Zambia deserves better leadership, cries Highvie Hambulo Hamududu

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…as PNU preaches electoral and economic justice for all citizens

By Derrick Sinjela

“There is need for elections to be transparently organised to avoid, political and electoral disputes,” pleads Party of National Unity (PNU) Interim President Highvie Hambulo Hamududu.

Mr. Hamududu is worried that Zambia is confronted with elusive electoral disputes since Thursday 11^th august 2016 and teething economic challenges.

Formerly, a Zambian Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairperson Hamududu says the Patriotic Front (PF) Government led by President Edgar Chagwa Lungu and Vice-President Inonge Mutukwa-Wina need to intervene in business as peasants need support that is targeted.

Featuring on the Pan African Radio 96.1 FM Peoples Debate anchored by Issac Nsoneka, on Friday 15^th December 2017, Hamududu, who served as a United Party for National Development (UPND) Bweengwa Member of Parliament (MP) for a decade (10 years), says peasants invariably deserve the supportive Government breast as they are too small to compete within a liberal market.

“It is better for Government not to wean off peasant farmers from its public resource breast as it is not possible for this community of citizens to compete with the private sector in a liberalised market,” pleaded Hamududu.

On talk regarding UPND and the Patriotic Front (PF) impasse, involving Mr. Hakainde Hichilema and President Lungu, Hamududu backed inter-party dialogue pointing out that out of principle the PNUU cannot talk nor demonise citizens forming political parties.

“The solution is not to demonize people like Chishimba Kambwili and Mwenya Musenge as such decisions to form the National Democratic Congress (NDC) could have arisen as a consequence of intolerance within the PF.

Branding himself as NDC consultant, Dr. Kambwili is PF Roan MP in Luanshya while Mr. Musenge previously served as Copperbelt Minister and 4^th revolution President Eric Chanda is now NDC Spokesperson.

Hamududu restated that he did not singularly establish the party but was merely invited by Interim Secretary General, Kasote Singogo to spearhead a flourishing ideology targeted at nipping Zambia’s three main woes; high unemployment, high income inequality and high poverty levels.

“Our Zambian people must become part of the economic story. We must place high premium on birthing ideologies and policies that are pro-people, and effectively capable of removal of entrenched high unemployment, high poverty and high income inequality,” advised Hamududu.

The PNU leader equally underscored the imperative need toward re-introduction of free education as improved literacy will ultimately help people to reach or obtain middle income status.

“Education for All must be accessed by all people as the youth dividend needs to be empowered with access to life-living skills.

“It is inevitable for Zambians and the international community to nip the youth burden or time bomb in the bud by increased access to education for each and every citizen regardless of one’s geographical location. I believe that once people are educated, it will be possible to lead people and guide careers,” prodded Hamududu.

However, Hamududu is worried that Government is too top heavy and little money is going to the social sectors like education and health.

The PNU leader says despite being endowed with a lot of natural resources, Zambia is lagging Rwanda’s good management will attested by the Paul Kagame leadership  attaining most Millennium Development Goals (MDG) 2015 spearheaded by former United Nations (UN)Secretary General Koffi Annan.

“Zambia is spending less than 20 per cent on core issues. Once agricultural investment is increased, high unemployment, high income inequality and high poverty will be addressed. In Monze, Southern Province, peasants do not have money to activate the e-voucher. It is terrible as we are now in mid planting season,” lamented Hamuduudu.

For a primary economy like Zambia, investment in the agro industrial sector can easily be sustained, insisted Hamududu.

“The production of stock feed and agro processing and preservation of agricultural produce in Zambia must be enhanced. Zambia must put money in agricultural and we really need do-able solutions by Government listening to a variety of solutions rendered by people on radio and television and print media,@ implored Hamududu.

The PNU leader says the Social Cash Transfer cannot cure poverty, pointing out that as Africans, the extended family system is an inbuilt mechanism supportive of vulnerable people.

In South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC) Government led by Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma and Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa use universal cash transfer, to cater for ageing population and disabled people.

“It is sad that old people are not benefiting as a vulnerable community,” cried Hamududu.

“Trade is competition and many countries are ready to go to a trade war over food and the need to dominate the food supply chain in the world.

Hamududu recollected that Zambians would have starved when the first Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) Government of Second Republican President, the late Dr. Frederick Jacob Titus Chiluba dis-invested in agriculture

Hamududu observed that since Third Republican President, the late Dr. Levy Patrick Mwanawasa re-introduced the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), Zambia has not starved.

“On marketing side, Government must facilitate market access. At Kipushi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) miners confess that they do not produce food. For example, Angola became an export point for Namibia when Windhoek built elaborate infrastructure. Countries grow by exports, need aggressive agricultural support. Zambia must have modernized borders, and government last year (2016) created artificial food surpluses.

Hamududu concurred with debate involving eminent personalities like former Bank of Zambia (BoZ)Governor, Dr. Caleb Fundanga argued that cost reflective electricity would attract investment.

However, Hamududu says the Ministry of Energy, through ZESCO Limited should have done so in a two-year period.

“The cost of production of maize last year was at K71 per 50 kilogramme bag of grain thus it is wrong and contradictory for Government through Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to offer K70 per 50 kilogram bag of maize,” laments Hamududu on Pan African Radio 96.1FM Peoples Debate anchored by Isaac Nsoneka, and facilitated by Goodface Mulala and Caesar Edward Sindele.

Hamududu is concerned that all institutions in Zambia have been polarised, and sadly the Zambia national Broadcasting services (ZNBC) is now monopolized by the PF.

 

“It is not correct to monopolize or abuse public media, and it is better for political parties to start their own newspapers, radio and television stations,” advised Hamududu and canned PF cadres for damaging 5FM radio and New Age Newspaper on Thursday 5^th December 2017.

Hamududu has since praised the Zambia Airforce (ZAF), Zambia National Service (ZNS) and Zambia Army for being apolitical unlike the unprofessional Zambia Police Service (ZPS).

Turning to employment creation, Hamududu wants the Zambian youth, women and peasant farmers to access to basic life living skills, prodding President Lungu to ensure that the Youth Development Fund (YDF) and the Women Development Fuund (WDF) are respectively professionally administered by Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) and assigned banks.

Hamududu says it was erroneous for the PF Government to declare Chikankanta as a district without due diligence on its economic potential.

The PNU leader regretted that Zambians are increasingly denied investment in the agriculture sector as most resources are on debt payments and emoluments for public officials.

“The Zambian debt is eating our future. There must be rigorous debt payments. The Zambian economy is being damaged. I can safely predict that by the year 2019, the 71.6 billion budget tabled by Finance Minister Felix Chipota Mutati will plunge Zambia into an economic crisis,” projected Hamududu.