It is government’s responsibility to tackle joblessness, the high cost of living, poverty and hunger in the county by implementing economic policies that benefit communities, says UPND President Hakainde Hichilema.
Speaking when he addressed meetings in Malambo Constituency in Mambwe District of Eastern Province yesterday, Mr. Hichilema also called on citizens to actively play a role in the governance of the country by choosing capable leaders with a clear vision on wealth and employment creation.
The UPND leader, who spoke in local languages drumming-up support for Malambo Constituency candidate Peter Phiri, said Zambians were one united and peaceful people that should not be cheated by selfish politicians that were bent on dividing the nation.
He reiterated his love for all citizens regardless of where they came from and emphasised that his mission was purely to apply his skills in the resource creation and management of the country’s economy.
“Other than failing to generate resources locally and resorting to borrowing, we seriously lack priorities as a country. And as citizens we are also partly to blame because we don’t look at quality leadership but resort to choosing people based on lies that have been told about others. It is time we stop listening to sentiments that divide us as one people,” Mr. Hichilema said.
The UPND leader said farmers across the country were suffering partly because of the leadership choices that have been made.
“Our children are not going to school here in Malambo. The PF government are not buying your crops and other agricultural produce here. But they expect you to enter expensive shops and send our children to schools. The situation is not different anywhere I have been in various parts of the country. The political choices you make here affects everyone in the country as we go to same shops, schools, universities, and look for jobs from the same companies, hence my humble prayer that you consider putting Peter Phiri our candidate here in Malambo as part of the March towards better leadership in 2016,” Mr. Hichilema said.
He said the poor water and sanitation situation obtaining in Malambo and other rural settings were unacceptable especially with a PF government that was borrowing and spending lavishly on motor vehicles, travelling abroad and getting allowances at the expense of supporting and promptly paying farmers so that they can live a decent life.
Mr. Hichilema and his entourage concluded campaigns in Malambo Constituency yesterday and arrived in Petauke late last night after making stopovers in Sinda Constituency where they thanked the UPND team and the people in that area for the victory in the January elections.
The UPND leader called on the leadership to closely work with Sinda Constituency area Member of Parliament Levy Ngoma who he described as hardworking.
He also encouraged them to recruit and embrace new members in the area.
This is where have always gone wrong in the country, thinking everything is the govt to do. What is the responsibility of the citizenry anyway? As much as I like HH, I beg to differ with his statement that it is the sole responsibility of govt to improve the living the conditions and creating jobs. As much as govt employs a huge chunk of the populous, it is a far fetched to think they can employ everyone. No wonder there is what is called the private sector. Let us not get this desperate and end up saying things that we ourselves do not agree with.
Please explain HOW? With a raising population, low tax receipts, little direct foreign investment, depressed economic activity and rampart corruption – HOW will the Government “tackle the high cost of living and high unemployment”?
Come on guys. HH did not say “sole” responsibility. He says its govt’s responsibility to create an enabling environment for socio and economic growth. Thats what all decent governments do – to create an environment to all to prosper.
If government is borrowing reckless resulting in high interest rates and devalued exchanges rates, private sector will not thrive; agriculture will do down; social services will not be provided to the poor who need it most. In Europe, private sector thrives precisely because the macro-economic and fiscal environment is sound. Any business will thrive. In Zambia, you only thrive if you are a PF cadre or somehow linked to the PF government…
Wake up Zambia! We can be better with a thinking and focused leadership!
You are right. KK created ZIMCO and its off shoots in order to increase job opportunities. These entities became a drain on the countries resources as they were not making profits and GRZ had to come to their rescue every month. ZCCM created Mulungushi investments with a view to make the company independent at some point. But as soon as ZCCM collapsed Mulungushi and such companies dis appeared. Let HH explain how the government can create jobs. It shouldn’t be a personal secret. We also to blame as citizens. You should have seen how ZCBC and NIEC were run down by employee pilfering. Even now FRA is financing employees’ luxurious lives through pilfering. If these companies can make profit, more jobs can be created. Lets not be partisan on this matter.
HH didn’t say SOLE responsibility. He said It is government’s responsibility to tackle joblessness, the high cost of living, poverty and hunger in the county by implementing economic policies that benefit communities, says UPND President Hakainde Hichilema.
Governments control economies implementing economic policies. Jobs can be created by implementing certain policies, the same with inflation, cost of living, education and many other things.
Please let us be mindful when commenting to save ourselves from the embarrassment of exposing our lack of reasoning.
Gov’t will indirectly create employment if they reduce the cost of doing business. If the govt borrows alot from local banks, local business will have a hard time securing finance. If govt borrows to finance operations and buying vehicles, how do u suppose they will payback??? Increasing taxes right? Increasing cost of doing business. Business will not employ will they???
Ask Lungu what the unemployment rate is and what he is doing to reduce this rate, I can assure you he will not have an answer or solution to this problem. That’s the sort of danger we in with this government
For those that think the unemployment rate not government’s responsibility, please take a look at America. Every month the unemployment rate is released to the American public and Obama’s administration has to explain the rise and fall in this rate and what they have done/are doing to control this rate through policies that enable employment.
This example is a sign of a responsible, accountable government that is always put to task. We should demand no less from the Zambian PF Lungu government as the employment metric is their responsibility to manage.
I think you have misunderstood HH here. He is not saying that the government must employ people or open up businesses to employ people. HH is saying that the government must come up with economic policies that would create jobs. It is ofcourse the government’s responsibility to create a conducive environment for small to medium enterprises to flourish as well as developing necessary infrastructure to support small business. How do you go into Agro-processing or mineral beneficiation when the government cant provide you with electricity?
@Nombanishi
Did HH say it was Govt SOLE responsibility to tackle joblessness? Why do you deliberately chose to misunderstand HH statements? What is
Tell me what is wrong with this statement?
“It is government’s responsibility to tackle joblessness, the high cost of living, poverty and hunger in the county by implementing economic policies that benefit communities”
@1.9 Point. Well spoken.
I was about to quote the same statement and ask @1. Nombanishi the exact same question. Now, lets wait and see his reply if it will be objective or subjective.
HH you are the biggest hypocritical politician in Zambia.
You stole a lot of money that could have gone to the very young people you are preaching to, during the privatisation of the mines.
You wonder why you keep trying going to State House and keep being rejected. The curse is on you.
You and Edith Nawakwi should spare Zambia the insults.
We are working on you, cause no truth hides forever.
We shall shoe Zambia who the real HH is all about.
HH is best suited to be a village headman not a State President.
@Nombanishi I disagree with you.How do you expect to develop at personal level if you have not been educated?or how can live in good health so that you contribute to national development if you have no health facilities and medicine in your area.How are going to conduct business if the interest rates are high in local Banks? Answer me.Houz duty is to provide these services if not Government?In short it is the duty of Government to provide a condusive environment for citizens to prosper in their individual capacities. Am not saying that people should wait for hand outs but Government should provide a conducive environment for people to prosper.
So just because of the ”sole”, you have all gotten excited to think Nonbanishi misunderstood what Hakainde said, well let me ask you this question, why did he not mention other potential employer if there are any? You must remember that he HH is trying to create an impression that only govt must create employment and this they have failed. So he is basically saying he can do that which the govt has failed to do, he is asking for votes. There is nothing sinister about what nombanishi has pointed out, he just went further period. There are other employers in Zambia, it is just a pity that everything that is wrong in the country is blamed at the govt. The environment in Zambia is good for business and job creation, the problem is that we are lazy and we all want to go to state house.
@Nombanishi. All prosperous economies in this world are due to sound predictable policies, incentives and attractive investment environments put in by their respective governments. No one will risk their investment in an environment which is not conducive. With all due respect sir, your reasoning on this matter is questionable.
The fore going comments, 1 through 1.15, exposes two groups of thinkers (alert/smart and dull/short sighted). One sees a larger picture and puts into perspective what HH is driving at, while the other wants to think simple and is twisting HH’s message the way they want it to be understood, guess they also are the spoon fed class! Who really wishes to build hope for better with the second group?
This is the required leadership. Not these visionless globe trotters
Ya ya H.H…..but first hold on. Is it also govt responsibility to pay gratuity to your former workers who u refused to pay??? please answer coz I have failed to get it from you
You can file a complaint with the courts. But as usual you are just a hater. Grow up.
2.2 visionless….. We don’t blog from without. Does H.H need to court to compile him to pay wat is due. Just in case you think its lies. these are dues from Grant Thornton. Hater no but maybe pissed for not having my money yes
Yes he does. You go to court if you have a case. Since you are not even bothering to take him to court its obvious that you are just day dreaming.
Twende, HH was the managing Partner in Grant Thorton and not the owner and that is why right now there is another Managing Partner. It does not belong to HH which means the current MP should be the one dealing with sorting out gratuity. Do you understand or maybe am a bit too fast? Kaili brains are not a strong point of PF chaps.
Government is there to provide an enabling environment. The rest is up to the individual. Imagine this guy who was interviewed on Icengelo’s Ululumbi Lwa Mulanda. This guy was complaining a bout lack of employment. He was already drunk early in the morning and when asked how come he was drunk so early in the morning: his answer was- ABALUSE BA CIMPELAKO KA 20 KWACHA.
No comment, ine nalinaka nokulanda
IF EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU IS NOT SCARED OF LOSING THE 2016 POLLS WHY IS HE SKIRMING TO DELAY THE ELECTIONS TO 2020?THE FACT IS THE WIND OF CHANGE IS BLOWING SERIOUSLY ACROSS ZAMBIA STARTING WITH THE EAST.CHAGWA AND HIS MINIONS HAVE TRIED ALL THE TRICKS IN THE BOOK TO RIG THE 2016 ELECTION ( BY STARTING TO REGISTER NRCS IN HIS STRONGHOOD BUT HIS BEEN TOLD THERE NOLONGER A STRONGHOOLD FOR HIM AS NOTHERN,LUAPULA,COPPERBELT HAVE TURNED AGST HIM FOR EMBRESSING RUPIA AND SIDLINING THE TRUE PF) COME 2016 CHAGWA AND HIS GODFATHER RUPIA KUBEBELE.
Where do you get such wrong information about delaying elections? Oh I forgot, you are still a keen follower of the pathetic ZWD…damn!
1diot, check the High Court list of proceedings pathetic Paid F**l 1mbecile
Aba nabo…i think nomba ba yamba uku pena
During ZCCM days even napkins were provided by the mines as if the company was responsible for the birth.
Mr. Hichilema in the same breath please avail an enabling enviroment for your workers at your farms and in the companies where you have interests, by paying them decent wages and service charges. Then from that point we can discuss sir. Bottom line, all Politicians are liars!
At least HH employs, unlike some of these fools who together with their relatives survive on government tenders and stealing. We need leaders like HH who are capable of creating jobs. Imagine how many people he would employ if this foolish government had a vision to implement good economic policies. Don’t just hate HH for nothing. How many people do you employ yourself? Probably your garden boy, maid, cleaning boy are all your orphaned relatives who work for NSHIMA
@8. Your name and your comment match.
@*****, as you name suggest you are indeed an***.you should learn to live in the present and not in the past. Edgar is dead scared to lose the 2016 polls to HH as the current wind of change shows hence desparately trying by all means to cancel the 2016 elections.
In Bemba they say “Ichikwanka bachimwena ku mapalanya”. You can tell what will save you by its characteristics. The characteristics of HH are
1. Greed. This man’s riches are from privatization of public resources. He does not pay his workers well if at all.
2. Tribalism. He because UPND leader saying and I quote “only a Tonga can rule UPND”.
3. Opportunist even wishing siting presidents death.
4. Bitterness, hatred and malice as it can be seen by his mouth piece ZWD.
5. None Christian Freemason
6. Does HH have a wife or children?
HH, you were busy privatizing companies and you benefited a lot. You caused retrenchments and depressions to the citizens of Zambia. So you think you can fool us again. Just concentrate on your stolen money.
Thats why he wil never rule this country because of the wrong way of atticulating issues.
HH should read 1 Corinthians 13:11. It says “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me”.
@pungwa, how else do u want him to articulate his point. The PF government is the custodian of all the economic indicators including employment. There is no one else who is answerable for this but PF.
There is no other way of putting this point across
@8.1 I think my comment has touched your raw nerve. Look at yourself in the mirror and try to figure out how you manage to sleep at night. With people like you Zambia is really doomed. I am luck I got a better education that enabled me to leave this pathetic country
your friend(hh) Buari in Nigeria is saying his government is bankrapt but he was busy saying i want to change or improve the economy.He is now giving an excuse to say there is no money in the central bank.According to him money was there before elections but today he is saying there is completely nothing.These are types of leaders who want to rule us.This is not different from hh he can do the same to us just to cover up his failures.all what is needed is proper planning not just winning elections.Thats why with such unreasonable thinking he can never go any where.
Very good example. I remember Chiluba accusing the Unip government of bankrupting the national treasury. He sang the same song for the 10 years he was President.
Being a land locked country we have more challenges in attracting investment. Angola is a virtual dictatorship, but it will always do better than Zambia due to its proximity to the sea. So it is irrelevant to compare Zambia to Tanzania, Mozambique etc. Our mission should be how to find a way to be competitive. No politics here. Those with practical ideas should come forward not theories please.
Botswana and other European countries are landlocked. What is your point?
Ndaje i like ur reasoning!!!what I find baffling about Zambian’s and especially opposition leaders is always blaming the government instead of offering solutions.Simply saying if u vote for me then all these your problems will go away is a fallacy!!! 1. HH is not God!!Only God is that powerful!! 2. Economic problems are complex and in most cases require a unity of purpose by the citizenry and longer planning periods to be resolved.In that period there are times when u have to invest and then a time of reaping will come later,sometimes much later therefore calling for sacrifice.So quality number 1 of true leader is ability to unite a nation coz no matter what economic magic u wanna implement,the majority of the citizenry will have to go with it or else that strategy will fail.
@1.9 Point. Well spoken.
I was about to quote the same statement and ask @1. Nombanishi the exact same question. Now, lets wait and see his reply if it will be objective or subjective.
No argument about it, govt has the responsibility to look after its citizens: providing water, sanitation, education, health, employment etc. Some of these are rights and are in the draft constitution. That is why govt does not want the constitution now.
Govt can provide these things by growing the economy and making funds available for human development. If in doubt, check PF manifesto for 2 examples:
page 8:
1 (b) Re-introduce free and compulsory education for all (that is from grade one to grade twelve), taking care to control the “unofficial” fee collections that have proliferated under the MMD’s version of free education;
page 12
1 (c) Provide a bursary scheme for tertiary education for all pupils who qualify to public institutions of higher learning;
even water? In abundance of water, a fu is thirsty.
@id!ot! Chipimo on UNZA radio also mentioned about action to delay 2016 elections by PF being in court
Lungu is very smart and calculating. Ask Miles Sampa. The same way he dribbled Miles Sampa out of the PF presidency is the same way he wants to dribble the opposition by postponing the elections to 2020. This time he is using other people to do the dirty work for him even though he is behind the petition.
@ chils, don’t mind these pf cadres the don’t have any more points to rise against our incoming president (HH).
Tingatemwe ngako ngati ah HH bangawele kuza kulya naseo vitumbuwa nthawi isali ya ma vote. Pakuti kulya naseo nthawi yo vota ni chobevwa kuziba ngati otitemwa seo olo otemwa ma voti yasu tyala. Ah uzheni mweo muziba chizungu.
President Lungu is a well respected citizen who has even been well received in Western and North western where UP and DOWN used to play cheap politics.He cant postpone elections.Thats propaganda by Cow dung supporters.
Indeed govt has the responsibility to create employment and also ensure that all citizens including hh are protected through public order act. Why do you then deny that POA is not govt’s responsibility?
HH simple advice to you;
1. You are a successful businessman who should not wedge war with the govt because they will just finish you
2. stick to your business. To be wealthy is no qualification to become president.
3. People encouraging you in politics just want to ride on you and eat you money
4. Zambians cant vote for you to be president not because of tribe but that you don’t have what it takes to be president.
5. Remain a businessman and retain your dignity and people will respect you for that and emulate your style of life.
But tawakwat mani zoona
It is the responsibility of Opposition Party’s to work in harmony with the Gov’t, especially when everyone in Zambia knows we are in a pickle because foreign investors supported by ?Western Gov’ts are he’ll bent to denude us of all our natural resources for a song and if we are lucky, maybe even a dance! All paid by us while they take the fat of the land off to aid the growth of their economies.
Now, Chipimo, Nawakwi and their much criticised PF have all colluded to the agenda of the ‘investors,’ in Mines. The so called ‘win win’ solution is pathetic and is the cause of our borrowing. We heard you HH say you would sell everything to investors in the last election. We are simply not stupid enough to buy into a sickly approach to be cheated by selfish Opposition politicians…
I am listening to a live debate of Parliament on bill to allow government borrow more money. My interest is not to borrow or not. My interest is the question on what happened to the eurobond money given to zambia railways. Did government misapply it or did management steal it? Please Mr. Chikwanda clarify this for the sake of good corporate governance “
One of the sickest people on this sight is spongy Bob and his comments on 18 are a case in point. His dislike for HH generated by fear of the UPND strongman ascending to the highest office in the land has reached paranoia levels.
@spongy Bob
This type of ranting , is a clear indication that HH is definitely the next president of Zambia.
PM so what can you learn from these countries is exactly my point
It’s no use saying they are land without knowing their secret of success
Borrowing from peter to pay paul and expecting future generations of Zambian taxpayers to foot the bill should be a crime.
I think the argument can be made that this is all odious debt, and should never be repaid. Screw the IMF.