IT IS A ‘FAIRLY’ ONE YEAR TAKE OFF FOR THE UPND IN POWER.
We have asserted before and still do that the success of President Hichilema and the UPND in Government rest on the honest and sincere interpretation of the vote cast in the 2021 general elections.
Having been a governance stakeholder that has provided biased free issue based checks and balances over the past one year to the new dawn administration, we render our input as follows;
GOVERNANCE: The President and the UPND have made some positive strides in the general governance of the Country. A notable success in this area is the drastic reduction of cadres in public spaces.
ECONOMY: The President and the UPND seem not to know how to proceed economically over the past one year. The cost of living and doing business keep on rising and swinging under the review period. The lack of an national economic plan makes the UPND efforts haphazard.
CORRUPTION: The President and the UPND’s fight against corruption in welcome. However, in the past one year, the fight against corruption smacks of unprofessionalism and gross vindictiveness. Individuals are more charged and prosecuted in the press than in competent courts of law.
POLITICS: The President and the UPND’s one year in power continues to preside over a divided country politically. No tangible strategies have been made to achieve unity of purpose across political divides. No sincere dialogue has been initiated among stakeholders, just public displays of grandeur by the President and party officials.
THE WAY FORWARD: President Hichilema and the UPND in Government must work on THREE (3) R’s to turnaround Zambia’s economic fortunes OVER THE NEXT 4 YEARS:
1. REDUCE THE IMPACT OF THE HIGH OF LIVING ON POOR HOUSEHOLDS: The cost of food, transport and accomodation is escalating beyond many citizens. President Hichilema and UPND must respond with economic policies to enable AFFORDABILITY by our citizens.
2. REDUCE FOREIGN DEPENDENCE OF THE ECONOMY: Zambia is like a man who depends on his neighbour to develop his own household. President Hichilema and UPND must begin to take solid interventions to wean off the local economy from foreign hands. The Pro- west agenda must be measured.
3. REDUCE THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS: High cost of doing business, market instability and fluctuating cost of fuel characterise the current new dawn dispensation. A counter package of local intervention measures by the new dawn is needed to propel local businesses. Local business hold the economy of the country.
President Hichilema and the UPND won the 2021 August General Elections with an overwhelming mandate. They should stop proving themselves to the previous ruling party (PF) and just focus on all the Zambian people.
It is our considered view that the past one year of President Hichilema and the UPND in power has been a some what ‘FAIRLY TAKE OFF’. The UPND must unleash it’s full potential in presiding over our national affairs in all the sectors.
GPZ, Our People First.
Silavwe Jackson
President
GPZ.