TALK IS CHEAP:- A Critical Response to President Hichilema’s 2024 Speech
By Dr. Mwelwa
Talk is cheap, and as Zambians, we know it all too well. When we listen to the soaring rhetoric, the ambitious promises, and the hopeful projections, it is easy to be swept away by words. But as the saying goes, ‘actions speak louder than words.’ President Hichilema’s latest speech might have sounded optimistic, but as opposition, we know better than to believe that words alone can carry the weight of a nation’s future.
Winston Churchill once said, ‘However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.’ And indeed, results are what truly matter. The President highlighted an economic growth trajectory of 5.3% over the past three years, but conveniently, he didn’t linger on the revised 2024 forecast of 2.3%. What are words when the cost of living is rising, jobs are scarce, and Zambians are finding it harder to make ends meet? Talk of macroeconomic stability is little comfort when inflation is eating away at people’s earnings and the nation’s heavy debt continues to cast a long shadow over any future growth.
Leadership is not about painting pretty pictures for the future while avoiding the hard realities of the present. The drought response plan outlined in the speech is a prime example of this government’s failure to act with urgency. As John F. Kennedy said, ‘The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.’ Yet here we are, facing the devastating impact of droughts, with only vague promises of mitigation. What we need are rapid actions, not more plans. We need tangible solutions like food relief, access to water, and alternative energy sources that can be delivered now, not two years down the line.
And what about the much-lauded mining sector reforms? Mopani and Konkola Copper Mines are supposed to be back on track, but where are the immediate benefits for mining communities? The government’s reliance on foreign investors shows just how little faith they have in building local ownership. ‘He who controls the wealth of the land, controls the people,’ and right now, Zambia’s wealth is being placed in the hands of outsiders, not its people.
The energy sector, too, is another tale of overpromising and underdelivering. Citizens are tired of load shedding, and industries are struggling. Yet, the President’s big plan is a 300 MW thermal power plant that won’t come online until 2026. ‘In the long run, we are all dead,’ said John Maynard Keynes. Immediate action is needed to diversify our energy mix and reduce the suffering we see every day. The reliance on long-term projects is like waiting for rain in a drought—it’s just more talk.
Constitutional reform? A ‘least-cost, efficient, and credible process’—what does that even mean? It sounds like another stall tactic. Martin Luther King Jr. warned, ‘A right delayed is a right denied,’ and it seems like this government is more interested in delaying reform than making real progress. If this government truly valued constitutional reform, it would set a timeline, engage stakeholders, and get the job done.
The rhetoric about free education and healthcare sounds wonderful, but the reality paints a different picture. Yes, more classrooms are being built, but overcrowding and inadequate resources make learning environments less than ideal. ‘Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world,’ Nelson Mandela once said, but what change can we expect when the foundation remains weak? Similarly, in healthcare, recruiting health workers is just one piece of the puzzle. Stockouts of medicines and a lack of infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, reveal the gaping holes in this administration’s approach. If we cannot provide our people with the basics, how can we claim to be building a better Zambia?
As for corruption, the President’s ‘zero-tolerance’ stance has been repeated so often it’s almost become a punchline. Theodore Roosevelt said it best: ‘Speak softly and carry a big stick.’ But this government’s stick has been nowhere to be seen. Investigations and asset recoveries are not enough. Systemic corruption remains deeply embedded in public procurement and government contracts, and until that is addressed, talk of tackling corruption is just more noise.
Finally, infrastructure. Yes, the Lusaka-Ndola dual carriageway is a step forward, but how many times have we seen delays in such projects? How many more promises of rural road rehabilitation will we hear before we see real results? The reliance on Public-Private Partnerships may benefit a select few, but it risks creating debt traps for ordinary Zambians who will have to pay the price in toll fees and taxes. Infrastructure that benefits only the urban elite while rural communities continue to struggle is not progress—it’s exploitation.
In the end, it comes down to this: talk is cheap. Zambia doesn’t need more promises, speeches, or plans. We need action. As Mahatma Gandhi said, ‘The future depends on what we do in the present.’ And right now, the present is being neglected, sacrificed on the altar of long-term dreams and political posturing. The promises of resilience and sustainable growth are meaningless without the political will and effective governance to back them up. Until then, Zambians will continue to suffer while the government talks. And talking, as we all know, is not enough.”