Friday, March 29, 2024

The Opposition UPND has Failed to Provide Alternatives to Trigger Any Wind of Change

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By Sunday Chanda

Growth and stability of a nation demands that all its citizens and stakeholders commit themselves to ensuring peace, love and unity of purpose (regardless of political, religious and racial affiliation) always take centre stage.

As citizens and stakeholders in the affairs of Zambia, we are dismayed and disappointed with the continued political misdemeanors being exhibited by United Party for National Development (UPND). The last five (5) years have been marred by political violence, lack of patriotism, witch-hunts and mudslinging by UPND and its international sponsors. We expected leadership to be exhibited with the UPND leader condemning these happenings.

A. CHECKS AND BALANCES

At the behest of Mr Hichilema, UPND MPs have spent the last five (5) years staging parliamentary walkouts and opposing progressive pieces of legislation without undertaking the full course of parliamentary processes which demand and require bills to be debated and put to a vote. The primary purpose and responsibility of Parliamentarians is to represent their employers (the citizens of Zambia), to pass laws, and to foster development in the constituencies they represent.

The failure of a progressive bill such as Bill 10 will always be remembered as one which took away from the nation a lot of good things including proportional representation, recognition of traditional leaders and enshrining the Christian-hood of Zambia in the constitution.
UPND MPs have drastically failed to represent citizens interest when it matters and counts most but would rather appease and gratify their leader.
We urge UPND MPs to remember that as a parliamentarian, you are part of government simply because you belong to one of the three (3) arms which is the Legislature. Next time you want to say “government has failed”, remember you are a key part of government!

B. ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

On Economic matters, it`s very saddening to see our colleagues always rejoice whenever the nation faces challenges. One would expect that patriotism levels in a party that seeks aspires to form government would be top tier and unquestionable yet we see the lowest of true commitment and dedication to economic well-being. They would rather the country is in limbo and economic quagmire than see it prosper all for selfish interests.

We have on several occasions heard, read and witnessed negative sentiments from the UPND whenever economic shocks resound. In the advent of Covid-19, the UPND has not for a moment held its breath nor relented to point fingers at President Lungu and the PF over economic downturns which are being experienced globally. This level of desperation must not be tolerated by all Zambians! We know for a fact that the UPND has no plan or roadmap for this country and its citizens because the PF has left no stone unturned and has left no one behind in its development drive. We challenge the UPND to tell the nation what plans they have as they seek office in 2021.

Despite the challenges and hardships we face today, Zambians have seen and are beneficiaries of the developmental projects across the country. PF has delivered and continues under President Edgar Lungu to deliver unprecedented Development on all fronts. Infrastructure development is a key economic driver and continues to open up the country`s economic fortunes thanks to access to good roads for distribution of goods and services, increased access to electricity to bolster production, access to god health facilities under the universal healthcare program bringing facilities within a 5km radius of every community, access to improved education facilities, early distribution of farming inputs, and increased access to clean water and sanitation.

President Lungu continues to champion women and youth economic empowerment through various interventions and programs such across the country. Our colleagues in the opposition should take leaf from this; we challenge them to show leadership for national growth by mentoring and empowering women and youth.

However, the opposite is all we see from them. They are quick to silence the voice of women, youth and disabled citizens who deserved dedicated seats in parliament. They would rather empower the youth with tools of violence than see them as equals in national development.

On the debt position, Government earlier this year (in may) announced that it had engaged a French Bank Lazard Frères as a consulting firm to undertake debt restructuring services for Zambia over the next 3 years. No sooner had the announcement been made than Mr Hichilema without much thought took to social media issuing unfounded negative remarks over the move which was received with positivity among international stakeholders including bondholders.

Last week, Mr. Hichilema issued a statement stating that Zambia must engage the IMF and also take leaf from Argentina over debt restructuring. Zambia and the IMF have been in talks for over 3 years now. Mr Hichilema should also know that Argentina engaged the same French firm as Zambia has done. Zambia is this week expected to have further talks with the IMF. This selective amnesia and lack of honesty to self and country leaves much to be desired.

In conclusion, we challenge the UPND party to engage in politics of substance and objectivity. Zambians deserve to know what each political aspirant holds in store for them.

What will the UPND party do for this country? Why should Zambians vote for them? Is UPND a democratic party? If so, why has the party never held intraparty elections since 2005? Zambians deserve to know.

43 COMMENTS

  1. Shallow and shameless……Who are you to say that? And the fact that you are agitated to to issue baseless lies and innuendos against opponents says it all….Just wait and see!!

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  2. That’s the problem isn’t it? Mother fckers like Sunday Chanda have closed their eyes and buried their heads in the sand to escape reality. The wind of of change has already started. Very soon it is turning into a hurricane. Even Antonio Mwanza is no longer with them, but this prik called Chnda hasn’t noticed because of his bunker mentality.
    The only reason this buffoon is not Aware is because he is living in Utopia, an unreal world together with Lungu.

  3. Covid-19 is definitely PF’s lifeline. It wouldnt have come at a better time for it to be blamed. All the economic indicators are in negative but the country’s CEO is saying its global, really?

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  4. I totally agree. I was part of the biggest political change this country ever seen in 2011 and I can tell you that this little upnd puppies are no where near that level. A wind of change is like a revolution. You could just tell in 2011 that change was on it’s way. A great fight supported fully by the whole country and not just a minority group of tribal donkeys. What wind of change can this boy hh bring out sure ?

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  5. Sometimes silent winds are the most destructive. Today the wind of change may not be felt, because of the intimidation from the pfs militia. But wait until the day the booth be given strength to witness the choice of the multitude. U shall mourn like the fall of bill ten. Easy easy

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  6. Mr Chanda the late Bob Nesta Marley Sang ” You can fool some people all of the time, but you can’t fool all the people some of the time”. What you are doing in psychology is called’projection’.

  7. The title should be Lungu has failed to manage Zambia. It’s not about UPND anymore. We need another person to safeguard the economy and welfare of Zambia. Everything under Lungu has gone from bad to worse. Economy, judicial system you name it. Sunday stop wasting energy on UPND and go advise you boss to do his job well so Zambians can have a brighter future.

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  8. You are living in an utopic world. You have not seen the suffering Zambians are going through iwe ka chanda.
    Had you been effective in managing the country’s economy, the dedbt would not have reached this level but Instead you were lazer sharp in executing your corrupt pracrices. You amassed huge debts for the country in the name of development.
    Today you want to justify your theft of public funds.ATASE!
    YOU ARE GOING WHETHER YOU RIG THE 2021 ELECTIONS OR NOT

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  9. The avaricious Easy Money Class are closing ranks, organizing and coordinating; yesterday Siliya, today Kampyongo, and Chanda. Working day and night to muddy the waters and throw sand in the eyes of Zambians.

    This is the same IMF you sent packing out of empty foolish pride only to go back begging when you had no choice. You want us to believe it was all part of the plan; bright luminaries that you are. You want solidarity now that you have run off the cliff in a drunken stupor of easy money once deluding yourselves that you do not need the IMF.

    If you tell me you spent $18 Billion on Covid19, I may listen. But you will not, because even in the minds of feral geniuses like you, this logic does not compute.

  10. If you tell me you spent $18 Billion on Covid19, I may listen. But you will not, because even in the minds of feral geniuses like you, this logic does not compute.

  11. 2021 Is coming apa tilimu November hahahha Thank God Time is moving closer. Nerves ati bwaji ma politicans, give us some of our lose money ma change hahahaha

  12. Let this Monday Chanda chap check the following Stats – debt, inflation, reserves, GDP, exchange rate, energy, unemployment, and he should check these on the government own web sites. Once he checks, allow him to rewrite his article, I am sure by then the ignorance would have evaporated

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  13. As usual always deceitful, just highlighting the sweeteners in bill 10, and not talking about the poison that was in there. Bill was democratically defeated in parliament, absolutely no regrets here. I wish this could be repeated, and celebrations repeated as well

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  14. I am not sure why these guys in PF think there is development in Zambia. They are very sure that the elevated heaps of soil elevated on roads called fly over bridges in Lusaka is development. Very strange. Go check the hunger and despondency in rural parts of Zambia

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  15. Nobody in Zambia feels any political momentum (ICHIMWELA) from the existing opposition parties, whether ndc, upnd, democratic party, etc. Just porridge, basi.

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  16. How will salary come if he does not write this. This is slavery, put up an article in which the author has no conviction in what he is saying but he has to be seen to be doing that. He does not even attempt to defend that the currency of his country is among the worst performing in the world, let me repeat in the world with a depreciation of 51 per cent in a single year. The worst mismanagement since 1964

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  17. I feel sorry for this fellow. Remember he has to defend the undefendable. He has not even singled out a single bench mark which is in the positive which is universally accepted to measure an economy. Terrible job he does

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  18. The avaricious Easy Money Class are closing ranks, organizing and coordinating; yesterday Siliya, today Kampyongo, and Chanda. Working day and night to muddy the waters and throw sand in the eyes of Zambians.

    This is the same IMF you sent packing out of empty foolish pride only to go back begging when you had no choice. You want us to believe it was all part of the plan; bright luminaries that you are. You want solidarity now that you have run off the cliff in a drunken stupor of easy money once deluding yourselves that you do not need the IMF.

  19. @Sunday, why were you borrowing recklessly? You can’t blame opposition for that but poor leadership in government. You don’t have to cover up crap just keep quiet. It is better that way.

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  20. Let us all register to vote. As we go to vote. Lets not vote on emotions. Let’s ask those standing to share their manifesto so that we vote or not vote for them based on the ideas/policies they have that affect all of us.
    1. What’s their policy on pay as you earn?
    2. What is their policy on excise tax/ duty?
    3. What’s their policy on corporate taxes?
    4. Whats their policy on Pensions ?
    5.Whats their land ownership policy ?
    6. Whats the policy on education, health?.
    7. What is their policy on agriculture and promotion of local products?
    What’s the policy on easing regulation?
    8. What is the strategy to ending smuggling,???? corruption etc
    9. What is their policy on the rule of law and ending the pathetic cardalism within their parties etc?
    I can go on.
    You can not swim to the shore with rocks double your weight tied to your legs.
    We need transparent leaders..

  21. You’re very correct but the PF has also failed to provide leadership that inspires continuity. As a result we’re stuck. People have begun to vent their frustrations through insults. We don’t know where Zambia will end up after elections because people will vote out of anger

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  22. I know this boy very well,he left his brain behind just like someone by the name of kz who supports everything that is nonsense as long as it is from pf.

  23. Upnd supporters above, don’t attack Sunday Chanda, listen to his message. He’s right, upnd for the last 5 years has failed to provide alternatives to the current PF set up. You can do better by reminding us daily about your party’s alternative policies. As Sunday has put it, explain to Zambians why since 2005 upnd had had no democratic checks. Remember-“…as a parliamentarian, you are part of government simply because you belong to one of the three (3) arms which is the Legislature…”

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