ECL SHOULD STOP PLAYING WITH PEOPLE’S EMOTIONS
Dear Editor, I AM disappointed with the former Republican President Edgar Chagwa Lungu with his language of trying to confront people with his daunting language due to the freedom space in the country, that he never used to accord others, especially the biggest opposition party then, UPND.
I would urge him to stop playing with people’s emotions especially the incumbent, President Hakainde Hichilema who he several times sent his thugs to eliminate him to the extent of him sometimes using unworthy exit outlets. Zambians are still alive to the thuggery behaviour of his party cadres that even included members of parliament then.
It is therefore shocking for him to think Zambians have forgotten and would be swayed into believing him that the state of the country
Former President Edgar Lungu
currently is worse than during his reign up to the time he wanted to hand over power to himself against people’s wishes.
He should be reminded that playing to the gallery would not help but will just reduce him to a mere cadre when he is supposed to be the statesman by now. It is good that President Hichilema is smart to be reduced to commenting on such open lies.
In which regime did we see people burning money with impunity without arrest when that is a serious offence that needed people to be arrested?
In which reign did media houses have the biggest disruptions of programmes where UPND members were being hosted, if not in his regime.
It is for this reason that ECL should be cautious enough as he mobilises the opposition political parties into an alliance by not opening the healing wounds of President Hichilema and the UPND Alliance members, barely two and half years after a traumatising campaign trail for the ruling UPND Alliance.
We are critically watching your manoeuvres because you are treading on a path of crying sympathy to the outside world when you are found wanting. Take this freedom with caution and never abuse it.
WISDOM MUYUNDA, Media Director, COPPERBELT PROVINCE UPND / MDC ALLIANCE. OPINION THIS preoccupation we have always had with foreign investors and IMF stuff will never make us rich! We need for once to focus on Zambians! Help Zambians get capital both home and abroad!
ZDA should be preoccupied with Zambians! We should remove jealousy! Allow people to have money! Discourage law enforcement officers to harass people! Why follow up a person even when there is no complainant?
We need to Zambianise our GDP! Chalo chesu chino!
We need to develop a programme where we need to develop billionaires! If a Zambian has a small business we go for them using tax authorities and other LEAs?
If it is found that one was not paying taxes, put corrective measures to ensure the person complies! Don’t close them down! Half of the small businesses can’t even afford accountants that can help make tax returns because they have to pay a lot of fees to thecentral and local government just to operate!
A country taxing 37 percent on a person getting $350 salary should forget about removing people out of poverty! What my people at the budget office have forgotten is that when the highest tax band was 35 percent at K5, 000 salary, K5, 000 was $1, 000! Now $1, 000 is K26 ,000 so even the highest tax band should move to that level!
One of the principles of a tax system is that it should be flexible! Ours is not! How can Government take away 37 percent on earnings above $350! When will Zambians become entrepreneurs?
We need to start critically analysing things!
Even this cholera thing! We keep on blaming shallow wells! When was the last time Lusaka Water built a new sewer pipeline system?
The whole of
Lusaka survives on soak-aways and boreholes when water is plenty in rivers and also we still have ability to build sewer systems! Today, you are crying about cholera? Next after this nomba nimpele (scabies)!
We are too much serious with mediocrity and mediocre at serious things! Entertaining clowns that were clobbered in the east instead of discussing serious issues and people who can inspire us and help us slip away from poverty!
We need to start with reducing the tax burden! Remove all barriers to business! The fees are too high and every government department wants its share!
Remove jealousy in decision making! These things of politics are useless and don’t come before wealth creation! Let’s have a normal conversation! How can we entertain poverty as a country?
Enough is enough! We need to start getting rich! Ministry of Finance and National Planning should revisit the taxes now and allow citizens to save! Savings are the ones that convert into investments!
Do you think it’s normal that we still have grass thatched houses? Do you think it’s normal that every day we are making funeral contributions because people can’t save money during their lifetime?
Do you think it’s normal to say don’t entertain that one because they are UPND, PF, Socialist or the other? Is that a normal society? In fact, are we even okay ourselves?
Let’s also remove the begging syndrome! I can’t even park my car in peace without people asking for money? By the time the day ends, all the cash I had is gone!
But to remove begging we need to empower the needy! Inculcate in them a spirit of entrepreneurship! Help them become independent!