Emmanuel Mwamba
A REVIEW OF PRESIDENT HICHILEMA’S GOVERNMENT
Six Months On, the Mis steps, and Trial-and- Error -a performance appraisal
By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
It is not the quality of the vision that makes a great leader, it’s the quality of results that make such a leader stand out.
It’s now increasingly looking like a pretentious act than leadership on display.
From the numerous many advisors he has appointed, to an army of privately recruited staff at State House, President Hakainde Hichilema appears more at sea than when he took the reigns of power six months ago on 24th August 2021.
His journey so far has been characterised by missteps, errors, gaffes than by tangible achievements.
Haunted by his own ambitious campaign promises, he has struggled to fulfill many of them or stage new programmes.
A legacy will be difficult to craft with such a weak foundation.
ADVISORS
Of concern are special advisors and staff that are on a private payroll “paid for partners”.
Who are these partners paying presidential staff privately at the heart of power? What are they getting in return for this largesse? What are their economic interests ? Is this State Capture in active motion?
TEAM
Unfortunately, Ministers and Permanent Secretaries work at the behest of the President; their failures are ultimately the President’s failures.
In Government, the role of implementing the vision to achieve the results is mainly delegated authority.
Unless he closely supervises some erring teammates and replaces some already deadwoods, his administration might continue to under-perform and under-achieve as seen so far.
ECONOMIC POLICY
Government has not pronounced any new economic policy, or any new economic recovery plan.
When I saw the launch of the 3 year medium-term expenditure framework, I wondered what it was based or founded on… the UPND Manifesto? Or the PF’s recovery plan launched in 2021?
IMF, DEBT, AND THE ECONOMY
The IMF reached a Staff-Level Agreement on an Extended Credit Facility Arrangement with Zambia.
The government’s ambitious reform programme supported by the IMF, seeks to restore fiscal and debt sustainability, create fiscal space for much needed social spending, and strengthen economic governance and transparency.
The Extended Credit Facility (ECF) in the amount of US$1.4 billion will be disbursed in a period of 3 years.
Government on its part, committed to implement bold and ambitious economic reforms such as the removal of subsidies on fuel, electricity and Farmer Input Support Programmes (FISP).
So far Government is struggling to implement the removal of subsidies and this may spell doom to the programme as the Agreement comes up for review and IMF Board approval later in the year.
The IMF agreement is important for Government as it needs to help reschedule the current foreign debt, negotiate its reschedule and seek debt forgiveness in some instances.
The economy however remains in critical dire straits, with both the cost of living and foreign exchange rate rising.
Both foreign local and foreign debt remain the biggest hurdle to any economic progress that government may record.
SUCCESSES
● President Hichilema has demonstrated effective Communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal and to domestic and international audiences.
He has communicated his policy priorities and preferences and has communicated the same to Zambia’s partners.
● IMF Bail-out.
●Implementation of the Free Education Policy.
● Restoring sanity in markets and bus stops.
● Restoring professionalism in the Police and Law Enforcement Agencies.
● Intended recruitment of 30,000 teachers and 11,200 health workers.
● Raising of CDF allocation from K1.6m to K25.7m.
● Foreign Trips- to meet key stakeholders and attend key meetings.
NOTES
The recruitment of 11,200 health workers and 30,000 teachers despite being funded through the 2022 Budget, has been plagued by inconsistent statements, delays and unplanned adjustments.
The increase to the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) from K1.6m to K25.7million has been welcomed by many stake holders as it helps redistribute resources from the centre to the periphery.
However the CDF is a small component in the Decentralization Policy and government must begin to aggressively implement other components to make Decentralization a meaningful policy.
The new CDF Guidelines have been issued.
Concerns however have been raised as some of the guidelines such as opening of multiple accounts, the provisions of soft loans and the attempt to exclude established CDF Committees in preference for the Ward Development Committees may breach the law, or may require speedy amendments to the Act to bring legal conformity.
On cadreism, political violence, and thuggerism, other than continuous and isolated cases of political violence in bus stops, markets and in elections, there is general acceptance that the vices have reduced remarkably.
The Kabwata Constituency in Lusaka and Sokontwe Ward by-elections in Milenge, witnessed cases of political violence and intimidation.
On Foreign Trips- this is both a success and a failure.
President Hakainde Hichilema has taken 12 foreign trips in a period of six months including trips to; USA (76th UNGA and the White House), Scotland (COP26), South Africa (Intra-African Trade), Bostwana ( World Children’s Day at Kazungula), DRC(Africa Business Forum), Malawi ( bilateral visit and later SADC Heads of State), UAE (Zambia National at Expo 2020), South Africa (to launch a book), Ethiopia, Addis Ababa ( to attend the 35th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union, and to Brussels, Belgium (AU/EU Summit and to the Vatican (bilateral visit).
Whilst in Opposition, President Hichilema lampooned his predecessor for taking foreign trips and promised to drastically cut them. He has not.
FREE EDUCATION-this is a policy many have welcomed.
Education is recognised as the greatest opportunity as a social equalizer and upward social mobility.
However the programme has been beset by teething problems such as overcrowded classrooms, and inadequate quarterly funding.
An expansion of infrastructure, the provision of teaching material and equipment support such as desks and laboratory kits will have to be urgently planned for the policy to be meaningful.
Further, the Education sector received the lowest funding in 20 years at 10.4% of the national budget.
Previously, the budget allocation has been at between 11% -16% of the national budget.
Government needs to put resources to support such a policy to escape allegations that the rhetoric is not matched by action.
FAILURES AND CHALLENGES
Six months is too inadequate a period to see tangible results from policy implementation of any leader.
The important aspect, nonetheless, is that a clear vision must be conceptualized by the leader, effectively communicated to his team and stakeholders, broken into strategies and policies for implementation, and finally implementation.
In all this process, there must be consistency and alignment between vision and the actions.
President Hichilema was very loud and clear in pronouncing, on 24 August 2021;
_“that his vision was to build a united Zambia, administered by him and a team he would select based on the principle of meritocracy and would operate on the premise of professionalism in order to deliver a Zambia that is economically sound, provides quality employment or opportunities to all and every one lives in a society where human rights are enjoyed by all and the police protect every one”_
So the return of some vices frowned upon by Zambians raise public concerns that the New Dawn Government is insensitive to their needs and demands.
● Reverse ethnic consideration as seen by appointments ( defense and security sector where heads come from certain regions only).
● Appointments of cadres to civil service positions such as; PS Patrick Mucheleka, PS Josephs Akafumba, Daniel Kamenga, and the appointment of cronies and wives to Ministers, to public boards and state-owned enterprises contrary to the principle of merit as promised by President Hichilema.
● Failure to have new policy direction especially on the economy and key sectors such mining and agriculture.
NOTES
The biggest failure has been the failure to launch!
Six months on, President Hichilema has not completed key appointments including Permanent Secretaries, Ambassadors and High Commissioners.
His Ministers appear paralyzed and waiting for instructions from him.
They are essentially quiet, and have not launched any new programmes under their ministries.
There are few active ones that seem to be speaking to the previous programmes and projects.
A few Ministers are clearly visible and appearing keen to shepherd their ministries to a new level such as Minister of Health, Sylvia Masebo and Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development , Charles Milupi and Minister of Mines and Minerals Development, Paul Kabuswe.
FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION
The fight against Corruption started on a controversial note with allegations that it was targeted, selective, political and used as a tool to destroy the former ruling party, the Patriotic Front.
Institutional mechanisms such as the setting up of the Joint Investigations Team (JIT) and the Financial and Economic Crimes Court, a division at the High Court, are expected to make progress in the year.
Law Enforcement Agencies may require reforms as their approach has been to please the new leadership with trophy arrests and searches to show that they are working.
Known cases where there has been mass theft, plunder and looting have not even been touched, while the Law Enforcement Agencies preoccupy themselves with cases one would feel were petty and do not yield return on the dedicated financial and technical investment done against corruption.
CONCLUSION
President Hichilema has a five year mandate,and this review is therefore a glimpse of what his term will likely turn-out to be if he doesn’t place focus and emphasis on achieving his vision and on fighting poverty, creating employment and economic opportunities especially for the young people, open economic opportunities for the business sector, rebuild the economy and fulfil his campaign promises.