If there is a legacy UPND has created so far it’s a legacy of lies – Kaunda
By Walusungu Lundu
WE ARE not God who can cause things to happen by word of mouth, we are human beings; in things that require effort, apply effort, Kelvin Kaunda lectures the UPND government amid load shedding and other economic hardships Zambians are currently grappling with.
The Socialist Party national youth chairperson for security said Zambians have heard a lot of “promises” adding that the country cannot continue on the same trajectory.
Featuring on Muvi TV’s Special Interview on Wednesday, Kaunda reminded President Hakainde Hichilema of his stance on load shedding when he was in opposition.
‘’The President had a view when PF was in power that the reason the country was experiencing load shedding was lack of leadership. The President, prior to 2021 elections, promised Zambians that the issue in question would be a thing of the past once he gets into power,’’ Kaunda said. ‘’And in his address to the nation last year on 13th December, the President boasted of curbing load shedding, adding that there are things his administration had been doing in the background to ensure that there is no more load shedding.
He even challenged journalists that attended the conference to speak out if they had been experiencing load shedding at that time.’’
And Kaunda wondered if load shedding is still as a result of lack of leadership.
He challenged President Hichilema to confess that he has failed to provide leadership over the national energy crisis.
“It’s interesting that when the current President was in opposition, he said the only reason this country was experiencing load shedding was the absence of leadership. That is how he defined load shedding. I am not sure now whether those words are still true and alive. Whether it’s because even now when he is in that position as a President, equally, we can safely say as Zambian people that still there is absence of leadership,’’ he said. ‘’We were told during press briefing that this government has resolved the issue of load shedding. And in fact, you the journalists that attended that briefing were challenged if anyone of you had been load shedded. And the leadership went on to brag that there are actually certain things they have been doing behind the curtains, that’s the more reason we have been saved from experiencing load shedding. But barely 72 hours after the almighty press conference, reality has dawned. It only gets to tell us one thing, that it is easier said than done. We need practical leadership that understands how challenges of our time can better be addressed. We have heard a lot of rhetoric over the years; we have heard a lot of promises over the years. And we can’t afford on this same trajectory.”
Kaunda stressed the need for the country to have leadership that will take very difficult and tough decisions in mitigating the “challenges of our time’’.
He also bemoaned the tendency of politicking issues that need to be attended to by the current administration.
“And this approach where we want to be politicking all the time, there is a time when we should do politics and there is a time for us to deal with issues that affect our people. We can’t continue doing politics all the time from 1st January to 31st December, no. I think as a country we need to understand time… we don’t seem to understand when we must do politics and which time requires us to provide practical and relevant leadership which requires dealing with the challenges our people are faced with,’’ said Kaunda. ‘’Today the issue of load shedding is a sorry side. Our people are at pain. The small businesses are at a loss yet the leaders are telling us that they are equal to the task of turning around our economy. How are you going to turn around the economy when the welders in the market who you have told to manufacture the desks which you are going to deliver in these schools have no power? They don’t even have the capacity to procure the gen sets. They are spending the entire day waiting for electricity which is only being given to them at 01:00 hours. So expect you them to be leaving their wives and leaving their families at 01and get back to their workshops? By the time they get to their workshops, there is no power. And then you’re telling us that you’re going to turn around the economy! How?’’
