ZAMBIA HAS BECOME AN EXTREMELY HUNGRY COUNTRY – DR FRED M’MEMBE

ZAMBIA HAS BECOME AN EXTREMELY HUNGRY COUNTRY – DR FRED M’MEMBE

… he says many people are complaining that they have never seen the kind of hunger that we have today in the country

Lusaka, Thursday, January 4, 2024 (Smart Eagles)

Leader of the opposition Socialist Party (SP) Fred M’membe has lamented that Zambia has become an extremely hungry country.

Dr M’membe has accused the New Dawn Administration of messing up the economy.

He said during a briefing at the party secretariat, Wednesday, that among the things the UPND government has messed up is the Farmer Input Support Program (FISP).

“Where are our people going to get the food for 2024 when the input supply programme has almost broken down? Not enough seed, fertiliser, and chemicals have been supplied everywhere in Zambia, and to add salt to the injury, the inputs were distributed late,” he said.

“Many people are complaining that they have never seen the kind of hunger that we have today in the country. Where are the food reserves? They sold them – these are business people who only want to make money without caring about your well-being and the well-being of this country.”

Dr M’membe said he doesn’t think 2024 will be a better year.

He explained that this is because the government has failed to demonstrate how they will reduce the cost of living, improve the economy, reduce fuel prices, and improve the health care situation and the food scarcity.

The opposition leader has lamented that looking at the economy, Zambia has become a country where all privileges are given to transnational corporations, “to their friends, while you, our people, are burdened with increasing utility costs, increasing fuel costs.”

“We used to buy a litre of fuel for about K17, but today we are spending almost K30 per litre. For local businesses – this makes the cost of doing business unbearable. We hear people complaining every day – they are wondering how they and their families are going to survive. Even mobile money transactions are going to be taxed this year,” he said.

“Bally told you he would fix it – but instead, he is fixing the people that voted for him in numbers. He promised you that he was going to arrest inflation, but we have seen that the figure of inflation is on the rise. He promised that the dollar would be reduced, but today, 1 US dollar is K26. The dollar is going forward!”

He reminded Zambians that President Hichilema promised that mealie meal would be K50, fertilizer would be K250, and that he promised to reduce fuel.

“But we know that is far from reality. Ababufi Balaya Ifingi! The lies are catching UP with him. They think that people are fools; But our people are not fools! Time will tell! And it is evident that the lies will not stop. Our health system is deteriorating! Our hospitals are without medications. People are complaining that it is difficult to get access to decent healthcare. Many lives are being lost every day because of poor decisions,” he said.

“But why should we keep them in 2026 if they have failed on their very own promises? When will this nation heal, reconcile, and unite? They have no respect for the laws of this country. They have destroyed our parliament. They have destroyed our judiciary.