Former Democratic Party (DP) leader Harry Kalaba has been appointed and installed as President of a new political party called Citizens First (CP).

Mr. Kalaba, the former Foreign Affairs Minister, last July resigned from DP after internal wrangles over the party presidency.

During a briefing at Southern Sun Hotel in Lusaka on Wednesday morning, Mr. Kalaba said he has accepted to lead CP as President after his efforts to register a political party called Liberty was allegedly frustrated by President Hakainde Hichilema.

In his speech, Mr. Kalaba said President Hichilema should focus on addressing the many challenges that the people of Zambia are faced with rather than fighting him.

“You will recall that I applied to the Registrar of Societies for the formation of the Liberty Party. It was brought to my attention that the Republican President had taken keen interest in my application and instructions were given from his office to ensure that all efforts are made to delay the approval of the Liberty Party until at least a few years before elections. It is sad that while the President has gone around the world parading himself as the restorer of peace and democracy in Zambia, the evidence on the ground however is pointing in the opposite direction. Sooner rather than later these lies will be exposed and made bare for all to see someone for who they really are,” Mr. Kalaba said.

“While a few elements within the state machinery were busy trying to frustrate the cause of the Liberty Party, the Citizens First Party was formed and its leadership has appointed me to be its President and torch bearer. I have wholeheartedly accepted this responsibility and trust that we will work together with the leadership of the CFP and other opposition political party leaders to ensure that we address the challenges the country is currently faced with,” he said.

Mr. Kalaba called for unity of purpose among Zambians to fight various challenges affecting the nation.

“It is my prayer that if there is anything this announcement will accomplish; it is to send a message to the Citizens out there that help is on the way. Help is on the Way! That help will not just come from Harry Kalaba alone, but when all these leaders here present put their collective effort and wisdom together we will certainly correct the course of this nation and bring us back to the path of productivity. We will be able to arrest the subjective fight against graft that has characterized the current government while they continue to abuse national resources. We will be able to assure youths that they do not need to change their name or use their middle name to get employed. We will be able to reassure them that it is ok to trust but they need to trust the right people who will not betray them and sell them off along with national assets to the highest foreign bidder. We will be able to assure the mother that their dignity will be restored, all they need to do is wait a little while longer, help is on the way. 2026 may seem far off, but the journey has to start now,” Mr. Kalaba said.

He said it was awkward that after 58 years of independence, the majority of Zambians are still wallowing in abject poverty and can barely afford one meal a day.

“It is embarrassing that after 58 years of independence, the majority of our people are still wallowing in abject poverty and can barely afford one meal a day. The price of essential commodities continues to rise at an alarming rate and are beyond the reach of most Zambians and yet those in leadership seem to be preoccupied with the quest of driving a tribal or regional wedge in order to further divide the nation while creating opportunities for foreign interest at the expense of the majority Zambians. Never before has Zambia been this polarized,” he noted.

“Finally, I want to call upon well-meaning Zambians to join our movement as we seek to work together with all political players, civic leaders, the church, the madrasa’s, the civil servants, the youths who were fed a lie during the 2021 elections, the farmers who were promised timely delivery of inputs, the retired officers who were used and abandoned and all men and women of goodwill to join us so that we can sing an anthem of unity together as one as we set ourselves on that path to restore and live the One Zambia One Nation Moto. I thank you and God Bless You and God Bless the Republic of Zambia,” Mr. Kalaba said.

Opposition political party leaders that attended the briefing included Wynter Kabimba of Economic Front, New Heritage Party’s Chishala Kateka, Sean Tembo of PeP and Chilufya Tayali of Economic and Equity Party.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kalaba predicted that 2023 shall bring with it serious hardship through price hikes following the removal of subsidies on fuel at the end of the year.

“As I take up the mantle of leadership of the CFP, I would like to remind the Republican President and P.S Matembo to focus on addressing the many challenges that the people of Zambia are faced with rather than fighting Harry Kalaba. The challenge this country is faced with is greater than Harry Kalaba. As you can see by the people present today, we in the opposition have come to realize that there is more that unites us than that which divides us. We are therefore seeking to have a common ground through which we shall address all manners of political vices and challenges with civility and unity of purpose. I accept the honor bestowed upon me as President of the Citizens First Party and I want to call upon the people of Zambia to seek hope in the face of despair. I also want us to remind ourselves that we need to brace ourselves as we get into 2023 which shall bring with it serious hardship through price hikes following the removal of subsidies on fuel at the end of the year, but do not despair, let’s be more united than ever before and through unity of purpose we shall overcome all the challenges,” Mr. Kalaba said.

Patriots for Economic Progress – PeP President Sean Tembo says President Hakainde Hichilema is the most fake president that Zambia has ever had, as he always tries to project a false image that his government is performing well, and yet it is a total disaster.

Mr Tembo explained that the recent revelation that about half of the newly recruited teachers have not been paid their salaries for three (3) months now, adds to the long list of people who have provided goods or services to Hakainde’s Government and have not been paid.

He added that the farmers who sold their maize to the Government through the Food Reserve Agency – FRA have not been paid.

“This includes his praise singers who are always in our inbox with messages of “tikambilenkoni”,” Mr Tembo said

Mr Tembo mentioned that the youths who were employed as Enumerators by the Government through Zambia Statistics Agency – Zamstats during the just ended census exercise have still not been paid.

“It’s been two (2) months now but the Government keeps on changing its statement on this matter, monga nimukazi wamene bagwila uhule,” he stated

He noted that the athletes who represented the country during the commonwealth games a few months ago were never paid their allowances, instead, the Ministry of Youth and Sport Permanent Secretary, Kangwa Chileshe decided to insult them by telling them that they can be replaced anytime.

“The DSA allowances we are talking about was just about $300 per night, the entire UPND Government has the foul language of a Kachasu Brewer. competing namanyozo with us in the opposition,” Mr Tembo noted

Mr Tembo disclosed that all suppliers who were owed by the Government when UPND took over, have not been paid a single Ngwee, under the pretext that they are still being audited and Hakainde does not understand that there has to be continuity of Government despite changes in administrations, and the business community needs to have confidence that the Government of the Republic of Zambia will honor its financial obligations regardless of who the President is.

He further disclosed that as the biggest player in any economy, the business practices of a Government has a direct impact on the economy, here in Zambia, everyone now know that Hakainde’s Government doesn’t like to pay nkongole (credit), even to small creditors like peasant farmers, youths who conducted the census, athletes who represented the country at commonwealth games etcetera.

“Indeed, Hakainde Hichilema is the equivalent of a father who is always smartly dressed to the public and smelling of expensive perfume but ninshi kunyuma akangiwa kugula unga mambala,” Mr Tembo said

Mine unions have called for the actualization of the planned improved conditions of service for miners and sector-based minimum wage. The Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) and the National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) want proper salaries for miners to meet current economic trends.

NUMAW President Saul Simujika said the sector-based minimum wage must be actualized for workers to benefit from the initiative. Mr Simujika said the move by the government to introduce a sector-based minimum wage should be commended as sectors differ in the manner they operate.

He added that employers have been taking advantage of the situation of not having sector-based minimum wage by giving employees meagre wages. Mr Simujika emphasised that miners deserve good pay because their occupation is not easy.

“We know ourselves as miners very well. We know the kind of work that we do as miners and we know what we pass through. So we feel that putting us together with everyone else in terms of minimum wage was not sitting well with us and we know that some of the mining companies have taken advantage of the lack of minimum wage in the mining sector. Immediately they pay above the minimum wage they feel they have done justice. So we need to have a figure that is well reserved for the person who goes underground. You know that underground work is something else. It is not equal to these other jobs so the minimum in terms of lowest to be paid in the mining industry must actually be uplifted and uplifted very well,” Mr. Simujika said.

Meanwhile, MUZ President Josep Chewe has also advocated improved conditions of service for workers in the mining sector. Mr Chewe proposed that the least paid worker in the mining sector should be getting K5, 000.

“MUZ is currently interacting with various stakeholders in policy formulation to help us begin to represent workers in the artisanal small-scale mining sector. Secondly, wages in the mines have constantly lagged behind increases in the cost of living. Whereas the cost of living for Copperbelt is around K8000, the lowest-paid directly employed mineworker gets about K4000. We have a poor working class in the end. Workers have tried to compensate for their low wages by borrowing from banks. However, the abnormal interest rates charged by banks erode the workers’ net pay pushing them into a debt spiral.”

“When they are retrenched, banks get their retrenchment packages as loan repayment, sending the worker and his family into unemployment with nothing to live on. This is heartless. Government should intervene to protect workers against abnormal interests and retrenchment packages for the poor mineworkers. For the non-unionised workers, MUZ suggests that the government imposes K5000 as the minimum wage for the least qualified mineworkers because these workers operate under very dangerous conditions,” Mr. Chewe said.

Mr. Chewe said MUZ was assuring members of effective representation during the bargaining process.

“In the last four years collective bargaining has been given the utmost importance being the backbone of trade unionism. We ensured that all collective bargaining meetings were effectively undertaken and officials were assigned to each meeting. The demand for better wages and conditions of service is still high amongst our members owing to the fact that wages in the mining sector are low. Miners cannot meet their families daily needs without loans. However, MUZ faced challenges in securing increased wages due to declining profits amidst the covid-19 pandemic. Also, bargaining with subcontractors was extremely challenging due to the poor contracts they are offered. Nonetheless, MUZ still managed to secure some increases despite the rapid inflation which undermined the bargaining power of these wages,” Mr. Chewe said.