HH must apologise
UPND President Hakainde Hichilema must apologise for mistreating Zambian workers in the hospitality industry by attempting to abolish service charge and promoting casualisation.
The matter concerning abolishing of service charge is real and made us to have sleepless nights. As a former president we had to fight with all necessary weapons at our disposal. We lobbied, advocated and petitioned relevant authorities.
When we bring this matter we know what we are highlighting, so that the Zambian hospitality and tourism workers will be ably informed in their choice.
As former leaders in the HCAWUZ, we are disappointed and disturbed by Mr Hichilema’s silence over an issue of serious importance raised by former branch officials Martin Simumbwe and Jones Mutowa.
The former board chairman and director - HH - has chosen to remain silent and quiet to matters of such magnitude and concerning the Zambian workers.
His silence on the matter is of grave concern as he has no response to the plight of Zambian workers. Just like he has no answer to the violence being perpetrated by his own political party even when it happens in his presence.
Like in the service charge matter, Mr Hichilema has no solutions to issues of national significance as evidenced in his lack of capacity to handle workers’ interests. How then can he handle national issues?
If Mr Hichilema was ready to lead Zambia he would have apologised to the Zambian workers for the pain and agony they went through when he was better placed to alleviate the suffering of the hospitality workers in Zambia.
The workers have not forgotten, it’s like these issues happened now. Mr Hichilema is being reminded because responsible leaders pay attention to the cries of the citizens. As such we reiterate the call by the former branch officials not to vote for him and his party as he cannot be trusted in handling matters of state concerning workers.
I advise the Zambian workers and the nation at large to vote for President Edgar Lungu as he has shown interest in improving workers’ conditions of service through the introduction of the Employment Code and banning of casualisation the vice which Mr Hichilema was encouraging at his Sun Hotels at the rate of 75% of the work force.
President Lungu has shown that he is able to protect the plight of Zambian workers by saving jobs at KCM and Mopani which were placed on care and maintenance.
That decision could have retrenched more than 23, 000 Zambian employees by the imperialists who are friends to Mr Hichilema.
To bring relief to the hospitality industry which is badly hit by the Covid-19 global pandemic, the government is constructing three big hotels in Lívingstone’s Musi oa Tunya national park, Chongwe at Kenneth Kaunda International Air port and Samfya Resort and Convention Centre all built by public resources.
This is unprecedented as it was only witnessed during the first republic.
Furthermore to enhance accessibility and promote international and local tourism and travel the PF government has upgraded Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula Airport, in Livingstone, The Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Chongwe, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe Airport in Ndola and commercialising of Samora Machel base in Mbala.
These are huge projects that have the potential to revive tourism and travel.
Therefore I urge all Zambian from all walks of life to vote for a political party that has a progressive manifesto that offers specific and realistic economic, political and social solutions to Zambians. That political party is no other than PF under the leadership of President Lungu.