HIGH COST OF LIVING: FREE COUNSEL TO THE VICE PRESIDENT
I have watched the trending video of the Vice President in which she was talking about her government’s intervention to deal with the cost of living. Tellingly, there is no content in her explanation.
Madam, you are a leader of government business in the House. You are like a Prime Minister in the Westminster parliamentary system. The sacrosanct nature of government services to all citizens irrespective of colour, tribe, political affiliations, creed, religious beliefs and other factors naturally demands that you take all matters seriously and with much deliberation.
To be clear, filling the long overdue vacancies in the civil service is not job creation. In the same breathe, there is no government on earth that addresses the cost of living by creating jobs. The civil service structures have what is called the establishment. Sometimes vacancies are not filled up as per establishment. It is the duty of government to fill all vacancies in line with the civil service establishment.
Madam, job creation is primarily private sector driven in response to the pro-growth economic policies of government. Some of the government policies that spur growth include, inter alia, elimination of double taxation, incentivise growth sectors, reduce production input costs through stimulus packages or subsidies on a case by case basis, reduce the cost of fuel by eliminating unnecessary cost drivers in the cost plus model, stabilise electricity supply and provide export incentives.
One of the underutilised ministries is the ministry of local government and rural development. This Minstry can develop and execute an emergency style response and bring the unemployed youth together to accelerate industrial development for job creation in both urban and rural areas. The entrepreneurship culture of young people remains unharnessed.
Madam, the cost of living is truly very high in our country and things are getting out of hand. There is hunger and many working class families are failing to balance their budgets.
I recall that you were a deputy speaker under one of the best speakers of the National Assembly, Speaker Amusa Mwanamwambwa of blessed memory. He always ensured that government ministers were held accountable in the house. Speaker Mwanamwambwa more often than not said that backbenchers were allowed to be cantankerous, but the same was not applicable to ministers (the front bench).
The government of the day must be sober and listen to divergent views so that official responses can be made with a commitment by government to take action. That’s why there is a committee on government assurances at the National Assembly. You must be a voice of reassurances to all Zambians.
As leader of government business, take keen interest in all line ministries and help the president to get ministers to work. The hard working intelligence community cannot be the only one to report on issues on the ground. You must take a lead in gathering information for appropriate action in order to inspire confidence.
It clearly looks like there is no direction right now and this is deeply troubling. Incumbency must be defended by practical actions.
I remember how Hon. Vernon Mwaanga as Chief Whip reached out with humility to some of us at the backbench who took government to task on many issues. Outside the Chamber, he would engage us in constructive discussions to get our opinions on the best for the country.
As Vice President and leader of government business in the house, Hon. George Kunda SC of blessed memory was also very good at reaching out. Several times, Hon. Kunda sent notes to me and other controversial MPs right in the Chambers. Vice President R B Banda of blessed memory also did the same. Sometimes he would even use to chimbuya to talk to some of us who were always fearlessly speaking for the masses on the floor of the House. Truly government embraced some of the workable ideas from the backbench and in the final analysis our nation won. TOGETHER WE DID IT!
I have the honour to be,
Saviour Chishimba
(יהודה בן דוד)
PATRIOT