By Nkonkomalimba Kafunda.
Now that the legal issues over President Edgar Lungu’s eligibility to contest the next elections have been exhausted and settled, it is now time to focus on the job at hand and concentrate on availing Zambian voters with the information, the truth required for them to make informed decisions as they cast their ballots on August 12.
What constitutes truth, in this case, depends on what side of the political divide you belong to. Unfortunately, this divide is largely determined by the availability of bread and who is doing the buttering, and in what quantities.
Clearly, those with government contracts which they would not have in a meritocracy are overly desirous that the status quo is maintained. The enforcement of the rule of law fairly and equitably will take them back to the poverty they have managed to run away from using corruption, thievery, skullduggery, and all other means available to them.
That’s not all. Possibilities of being involuntary guests of the state for uncomfortably long periods of time are causing sleepless nights, what with the momentum the main opposition has come with.
On the other side of the divide are those who cannot afford bread and by extension do not need butter as that is an unnecessary condiment if Kandolo is your staple. This long-suffering majority are only asking for equitable, transparent, competent government made up of selfless men and women of integrity. While achieving utopia is an implausibility, this dystopia of excess and exuberance on hand and poverty and pauperism on the other can be mitigated.
Infrastructure projects using borrowed resources have had an adversely negative effect on the lives of Zambians as debt repayment has been taking up larger and larger chunks of our budget limiting the money supply in circulation. further reducing the amounts available to the people for life’s basic necessities and forcing the government to reduce budgetary allocation to sectors such as education, health, and social protection.
Prices have escalated without a corresponding increase in incomes causing yet more havoc in homes reducing frequency of meals for most families, generally making life a mere existence, a perpetual series of struggles against never-ending ever-increasing turmoil.
Should PF continue? Here are price adjustments and performance indicators in the first five years Mr. Lungu’s presidency. I have deliberately used pre Covid data so that the pandemic is not used as a scapegoat
- Petrol: January 2015, K7.60 January 2020, K17.80 134% increase
- US Dollar: January 2015 K6.45 January 2020 K15. 00 133% depreciation
- Mealie Meal: Zanuary 2015 K68 January 2020 K170 135% increase
- External National Debt:January 2015 $4.7 Billion January 2020 $11.2 B 138% increase
- Inflation: January 2015 7.81% January 2020 13.9% 80% increase
However, there is hope. The election result trajectory since 2011 is cause for opportunism.
In 2011 UPND Alliance leader Hakainde Hichilema had 506,763 votes representing 18.54% of the vote. In 2015 Mr. Hichilema had 780,168 or 47.16% against Mr. lungu’s 807,925 or 48.84%. In 2016 He had 1,760,347 or 47.63% while President Lungu got 1,860,877 or 50.35%.
Now with the inroads made in previous PF strongholds suffering from the same pangs of hunger as the rest of the country the election, if held under free and fair conditions is set to be a landslide victory of epic in fact Mammoth proportions for the Alliance. The PF has been emboldened by people especially chiefs and some members of the clergy, receiving their gifts of money, food, alcohol; and clothing as they campaign but this as they should well know, is their own ‘don’t kubeba’ working in reverse. They should always keep in mind as the heartily disburse these goodies to grinning multitudes that behind every smile there are teeth.
All true. Are you following Edgar China Lungu? All YOUR fault!
Uno mwaka ba PF dununa reverse tabaka ipule. Nombaline tukamona ebotuka votelapo. Ifintu tafiweme mu Zambia
Kambwili economics says food in SA is more expensive compared to Zambia so everything is going well here. Thats PF message to voters. Only fools will vote PF this 12 Aug.
Kambwili economics says food in SA is more expensive compared to Zambia so everything is going well here. Thats PF message to voters. Only f00ls will vote PF this 12 Aug
Much like, ‘They should always keep in mind as the heartily disburse these goodies to grinning multitudes that behind every smile there are teeth’ that guard the door to the hearts of people.
Zambians to decide another five
Year for PF ? If Zambians are happy With Infrastructure development Programme?
Continue cheating yourselves with those numbers. Remember I always say that figures and theoretical economic values do not feed people. Low inflation has never put food on the table. Us we look at the reality on the ground and not some silly theory. Every five years you use the same argument and yet your hh is still no leader. See your life ?????????
AND PF CONTINUOUS LIES ALSO DOESNT FEED PEOPLE
PREPARE FOR DEMISE PF HERE WE COME
AUGUST !”
Solly… Alebwelelapo!! Things maybe bad but HH, under 5, does not offer a better alternative to PF.
Solly alebwelelapo! Things maybe bad but UPND not a better alternative. Voting for UPND is voting with emotions not brains.
No vote for a violence party.
A Total Economic Mess at the hands Edgar Lungu and his Criminal Enterprise of a Government.A nation now unable to to service its $20 Billion of debts.Debts contracted through Corruptly procured,over priced Chinese infrastructure projects,total economic Vandalism.The most expensive roads that last 2 rainy seasons & then washed away.
The mining sector in total shambles
Just how are we going survive 5 more years of this government of thieves,by thieves for thieves???
NO VOTE PF FULL STOP
Every cursed economic indicator under Lungu has been an endless downslide. Toss out this garbage of mediocrity.
Am sorry bu chimbwi no plan is just that, that’s what you expect
Kaleza napali anyoko the writer of this article was born yesterday. It’s obvious that all that anatomy of niggally in his body is playing dumb and du.ll about most of fundamental components of the economy that has brought us thus far. I will waste no time trying to bring the deads on the page all Zambians are. Let me tackle the statement “In 2016 He had 1,760,347 or 47.63% while President Lungu got 1,860,877 or 50.35%”.
Niggaz in the dead camp seem to be neglecting the force GBM, GUY, NEVERS, MILES, MULENGA went with to the dead camp but still they failed to dislodge PF. With ALL these and alot others from the camp leaving h² like a leper. We shall see.
POBO!
We shall vote PF in regardless what every jim and jack like the writer does.
After all Zambians know that it’s PF100%, ECL100%, Zambia overdrive100%, Elite Zambians100%, Peace100%, Empowerment100%, More money in your pockets with hard work 100% and Prosperity100%
Sonta apowabomba, can you point at a bridge in the pot of a starving Zambian, KZ?
Since independence , I have never seen the simmering tribal divisions we have today under this corrupt humble theif of a president, lungu.
Zambia under lungus leadership is saved from outright tribal war by citizens of all tribes who are shocked at the level of tribal bigotry and attacks sponsored by lungus GRZ and are saying enough is enough.. …..
Since independence , I have never seen the simm.ering tri.bal divisions we have today under this cor.rupt hum.ble the.if of a president, lungu.
Zambia under lungus leadership is saved from outright trib.al wa.r by citizens of all tribes who are shocked at the level of tribal big.otry and attacks sponsored by lungus GRZ and are saying enough is enough.. …..
Figures cited in the article are scary. But let us be clear that in our quest to remove PF from power, we have a UPND that would do things differently. Zambians are losing interest in politics and if the future belongs to a religious order as a solution, Zambians might be among the first to submit. A few of you will understand what I mean. Movements worldwide are already at work weakening governance. Sometimes they will say “it is better we rig elections than allow so and so to become president.” This org is an ambitious one and it will get what it wants. It will support failing systems so that eventually people are left to turn to it or its proxies for leadership. Watch it closely. It is a silent player hiding in social justice for the poor and in nearly every case is the determinant of…
The Thorn in the Flesh, speaking on behalf of the youth we distance ourselves from you post YOU as an INDIVIDUAL is voting for pf, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD!!!!! no dununa reverse this time, wonder what pf voters were thinking the slogan itself was dununa reverse look at were we are now.
The truth is that every country in Africa has had massive infrastructure developments. Tanzania has built bridges, airports and thousands of houses for security staff. Angola has built a city bigger than Lusaka’s Kingsland in Luanda. Kenya has built a new standard gauge railway line from Mombasa to Nairobi and an express highway bigger and longer than the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriage. Ethiopia has built the first intercity electric railway in Africa. Nigeria has the Lagos-Ibadan railway. Rwanda has scored many firsts, including making mobile phones, a brand new large international airport south east of Kigali and so also has Uganda. The Entebbe-Kampala-Jinja expressway is a showpiece. So many African countries have done it but largely from their own resources and not with unsustainable…
debt.
Don’t worry, you will soon have more money in your pockets if you vote PF, the infrastructure being built will soon bear fruit n everyone wil be happy.