IT is no longer an accusation that the UPND has failed to govern as all sectors including health and agriculture have suffered immeasurable damage and should therefore call for early elections so that those who are capable can take over, says Harry Kalaba.
Mr Kalaba, the Citizens First president says the UPND should consider calling for early elections because there had been monumental failure in the country’s governance as the economy was in shambles with money becoming scarce for citizens.
At a media briefing in Kitwe , Mr Kalaba said he was concerned with the lack of leadership being displayed by the UPND government after being in office for 16 months.
He said the UPND seemed to have perfected the habit of lampooning every blame and failure to manage the affairs of the nation on the Patriotic Front, the former ruling party.
“Let us not play with energy (electricity). Once you play with energy it means you have played with all sectors of the economy because it is the main driver of the economy.
In this government money is scarce and people are suffering, They need to understand that if you cannot govern better, you should call for early elections so that Zambians put people who deserve the seat,” Mr Kalaba said.
Mr Kalaba said Zambia was experiencing serious state capture of a global nature and if the citizens did not wake up to start questioning what was going on, there was a real possibility that nothing would have been left by the time the UPND leave office.
He stated that the despondency displayed by the UPND government was cause for concern as it showed not just their clear lack of heart but also the inadequacy of the leadership and capacity which if unchecked, would cause untold misery to Zambians.
“Literary everything that has happened over the last 16 months has been blamed on the PF and yet it is UPND in government. This to the Citizens First shows that the UPND was not ready and is still not ready to govern. You cannot continue playing a blame game and calling civil servants names when they are the one who turned up in large numbers to vote for you,” Mr Kalaba said.
Mr Kalaba also stated that one of the campaign messages that resonated well with Zambians and caused them to move in their thousands in favour of the UPND in the August 2021 general election was a promise to address the cost of living.
“Today we are told that Zambia’s currency is the best performing across the continent and that we have a single digit inflation and yet the cost of living keeps increasing.
“With the poor management of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), it is projected that next year the situation will be even tougher for a common man to afford even a single meal a day. “We have families that are rationing what others eat today the others eat the following day but those in government do not see the urgency to address such and instead have opted to give foreign large corporates concessions while taxing their citizens into abject poverty,” he said.
Mr Kalaba urged the new dawn administration to act urgently act on the issues on the cost of living, FISP, mining corruption – FQM / ZCCM-IH tax, youth unemployment, Indeni recapitaliaation, Public Order Act and tribal division as per promise.
He assured Zambians that the Citizens First is a progressive party that does not believe in making empty promises but rather seeks to provide solutions that are transformational in nature.
Mr Kalaba should inform the nation of his successes while in previous government as minister. Zambians are aware that Mr Kalaba was on the verge of being fired on corruption allegations and jumped (resigned) before being fired. Your personal profile is below the high bar set for the next president.
Our leaders have to learn how democracy works; the mandate is 5 years.
Fimba upoke! We the 2.8m has continued recruiting more members and we will certainly give HH another resounding victory come 2026. Infact we will be 4.8m in 2026. No early polls, they will be held in 2026 when they are due according to the constitution. We are not a government anchored on lawlessness like PF
16 months in office, 16 International trips, fuel k27, mealie meal k205, fertilizer k1200, USD K18, FISP in ruins, load shedding reloaded, electricity tariffs increased, corruption zero conviction rate, no drugs in hospitals. While people are being arrested on tribal lines others are walking away with briefcases and diaries. Zambians open you eyes. These are the things that are right in front of you.
Bwana, the party you abandoned was in control for ten miserable years. You jumped ship before it’s final collapse…I agree with you things are bad. Let them have their way up to August 2026.
Atase, this Iturian Kasai also, why can’t he go and tell that to Kabila or Tshisekedi to quit! This is the chap that was with Sata at the UN when Zondwe died a little in the hotel and failed to pitch up for the General Assembly address.
Atase, this Iturian Kasai also, why can’t he go and tell that to Kabila or Tshisekedi to quit! This is the chap that was with Sata at the UN when Zondwe died a little in the hotel and failed to pitch up for the General Assembly address….
Sir – you are out of order. The People of Zambia have given the new dawn admin a 5 year mandate. Wait until 2026 if at all you can be elected president.
What Kalaba has said is not bad because the nation seems not to be going anywhere it is all confusion , yes it is all blame game better they give power to their neighbour who was at least standing with his programme .
The new government is just operating under the shadow of its neighbour , no direction where will zambia be after two years is it not total choas .
Those who have failed buy into UPND national agenda under HH will sound like Kalaba without moral and legal legitimacy to call for early elections. this is Mr Kalaba who lost badly in the 2021 general and presidential elections, then stripped off of his party’s presidency, remained party less. What experience has Mr Kalaba got to run a nation. His PF experience was a disaster full of scandals and most importantly, PF template style of leadership was rejected by Zambians whose main reason for PF rejection was corruption of ‘iseni mutambe’ levels as monkeys in a maize field. Mr Kalaba should wait until 2026 and in the mean time ensure Citizens First party genuenly belong to him to avoid not appear on presidential ballot box.
10 Years of Ills and you expect it to be corrected just over a year
Rural Zambian Mentality
Ba kalaba! You were toast out from your own party, the party you actly formed becuse you went nd joined and tarted working with the famous corrupt group of people who made you leave the pf accordingto your own statement. Power will not be given to you, we ould rather give it to a stranger
Just come back to pf. You will miss out again when we take back power in 2026. Lobe
True Mr Kalaba is better off in PF, they will welcome him with open arms. He has a sober character excepts he has no charisma to pull crowds but he can have many things done at least.