It’s heartbreaking to swallow the bitter pill that HH has failed-Chilangwa

It’s heartbreaking to swallow the bitter pill that HH has failed, says Chilangwa

By Thomas Ngala(The Mast)

IT is heartbreaking for those who believed in President Hakainde that he is a miracle man, says Kawambwa PF member of parliament Nickson Chilangwa

“And it is heartbreaking to swallow the bitter pill that the President has failed. He has failed you, his hard earned supporters. He has failed all of us. If President Hakainde had performed to expectations, we would not be talking. We would be clapping, all of us,” he said on Wednesday. “But unfortunately, our President has failed. And those of you waiting that there is still a chance, there is no chance. This man has failed. How can you be talking about the same bailout from the IMF for two years? The man said he has got global connections, mwalilaba (have you forgotten)?”

Chilangwa said President Hichilema is going the wrong direction.

He said there are things preoccupying President Hichilema, “not the things that the Zambian people elected you for.”

Chilangwa said Zambians elected for President Hichilema because they believed he could make a difference.

“You can make a difference in the governance of this country, you can make a difference in the provision of the basic rights of our people. You can make a difference in improving their livelihoods,” he said. “You could make a difference by uniting Zambia. You could make a difference by ensuring that the rule of law is upheld. Those are some of the reasons the Zambian people voted for you. President Hakainde you were not voted for by the Zambian people so that you can be … flyer, keep on flying… even going to meetings which have been cancelled.”

Chilangwa called on President Hichilema to cut down on the trips he takes.

“How can you go to Dubai three times in less than two months? What’s so special about Dubai? What is it that the eye is not seeing? President Hakainde Hichilema, you need to cut down on your delegations. You need to cut down on the number of trips that you make. How can you fly from Lusaka to Kasama to go and commission a runway and come back to Lusaka? And the following day you fly to Mansa to go and have a three-hour meeting, to go and look at Mansa Trades, the project that I started when I was provincial minister of rehabilitating desks at Mansa Trades…” he said. “That is what you went to see. That should have been a project that should have been overseen by a provincial minister for Luapula. Is it that your minister for Luapula Province has got no capacity to do what you went to do?”

Chilangwa said in his time as provincial minister and MP, he never commissioned a borehole “because that is the job for my councillors.”

“I cannot commission a borehole. If I, Nixon Chilangwa member of parliament will be commissioning boreholes, what will be the councillor be doing? My template is very clear about what we did and what we achieved in Luapula Province. President Hakainde Hichilema, you don’t have to take the national template of how we can achieve things. You just take the Luapula template from 2016 to 2021,” he said.

Chilangwa said the Luapula template by “Nickson Chilangwa, President Hakainde will tell you what are dos and what are donts. How you can get to another level, how you can get this country to another level”. “President Hakainde Hichilema you are a president, your presidency has an expiry period. Like DPP, his ascendance to that particular position is not for his own good, it is for the good of Zambians,” he said.

On the issue of the factions in the PF, he said “now, this nonsense around Miles, is it for the common good of Zambia?”

“Or is it for the good of two or three individuals? Our people are looking for help, they are looking for salvation and they see that hope and salvation in the Patriotic Front. Unfortunately, that is the brutal truth. People will keep on singing on high hills to say ‘no PF was voted out of power’. Yes we were voted out of power in 2021 and we agree. And they voted for UPND to go into power… after two years the Zambia people are saying PF is better,” he said. “That is what people are saying everywhere I go. But they stand on the floor of parliament and say no they have done extremely well.”

Chilangwa said the UPND government has performed well in a negative way.

“Extremely well! Yes they have done extremely well in increasing the price of mealie meal, in increasing the cost of fuel, in taking the exchange rate to unseen levels, in ensuring that fertiliser is as chaotic as ever, in ensuring that we do not have maize in stocks. They have all been exported…You have performed so well in a negative way. And we need to clap for you kaili you want to be clapped for. President Hakainde listen, when Zambians are talking on radio you need to pay attention. Very soon Zambians will stop talking. The reason why they will stop talking is because they will make a decision that nimwe ba chintomfwa tamumfwa (you’re stubborn, you don’t listen), ba UPND,” said Chilangwa. “When the Zambians are talking that the price of mealie is too high, please listen. Stop moving all over like you’re the only person who enjoys travelling. Please listen, stop persecuting and prosecuting your opponents like Nickson Chilangwa and others. Please listen. I was told that a statement alluded to him said Nickson Chilangwa needs to be taught a lesson. What lesson? Come on. You are the Head of State. Why do you have to bother about Nickson Chilangwa? Why do you have to bother about Raphael [Nakacinda]? Mr President, is that the reason Zambians voted for you? I want to send this message to the Zambian people. Please remain steadfast, the writing is on the wall, uyu aleya (This one is going). UPND, kuyabebele. I will speak this message from inside parliament and outside parliament, from inside prison and outside prison. We have reached a level colleagues where you Zambians must not be cowards.”