UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema says his party will decisively deal with poverty once they form government.
Mr Hichilema says poverty is multifaceted and the UPND will deal with this problem by going beyond economic diversification, and deal with industry or sector based poverty which faces many working people, both in public and private related zones.
He says the critical area of concern is the transport industry that requires serious government intervention.
Mr Hichilema said a lot of drivers of various categories and types are wallowing in abject poverty and can be best described as the working poor or the underemployed as they have pathetic conditions of service that fall far below Basic Needs Basket.
He said the UPND has identified corruption by government officials as a major cause to this problem and therefore when they form government, UPND will vigorously tackle this scourge, as it has always affected the independence of collective bargaining, in the Transport industry, among many other areas.
Mr Hichilema added that conflict of interest among some government officials who are supposed to protect hard working drivers is rife because of corruption which has subsequently compromised the sector and opened it up for manipulation by unscrupulous individuals.
He said the UPND will therefore create transparency, accountability and an enabling environment that will attract genuine investors in this industry, and ensure it is profitable and remains as an enabler for economic growth.
“We will also endeavor to devise a sustainable beneficiation mechanism for all workers in terms of living wages, without discrimination based on ranks and other barriers”, he added.
“When we revive the economy, with functional policies in Mining, Agriculture, Tourist and a lot of other economic sectors, our Transportation industry will thrive and be sustainable, and our drivers’ livelihoods will subsequently be greatly improved”, said Mr Hichilema.