THOSE WISHING ME DEAD SHOULD GO AND FARM – HH

THOSE WISHING ME DEAD SHOULD GO AND FARM – HH

PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has told off those claiming he is sick, advising them to be productive and engage in farming to produce food for the nation.

The President, who was forced to clear the air on his health on live television after Ministry of Information PS Thabo Kawana called him during a broadcast, said he hears that some people are wishing him death, adding that only God controls life.

According to sources, the President, who is at his farm in Choma, is expected to be back in the office this Thursday.

Meanwhile, President Hichilema has asked banks to do better with paying off farmers who supplied maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).

Speaking when Kawana, who was appearing on Diamond TV, called him to address the speculation, President Hichilema said the Permanent Secretary was listening to people who had nothing to do.

“Thabo, why would you even bother to do that? You are listening [to] people who have nothing to do. They must farm, they must produce food for the nation. We are producing food for the nation,” President Hichilema said.

He wondered why people would joke with life and death.

“Pay particular attention to political parties, those seeking public office, what are they saying they will do for the people, what are they saying they will do about education. Look now, have you seen now that the pass rate has improved in public schools? Have you noticed that? Because we have employed more teachers, the pupil-teacher ratio has come down. It’s because we basically have a school feeding programme, it’s because kids who have eaten will be more attentive in class, because we have desks in schools for kids to sit on instead of on the floor which is uncomfortable and they will not pay attention,” he said.

“Because of free education, then the examination fees were paid, kids don’t have to worry, parents don’t have to worry about the education fees and examination fees. It’s a myriad of these issues. I’m being optimistic because I hear some people are wishing HH death, no, no, no, it’s only God who controls life, I’m here working for the people. I don’t know how people make a joke of life and death, how do you make a joke of life and death honestly? I want to ask the people of Zambia, why would anyone play games with life and death? Why? Do you have an idea? Any answer for me and for the people of Zambia?”

When told by the host that maybe people were just concerned and worried because they don’t see him and wanted some assurance that he was fine, President Hichilema laughed it off, saying: “But why not say so, why put it the way they are putting it? Honestly, why? Why would anybody do a thing like that?”

And commenting on the long queues by farmers at the banks to get their money for maize sold to FRA, President Hichilema recognised that the process was a bit slow but assured farmers that government was pushing the banks to expedite the payments

“We decided to increase the purchase [from the budgeted 500,000 metric tonnes] to 1.6 million tonnes, so that is the differential in terms of the funding gap. But we have since raised the money and the money is with the banks. The payments are going on, they are a bit slow and we are pushing the banks to expedite the payments really. With the electronic age, they can do better, the banks can do better because they can actually transfer money to various farmers, those who have say mobile money or bank accounts. But I think it’s an issue of a number of farmers not having those facilities. But nevertheless, we do apologise for the delay but I think it’s all moving now. We want to assure farmers that they will get their money, that’s the money they worked for, they delivered the maize and they had to be paid and they are being paid,” he said.

“But having said that, the FISP inputs were delivered on time and a number of farmers were able to draw their fertiliser and seeds and other requisites, so they should be able to produce a bit more. Where I am, the crop is looking good, so we are hoping that they will continue producing and feeding the country. As we’ve always said, let’s not be a country of consumers only, let’s be a country of producers as well. And food security is national security, very important, and we are working on improving the marketing arrangement so that we can have more permanence, more certainty if you like. And what are these measures including? These measures include ensuring that we have structured export markets. Which markets? Congo DR, Malawi and others. So that we don’t stop the exports”.

Further, President Hichilema said the increased power supply in the country was something he had said would happen by December due to his methodical way of working.

“By December 2025, I did say that the power situation will improve and it has improved, we are working in an organised way, colleagues, the methodical way. I don’t think anyone can now laugh at this issue of the methodical way of working, that’s the way we are working and in two years’ time or so, three years’ time or so, rain or no rain we will have enough electricity for the country. That’s how we respond to droughts, that’s how we respond to electricity shortages, [it’s] by taking positive actions, investing more in the sector in a diversified manner. That is what we do for this country for all of you and I’m sure you have noticed the difference in the electricity supply situation,” he said.

“But don’t you hear now some people saying ‘ah where has the power come from? This is all about electioneering’. It’s not about electioneering, we did say that we are working very hard from all fronts and you know the reforms we did in terms of open access, independent power producers, independent power traders, private power traders, of course working with Zesco, working with CEC, working with Maamba, diversifying our portfolios, these are the results”.

Earlier, when told about concerns by some sections of society about the whereabouts of the President and the state of his health, Kawana said the President was back on duty.

“The whole world is busy developing and so, but here you are preoccupied with rumours. I have seen, I even saw Lillian Mutambo saying, ‘no he’s very sick’, the other time they said ‘no he’s on oxygen in South Africa,’ the President showed up at the toll plaza there in Choma. He took a holiday, he needed to rest. But you see, he is not like other presidents that when they go to rest they start dancing and drinking beer, no. For him, when he’s taking a rest, it’s to go to the farm, and we are seeing him at the farm, we are seeing him with the animals, we are seeing him with the crops. And that’s where he was and now he’s back, and he’s back on duty. The President is not sick in any way, the President is not unwell in any way, the President is as fit as a fiddle,” he responded.

“Zambians have nothing to worry about, and I also know that Zambians are not worried. But I know that these political doomers are the ones that are envisioning, imagining ‘no, he’s going to die, this year 2026 he will not reach,’ and yet we are in 2026. All these things are as a result… if you remember at the last press briefing when the President was talking about this hatred that people have [for him], the venom that you can target… where you see people wishing you to be so sick, wishing you death, just because they can’t stand that you are there”.

When further queried by a caller to clarify the whereabouts of the President, as a live video on his Facebook page three hours earlier showed that he was still at the farm, Kawana said, “The President is resting and finishing his rest and coming back to work, there is nothing to worry [about], yes he’s on leave. His leave is coming to an end soon”.

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