Friday, March 29, 2024

President HH 2-Hour Radio Phoenix Propaganda: Is Poverty the Ballyvirus Vaccine?

Share

By Kapya Kaoma

On October 13, 2021 President Hakainde Hichilema spent 2 hours on Radio Phoenix in an attempt to erase his false campaign promises, while satisfying his narcissistic ego with populism. If you were at work, you missed nothing of substance. President HH knows it–poverty is the most effective vaccine to the ballyvirus. The shrinking bellies of Bally worshipers are leading them to question whether Bally was simply the Baal incarnate. But the good time to lie is when knowledgeable people are busy–10am to 12pm. So this is what you missed: President Hakainde does not read your letters, but if you call during a talk show, his team will ensure you’re attended to. As for your wallets, the prices of mealie-meal will not be at K50, maize at K250, fertilizer at K250, and a dollar at K5. As for free education, forget it. For jobs, only the Civil Service is coming next year!

President Hakainde is a populist politician. He claims to know the suffering of masses when his lifestyle is billions of miles apart–inimitable of the Trump Presidency. And who could miss it? The Trump phase, “it has never happened before in the history of this country,” accompanied each one of his unsubstantiated claim about his economic propaganda. HH knew that he had no evidence to support his claims, but he employed the marketing trick of making a customer trust his lie.

If the President intends to tell the people the truth, let him present a policy paper on his agenda. This would provide economists, stakeholders and policy experts with an opportunity to respond. But as it is, there is nothing serious to respond to–but Trump-like rants. In short, HH didn’t tell us anything. I can talk, but say nothing. I will build a great hotel, and employ one hundred workers in Zambia. I will also build an airport next to my villa. I have networks. I just came from America. The truth is, I told you nothing. This is what HH did; abstract promises.

President Hichilema is desperate–even his worshipers are running out of patience. Whereas he originally pledged to meet his initial promises upon taking office, now we have to wait for 2022. This is a strategic move that would keep his worshipers hopeful–if he can create jobs for civil servants (the job market he personally controls), then he could assure others to wait for 2023. Alas the shattered dreams, a faint flip of light the New Dark government still gives until the dawn of 2026.

On the employment of teachers and nurses, a qualified journalist would have raised the following questions: what is the number of unemployed teachers and nurses in Zambia and how many would the New Dark regime employ in 2022, 2023, 2024, etc? Are these going to be a contract or permanent positions? If so, how would the bigger Civil Service be handled going forward? How many teachers and nurses are projected to graduate between 2022 and 2026 and what is the administration planning to do with them? How much of the total budget would be dedicated to the Civil Service, and how is the Administration going to pay for it? Is this just a populist decision that future administrations will have to contend with? How about the funders and other stakeholders?

Moreover, in this New Dark universe, government workings are like household companies. Unfortunately, they are not–they are many moving parts to it. The corrupt PF regime abused infrastructure and other Tenders, but cheap is not always the best. The President’s example of the Lusaka-Ndola High Way tender cost of around $1.2 billion vs $300 million appeals to an ignorant mind, but the bigger question is what is included in the package? He himself is an example. President Chiluba went for a cheap liquidator in HH, and Zambia lost billions of dollars in national assets. Similarly, Mwanawasa went for the Nchito brothers–we spent more in investigations of corruption than we recovered. We have done the same with soccer coaches–the results speak for themselves. We need to be objective in understanding issues relating to government contracts and procurement.

It seems President has a number problems. This is uncommon–not every business owner understands numbers. The budget involves income and expenditure–so the issue is on how many more Civil Servants would be added to the government payroll next year. The President spoke about spending, but not money coming in. One wonders if he has reversed his promise on a moratorium on contracting new debts. And who can trust anything this man now says?

Besides we need to raise revenue and increase our tax base. A bigger Civil Service would only put an extra burden on the national economy. We have a huge international debt to service. Growing the Civil Service is not a sustainable solution to unemployment–creating private-sector jobs is. This would demand providing tax incentives to Zambian investors, currently enjoyed by foreigners.

Shockingly, the President deflected his failure to meet his promises as deliberately planned–Zambians should get used to the New Dark Regime way of operation. The turtle speed means efficiency. Obviously I expected a push back. But worry not. Didn’t he promise to provide free education at a turtle speed? Didn’t he ask those unemployed graduates who marched to the polls in their gowns to wait for jobs at a turtle speed? Didn’t he tell farmers he would buy their maize at a turtle speed? As the 2021 grain is going to waste, your Bally is fixing it at a turtle speed–Chimbwi with no plan!

The New Dark Regime is out to undo the wrongs of the corrupt PF regime. But it must not think it is the first to rule Zambia. History and humility are key to wisdom–pride is self-deception. Policy decisions are not made on mobile phones or radio talk shows, but on expert advice.

But what is wisdom to a baby President?

29 COMMENTS

  1. The solution to our problems doesn’t lie with politicians but within ourselves. These people will come with promises and that’s all. Instead of spending hours in drinking places let’s go for something that adds value to our lives. Some people expected HH to use his own money to eradicate our problems imagine that….. someone told this to my face as we were waiting for the doctor at KTH.

    23
  2. We’re getting close to the 100-days in office for HH, and so far he’s got not much to show for his election victory. The Kwacha is depreciating again, food prices are still going up, no corrupt PF culprits have been arrested (not even one), the police roadblocks are back where they were, and loadshedding is back on the menu. Come on Bally, people want to see results – nothing is happening?

    27
    1
    • HH has five years, he can still implement his policies in the fifth year, he will still be within his mandate, so stop pushing him

      2
      23
  3. The writer needs counselling, he seems traumatised and unable to heal from the overwhelming electrol defeat and rejection of lungu and PF by the Zambian people…………

    They say time is a healer ………..

    Kaoma, the majority of Zambians just see your name and know , it’s bitterness you are spewing,……….

    11
    33
  4. Indeed, we have a New Dusk administration that promises what it cannot deliver. But as they say, you can cheat some people some time, but cannot cheat all people all the time. It is just a matter of time before the New Dusk administration begins to unravel and people begin to see the promises of the New Dusk administration for what they are to be lies.

    4
    2
  5. My worst part of HH radio interview was when Swithurn Hangala asked about the shortage of dialysis machines in our hospitals in the country, instead of the President giving a broad and concise answer to all the people in need of dialysis machines in the country, he instead said he knew Swithurn and his team was going to get in touch with him, how do you answer such a very important question with a very narrow perspective. How about others he does not know. The question deserves a serious response, it remains un answered

    25
  6. PF failed to put more money in peoples pockets as promised in 2011, failed to do it in ten years, and they want Bally to honour his promises in one month, just how

    7
    24
  7. Talk is cheap. No one put words in the mouth of the president when he was making promises. He made them himself.
    So it’s only fair for voters to ask why they are not being fulfilled.
    For HH worshippers, you will find it very hard to convince voters otherwise.

    7
    3
  8. (The Trump phase, “it has never happened before in the history of this country,”) Nipano tuli 1. …………..(The President’s example of the Lusaka-Ndola High Way tender cost of around $1.2 billion vs $300 million appeals to an ignorant mind, but the bigger question is what is included in the package?Yes there were a lot other things attached to the Lusaka -Ndola highway. This was going to a first in this country, a modern highway like the are doing in in Rwanda )….. Nipano tuli 2

    13
    1
  9. President Hichilema said,, “20 Senior UPND People have come to me to say ‘we want to be employed’. I said alright, which job do you want?. Someone said ‘DMMU’. 20 People ! why DMMU? Aikona Man President Hichilema said,, “20 Senior UPND People have come to me to say ‘we want to be employed’. I said alright, which job do you want?. Someone said ‘DMMU’. 20 People ! why DMMU? Aikona Man

    Ati UPND is a clean party. Kikikiki Look at this UPND Baboons who got told off by HH at the remembering Anderson Mazoka Memorial
    President Hichilema said,, “20 Senior UPND People have come to me to say ‘we want to be employed’.
    I said alright, which job do you want?. Someone said ‘DMMU’. 20 People ! why DMMU? Your guess is as good as mine.
    They have seen the one who was building mansions at the expense of the vulnerable children. Aikona Man !.”

    12
  10. #3.1 Amalume the reason people voted for HH is that he made them believe he had a quick solution to thei r problems. Not to wait for five years. If that was the case, they would have preferred to keep the PF in power with the hope that one day things would improve. The common man will not accept your reasoning.

    15
    1
    • Whether you like it or not the fact is that HHs mandate is five years, you can make your descision to vote or not vote for him after five years, as per constitution his mandate is five years, after all stabilizing the PF destruction will require atleast ten years, So lets give HH time, atleast 10 years. Anybody who wants HH to do magic in two to three years is either unreasonable or may be very ignorant of the serious damage done by PF

      4
      17
    • Iwe Deja Vu, are you serious. Nobody in this country wants to hear the name PF, infact if PF were aligned to what was happening on the ground, they would have wound up voluntarily. Sata left them a vibrant party and they killed it due to arrogance, incompetency and placing wrong people in key ministries, look at the police brutality and partisanship we witnessed under Zambia Police under Ministry of Home Affairs, the worst since 1964. Everybody has to be patient with UPND, realistically we can only hold them accountable after 3 years to 5 years

      2
      8
  11. Your HH is a liar. He ascended on a platform of lies. Do not expect anything from liars. The best he can do is to be magnanimous enough and apologize for his lies. Lies are catching up with him. He thought being a president is as easy as looking after cattle.

    14
    1
  12. #10.1 Fackson. It’s not a matter of liking it or not… even a grade four pupil knows the presidential term. Maybe you never listened to his interview on Radio Icengelo? He specifically said: On Tuesday we are declared winners, on Thursday morning we are sworn in, at 16hrs the Kwacha appreciates to K10 per dollar…. and within one week etc.

    12
    1
    • Can you please let the President do his job, what ever he said or mentioned is not constitutionally binding l, what is constitutional is his term of office which is five years, even a grade one knows that.

      13
  13. HH has five years and that is his mandate, what ever he said is not constitutional, what is constitutional is the five years, so please stop pushing the man unfairly, you failed to put more money in peoples pockets for five years and you want HH to do it now

    2
    12
  14. #12.1 Jemujo… you can laugh…yaba ati let the president do his job? You think he even cares about what we write here. And how can I make him fail to do his job? Oh I see, the same thing PF cadres used to say about Edgar ati lekeni abombe is still with us.

  15. The trouble with incompetency – and being pregnant, is that both are difficult to conceal. Ultimately the real picture inevitably emerges. There is only so much schmoozing you can do to shield yourself!

  16. Bally didnt promise us anything he was jus speaking our minds.
    Bally’s promised is what we all seek after.
    Good as the promises are we know some will take time to achieve but as long as we set our focus right we will be there.
    Bally is on course.

    1
    4
  17. Remind him in case he forgets.
    He told us he will not accept to be built a house by GRZ as part of his package when he’s out of office.Tizaona!!!

  18. Indeed @Deja Vu 1; it’s unbelievable how people deluded themselves that because Mr Hichilema is wealthy, when he became President, their financial woes would vanish – in other words, he would personally bail the country using his wealth!
    So wide-eyed!

    4
    1
  19. The writer is a PF sympathizer who still does believe that PF regime is gone. Wake up from your slumber. We are in the new dawn now. ECL and his PF regime are not coming back again. They are now in oblivion. Even the late Michael Sata promised us to change Zambia in 90 days and put more money in our pockets but it took 10 years to fulfill some of the PF promises. HH7 is not a magician to fix the economy that PF destroyed in 10 years.

  20. #12.2 Zulu…are you sure no single person wants to hear the name PF? You are not only being untruthful but also politically selfish.

    5
    2
  21. At least you are just awakening to reality. For some of us we never trusted anything this man says. One of the bloggers on this commentaries used to yell hh is full of theories.
    He is empty at talk. My oh my, if those whites don’t come to his rescue this country will run down due to chipante pante hh style of leaderlessship. What a conman. He managed to con most Zambia on fake promises. Of them all free education was the biggest lie. The how was always missing. It a case of you can’t f000l all the people all the time. He definitely punkad you clean.

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading