By Venus N Msyani
If numbers don’t lie, President Hakainde Hichilema will make about 120 international trips by the end of his first term. The average cost per trip is what is hard to tell. The government should help us with that.
While in opposition President Hakainde Hichilema advised his predecessor to cut international trips. Very surprising to see him traveling even more.
He tried to deny having promised free education until after he was reminded of his Facebook posts on the issue. President Hichilema may also try to deny he condemned excessive presidential foreign trips. Here is one of his posts on Facebook:
“We advise Mr. Lungu to cut his international trips as they are a great cost to our country in this economic distress.”
In nine months, President Hichilema has made seventeen internatioanl trips. Meaning he is making an average of two foreign trips per month.
As usual, simple math can help to predict the number of foreign trips the president will make by the end of his first term.
Two foreign trips in a month. In one year (twelve months) is two times twelve trips. In five years is two times twelve times five.
Even if HH spends less than his predecessor used to on trips, he still needs to cut his international trips to protect his integrity.
He advised his predecessor to reduce traveling when the country was in experiencing economic distress. Today the country is in a worse situation. Two international trips per month are too much for the country in this economic distress.
The government should not hesitate to help us with the average cost of these international trips. The very simple math could help predict what the country would save if HH decided to cut his international trips in half.
Anyone who pays attention would agree that Zambia is not benefiting much from these trips. The main theme of HH speeches abroad has always been the previous government’s shortcomings. Explaining how bad his predecessor was.
How is that benefiting the country?
WHY DONT WE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE GOOD AND THE ECONOMIC BENIFITS THESE TRIPS HAVE BOUGHT US
THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO JUDGE ?
Your analogy of 120 trips numbers don’t lie……….
is like saying because lungus income mysteriously grew from K1.8 million to $2.3 million after 18 months …….
a factor of 25 means lungu stole $35 billion after his 8 years on office………..?
That is what they demanded when they were in opposition those upnd hyenas. No documented benefits of these expensive trips. His photographer meno meno is just using these trips to party and sleep with prostitutes. Fuseke
He flies commercial so it’s okay as he promised when he flew to New York and Brussels to Rwanda etc
Really? The man is trying to fix what you broke. He has to meet with whomever is willing to help us. Your former president was making trips for pleasure, or simply to be present at meetings. Let us learn to see the difference. Open your eyes and see the truth.
Very useless article indeed . We know losing an electìon is painful but please heal and move on .
Very good article. Yes we haven’t seen any meaningful benefit from these 17+ trips so far. .. LUNGUs trips we so benefits for most of them and that’s a fact.. 1.went to India.. Look decongestion for lusaka. Went to China telecoms equipment and many infrastructure development.. Hospitals, schools, roads, EFZ project, went to Egypt aqourcalture. Angola agreed to set up rail and oil refinary etc.. For HH so far one benefit from a trip to South Africa.. I hear the book launching he witnessed.. Zambians will buy them at a discount..