STEADY HANDS WITH EXPERIENCE, I’M READY TO SERVE – KALABA

STEADY HANDS WITH EXPERIENCE, I’M READY TO SERVE – KALABA
Opposition Citizens First leader, Harry Kalaba, says he is a credible contender to challenge President Hakainde Hichilema in the August 13 general elections, owing to his extensive government experience dating back to his early years as a backbencher at 35.

Appearing on KBN’s State of the Nation hosted by Kennedy Mambwe, Mr. Kalaba said the upcoming elections presents an opportunity for Zambians to vote out the UPND administration that has failed to reduce the high cost of living in the last four years.

“This time, we should not just vote because we need to move in a mob. I am offering myself for office because I was a backbencher in Parliament at 35, at the age of 36, I was a deputy minister under the office of the Vice President and at 37, I was a Minister of Foreign Affairs. So, I know and have experience regarding how government operates,” he said.

Responding on how the Citizens First will address the high cost of living which Zambians have endured during the reign of the UPND administration, Mr. Kalaba underscored that the problem needs a multifaceted approach in order to yield positive results.

“The CF will deal with the high cost of living by tackling the energy sector. We need to have Indeni Refinery back in operation, so that the plant can be processing crude oil into finished products; by doing so, will lead to cheaper fuel. The cost of electricity is too high as a result of the cost reflective tariffs that need to be addressed, “ he assured.

The Former Foreign Affairs minister emphasized that once elected as President of Zambia on August 13, the Citizens First will prioritize its industrialization agenda by creating industries such as experienced during the reign of UNIP administration led by late first Republican President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda.

“We are proposing a robust industrialization agenda. We want to bring back industries such as the car assembly plant in Livingstone, the bicycle plant in Chipata like what our late President Kaunda managed to achieve during the UNIP administration. We want to add value to raw materials that we produce. Voting for the CF is voting for value addition.

Mr. Kalaba acknowledged that in the absence of reliable supply of electricity, his administration needs to ensure the country has multiple sources of energy.
“Besides, our dominant hydro power plants, we need more electricity in order to have a strong base for our industrialization agenda, this is why the CF will actualise the establishment of the nuclear power plant in Chongwe when we form government this year.”

On the current economic performance of the UPND administration, the former Bahati member of parliament described the appreciation of the Kwacha against the US dollar as cosmetic because ordinary citizens have not benefited from reduced cost of basic commodities.

“We in the Citizens First, we are convinced that the appreciation of the Kwacha is cosmetic because the country has in the last four years experienced uncontrolled electricity loadshedding which reduced production, so, we don’t believe the last month of constant electricity supply is the reason for a strong Kwacha.”

“ A strong Kwacha against the dollar has not given an advantage to our people who are paying more to buy basic commodities and paying more on transport. This is why, the CF will deal with the high cost of living by dealing with the energy sector to have cheaper fuel and electricity for our people,” he said.

He believes that the CF’s agenda of industrialization offers hope for citizens who are struggling to support their businesses and families.

“Once industries flourish under our administration, a lot of people will have jobs thereby they will have disposable income to support their businesses and families, in the end poverty levels will reduce”

He added that the agriculture sector needs reforms if the country is to have meaningful development. He accused the UPND administration of failing to support small scale farmers with the high costs of production.

“Fertilizer costs and the cost of seeds must be subsided in order to support the growth of the agriculture sector, which is key to national development. Today, ask any small scale farmer, they are complaining about the cost associated with fertilizer and other farming inputs, the current trend needs to be reversed”.