I’d rather buy a plough than a gun – Hichilema
By Thomas Ngala
IT became abnormal to talk about hard work, because the normalcy was laziness, observes President Hakainde Hichilema.
Delivering an address on the progress made in the application of national values and principles in parliament yesterday, he said some people were getting handsome returns out of laziness.
He however stressed the need to promote hard work and kicking out laziness.
“How can that be? How can the nation develop on that basis?” he asked. “This culture must shift and shift quickly. It slows down our economic reconstruction agenda. You see it every day, I see it every day.”
President Hichilema vowed that his administration will continue to institute crime mitigation measures including gun control.
“We have seen too much use of guns. Excessive use of guns, and the minister responsible has been directed to put controls around there. I guess he has already made statements on the floor of this House, and it will be accelerated and implemented,” he said. “I’d rather buy a plough than a gun. Our efforts to promote morality and human dignity, to provide adequate sanitation, Madam Speaker, to uphold good governance as well as to ensure sustainable economic development anchored on hard work and not laziness, not queuing for handouts, working for something in return, you can have what you want.”
He said national values and principles are critical to national development.
“Accountability, of course, no question about it. I want to say, Madam Speaker, when we do what we are saying we will reap dividends. No question about it. Let’s sow correctly, we will reap positive results. We admit, Madam Speaker, that more needs to be done. We understand, we acknowledge that and we need the support of others, including our colleagues from different political parties, religious organisations, global community,” he said. “As citizens we have an urgent and compelling duty to fulfill our national values and principles. We should never be sacrificed for anyone and for any reason. Every one of us, every stand we take for morality and ethics, every act of patriotism, every step towards unity, every activity aimed at strengthening the fabric of our nation, in line with the motto One Zambia One Nation, we see it as an opportunity.”
President Hichilema also said he understands the country’s constitutional democracy.
He acknowledged that leaders “will come and go”.
“…but all leaders must work for the people of Zambia at any time. So, there is a nation. And in line with our motto of One Zambia One Nation, one people, every opportunity we see we must use it to promote human dignity as social justice,” he said. “Every stand must be for good and integrity. Every effort to uphold democracy and constitutionalism assures our nation of the future we aspire to have. As our country turns 60 on the 24th of October this year, let us always strive to be the best we can be, now and into the future.”
President Hichilema implored Zambians to always commit to doing good.
“…to do good for this great nation, to always be good to each within our democratic dispensation. We must work to do good to each other within our competitive constitutional democratic dispensation,” he said. “Let us always stand for and live by our national values and principles. Indeed, let us elect to walk this path as One Zambia One Nation, one people, under one God.”
Meanwhile, President Hichilema said there is more political space now than ever before.
He also said no one should be arrested before an investigation is done.
“Leave people alone and continue with your investigation. When you have the evidence you arrest, then bond. 10:00 hours you arrest, 14:00 hours bond. If the matter is not bondable, 10:00 hours you arrest, 14:30 you are in court,” he said.
He added that his administration has been steadfast in the fight against corruption, among others.
“In the past one year, we continued making notable contributions to the application of our national values and principles. We have been steadfast in the fight against corruption, in the fight against alcohol and substance abuse, in the fight against early marriages, in the fight against gender based violence,” said President Hichilema