirelessly in some unbelievably challenging conditions, we would like to say ‘thank you’. Please know that we are very proud of you. We urge everyone to heed the advice of health professionals. Let’s endeavour to keep our surroundings clean, avoid unnecessary travels and contacts, and ensure we rush any suspected cholera cases to the nearest centres on time.”
For the first time.. You have spoken sense..
This is good to hear coming from HH,, Let’s stand together during this criss, don’t behave like kaizer Zulu stealing mukula logs pa malilo
He is right here is HH
I saw some tweets and its scary that even food maybe contaminated.
We need to do more !
Thanks
BB2014,2016
Cholera is a subject that should not have arisen. It is an embarrassment and a shame.
Too bad that such a large number of people have died from cholera when the only thing on our president’s agenda was the smuggling mukula tree logs to China.
He came out a better person from the prison. He’s now speaking sense.
Rubbish. HH is politicking over the cholera issue by bringing in the fire tenders. Only UPND cadres cant see that. Nonsense
U5 will die u5. am sure this work is upendi poising us with vibro cholera so that he can be vindicated over fire trucks.
How many dump (trash) trucks can be bought from $42 million?
OK OK OK we are politicking
How many tonnes of mukula logs do we need to smuggled for us to come up with US$42 million??,,ok ok sorry politics again
In September last year, we warned the nation, especially our colleagues in the PF leadership, Ops, sorry Politics again and again.
There are politics in everything. We cannot help it.I agree, how many refuse trucks could have been purchased out of the $42m if all that money had not gone to the ‘wheelbarrows?’
In October UPND took heed of the ministry of health not to go ahead with a rally in kanyama, but our friends in PF couldn’t even think about the lives they were putting in danger by going ahead to gather on 18th of October for feasting and playing amidst cholera alerts from health experts.
The President should declare a State of Emergency until this challenge is dealt with. This is a matter of life and death. No blame games here. We must all work together as Zambians and argue later on how best this could have been better
I thought so as well.
At least the word petition hasn’t been used, good boy
HH, you started well but usual you shoot yourself in the foot a thing that is now your trademark. How is mentioning things like fire tenders and PF this PF that not politicking? Just be helpful whole heartedly but we know you are not capable of doing such. Satanists rejoice in situations like this one.
He is giving an example of poor priorities and mismanagement of resources, iwe.
@Botha, I am not surprised prophet Bushiri has supporters. Do not be gulible and follow everything your supreme leader says without using your own brain. Read carefully what HH is saying.
This good to hear. If HH wants to win more support, he will need to continue with attitude.
HH the supreme leader, wamuyaya has spoken a bit of sense for the first time in many years although he is trying to politicize the cholera issue by playing blame games on the government thereby contradicting himself. Sometimes we have ourselves to blame for not keeping our surroundings neat and clean, we must not leave everything to the government, our attitudes are actually very bad towards cleanliness be it in schools, neighborhoods, offices etc. The campaign to keep Zambia clean must be resurrected and should start at individual level. Why should it take the defence forces, the president in particular, to clear away the trash pilled up by some irresponsible people? Zambians please let us dump this kind of attitude, this is our country, let us keep it healthy and clean.
That’s the attitude we need to adopt, Sai. Ba kainde, awe bwafya….
Cheap chancer Under 5!
HH YOU CAN NOR HOODWINK ZAMBIANS. YOU SAY LET US NOT POLITIC BUT YOUE ARE POLITICKING AND WANTING TO GAIN POLICAL MIELAGE ON CHOLERA. SHAME ON YOU. WHY BLAME GOVERNMENT, WHY DID YOU NOT MOUNT A CAMPAIGN AS UPND TO ALERT THE PEOPLE
Politics aside with Cholera. All those who were feeling pity with vendors trading filthly in town and the streets of Lusaka should be accountable for the 50 lives lost so far.
And it all started with old man Sata. I knew how clueless and irresponsible he was in governance the moment he stopped our beauty queen from ridding the streets of vendors. Poor Lungu must know bite the bullet and clean this mess.
But Lungu has been there for how long? The young turk in Kitwe showed the way. Mufulira followed suit. But there was no policy pronouncement from the high office.
Why blame Sata when you have had the chance to show us your vision? Do you have one?
“In September last year, we warned the nation, especially our colleagues in the PF leadership, on the need for robust measures and preparedness for the anticipated rise in cholera cases.”
He always prays for a calamity and hopes to get vindicated. Under 5, our people’s President has taken a tough decision by ordering the clean up of the streets. There’s little you can add to that U5
A crook will always remain a crook, no matter how much he disguises himself.
More like a Wolf in Sheep skin. A crocodile is smiling at us and inviting us to the river.
What are the consequences of returning those 42 Fire trucks?Iam sure the penalty will be less than keeping the Fire trucks.What do you say people.
He is always politicking, even when it involves loss of life
No politicking, but just does exactly that….in September we warned the PF ……..If this is not politicking what the phuck is it? No tactic by Oval Head
Now that the Ministry of Health has warned us are they politicking also? It is because people of your ilk did not heed to the warning that we have a situation like this now. You thought he was politicking when he said it. Now solve the problem that has befallen us. The cost of sorting this will be higher now than it would have been if you had “just” taken note of his warning. Handei Tione! By the way I am not UPND.
If I were Mr Egg-head I would first thank Lungu for intervening and then offer lasting solutions to this quagmire. But being what he is he starts the blame game as usual.
@Botha, you know what I am thinking? You could be the worm that planted chorela at Hungry Lions.
#Botha, maybe it’s worms like you who planted the germ at food outlets. If government tries to move people from unhygienic trading places your tin pot called HH goes to protect the vendors. Now this happens you want to blame government you worms.
Yah what can we say? Adolf was better off not speaking he says rightly lets not politicize cholera then spends time speaking about his ‘rants’ ‘fire tenders’ and what ever else is actual politicking…but then again perhaps he doesn’t understand the meaning of the word. 2021 is fast approaching it will interesting to see if Fat Albert and his walking mate Adolf will be in picture. Political mileage and old age all consuming the lot fast.
This is why this guy HH does not inspire me if not many Zambians, he is anti-Government, he is busy praising the defence forces but not the president, but who called these defence forces to come and help to clean the city of Lusaka, is it not the president himself? why he did not thank the president? I wonder if this guy will ever shed the grudge he has against Lungu. If you really care for Zambians as you claim, why have you not supplemented government efforts with your own resources, initiatives etc. Like Kudos as eluded to above, you always pray for calamity to happen to vindicate yourself so that you seem to be more intelligent than anybody else in the government. Please give us a break, you are not an alternative to the national governance, all you know is just to satisfy your…
Maybe he’s the one who called them. Remember during elections he always said that the men in uniform were under him. Or perhaps he thinks by praising the army they may just deliver state house to him.
Only cadres like you will always want to ensure that the President is acknowledged in everything. Its obvious that PF is in government and The President is ECL. Why should people always have to say “The PF Government under the leadership of His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has done this or that”? Even when the Swedish Government donated The Ambulances a few weeks ago, I was in attendance and never heard their Ambassador mention His Prime Minister in his speech as the one who facilitated the donation. Come on!!!!!
FOR THE FIRST TIME, HEARING THIS FROM HH, I LIKE IT AND CONTINUE FOR I AM ALSO BEHIND YOU, EXECELLENT SPEACH MR HH CONTINUE
Thanks for wise words HH.TRUMP should shift US embassy from Lusaka to Ndola or Livingstone. Grand politique! The capital city has cholera what about kitwe?
SOLUTION TO CORRUPTION
As we enter 2018,Government is committed to eradicate corruption 100% by delegating all government procurement to the opposition party.This will also be used as a test to see how many ministers will remain in the ruling party.I thank you all
SOLUTION TO CORRUPTION
As we enter 2018,Government is committed to eradicate corruption 100% by delegating all government procurement to the opposition party.This will also be used as a test to see how many ministers will remain in the ruling party.I thank you all
He started well and messed it with fire engines saga that is a political milage. I have been vindicated I have been vindicated political – milage and day light dreaming.
This man spoils things – why?
What a disaster!
And some blind people can not see this. May be it is because most people do not read stories in full before commenting. He started by saying let us not politicise and ended up politicizing everything. Another bootlicker @Botha thinks Ministry of Health speaking on Chorela is politisizing. It is their JOB @Botha please. HH should have just gone ahead a politicise the matter and we would have not felt he was trying to blind us in to believing he is sympathetic.
Clean up State House and get rid of the koswes then Cholera will be history!
How can food at Hungry Lion be contaminated by chlorella germs….need to dig deeper.
By the time 2021 is approaches, Kambwili will be more relevant than HH. The PF is a den of thieves, do not let them off the leash even for a day.
HH has made his good points. But there is no way that the issue cannot be politicized regardless of whether he initially had that endevour. It would be easy not to politicize the matter if cholera had just fallen from the sky. There would be no one to hold responsible. But this is not an ACT OF GOD or a natural unavoidable calamity. It is as a consequence of mans actions or failure to act where needed and a lack of planning from those bestowed with such authority. There is no way the health and sanitation issues in Zambia can be separated from politics.
Read in between the lines, this guy is politicking on the issue……..trying to gain political mileage on the killer disease. SHAME!
SEMBE siyisebenza. The past despite having provided us with a lesson, can not be rewound.What are the plans is what we want to hear. Plans may not work well first time and will need revisiting to improve on them. Sometimes plans are changed to match with time, changes in population etc . We expect HH to go cleaning as well not just taking photos besides Mun kom bw…… and specializing in condemnation. Offer solutions please!
This is no time for POLITICKING, is the KEY remark in the above article. But alas, just after uttering this beautiful statement what follows after is pure politicking. Maybe HH does not understand what it means to “politick” or to politicize a situation because he is already politicking to gain political mileage. But only the gullible will fall prey to his political amateurism and unnecessary antagonism.
HH is right on the gist of what he said. He only shouldn’t have started by saying we should not politicize the matter – because IT IS political. There are very few things that are not. The circumstances of the cholera outbreak are linked to policy and governance. There is no way they can be separated. Lets not be ‘at pains’ to kid ourselves.
let gbm donate his trucks to clear rubish. then we can vote for him
HH is jealous man and ready to kill anyone who supports President Lungu. He is quick to waste his resources on anti-government campaigns abroad but can’t donate or use his so “economic skills” to mobilise emergence resources to combat this deadly disease.
The is so tribal that of the affected areas in Lusaka, he only picks Kanyama where a few Tongas have settled, damn f00l. You will never be President of Zambia because the next President after Lungu in 2026 is not even known yet.
Comment:I think the government was so reluctant, this disease could have been combated a couple of months ago, wen the number of infected citizen was few, it’s almost impossible that it can be combated wen the levels of infected citizens has risen to thousands now.
Comment:You ask people not to politic the issue in first instance. before ending your own statement you start politicking.
#33 Shadrick and others, this tribal leader has a complex that he cannot shake off, really disgusting.
True, Its is in his DNA!
After saying something in the first sentence that moved me, you go ahead and say something else in the next sentence, the next, the next, the next and the next… OMG! You can’t win people over like that.
Calling everyone to rally behind Chipimo.
Comment: you should have been thinking like this long time like a person yes that’s you HH now !
When you look better or say had they followed your advice this would have not happened, it is politicking period.
When are you kissing the ground in Chipata compound?
Mr hh, here is an African proverb for you “Ears that do not listen to advice accompany the head when it is chopped off”.
What kind of politician is this who does not learn and always shoots himself in the foot whenever he speaks?