ENGANGING IMF TO SOLVE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES, AN INDICATION OF FAILURE TO CRAFT HOME GROWN SOLUTIONS- NEW HERITAGE PARTY
THE New Heritage Party has charged that the decision by the UPND government to engage the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to resolve the economic challenges the country is faced with, despite many advising against, speaks to its enability to craft home grown solutions.
And the opposition party says it is disappointed with President Hakainde Hichilema’s appointment of district commissioners despite promising to get rid of them, as he pointed out their position was a drain on the country’s meager resources.
Meanwhile, the female led political party says it is worried and disappointed about many things in the new government and have decided to talk about them in the hope that the New Dawn government can quickly pivot and avert further damages.
Below is the full statement
20th November, 2021
New Heritage Party Press Release
United Party for National DISAPPOINTMENT
We have a new Party – the UPND in Government. Our expectations have been sky high. This is so, I believe, due to the fact that the UPND:
- Has been in opposition for 23 years
- Has conducted the most organized campaigns in the last 3 or so elections
- Has many perceived great minds – including that of the now Republican President
- Has made many promises
- Seemed the most ready party while in opposition
One can not blame the very high level of expectation from the electorate as well as from their own supporters.
Many will say that it is too early to analyse their performance. We do not believe that this is the case, as we can see the foundation that is being laid by the UPND. It is the foundation that determines the quality of the structure that will be built on that foundation. The pronouncements and actions, thus far, by the UPND give a very clear indication of the direction or trajectory that they will be taking the country to.
There are some issues of concern that we have observed. We believe that the earlier we point them out, the better as there may still be a consideration by the UPND to take them into account.
- Appointments
Permanent Secretaries (PS) were fired on September 17th. These are the CEOs of ministries in Zambia. In their stead, we have officials acting in their stead. A person who is operating in acting position can not make certain decisions. Only substantive office holders can do so. This means that these offices are not operating at their full potential.
What has surprised us is the fact that, instead of PS appointments coming first, we have seen the appointment of District Commissioners by the President. DCs thus continue to be political appointees that report directly to the President and oversee District activities. There is an overlap with Mayoral/Council Secretary duties to some extent. The DC positions therefore, are not serving any real purpose other than being a reward for cadres. This is the political expedience that we were promised to be done away with.
The UPND, whilst in opposition, condemned the existence of this position. They also correctly pointed out the fact that this is a drain on our meager resources.
This move is not only disappointing but worrying. We shall only believe UPND pronouncements, going forward, when we see them actualised.
- No Roadmap to Massive Job Creation
The UPND promised jobs amongst other things. As people ask for the jobs after the elections, the President then responds to the effect that jobs do not come from rocks.
The young adults in the country are hurting very badly with their dignity stripped from them as they find it difficult to make ends meet and to find their feet.
Answering with ‘penalties’ will not help these young people financially. They are looking for solutions and guidance. The very least you can do is to give them hope by way of an explanation of your roadmap to the job creation that they were promised. The way this is being currently handled is disappointing.
- Moving our dependency from East to West
As a country, we have simply stopped looking to China (the East) for solutions but are now looking to the West. We have not stopped and asked ourselves whether we could come up with our own home grown solutions. As long as we continue to look elsewhere and do not look at our home grown solutions, we shall continue to go around in circles. This for us, as the New Heritage Party, is one of the biggest disappointments of the UPND government.
- Hinging our salvation on an IMF bailout
The Intention by the UPND to go the IMF route, in spite of many advising against taking this route again speaks to the inability to craft our own home grown solutions. The IMF with its austere conditionalities will bring a lot of hardship on ordinary Zambians. How can our entire economic plan hinge on a bailout from IMF? 23 years in opposition and this is the outcome? Disappointing indeed!
- A Budget that fails to address Critical Economic Challenges
To sum up the 2022 National Budget, we say it is “populist in messaging but disappointing in the detail of where Zambia ought to be going.”
We were promised an impressive budget that would be the answer to many of our economic issues. The reality is that there are many critical issues not addressed by this Budget. Top among these issues is the crippling debt burden that the country is facing. In fact, this budget as presented will increase the national debt stock while doing little to dismantle even the arrears owed to local suppliers. How do we expect our SME sector to function if they cannot be paid for goods and services already delivered? There can be no confidence from lenders to the private sector, a critical ingredient to unlocking growth and opportunity.
Another critical issue that has not been addressed is the issue of liquidity in the market. GRZ will still be the largest borrower from the domestic market, crowding out the private sector and leading to higher costs of borrowing. Coupled with the fact only K3bn has been allocated to dismantling domestic arrear versus an arrear of over K49bn, we can expect Zambia’s liquidity problems to continue.
Truly Disappointing!
- Continuing the concept of the Party and its Government
We note that the protocol being employed at state functions, in terms of order of importance, is as follows:
- Executive (national leadership)
- The UPND Alliance Council of Presidents (Party, not national arrangement. We did not vote these people in)
- The Party leadership (Party, not national arrangement)
- Cabinet Ministers (National Leadership)
Etc.
How can party leadership be recognized above national leadership? This ought not to be so. This arrangement leads to
- a blurring of government and party affairs.
- the use by the party of Government resources.
- disunity and the exclusion of anyone not of the UPND fraternity, in nation building
- And most damagingly, the creation of party cadres who are more powerful than officials who are elected and appointed officially to act on behalf of the nation.
The time has surely come for us to deal with this issue once and for all. Continuing this concept of the Party and its Government is not in the best interests of the nation .
- Failure to guide or admonition own Cadres.
The storming and locking up of of Council offices by UPND Cadres in Kabwe and Solwezi and taking the law into their own hands by members as was the case in Choma, was noted by us all. Wisdom requires that the Leadership speak to that. Otherwise we are left with the impression that your pronouncements are merely rhetoric – lip service.
At this rate, the UPND should just change its name to the “United Party for National Disappointment”.
There are many issues to talk about but we shall leave it here for now. We certainly do not want the UPND government to fail because it will mean more hardships for the Zambian people. Our hope is that they can quickly pivot and avert further damage.
Chishala Kateka
President – New Heritage Party