HAKAINDE Hichilema says political strongholds should not be based on tribe or regionalism but on policy.
And Hichilema explained that opportunity and hard work were the sources of his wealth.
Hichilema, the UPND leader, also strongly refuses any links to freemasonry.
He spoke on a programme dubbed National Matters on CAMNET TV on Monday night.
Hichilema said it should not be that if one is politically strong in Southern Province and they are UPND, “some people want to call it tribalism.”
“[But] when PF is strong in Luapula, some people call it a stronghold. We should not allow that to happen in our country and I want to be very clear about that. There will be strongholds in a democracy but what we shouldn’t do is [to] anchor those strongholds based on tribe or regionalism. It must be based on policy,” Hichilema explained. “We should reunite this country and one of our agendas as UPND is to reunite this divided country.”
He promised that a Cabinet of a UPND government would be representative of all the 10 provinces of Zambia.
“It doesn’t matter how the election results will come out…The Constitution allows us as UPND, like it allows the PF, to nominate members from all parts of Zambia. Eight are enough to be able ensure that on the UPND cabinet table there will be members from all the 10 provinces. [But] that is not the case today!” Hichilema noted.
On economic matters, the opposition leader indicated that his government’s fundamental approach to job creation would be to address the current declining economy.
Hichilema recalled that around 2014/2015, Zambia’s economy was growing at around six to seven per cent.
“[But] by the end of 2019, this had come down to minus two per cent – to be specific, 1.9 per cent decline, from six, seven per cent. There are no jobs that can be created by anyone! I’m talking about incremental number of jobs,” Hichilema argued.
“So, what we will do ourselves is to focus on economic growth. Growth will not come without investments – domestic and foreign.”
He added that a UPND government would stabilise monetary policy measures.
“We will make sure that there is a balance in statutory reserve ratios to release more liquidity into businesses to borrow…” Hichilema pledged.
“We’ll reduce expenditure – which means that we will not borrow money recklessly. Currently, our debt is almost $14 billion in foreign debt and another $4 billion to $5 billion in domestic debt. We will dismantle this debt…”
Meanwhile, when asked about whether or not he was associated with freemasonry, Hichilema responded that: “I’m not a freemason – I am an Adventist.”
“I don’t know what freemasons do. Maybe just like any ordinary person we can read about it… The person who accused me of being a freemason is known and unfortunately, for political reasons, he said it. It’s a complete lie!” said Hichilema.
“[But] I believe that him maligning me he has been promoted to get a job he didn’t deserve. But the fact remains that I’m not a freemason. I think there is a freemasonry society in Lusaka [and] the easiest thing is to go to that freemasonry office – wherever it is – I don’t know….”