Shiwangandu member of parliament Hon. Stephen Kampyongo has said that President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND should not get agitated when questioned about the increased Presidential international trips.
Speaking when he featured on Radio Delight Kwitonta in Chinsali district, Hon. Kampyongo said the Presidential trips come at a huge cost to the national treasury and that when in opposition, President Hichilema promised to cut down on foreign trips in order to save resources but he is doing the exact opposite.
Hon. Kampyongo who is also PF parliamentary chief whip said the head of State should ensure that Zambians begin to see the benefits of the international trips being undertaken by his administration as he promised.
“We know that the President is entitled to undertake international trips but they must be beneficial because they come at a huge cost to the national treasury.
“Zambians have a right to question these trips because when in opposition President Hichilema promised to cut down on some of these trips in order to save resources but he is doing the exact opposite of what he promised Zambians,” Hon. Kampyongo said.
And Hon. Kampyongo said the fight against corruption should not be selective and meant to fix political opponents. He said the Anti-Corruption Commission ACC should be proactive in dealing with corruption cases and not wait until there is a change of Government.
He said President Hichilema has admitted that there are corrupt elements within his cabinet and Permanent Secretaries and he has wondered why the ACC is not moving in to investigate and make arrests.
“President Hichilema has admitted publicly that there are some ministers and Permanent secretaries who are allegedly being taught how to steal by the PF, why is ACC not moving in to arrest both the people teaching ministers and Permanent Secretaries how to steal as well as the same people being taught to steal. \
“The ACC must be proactive and avoid only acting when there is a change of Government,” Hon. Kampyongo said.
Meanwhile, Hon. Kampyongo advised the UPND Government to focus on delivering on their campaign promises instead of blaming the PF for their failures.
He said Zambians voted for the UPND based on the long list of promises by the UPND prior to the 2021 General elections.
“We are no longer in Government and it is shocking that the UPND keeps blaming us for their failures. President Hichilema promised Zambians that immediately is elected mealie prices will drop to K50, fertilizer to K250 from K750 but now it is over K1,000. We were promised that the Kwacha will also immediately appreciate few hours after inauguration but non of these things have been actualized so far, ” Hon. Kampyongo said.
We need too to remove subsidies on these trips. Perhaps, this would trigger a saving on the government coffers. How naive, it is so good for one guy to go globe trotting but not the other!
When did this chap learn of how expensive a presidential trip is??
PF is simply saying UPND should not use Lungu as their benchmark
All the years Da Vasco Lungu globe-trotted, you were silent. Now you understand fiscal responsibility? It suited you then because while he was was partying with whores, you were home stealing. Go take a perch! Nobody is listening to the likes of you.
Yell no! Lungu is the benchmark. There’s never been a president like him.
We Zambians thus far consider the current trips undertaken by the President as beneficial. So we do not want these debates. The only CONTROVERSIAL was the South African trip. Any other discussions are a worst of time.
You should also be seating in Parley forwarding useful motions, and stop wasting taxpayers (PF Party members) money parading yourselves in front of Security Wings offices giving press conferences. I think we should also start tracking you on that,
Nothing wrong with that opinion but everything wrong with where it’s coming from. Lungu did exactly the same trash and kampyongo approved!
These PF stinking thieves must just shut up!
As if fire tenders were cheaper. We know who benefitted
Corrupt to the core. Some of these tuma PF chaps will just be fixed by God, they pretend to be very clever. Repent
What benefits did your Lungu bring? Compare the cost for Lungu vs HH. At least HH his intention are clear to the well being of the country. Lungu only travel for mainly personal pleasure. Out the 7 years, there is nothing tangible to see that Lungu’s trips benefited the Zambian people. HH has only been in office less than a year. After 5 years, the people that voted for him will assess. For now, it would good if you keep words to yourselves and your fellow PF members. Don’t speak on behalf of the Zambians. They already did on August 12th. I thank you.
He can smell jail term now…like his tone
Sir, who went to the US with a 67 member entourage?
Let hh continue flying. It is good for him and upnd. Let those who voted for him continue suffering at home while he flies around in the very jet he criticised. Hh aluta continua basaa
WHEN PF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT REBRANDING THEY MEAN REMOVING PEOPLE LIKE KAMPRYONGO FROM THE PARTY BECAUSE HE CONTRIBUTED A LOT TO THE FAILURE AND DOWNFALL OF PF. ALL THE CASES THE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING FROM 2015 TO 2021 HAVE BEEN REVISITED BECAUSE OF KAMPRYONGO’S INCOMPETENCE. WHY DID HE LEAVE THE MURDER OF LAWRENCE OF BANDA UNINVESTIGATED?
Kapoyongo is not yet in jail ???????
I am disappointed at the slow pace of caging these criminals……….
Really laughable this midget talking about how costly Presidential trips are when LAZY LUNGU was attending every independence celebrations on the continent. How can he say ACC are proactive only when there is a change of govt when he was Home Affairs minister….if you were able to put systems in place to make it more independent you would have seen a difference and PF had zero political will to fight corruption …they were more than happy to see ACC get embarassed in court.
K@ chi kili aka ndiye pamene ka nkala na menso…its really funny how you get blinded by the luxury that these political offices provide – you just forget about the sufferings of the people until that time when you’re kicked then the eyesight is restored.
All the trips HH has made so far haven’t equalled that 1 trip to UN general assembly with the Qlique! So tondolo ba Kampyongo!
Helicopters flying in Shiwang’andu are safe now. Those with cases of threats to shoot down copters will be jailed.
this fool should shut his mouth. Lungu travelled with an entourage that cost tax payers millions of dollars PER TRIP and he’s complaining about HH. I was associated with people at tge New York Mission and know exactly what PF did when Lungu was in town He should shut his mouth and ket others talk.
Let’s get the cream of the topic, he’s very right, these trips the president hs made hv no bearing to the economical recovery. Since he started globe trips, wht benefits hv we felt since, things are getting hard for Zambians. Bushe whn we voted for u ba president, ws it a curse or wht, bcos we being squeezed in the name of economical recovery, whr is this country going since ba Kaunda handed this country to ka kafupi.
Ba HH we can’t give jobs to the youth whn u leaders a afraid to run or create factories or mines bt calling foreigners to come ad steal our resources. U hv hidden agendas by calling foreigners to come ad steal our God given resources ad begin secret partners.
PF are just jealous to see all the high level engagements HH is having. No one wanted to meet lungu and the ambassadors all over the world struggled to arrange meetings for him rommeet key world leaders apart from the Chinese
During PF the Presidential Jets were flying to Ankara, Joburg and Cairo …whilst the President was in Lusaka…and it is just the tip of the iceberg that is how reckless PF was, where a Presidential Jet was being used by Findlay the drug dealer.
But the presidential delegation is no longer having 50 people with no defined duties.
At last, Honourable Kampyongo has a different perception of governance issues. It’s good that u are in opposition now so u can provide meaningful checks and balances to the current government. Continue speaking so that the current new dawn government can work and serve the many Zambians including yourself even better.
M.Z – if you call this meaningful checks and balances then you are deluded…PF needs rebranding you can not have people who were partying whilst people were suffering to come and tell you to be prudent its laughable.
President HH undertakes these trips with a very lean delegation, not like what Edgar Lungu used to do during his 7 year misrule. Every Jim and Jack would be on Presidential trips. They just used to go gallivanting. Let HH familiarise himself with his fellow leaders across the globe. These are trips with a purpose
For those saying trips haven’t amounted to anything, kampyongo hinself knows that the global deals take several months to come to fruition. Most countries or companies have already made their 2022 Budgets, what the president is seeking to achieve will mostly cone to fruition in 2023/24. Dont have a kantemba mentality, The global economy is a complex market place with competing needs from several hundred countries. Be patient but supportive and hopeful. PF put us through worse for 7 years.
Funny how low praise singers can stoop just to defend the indefensible. Going through the archives, it’s the same loud mouths that were condemning ECL over the similar trips. Chiwamila galu ??
Do you still see people or mother’s dancing at Airport?
kampyongo! IS IT NOT YOU WHO APPROVED THE TRIPS OF LUNGU TO USA , EUROPE FAR EAST AND WITHIN AFRICA WHICH ALLOWED LUNGU TO CARRY EVEN MUSCIANS ? LUNGU WENT TO AMERICA JUST TO GO AND SHOW AME4ICANS HOW TO DANCE ‘DUNUNA RVERSE’ AND NOTHING ELSE. DANCING A
The greatest failure in our debates in Zambia is not to deal with points raised but we deal in people. What honourable Kampyongo has raised is a valid point. Which HH raised when he was in opposition, and it was valid. It is still valid when HH is head of state. How many trips has HH taken since he became Republican president? what has been the benefit to HHs employers? Surely book launches for his (HH) friends is not one of the benefits to his employers. Why would HH not be questioned like any other previous head of state? If we do not question HH we will be creating a monster that will be difficulty to remove from office in future. After two months of being elected former president Sata was still staying outside the presidential accommodation (State house) and some HH’s hench men…
Cholwe, Kampyongo has not earned that privilege to make such remarks when a few short months ago his boss was doing worse. Its a bit like a former dictator like say Mugabe trying to preach to another leader about democracy. And yes these matters are personal. The messenger does matter as much as the message.