UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema has reiterated his call on the PF government to make a bold decision by immediately declaring hunger a national disaster.
Mr Hichilema says this will help avoid the hunger situation to spin out of control which will result in the unnecessary loss of human life.
He noted that already, 2.3 million Zambians are stressed with 450,000 already declared as living with famine-like conditions and this will just get worse with this situation.
Mr. Hichilema says the famine Early Warning Systems Network has predicted a high probability of below-average rainfall throughout Southern Africa in the 2019/2020 period and has therefore called on Governments, the donor community and partners to expect a typically high food assistance needs throughout 2020.
He said it is already very clear that the start of the 2019/2020 rain season has been erratic with early season deficits which will obviously result in poor crop performance, unlike what the Zambia Meteorologist Department forecasted.
Further, Mr. Hichilema said most scientific studies are suggesting that the Southern African region is the global ‘hotbed’ and epicenter of climate change whose effects will greatly affect food security for prolonged periods.
He said with this evidence, any regional government’s effort to declare the hunger situation a national disaster will certainly receive the much needed international assistance.
“We have on countless times reminded our colleagues in government, that the hunger situation is a crisis that requires the tenacity and fortitude to deal with, by declaring it an emergency. This enables our local and international partners to activate the international instruments for aid to begin to flow into the needy areas”, he added.
Come on, why are you so obsessed with the declaration? You can do something even without it if you want to. Those 25 bags you donated in Bauleni were a good start, but you can do better.
We need to give him a chance in 2021. He can’t do any worse than the current regime.
My name is Mushota chimfwembe. I have a PhD. I’m only 27.
Thanks
BB2014,201)
The only one unconcerned about hunger in Zambia is Edgar Lungu. This man authorized the purchase of luxury jet when citizens are starving. The same guy paid a huge deposit on another jet but was unable to fully pay for it and the Russians ceased the plane. We need $52 million for immediate food purchase and Lungu spends over $100 million on jets! Pathetic. We need to heed the call by the Bishops and HH
Unfortunately the majority of voters…if not all voters dont have access to the internet…so expect Lungu victory in 2021….dont say i didn’t warn you
The experts (FAO) just informed the nation last month that the current hunger situation does NOT warrant declaration of a national disaster. And this freemason should know that you don’t declare a national disaster based on projections/predictions of weather and rainfall patterns. Since you are a doomsayer pray for the disaster to happen, then the government will declare whatever disaster you want. Loser!!
The experts (FAO) just informed the nation last month that the current hunger situation does NOT warrant declaration of a national disaster. And this fre.emason should know that you don’t declare a national disaster based on projections/predictions of weather and rainfall patterns. Since you are a doomsayer pray for the disaster to happen, then the government will declare whatever disaster you want. Loser!!
Where is the guy who asked
“if Zambians will be eating imishino shakwa nyina Lungu” ??
Why not put HH’s view to test? Let the government send people into villages even as mystery visitors under guise of doing domething else. Let them sample a few families and observe wht they eat during meal times. If HH is proved wrong, then Edgar Lungu would be within his rights to tell him to shut up. After all he says he’s president of all of Zambia. Let him take the challenge.
Hasn’t President Hichilema not already declared a national disaster?? After all he tells his backers and his people that he is the Republican President!!!
Please read and carefully understand what the man is telling the government. Dont just comment withour understanding. You cant access international aid which you so much need withour declaring hunger. Stop politicising everything. People are going without food.
hOW CAN HE DONATE WHEN MAIZE AND MMEAL IS DIFFICULT TO COME BY ! START BEING REALISTIC AND START ACCEPTING THAT THIS GOVERNMENT ALLOWED 100’S OF TRUCKS TO LEAVE THIS COUNTRY IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR FILLED WITH MAIZE – MAIZE THAT WAS MEANT FOR THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA !
Where did the PF take the rice donated by India? Please send Bana Dalitso Lungu to India, she is good at bringing left overs in the country.
Privatisation thief must be bold and declare that he did inside trading and is a privatisation thief and a tax evader and has taken money to offshore banks and Paradise Papers were right. Please be bold!
I thought you already declared hunger a mational disaster,you mean sibana nvele,why is it that they have not responded! Bola panshi mudala.
Lol. Dummy presido
The oval headed twit who cried wolf…. Rain so far so good, DMMU on top of things, hunger hit bantustan areas who refuse to pray under control, FAO not declaring hunger disaster….
where is the rain – there is nothing in the southern province you dunderhead. Have you been benifitting from the looting thats going on ? Is that why you fail to condemn the current crisis this country is in ? Crisis due to mismanagement of the economy by those in charge !
We have crisis management, forget.
Mr lungu is not a Leader his a BOSS, his character tells it all, a leader listens even from his enemies but a Boss is arrogant his listen to no-one. Last year this same h2 warned us about the drought and some pf members came out so negative to the extent of asking h2 if his a God…i was so shocked. What we have are business men in government and these guys dont listen to anyone. They have no wisdom.
HE IS A DRUNKARD POMPWE!!!
WE SHARE WHAT IS OBTAINING ON THE GRASS ROOT ON THE INTERNET.
AND 2021 WILL BRING US THIS EVIDENCE.
OOPs stop making noise just grow maize in Luapula,northern,muchinga,northwestern,copper belt,eastern and parts of central province.We have enough land in these provinces.A country can’t suffer.If PF govt is serious ZNS should be deployed in these provinces and grow maize to feed the nation.Southern,lusaka,parts of central,western can’t make us declare a national disaster.
Hunger and relief food is only considered when it affects rural areas and thats wrong.
We have many families that are starving due to lack of payments to contractors and suppliers by ZNS, army , ZAF , Mines, GRZ.. for years.
There must be a way for such families to be assited by DMMU until their dues are paid . Hunger in rural ares is no differerent from hunger in urban areas.
Just a suggestion!
I fail to understand why HH wants the food crisis declared a National Disaster, and it seems his only source of data is FEWS NET which contradicts data from FAO, WFP and our very own DMMU.
In any case, the PF being a govt of thieves doesn’t he think they stand to benefit the most if ECL and govt declare it a National Disaster (since they will have plenty more to steal)?
This is petty politics from HH. As a citizen of this country I think it’s only right to question HH’s political motive over this.
A Dokowe naimwe, it is abundantly clear from well researched data that Southern Africa is one of the regions in the world where climatic change effects will be heavily felt.
You are embarrassing Tumbukas whose education profile is generally high in Zambia.
Dokowe, can you reproduce the data FAO, WFP and DMMU is using to suggest that there is no need to declare hunger a national disaster in Zambia? In case the food which will be donated will be stolen by PF and used by DMMU for political patronage purposes, serious people will keep the evidence. HH and others who are requesting the government to declare hunger a national disaster have already done their work. The consequences of having hungry people in Zambia will remain a stain in PF’s wardrobe!!
The question is “would he do it if he were president?” Was the government elected to resign and declare a national disaster whenever the country is faced with a crisis or don’t they have a mandate to find workable and lasting solutions?
I don’t see constructive criticism is this opposition party. What I see is systematic antagonism at the expense of national peace and prosperity.
In the spirit of national unity, I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a blessed start into the new year! God bless our beloved Zambia!
Nine Chale, what is antagonistic about requesting the government to declare hunger a national disaster? The government was also elected to ensure that none of its citizens are affected with hunger and starvation. There can be no meaningful national peace and prosperity when about 2.3 million people face hunger in the country. Why should hungry people be asked the question ‘ would he do it if he were the president?’
Any hungry Zambian would be annoyed with any president ( current or prospective) who refuses to declare a hunger disaster when millions of his/her citizens are starving. A number of affected hungry people will not even be able to celebrate the Merry Christmas.
All Lungu cares about is his own image he doesn’t care about the people suffering. If lungu declares hunger a disaster he fears UPND will say we told you and use it as a campaign ploy. Lungu will wait to act until it’s late and many are affected adversely already.
Astonishing that some people here choose to criticize HH – only because it’s him saying it. Hunger is quite widespread and there is nothing wrong in declaring it an emergency. Chaps here with full bellies from ECL’s trough are burying their dull heads in the sand and playing politics with other peoples lives. As usual, you and your masters is to wait and react rather than be proactive. A certain number of people must die first, before you raise your dunderheads with uninformed suggestions or a defence of the indefensible. Pathetic characters!
A child uses a spoon.A man uses a fork.Peter Carlos Hinds.
Lungu.(1)You have been weighted in the balances and found wanting.(2)God has numbered your kingdom and ended it.(3)your kingdom is divided between the Medes and the Persians.Peter Carlos Hinds.
FAKA PRESSURE HH. AM BEGINNING TO LIKE THIS GUY IN THE OPPOSITION ONLY. NOT FOR STATE HOUSE. THE MORE NOISE HE MAKES, THE MORE THE PF IS KEPT ON THEIR TOES DELIVERING.