By: Anthony Bwalya
Let us be very clear, as the monumental 2021 general election draws nigh, the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) are all too aware, that they no longer command the uncoerced loyalty of the majority Zambian poor and thin middle class; the same support base that gave the PF and Michael their maiden political victory on the grand stage.
The PF have betrayed the hopes of the poor/middle-class, whom they promised MORE MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS, LOWER TAXES and ZERO CORRUPTION. Instead, the PF turned itself into an unprecedented looting machine for politicians and their private sector friends with focus having moved away from uplifting the welfare of the poor, and much towards the sharing of spoils in the form of public contracts, under the guise of “infrastructure development”, as well as positions awarded to cadres and friends of the party.
Under the PF regime, the poor/middle class are more poorer, hungrier, over taxed, with corruption the new public sector currency.
Infrastructure under the PF regime has been nothing but a vehicle for theft, plunder and looting. The infrastructure narrative has provided the perfect cover for the unhindered looting of over $12bn of debt money out of the total $20bn.
And while all this is going on, one Hakainde Hichilema has continued to endear himself to the popular Zambian cause as the inevitable Republican President in waiting.
This notion is reinforced by his CONSISTENT, RELENTLESS and always ACCURATE defence of the poor in the face of a political mafia cartel of the PF.
While the PF and their useless and hired surrogates in Edith, Sean, Andrew, Tayali and the rest of the insignificant bunch are all out maligning him, Hakainde Hichilema has taken a firm and clear position on the following issues:
- Restoring leadership credibility in Zambia so that Zambia becomes a credible voice in global and regional leadership circles
- Resolve the corruption fuelled $20bn debt crisis and put the country back to work
- Resolve and dismantle the $3.5bn annual worth corruption cartel which continues to steal from Zambians
- Reform and lower PAYE for maximum gains to workers
- Reform PUBLIC PENSIONS and allow contributors partial access to pensions in real time to mitigate against the growing poverty trap
- Improve the working conditions of health workers and restore the SERVICE YEARS lost when thousands of health workers were fired by the PF regime for merely speaking up
- Lowering the price of the fuel pump price by cleaning up the fuel procurement/supply/distribution cycle and lower taxes on fuel
- Lower the price of mealie meal by cutting the $500m annual fertilizer contracts and instead reinvest in NCZ so that we can produce fertilizer here in Zambia and create jobs for our youths
- Restore meal allowances for university students and engage in conversation around expanding access to the same for other eligible students
- Expand public education funding and put all the 50,000 trained and yet unemployed teachers to work.
- Prioritizing healthcare funding and ensure availability of critical medicines and equipment for ordinary people
These are the kind of people centric commitments that are causing the PF regime and their surrogates panic and sleepless nights.
The UPND will not be drawn into playing cho-chise with PF surrogates, individuals with zero grassroots support base; whose only job is to make noise on behalf of the PF.
Sean will never be Republican President. Neither will Tayali, Edith or the rest of the insignificant bunch. And they know it. If these individuals had any belief in their ability to mobilize the grassroots and stage an actual claim to the Presidency, they would have been busy making their case to the Zambian people rather than going into the history books searching for ghosts that do not exist.
Zambians are marching forward and we will not be deterred.
This is bigger than the UPND and anyone who gets in the way of the people’s movement for change is fighting a battle they will never win.
Eventually, the people always win.
Ukulanda kwalyakuka, ukobomba kwalishupa
Kubaishiba ukubomba, ukulondolola efyo bangabomba kwali anguka. It’s only those that can’t rationally explain their thoughts that would not know what to do.
Truth be told ,the PF have betrayed and condemned every Zambian to poverty and indebtedness.Its been a slow and steady decline of economic indicators since 2011.
MMD economic stats made a lot of sense, PF a sheer waste of a decade for Zambians
PF was just supposed to be only a political pressure group, nothing more. Giving them political power to run the affairs of this country is huge cost in terms of economic, social and political on the country, and will need massive work to correct.
And hh betrayed all zambians by crookedly selling this country for peanuts during privatisation. Pwazi yako hanthony habwalya
PF you are my friends, I love you passionately, but when it comes to measuring the performance of the country using your own stats as a government you have failed, atleast this is not in dispute and even the President himself has acknowledged this in several fora that our economy is challenged and this started way before covid. Some of the things you did not handle well in your decade rule are the following, inconsistence in terms of policy in the Mining area, reckless borrowing championed by your former finance minister, and suspension of civil liberties where the opposition cant assemble as well as your grabbing of the public media to yourselves.
Kaiser grow up. You were an adviser to the president. Respect yourself and others will follow
@ KZ. If you and your ex boss even had an aota of evidence then bring it on.
You might want to dig chilubas grave and interrogate him as he was in charge of privatisation.
Next year this time you will be in solitary confinement please watch shawshank redemption and get use to the life inside
Truth hurts and truth will triumph in the end.
Restoration of credible leadership in Zambia is the number one priority to inspire confidence to the international community.
Zambians are looking for leadership that is clean and trustworthy in the eyes of the world.
Zambians should not be underestimated by their silent resolve to change leadership, they have done it before and will do it again against all odds created by the corrupt PF regime.
Great Article Anthony.
The UPND should realize that most level headed, knowledgeable and exposed Zambians have already trashed ECL and the PF.The biggest hurdle the opposition parties in Zambia face is getting the message to the common man or woman on the streets.
These people have no Idea that the PF recklessly borrowed money , basically auctioned the country to the Chinese and that Zambia is on the brink of total economic collapse.This is the PF’s stronghold and just a K50 handout is enough to make them vote for the PF.
Lets get down to grassroots politics and speak the language they understand .Don’t worry about people who read blogs online.We already know the situation
Well said!
@ independent. Bulls eye, UPND needs to focus on the common people who are in the villages/ compounds. As you said PF can buy votes for K50 and bicycles
Leave Kaizer alone, he will fix the economy when he takes the helm- that is our plan pabwato. Viva Kaizer – Vivaaaaaaa!
50,000 trained but unemployed teachers. Rather catchy, that one. What went wrong? Teachers were employed as soon as they graduated!
One wonders why and how the economies of Botswana, Angola, Namibia, Rwanda, and even socialist Tanzania are thriving, while ours is in coma?
“Infrastructure under the PF regime has been nothing but a vehicle for theft, plunder and looting.”…
This statement perfectly sums up what PF has been about over the last decade.
Damn! This missinformer is so empty and blind.
He be like, what you’re seeing in is not development, like the truth is not the truth. What a bunch of misleading misleaders.
Iyayi ndithu!
Thank God these miserable upndead will never rule.
U5s are dreamers. They amount to a serious naught, zero, empty. Delirious pimps.