Opposition UPND President Hakainde Hichilema was disheartened yesterday when he was informed that Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba has turned the former Mansa batteries industry into a shopping mall in a province without any industry.Mr.Hichilema said it was better to either revamp the plant to what it was or setup another industry such as fish and meat canning. This would create decent jobs for the locals especially youths.The UPND leader was speaking in Mansa, Luapula Province yesterday, where he addressed various forums thanking the people of Luapula Province for the votes he got in the January elections.
Mr. Hichilema said there was plenty of alternative land in Mansa where Mr. Kalaba would have put the mall than getting and destroying the battery factory.
“This is what I mean when I plead that we put our heads together and debate real issues of attracting investment in areas such as Luapula Province which has all these massive water bodies not found in many parts of Zambia and indeed the world. We must devise ways of attracting investment and revamp dead industries such as the battery factory or even attracting investment for another manufacturing plant such as meat and fish canning industry for supplying to neighbouring countries such as Democratic Republic of Congo and others”, Mr. Hichilema who spoke in Bemba throughout, told crowd.
The UPND leader told the local UPND officials that he was receiving very encouraging reports on the growth of the party in the province and promised to fully support their efforts.
“(Edgar) Lungu got majority of the votes from places like Luapula Province but he has not bothered to come and thank people for the votes. Instead he has been in the air half the time globetrotting without attracting any tangible investments for areas such as Luapula. Now that I have come here you will also see him coming just to beg for votes yet I have come to thank you and look for investment opportunities”, he said.
Mr Hichilema reiterated that no one was creating another country away from Zambia as he denounced tribal talk bent on dividing the peaceful and united people of Zambia as being petty and trivial politics taking space at the expense of serious national issues that are affecting the entire nation currently.
“Zambians from all over are currently married and residing in all parts of the country. This means in the bedrooms we are one, in churches we are one, in schools we are one, in hospitals, shops, bars, restaurants, and everywhere we are one. But I wonder why we want to be different when it comes to politics. Voting for quality leadership that means well in wanting to develop the entire country should not divide people”, he said.
The UPND leader who upon arrival toured, UB, Senama, and Kapwena Market in Mwenda village and Kabuta village where he joined women in pounding cassava and drawing water from a well, promised to look for land in the area to put up a cattle ranch so as to share what he termed as his ‘proudly kachema skills’.
Mr. Hichilema, who later in the evening addressed a fundraising braii that was attended by some high profile business people and UPND party officials, told them to go flat out and do more to recruit more members to the UPND ahead of 2016 elections.
The UPND leader challenged the UPND leadership to embrace new members and make the province the hub of party activities.
He also urged them to look for quality candidates at all levels ahead of 2016 elections who won’t forget the people that elect them.
I cannot believe this joke. When did Mansa batteries close? who was part of privatization that lead to these Industries including Livingstone Motor Vehicles Assemblies? Go thank people in Southern province who voted for you and explain the Industries . When HH had an opportunity to save the Industries, what did he do?
Why should HH thank the people of Southern Province only. He is here to thank us who voted for him no matter the number. We should clearly look at this issue of Malls. Does Zambia really need Malls as opposed to Manufacturing Industries.I think that is the question HH is asking.
Get a life and Move on.
HoooHooo is at it again..he was [art and parcel of the close of mansa batteries and many other parastatals only deceitful and bitter s.atantists the likes of the birdbrain and ex mental patient wanzelu will believe their uncle HoooHooo’s continued babbling otherwise everyone else knows HoooHooo is such a sore loser and a perpetual reject to the Zambian electorate!
Nomba ni El2016
@Permalink: You are such a narrow minded tribalistic *****. HH never privatised any industry in Zambia. It was the MMD decision to privatise. Yes HH was with the company that carried out the privatisation process on behalf of MMD government. The process was clearly spelt out in the Terms of Reference as prescribed by MMD. HH never set the prices, the bidders offered and the government accepted. Fools like you should take time to understand how these things are done. No wonder you are turning factories into shopping malls.
This is the problem with PF cadres- they can not think beyond the govt bribes and scholarships they are being corrupted with will shamelessly defend this failed govt at the expense of the whole country!
Decisions to sell or discard non performing assets were made by Chiluba’s MMD. Everything started and ended with the MMD Govt. Remember privatisation was a result of excessive govt borrowing and poor management? And looking at the way this country is being managed, we are going to go through a similar bitter episode.
Learn to appreciate quality leadership.
HH you criminal!!!
Such a cheap and petty criminal!!!
HH you oversaw privatisation and today you want to pretend as though you spared Mansa batteries?
You big liar you!!!
Us in Luapula like leaders who eat with us. People turned to PF because of Sata’s behavior of eating mangoes and smoking kaponda with locals.
Now it is HH who has found it appropriate to eat without a side plate. And we thank Harry Kalaba to join UPND.
My brother you are right.This same ***** sold Mansa batteries at an undervalue and he comes today to tell the nation his lies and he thinks people will listen to him. Let him pay and return the money to the Zambian people that is when we are going to vote for him.
HH is a president for all people. He is interested in empowering people to make it like he did. This man is genuine. If had stolen anything during MMD ‘s privatisation programme I dont think, people like Mwanawasa, Banda , Sata and now Lungu would have spared him in jail.
Why has he not been arrested if what these PF 1diots are accusing him to have done is true? He has on many occassions challenged any one who believes that he stole to take him to court instead of just ranting when they hear that his message makes a lot of sense and is well received by people all over Zambia.
HH is the man who will unite Zambia because of his sensible and practical policies. The man has what Zambia needs to rise above mediocrity and the mess created by PF and its thugs.
HH means what he says…
We thank you President HH
too be honest HH has spoken sense after a long time.
@ KCi and cohorts. Let it be known to you that HH didnt privatise any company. MMD in their wisdom decided to do that and engaged Grant Thornton as one of the companies to spearhead the valuation of the companies such as Mansa Batteries. Therefore, let us speak from a point of knowledge and not mislead others that HH privatised any company.
Zambians get excited with stupid things. Malls will not generate jobs without local industries. why should we import batteries when they can be manufactured locally?
We should learn to ask realistic questions that should benefit local communities. I can not believe that even simple stupid goods in Pick & Pay, Shoprite and many other South African companies are all imported.
Let the Government start thinking of improving local industries than getting so excited with useless malls.
HH is right and its high time we reversed the trend.
Go HH, say no more, say no more!!
Thank you Harry Kalaba and Dr. Chilufya to join UPND, lets have by-elections !!
Continue entrusting your hope for change with pipo like pretorious haloba, David diangamo, Muna hantuba, costen Simamba as advisors and campaign strategists you will be buried again in 2016 wina a zalila
We must devise ways of attracting investment and revamp dead industries such as the battery factory or even attracting investment for another manufacturing plant such as meat and fish canning industry for supplying to neighbouring countries such as Democratic Republic of Congo and others”, Mr. Hichilema who spoke in fluent Bemba and Aushi throughout, told crowd.
What a shame that this PF government can turn a factory into a shopping mall, when Africa is trying very hard to move towards industrialization and improve on capacity to locally manufacture goods. Seeing that the main raw material used in battery manufacturing in manganese, which is abundant in that area makes this reading such a heart rendering experience. What sort of leaders do we have? After 50 years we still have leaders with such low intelligence. Awe sure.
The UPND leader challenged the UPND leadership to embrace new members and make the province the hub of UPND party activities.
there will only be one micheal chilufya sata ,no matter how hard one might try to copy and paste his political tactics,that person is bound to fail…. one michael man of action ,RIP
I think HH is too intelligent to copy uncultured and dictators lik late MCS. Don’t you think MCS eroded the error of planning, brought in budget deficits, enhanced corruption(how come road costruction prices are the highest in the world in Zambia) and encouraged tribalism which EL is being following just to get votes.
To me it was breath of fresh air the guy went, but has left more complicatiion for the young man EL, who cant really know what vision he left behind.
Get a life move on
I don’t know which part of the uncivilized part of Zambia or world you come from. Saying thank you has been there as long as humanity. It did not come with that foolish man “SATA” My His Soul Forever Burn In Hell (MHSFBIH)
I for one offer a great sigh of relief knowing that there will only ever be 1 Micheal Chilufya Sata! One Micheal Sata was one too many after all!
I would not want be Sata anyway. His party is dying after his death. That is a sign of bad leadership. No one want to be like him
That same sata was the worst thing to happen to zambia. He shud not have been born.
That’s it mr incoming president. The 2016 elections will be tough but I see you wining because of the following :
1 Zesco blackouts
2 poor economy caused by no one else apart from chagwa
3 bloated cabinet
4 Failure to take care of farmers interest
5 Failure to promote unity in the country by allowing senseless chama to issue very divisive statements against some citizens like the tongas
6 Failure to take care of students interests
7 Failure to take charge of national affairs ( the man is simply not in control of things)
8 Failure to care of workers interests.
The list simply endless.
HH has never been in any Government to do anything about privatisation research more about such issues the man is just a hard worker and too clean otherwise they could have locked him up a very long time ago.
Thank you Lungu. Although you are my tribal cousin, I congratulate you for showing that rare intelligence from the East. Though a Northerner I support HH for his rare intelligence. My tribes from the North are so scared of intelligence, hence the loath for HH.
What rare intelligence ba PM? During the campaigns, when ECL was talking about going after tax evaders when elected president, HH was mum on this subject just because he is bankrolled by imperialists who want to come and plunder our country. He was busy singing populist phrases of freebies. So, ba lungu above, one who wins a lottery cannot be called a hard worker just because the following day he is a very rich man. I always ask, what was HH’s balance sheet before and after privatization? Then we can develop a correlation or absence thereof – even in the absence of proof of stealing.
HH,
On this one I support you…we have friends, husbands, relatives, neighbors from every part of Zambia. We are one!!
No one shall succeed in dividing our people.
Why mention people who are not there iwe kachema you can’t learn!!!!?
It’s called politics Chris. Pull him down as you try to go up. The guy is looking at the vast land and water bodies to be littered with cattle and sell beef to CONGO DR and earn forex.
I am a true Bemba from Nkolemfumu in Kasama and i will vote for HH. Love him or hate him, he has better leadership qualities than what we currently have
Thank you ba Mwila. I too am from the North, but come 2016, HH is getting my vote. Time to move Zambia forward by having leaders like HH, who vision and passion to develop Zambia. Away with these thieving visionless thugs you are calling leaders.
You are not a true bemba you tonga dog!!! Nkole mfumu kwisa ****** weh!! You heartless tongas you will never rule zambia because your hearts are full of jealousy for bembas!!
PFs ar joking with the life of many Zambians. Let me say I want to imitate my u my fellow to vote for HH 2016 regardless of tribe but quality leadership.
If HH stole during privatisation, you think they would have not cornered him by now. The people who worked with him at Grant Thorton attest that there is no iota of tribalism in this man. The fact that he has his support base in Southern province is not his fault. At UPND he is working with diverse people. Even when he speaks, you can tell that the man understands economics like the back of his hand, and even better than the current chaps in government and maybe thats why the hate this innocent man with so much passion. I am not your tribesmate HH but soldier on and emancipate Zambia from the shackles of powerty. The current economic decline is very steep.
Prepare for your sixth loss in 2016!!!! WHY IS IS SO HARD FOR YOU TO ACCEPT THAT WE DONT WANT HIM???
You seem to be talking about what isssues you don’t know about my pal… Go to 10 park Kafue and ask 2 former HH bodyguards. They will give you a full picture on how a Mr. or Mrs. Chilufya or Mwansa can’t not be allowed to draw closer, I mean closer to HH and offer advice…
Have you ever heard of greedy before??? it’s innate and culturally enshrined. I am better off than the rest, won’t get you and your pal elected in Zambia.
And this same PF fear him so much, you can see the intensity with which they respond when HH says something. And HH is so sensible and logical in his assessment of the situation and has always maturely offered alternatives. If we were in a civilised country, they could have even incorporated him into government to benefit from his expertise.
HH is okay. We tried the Nawakwis already, we became poorer. Nevers Mumba is a non starter. General Miyanda is fast asleep and will wake up in 2016. We have not forgotten the arrogance of Winter Kabimba, and its too early before our memories lapse. I am definate that HH can make a difference
Hh is not winning as that would be a curse to our beloved country! Ugly dog called hh!!! We dont want him!! Please accept that!!!
I will campaign very hard for HH using my own resources and networks. Can’t wait for 2016.
We cant wait to see the shame on your ugly tonga faces come 2016!!!you are losing!!!!
I am Bisa from Muchinga Province! But my household and I will vote HH. Kachema Musuma/ Kachema mubootu/Kachema wabwino. Lol!
It is so sad that we think with our tribes, not our brains. We are Zambians first. We should stand and sing of Zambia proud and free. Do we still believe in our national anthem? There is so much hate and intolerance across Zambia reading from this blog based on irrational tribal inclinations. While other countries are progressing, we are going down economically. With nostalgia, we tell of how we used to have a good public education system, we used to bethe no. 1 copper producer; we used to have stamps in the post office; we used to…the list is endless. Cant we see how myopic tribal thinking has led to economic degradation such that we are no longer proud to sing of Zambia?
They will
Never rule! Idi0ts!!
Its the Tongas who are tribal because of their unfounded hate for Northerners. Thats why Northerners and Easteners we have to be strong against these EVIL TONGAS AND THEIR SATANIC LEADER HH!!!
PF is winning the seat, but what will be of interest will be the P or R margins for the other parties.
Efyo chaba wanya amafi pa road wamona ati nauchenjela. Now when coming back you step in the same faeces you left on the road and you start insulting pipo forgetting it’s u who defaecated there. So ba HH mwitutuka nimwebo mwanyelele pa road. HH was part of privatization and so if any problem concerning those companies privatized he is in a better psn to explain.
Hh nimbwa!!! Lusakatimes stop deleting my comments!!!
factories puts money in our pockets. shopping malls is where we spend it.
HH is a Zambian and has the right to go to any part of the country and tell pipo what he thinks should be done.The decision to vote for who is with the electorates. If some (and they are very few in my province) think the politically immature HH can easily do what he is talking about, those few can waste their vote. However, the truth of the matter is HH can never win in Luapula. May 100 years from 2021.
Viva ECL.
Viva PF.
He is wasting his time in Luapula!! We dont want him!!
egocentricism at its best
@truth, wanza weyi. And all of u from talking nonsense about HH, check yourselves; you have faeces on your trousers. It means your comments stink like chitulika or bahati pit latrines
Lusakatimes STOP DELETING MY ANTI HH COMMENTS, you can silence me online but the masses who vote CANNOT BE SILENCED. COME 2016 its EL!!! NAFUTI NAFUTI!!!
HH is right. When you are such a poor nation you cant create a culture of consumption consumption consumption. Malls are just for consumers. We need to have production industries such as Fishing and canning and farming which activities Luapula can easily fulfil since it has a prolific river, lakes, mununshi banana schemes Kawambwa Tea etc
That is good spirit HH. I wonder why some people are so egocentric that they cant think from other people’s perspectives. HH thanking people of Zambia for the votes he received is a good thing he is doing regardless of his loss. The people of Luapula are people of Zambia. Some people who are so dogmatic should not get involved in political issues because what they comment does not make sense. Instead it shows how dull they are. They are lacking the norm of universalism. They are really shallow minded. Please education has done nothing to you. You find time to visit me I orient you than exposing your stupidity on public media. You have to be analytical. Human language has the aspect of feedback but I wonder if some people have that looking at what they write. Stay put. I love you all
You cheated with your 90 days. You are done and dusted. You think you will cheat the same people twice. You must be joking. Who has more money in the pockets now, not even you f00ls blindly supporting PF on this blog. I was PF but was VERY SHARP to identify the lies QUICKLY and jumped out. Mwanya, 2016 is knocking soon
All over the world politicians promise the electorate a lot things but they don’t fulfill every thing and developing a nation takes time. Your HH can use very convincing academic language but running government is another thing. Be objective you fool even us have got votes so do not think your ka HH will have it easy.
True Zambian mwebakanya nimwe! Losing six by elections in such a short time but you dream of winning the General
elections!!! Hahahahaha moneni ubushilu!!!
You must be feeling the heat. Diarrhoea has started before 2016. Nja.
Which heat iwe kapala this year alone we’ve grabbed two seats from you! Which heat??
HH and his UPND cannot win any seat in Luapula!!am from there and i know how majority voters love PF there.yes HH can dream before 2016 but elections,he will be shocked with results from Luapula.even results from Bangweule by election will show him the direction!!LUAPULA IS PF’S BEDROOM JUST LIKE SOUTHERN IS FOR UPND-PERIOD!!!
Regionalism from YOU PFs not from upnd. F00lishly you turn round you evils.
EDDY, ITS NOT ABOUT WINNING WE INTERESTED IN ITS ABOUT HOW MUCH WE HAVE PENETRATED AREAS LIKE LUAPUALA THAT WE WANT TO ASSESS.UPND WITH PRESIDENT HH IS ON A SERIOUS MOVE TO WIN ELECTIONS NEXT YEAR WHILE CHAGWA IS BIZZY SCHEMING HOW TO CANCEL THE 2016 POLLS SEING THAT HE HAS NO CHANCE WINNING.
WE HAVE BECOME A COUNTRY THAT PRODUCES NOTHING AND IMPORTS EVERYTHING. WE CANNOT ALL BE TRADERS. AGRICULTURE IS BEING SUFFOCATED AND ALL WE WANT IS TO BUY FROM CHINA,INDIA AND DUBAI AND SELL TO EACH OTHER. MALLS NICE AS THEY MAYBE ARE NOT CENTERS OF PRODUCTION INSTEAD THEY SYMBOLIZE OUR DESIRE TO CONSUME. INSTEAD OF ERECTING A MALL WHY NOT OFFER TO RENOVATE THE PLANT INTO SMALL SCALES MANUFACTURING HUB AND ASK PEOPLE WITH IDEAS OF OPERATION TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS ON WHAT THEY THINK THEY CAN PRODUCE AND OFFER AFFORDABLE GOVERNMENT BACKED FINANCING FOR THEM TO START UP. EXAMPLE HONEY PACKING, CANDLE MAKING, SMALL SCALE TAILORING MAKEING SCHOOL UNFORMS AND HIGH QUALITY INDUSTRIAL OVERALLS OR COLD STORAGE? INTEAD BA PF ATI BUILD A MALL…? THEN WHAT WHERE WILL PEOPLE GET THE MONEY TO SHOP?.
Let me put the record straight for orangutans likt @truth and other misguided ones. It was never the responsibility for Grant Thornton worked to privatise anything. It was govt policy and actioned thru ZPA. Ask Valentine Chitalu who was the CEO, you fo0ls. Audit firms were only contracted by ZPA to carry out consultancy services. You shud have also asked sata who was part of the cabinet that made decisions to privatise. Clearly it is pure HATRED for smart, brilliant and successful HH. They wish he shud have been called another name like bwalya, mulenga, katebe etc. Besides he went to luapula to thank those who voted for him. Not you who didnt. If you say HH shud never rule, just cut off your part of zambia and rule yourselves. Chapwa. Wanza wenu.
“We are one”? Go to Nega Nega, there you will find people who think we are one in politics. The pattern of voting speaks mountains. Maybe that’s what HH means. I rest my case.
we still need pf as at now, but opposition are free to offer advise
HH is a clown…He has major shares in most shopping malls dotted around the country and now he wants to accuse Kalaba of turning Mansa Batteries into a mall? Kalaba just bought that because HH and Chiluba decided to sell it. Why is HH not advising his investor friends to open industries instead of accusing the PF of wrong doing….Foolish man!