HICHILEMA HAS NOT SHOWN DIRECTION ON MANY ISSUES-KATEKA
Kateka Rates Hakainde Hichilema 4 Out 10 In His 100 Days
Lusaka, Zambia
President Hakainde Hichilema has lost the confidence of some Zambians in the first hundred days of being in office, according to an overview shared by the opposition New Heritage Party.
President Hichilema took the oath of Presidency from Former President Edgar Lungu of the Patriotic Front on 24th August, 2021.
In giving an analysis of the UPND administration in office, Ms. Kateka has observed that since taking office President Hichilema has made too many U-turns on the many campaign promises made before the August, 12th general elections.
She has also noted that there is too much self-praise by the Head of State including what she termed as over-dependence on the West, something she says means the new administration is not at liberty to make decisions that work for Zambia and Zambians.
“President Hakainde Hichilema led administration does not have a clear roadmap of how the UPND intends to reduce the sufferings of the Zambian people. The policy direction of the UPND led administration is not very clear and seems to be contradictory where pronouncements and actions seem not to be speaking to each other”.
The opposition Leader also touched on the uncoordinated approach of communication government business by the new administration which she says is exposing the Head of State to ridicule because they are not well coordinated.
“Composition of his media team at State House that does not seem to liaise with the Government Spokesperson, the Alliance Spokesperson and the Party Spokesperson. They expose the President to ridicule because they are not well coordinated” said Kateka.
Meanwhile, ending cadreism has been listed as one of major achievements of the UPND administration.
The following are the positives noted by Ms. Kateka in the UPND administration going by the standard of the opposition New Heritage Party.
“President Hichilema does communicate his thoughts with citizens. His pronouncements show the right intent. Cadreism is now not at the level that it was. Although it still exists it is now an underground issue. The President has created an aura of someone that is being in control. We feel freer under UPND and then under the PF Government” she said.
Analysis
The New Heritage Party is correct, the State House needs to raise the bar high when it comes to information sharing. We have advised the UPND administration to develop an effective communication strategy, the one in place is either here or there.
The Government chief taker, Ms. Chushi Kasanda must learn fast, the game of defending government policy, her silence is leaving room for government critics to roast President Hichilema. Her quietness is too loud, equally the performance of State House needs to settle fast, fast, the pace at which things are moving leaves much to be desired.
We have advised the UPND administration to develop a communication strategy, presently, there is nothing to talk home about because it is not any better than under the Patriotic Front.
How can a Vice President Mutale Nalumango using taxpayers money say for the price of fuel to reduce, the current price of fuel must first increase. The Minister of Finance Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane is saying it is unsustainable for a government to be paying K21 million to subsidize fuel monthly.
A government is elected to solve challenges facing its citizens, one of these challenges is ensuring that there is cheap fuel amidst high pricing of fuel on the global market.