“HH has failed the 90-day test of leadership”
…says Given Lubinda as UPND clocks nine months in office
04.06.22
By Staff Reporter
Hon. Given Lubinda, the acting President of the main opposition party in Zambia PF has described President Hakainde Hichilema’s first nine months in office as “shambolic” in a live Round Table Interview.
Hon. Lubinda said in politics, the reason pundits judge a new government on a 90-day clock is because it is the gestation period a party worth its salt can flex its muscle and show that it is “up to the task” of governing and not job on training.
“When we assumed office in 2011 as PF under President Michael Sata we increased salaries and reduced taxes for public workers within 90 days because we knew what we were doing, the New Doom government has failed to employ people, according to its promises in ten months,” Mr. Lubinda said.
The former Justice Minister lamented that Zambians were duped by a “fast-talking” and over promising opposition that said manna would rain from heaven but has so far delivered air, the narrative must change now, as the cost-of-living skyrockets beyond the means of many ordinary Zambians that bought President Hichilema’s lie of manna from heaven.
“We recorded major strides in agriculture with a harvest of 3.5 million MT of maize as we left office but that has dropped to 2.5 million MT under the New Doom government,” said Hon. Lubinda.
While the PF left fertilizer prices at $700 per ton, Hon. Lubinda said it is sad that the same quantity now costs $1,500 supplied by a friend of the President and the party without a tender at Alpha Commodities.
“Our weakness and main failure as PF were to watch President Hichilema tell several lies and make several fake promises hoping Zambians could tell a lie from the truth but they didn’t,” Hon Lubinda said.
The long serving Kabwata legislator cautioned Zambians not to fall for a political yarn from Mr. Hichilema in future and instead listen to logic and not emotion.
Hon Lubinda warned Zambians to brace for even harder times ahead coupled with ever increasing fuel prices and the cost of basic food needs that shall not be afforded by the very Zambians that voted Mr. Hichilema in office.
GIVEN LUBINDA ON PRESIDENT LUNGU ABSENCE AT KK CHINA EVENT Vs CHUSHI KASANDA
Hon Lubinda, the acting PF President has expressed shock at the inhumane manner President Hichilema and his government have wantonly spited President Edgar Lungu regarding his absence at the commissioning of the Kenneth Kaunda Wing of the International Conference at Mulungushi recently following the “bitter” remarks by Chushi Kasanda, the Information Minister of UPND.
“President Hichilema gave a long speech praising the late President Kenneth Kaunda and Chairman Mao Zedong over a conference center that was successfully negotiated by predecessor Edgar Lungu,” Hon. Lubinda said, “can you imagine if he was in the same room and got ignored like that the same way he was booed at the Heroes Stadium when he humbly and smoothly handed over power? Ms. Kasanda was not humane in calling the former President bitter because even I was invited but di not attend just like Mr. Hichilema snubbed national functions several times.”
GIVEN LUBINDA ON CONSTANT PERSECUTION AND ARRESTS OF FORMER PF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
Hon. Lubinda warned the praise singers of UPND that are openly gloating over the arrests, right or wrong, of PF former officials that a precedent is being set where they could dance to the same tune by another party in future once they lose power, as nothing lasts forever.
He said leadership requires forgiving like Nelson Mandela did after incarceration for 27 years and uniting his country South Africa without retribution.
“It’s now romantic for UPND to cheer when they hear a PF official has been harassed, they must know what goes around comes around,” said Hon. Lubinda.
Instead of targeting perceived political enemies, Hon Lubinda urged President Hichilema’s “New Doom” government to fix the economy, the CDF, and the “shambolic” economy dependent on “promissory notes” from the IMF.
As a short-term measure, Hon. Lubinda urged Mr. Hichilema to place the economic growth plan of Zambia into Zambian hands and not his foreign cronies, especially in the mining sector that earn Zambia little or nothing.
At K9000 per month on basic food needs for a family of six, Hon Lubinda joined the long que of those saying the “lying government” of President Hichilema shall add nothing but more suffering to many ordinary Zambians.
Source: Round Table with Nakiwe Simpungwe