Friday, March 29, 2024

UPND will transform Zambia into a 21st Century Economy-HH

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UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has pledged to transform Zambia into a 21st century economy once elected Republican President.

Mr Hichilema explained that a 21st century economy is one that is driven by right skills, right knowledge and productivity.

He said the UPND will think long-term and comprehensively to include Zambians with disabilities in the workforce and protect people who choose to organize a union in their workplaces.

In a statement to commemorate Labour Day which falls today, Mr Hichilema said Zambian workers have no good reason to celebrate.

“Companies are laying off workers, just a few days ago Avic International put over 100 workers on forced leave. Miners are being laid off and the employment freeze at KCM does nothing to build confidence,” Mr Hichilema said.

He observed that the number of public institutions that are struggling with payments of salaries is growing by day.

“ZAMPOST, the Councils, National Housing Authority, the Universities and even civil servants are not being paid on time. Yet today they will be required to line up and “celebrate” labour day.”

Mr Hichilema said the economic environment has become hostile to business.

“The cost of doing business has gone up and as if that is not enough, ZESCO is about to increase its tariff by over 90%. Interest rates keep going up, and the high cost of borrowing has caused a large company like Lamasat to go into receivership with its 700 staff facing the uncertainty of unemployment,” he stated.

“If Lamasat with its credit lines can experience financial woes from a slowdown in business , an SME has little chance of survival.”

He added, “In UPND, we are happy to take up the challenge of changing our economic fortunes. We know what to do to keep Zambia growing so that our economy can generate good jobs for Zambians. The only way to do that, is to transform the economy, create new opportunities, that means restructuring our industries and reshaping our jobs. Zambia has potential that remains unexplored due to bad leadership.”

“The same private sector that is supposed to be creating jobs is being muzzled by policy inconsistencies and public debt. Today it is VAT tomorrow its GST, next not GST but VAT, this is the business environment in Zambia.”

Mr Hichilema charged that unions in Zambia are dead saying this is the reason civil servants can go for days without pay.

“Such a cadre can never be productive as they are demotivated. On labour Day, we should remember that jobs are about more than getting a salary. They allow us to take care of our family and loved ones, to save for a rainy day and allow us to make plans. Let us commemorate this day with this deep reflections,” Mr Hichilema said.

86 COMMENTS

    • Now that HH has “coughed” we will see how PF & co will come up to attack him and yet they refer to him as a non entity. Viva UPND they only hope for dying Zambia

    • These are the stuff, our stuff, the gospel. I simply get so excited whenever HH pick up points of transformation.
      HH will be a success.

    • Start by transforming your political party.

      You will not form a government if you can’t form a winning team. You need to dinounce the gospel that has dented UPND from the time when you took over from Mazoka. Calling it a party of Tongas.

      Insanity and Analysis Paralysis has gotten you stuck in the mud for a long time. That’s doing the same thing expecting different results.

      A good sports team when they lose a game, they go back to the training ground to improve: (1) Tactics, (2) Strategy and
      (3) Strengthen the team. They don’t spend time blaming the referee and the team that beat them.

      So far when you have lost you have blamed MMD, PF and Electrol Commission of Zambia (ECZ).

      Last and not least. Stop making generalisation promises on how to fix zambia. Explain how…

    • Cont…

      Explain how you will do it. Else it’s just lies and rhetoric talk coming from you. ©

    • But I hear he does not pay his workers well. Can i believe him? Sata promised us things similar to what this man is saying but little was done even is he died early. HH may have a vision but what will let him down (if God says so) are political prostitutes who will be all over him. UPND in its original form was very attractive not now. It will be same suffering even if you were to form govt.

    • Way to go HH. Weekly economic policy updates will even go a long way. It’s time politicians started talking about fixing this current poor economy.

      God Bless Zambia.

    • Oh you meant transforming Zambia from a Christian nation into a 21st century tribalist country?
      Spell it out.
      #OnlyaTongatoLeadUpnded
      #OnlyaTongatoLeadZambia

      What could be the common things between CK and double h? Treachery, yes – level; Diarrhea mouth, no CK is more filthy; Spookiness, yes; Deviousness, yes; Insulting, no ck is more insulting; IQ, no CK is more naive; Power hungry, yes – level; Lies – equal. Envy – level and Bitterness, level. Said what?

    • Where is the HOW in ACCEPTING the challenge to modernize Zambia. It’s very funny that UPND has never produced a document on how it can this country, except JUST TALK. We need to now the HOW. Or actually you may not have anything!!!!

    • “The cost of doing business has gone up and as if that is not enough, ZESCO is about to increase its tariff by over 90%. Interest rates keep going up, and the high cost of borrowing has caused a large company like Lamasat to go into receivership with its 700 staff facing the uncertainty of unemployment,” he stated.

  1. This is how a leader should speak not insults and nosense. These are real challenges people are facing in this pathetic economy and it sucks to say the least.

    • General Kanene it’s not about spilt milk it’s about how it worked. Your tin pot god is dangling a carrot which invisible. Simply put he should explain where the money will come from and such things. Maybe he’s got an agreement with the mine owners that they do for him what they don’t want to do for PF. Remember that the IMF gave the impression that once we sell our government owned companies Zambia would be economically ok. What I mentioned earlier took years to build, maybe even before your father was born. You destroy and think by beautiful rhetoric you will move Zambia into the 21st century?

    • @Ndanje Khakis
      Firstly, your comment is under an irrelevant topic, you should have commented below to maintain continuity.
      Secondly, by you saying, I quote “Maybe he’s got an agreement with the mine owners that they do for him what they don’t want to do for PF.”, you are just proving the incompetence of this government, they are incapable of doing the right things, if that is the case, please give chance to those who can fix it, just as you said. Thirdly, you rightly quoted ” IMF”, those are the guys to blame for the mines sellout and not the person alleged to have sold them out, I am sure on this point you will be fair. And this has nothing to do with political affiliation, so don’t dare say “Your tin pot god..”

    • Kane new you mean HH is incompetent? If he was competent he would have formed government 20 years. But because like you he’s incompetent enough to recruit rubble rousers like GBM and now he’s courting Kambwili a well-known plunderer. This what incompetence means….using any means to get what you want regardless of the consequences.

  2. Correction mines have always laid off workers whenever they face adversity. In old days skilled employees would be transferred from below par performance mines like Luanshya to Mufulira, Kalulushi or Chingola in case of Nkana. The general workers would somply go on we called HAMBALALA. After selling the mines things changed. In case Mr Hichilema doesn’t know, mines was not only where you produce copper but there were central administration units which had hundreds of employees like Mpelembe House in Ndola, Nchanga and Mutondo Houses in Kitwe. Add subsidiaries like Mulungushi, Mpelembe etc jobs were there for one to pick. I whish Mr Hichilema the best of luck if and when he rules Zambia. I hope I will be there. In a nut shell the sale of our assets to foreigners is the cause and it will…

    • @Ndanje Khakis,
      After so many years….crying over spilled beans…that is not helping. The question is what should be done to turnaround the tide? Don’t live in the past, rather how do we “roll on”?
      If we can not fix it with the current government, then let’s give this mess back to the person that was alleged to have sold the mines, let him sort it out, if he caused the mess that you cry over even after over 20 years.

    • Education 101… An individual cannot sell Mines, get educated baba, that’s meant for PF cadres anyway.

    • @Kapalo you must very dull and very primitive. Did I mention that an individual sold the mines? Your reaction simply confirms that HH sold the mines. In all my postings I have never mentioned anybody in connection with sale of anything. And if you think I am PF, that’s your right. After all PF is run by Zambians who are human.

  3. I am eager to hear how many jobs the PF will promise to create this time around. Last time we were told 1 million jobs which we have not seen yet and we have 2 years to next elections

  4. HH bring back the money u have stollen and put them in the offshore accounts.

    U have contributed very much to the poverty of the people of Zambia.

    U have contributed highly in the lack of employment in the country all because u have stollen and took money belonging to the people of Zambia out of Zambia.

    You are not worthy to be a president of Zambia because u are a well known thief.

    • Classical display of ignorance.
      Did you ever say the say to Francis Kaunda? Did you ever say the same to “Kafupi”? Did you ever say anything to Nawaki?
      Who made those decisions, was it a single consultant or the government? Unless you tell us that the then government at that point was just a bunch of hopeless foo.oools, and the actual governor of this country at that time was HH.

    • Stolen from whom….. Instead of asking lungu how he became a billionaire in 5 years, that’s your money, by the way.

    • THE HOWS AND THE WHEREFORES.
      Without the how, all this giblish in the article amounts to daylight dreaming.
      So the gibberish or the jibberish, the jibber or jibber -jabber, or gobbledygook amounts to nothing.
      You’re being challenged to return what you stole.
      You see, he is a thief in the making.

  5. Is this part of a ten(10) point plan,and where is the manifesto? The happenings in upnd cant be ignored by enticing pipo with a 21st centuary economy nice words but hollow.

    • @konikoti,
      Do you know what day is today? Its called labor day. It’s not about talking of what is happening intro-party, it’s about giving hope to the workforce, it’s about inspiring. Understand the context before you spill your…….

    • @general kanene
      Sorry my dear,yes its labour day today,but what hope can ba hh give to us workers when he always fails to explain howz going to do it,this is the reason why most of his “hope messages” are HOLLOW.

  6. Easier said than done Bwana HH ,please stop lying like PF with their 90 days “more money in your pocket”

    • You are absolutely right.
      You see, I see deception all over the article. Lies, lies, lies especially that there no collaborative things double h has done for us to confirm that he is capable of transforming this land.
      He is not a direct insulter but definitely good at insulting tge intelligence of his blind followers and minions.
      Dream on. If only wishes were votes.

  7. Your workers walk bare footed. You can not even build an ultera morden house for your mum yet you are a billionaire

  8. Even house you built vin chalala looks like batoka. That’s why even police found him in the bogus tunnels

    • So his house 15th century, yet he wants to con us with a 21st century nonsense abracadabra, yadayada.
      You see devious in the making.

  9. “The only way to do that, is to transform the economy, create new opportunities, that means restructuring our industries and reshaping our jobs”

    HH always says WHAT he will do. He never tells you HOW. These are hollow statements. I have read through his article looking for the HOWs. I cant seen any except hollow statements like above. Words like TRANSFORM? how? CREATE NEW Opportunities? How? RESTRUCTURING OUR INDUSTRIES? How? RESHAPING OUR JOBS? How?

    • My point is, this is the reason Zambian leaders fail. They have no clue HOW. They only talk about the rhetoric WHATs.

    • Correct Analysis Big Popa. Anyone can say I’ll do this and that, but come to do it they fail. Back in the day we used to call it “Building Castles in the Air”. Like condemning footballers in a game and saying what he should have done or not done as if you could have done any better. Kalusha was a great player, but can we say the same about his coaching??
      It’s easier when it’s someone else in the seat. All of us can do better than those doing it right now, until we’re given the opportunity.

    • but ECL jst gave u a song dunna reverse and u voted for him and from that time he has kept quiet u dont complain

    • When people say once he become president cattle will loaming in Cairo street and compounds, dude thought of a business that would relate to that and he is oversupplying beef such that every corner you turn you see a butchery and you still question his vision for this country?

  10. when men of intergrity speak and give a fresh air in what is finished the dull cadres and there masters get confused and will not believe that things can be achieved just the same way the late l p mwanawasa made it. he never allowed corruption, theft and many others things that are happening today viva HH viva UPND . 2021 seem to be too far for a change .

  11. It is easier said than done.The question is “HOW WILL HH TRANSFORM OUR ECONOMY?”From his nonsense above nonody can see how Kainde would achieve that.Yes his tribal followers will support him minus asking him HOW?HH really amazes me.With his simple undergraduate degree in economics from UNZA without any work experience in a big company or Govnt,Kainde thinks he knows better than the GIANTS IN ECONOMICS who work in Govnt such as Dr.Denny Kalyalya,Dr.Mabula Kankasa,Dr.Lubinda Habaazoka,Dr.Msika,etc plus several highly educated Zambians such as Prof.Nkandu Luo,Dr.Brian Mushimba,Dr.Chitalu Chilufya.HOW HH THINKS IS BETTER THAN ALL THESE LEARNED GOVNT WORKERS IS REALLY BEYOND ME!!!

    • @Njimbu
      The “HOW WILL xxxxx TRANSFORM OUR ECONOMY?” should be the first question every Zambian should be asking when casting their votes, did you ever pose that question when you voted for ECL team?
      During the Presidential election, ECL was invited to a debate, that is a forum that in all democratic countries, the aspiring candidates are asked to answer the “How” question, ECL shunned those debates and you were praising him for that. But because HH, you are SUDDENLY SMART to ask such question even when it’s clearly out of context. This is not a political rally, its labor day to inspire the workforce and give them hope

    • @ General Kanene obviously you were not following the campaign promises. ECL gave a definite plan on he was going to reduce cost of maize meal by setting up milling plants closer to people for example the project of which he is still trying to implement. Fact that the project is facing challenges is another thing. We have also seen makeshift hospitals dotted around the country. On the basis of such concrete workable promises some of us voted for him. We want to hear creativity from these politicians not rhetoric.

    • @ Kabu, Thanks for your honest feedback. To be honest, I was searching for the economic transformational plans and I did not see any, all I saw was the Dununa Reverse dancing and singing….. I don’t mean to demean your facts, though. The point is that any government can do those things you mentioned, even WITHOUT A PLAN. Borrow money from the Chinks and award themselves expensive contracts to build those milling plants and hospitals to get your vote. We can only express the success of the government based on sentiment from people on how they are benefiting from the economy, and I am not getting the feeling that people are benefiting, instead, I see more misery and life is getting harder and harder. Look around and don’t close your eyes.

    • @Sakala @Ngimbu is right! It’s not hatred, that’s being simplistic. People want to know HOW. It’s fresh, sorry…..bad air he is espousing, no meat in it. Fairy tale dust!

    • Njimbu! Yaba walasa iwe.
      You see naive and inexperience in the making. A conman, thats what he is.
      No political experience not even at ward level. Pass.
      Malabisi basa.

  12. Why is this hh speaking like a socialist yet he is a capitalist.

    Please just go and check your cows as we celebrate Labour day. You think we all that ignorant to buy into cheap rhetoric

    • Luapula Premier don’t embarrass you province, HH pays the wage of any farmer it is a demand and supply market if that worker chooses to drink beer is it HH fault that he has no shoes

  13. @General Kanene;almost all Zambians know PF’s developmental plan and are able to see what PF Govnt has done across Zambia since 2011.Yes you guys in UPND pretend not to see what ECL’s Govnt do and is still doing.ECL explained that they will develop Zambia in all sectors by increasing tax collection and securing developmental loans.Sadly,your HH blames PF when this Govnt tries to tax mines and other firms more or when they get loans for infrastructure.SO WHICH MONEY WILL HH BE USING TO TRANSFORM OUR ECONOMY?FROM THE SALES OF HIS COWS?WILL THAT BE ENOUGH?OR HE INTEND TO PRIVATIZE THE REMAING GOVNT FIRMS?Ask your “cuundu chaitwa” chairman to explain to us!!
    @Sakala,alas “Mweemba”,kkkkkk i dont hate HH but i hate his arrogancy (as he thinks he is Zambia’s messiah”.Yes this i…

    • @njimbu,. HH is a confidence trickster. He’s looking for a chunk in the minds of the clueless so he can wheedle in the cracks. But what cracks me up (no pun intended), is the use of the disabled to regenerate Zambias’ fortunes. Inclusiveness is all good but it is not an economic policy in itself to tackle inflation.

    • @Njimbu, The problem is if someone within PF says the government is not doing enough and things are not right, do you know what you PF Cadres say? He is insulting the president. When non-PF says the government is not doing enough and things are not right, you know what you PF cadres say? That person is a UPND.
      Cut that shiiit man.
      Who told you, you can transform the economy by just increasing Tax? No one is saying you don’t borrow, all that reasonable people are saying is that the cost of those loans are exorbitant, too much corruption involved and the loans are not being directed at transforming the economy. The rate of borrowing is too high

    • BTW
      With total debt at 73% of GDP, I don’t know how you can blame any reasonable person asking the government to slow down on borrowing.

  14. For me it more of a policy statement; a statement of intent. The stage after this is were you may demand for the how part. HH is the second employer to GRZ? Pays the highest taxes to GRZ? All this in the hostile private sector, what more, if you enstrust him with the national treasure: the likelywood that he may just transform the Zambian economy to a 21st century feels real.

  15. It was what they said about Trump when he came to power they said he will crush the US. economy, but turned out to be the best ever. In business it is about taking risks, so is in politics. Here is PF that you wanted because it is your tribal party, the nation is now wallowing in in extreme poverty. Democracy is about changing what does not work for you. But what do you do, you clinging to a political party like it was church hoping for a miracle, pf has failed. Your only hope now UPND & hh. How can this hh, have so much cattle which all of you bloggers combined will never have in ten generations?

    • @life expectancy, it’s not true that Trump’s economic policies HAVE panned off as the best ever! In fact they have been retrogressive AND ARE, what has caused world economic tribulations. The fights with China affecting it’s economy is causing world ripples. Trade agreement he is reneging on like NAFTA is causing grave economic problems in the region and that is why the world is poised for another world economic crush!

      WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING ON WITH ZAMBIAS’ ECONOMY!!!!! It’s fighting the world economic ripples from these. It’s not PF or President Lungu!

    • @life expectency, it the methane emanating from the butts of the cows that he has bottled and is now trying to sell to us as a panacea to our woes!!!!! What a joke!

  16. Any one who has worked with HH at Grant Thornton will know the man is very strict with money, something you need when you are running a business. A good money manager is what we need in Statehouse, someone who has run a successful business. The reason we are in problems in Zambia is that we have a person who misappropriated a widows money, that is why he can spend $68 million on a private jet with no care in the world.
    The bad news is that cadres who rely on handouts will not get those handouts any more because HH expects you to work for your money

    • @Benzu Zulu, let’s address the false statements in your provocative statement.
      1. A widows taken money is not theft on a national economic scale. Doubt that’s even the facts. Twisted.
      2. HH sold off state assets for pittance, that’s a theft on national economic scale. He even kept houses for himself, UNETHICAL.
      3. Handouts in Zambia are not available to the poor, most dig the ground for food. And that is not an economic policy that will make meaningfully increments to Zambias’ GDP, you would need to create jobs for disabled people and there in lies the conundrum. How do you create jobs in such an inflicted economy. It’s boring claptrap that merely makes a dig at the weakest in society.

    • More importantly @Benzu Zulu, as an economist, HH, should be aware that the deliberate laying off of people from the working population is in its self an economic solution! There is never 100% work in the working population. Also, creating descend jobs that are so meaningless at low wages is another pointless policy that only creates profits for the rich whilst the poor have no potential to earn enough to live well or provide adequately for their family. Laying off or creating fake jobs for the working population is a staple of capitalist policies. But they just do not solve the problems of the economy. HH is an opportunitist riding on the poor current economic outlook.

  17. Empty promises. HH is like a pasha wearing expensive golden robes addressing people in tattered clothes, “I will give everyone a bag of gold, food from the gods of money (the ones he worships). There will be no illness………etc. etc.”

    It’s not realistic because it does not relate to what is happening in the world economy. It’s not just Zambia facing adverse economic climate. As late as the salaries of employees are, they should celebrate today, because THEY HAVE A JOB. Reading carefully, he’s actually saying he will create an elitist captalist Zambia where ‘educated’ people (UPND wet dream) will be worshipped. Can’t take HH seriously because he is negative and needs to be in parliament helping to resolve economic issues by debating against BORROWING!

    • He is just recommending the same policies he used to sell off Zambian assets. HH will sell off all assets to foreign hands empower a private sector that will use poor people to get richer whilst giving them paltry pay, maybe even adapt zero hour contracts where employees work occasionally and laid off at will to generate profits for the richest in society. Don’t be hoodwinked folks. CAPITALIST. Use the poor to enrich the rich.

  18. someone who in his own words stated that he did not have a vision of his on. today some followers are making things for him no wonder things are not moving because him said no vision people voted for him with a hope will come to realization. another statement said i will start working in2021. will hanger, lack of employment late payment of salaries, failure to pay retirees, farmers wait till 2021. come on go for some one with a better vision no wonder you attack people who just express their views on radio stations shame on you

  19. Come and save this great nation please.Pretenders and crooks are playing with GOD’S name andPEOPLE.

  20. As long as HH is BEHIND THE HANDS OF MINERAL IMPERIALISTS called ANGLO AMERICAN ORG.
    Don’t vote for UPND,bane mwiilaba HISTORY,Zambia’s economy is the product of its past.
    Insults me UPND stooges

  21. How are you going to achieve this Mr Akainde? You have been known to utter very weird statements on the economy as though you have never been to school. Only myopic, deaf and dumb can believe your rhetoric.

  22. up to now some fools still want to discredit HH for sell of mines and yet those who were there said he not involved , he was not the one. if this is what you still want to relay on then HH is in state house already

  23. “We know what to do to keep Zambia growing…” I THOUGHT MR HH COULD DO MUCH BETTER THAN THAT. DONT JUST SAY “WE KNOW…..” TELL US STEP BY STEP, IN DETAIL WHAT YOU WILL DO AND HOW YOU WILL DO IT AND THE PERCENTAGE BY WHICH YOUR PLAN WILL GROW ZAMBIA. TELL US WHAT YOU KNOW. WHAT DO YOU KNOW?
    GRANTED , WE ARE SUFFERING UNDER PF. BUT WHAT DO YOU KNOW WHICH WILL HELP US COME OUT OF THIS MESS? HOW CAN WE TELL, MAYBE YOU ARE JUST ANOTHER CONMAN MAKING FALSE PROMISES. IN SUCH A CASE , IT IS BETTER TO SAY “THE DEVIL WE KNOW IS BETTER THAN THE ANGEL WE DO NOT KNOW”

  24. …..at the NDF, there is not a single MP from southern province but all other MPs from the rest of Zambia are present. Tells a story doesn’t it?
    First address that, Trib.al Hacks then we can talk about developing the country.

  25. Just continue voting for your tribes men. We know you can never vote for s non Bemba and Easterner.Especialy a Tonga, it’s like there is competition between Bemba/ Nyanja against Tonga so much people just swear we will see and can even vote for a stone than the other side. Tribe is a curse on us.
    So i see parties led by mostly Bembas and a fill easterners lining up to be our presidents. When they get there nothing to show for,it’s reverse gear in all aspects: Tribalistic appointments, Corruption, political Violence all these add up to Economic meltdown.

  26. So since the Bemba/ Easterners coalition has the numbers & you will continue exchanging presidents of zambia for sometime before the Zambezi provinces catch up in numbers, don’t waste these opportunities,look around for a credible, capable leader among yourselves who will come and transform the fortunes of the country in all aspects. Some one who is inclusive& will unite the country, because a devided country on triibal & economic lines risk a civil war wether you like it or not .Don’t give us presidents who are chimbwi no plan, extremely corrupt and tribal .This country is performing worse than even countries that were on civil wars for many countries.
    Meanwhile the Zambezi provinces have to strategise on how to increase their numbers in the next 20 years.

  27. Even those people herding his(HH)cattle can say that. If he was really able to, HH should have been making suggestions. But because it is only him and no body else but Him.

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