UPND MUST THINK LONG-TERM
I WRITE this article as a concerned citizen who feels his nation is headed to a dead end.
Surely, after the last leg of load shedding and the political pomp you put up declaring you had fixed what the previous regime failed was all false and just a luck of nature is disheartening but I wasn’t one to be fooled.
First and foremost, UPND never followed through on their leader’s promise to open up solar farms and projects to feed into the Zesco power grid once elected.
The reason load shedding had ended was purely by the luck of the climate hence the declaration "we have done what PF have failed."
Understanding politics and the need to appease to the masses, I also understand the need for long term solutions. Multiple companies that I have had the opportunity to deal with have tried to no avail to secure Power Purchase Agreements with Zesco.
The problem is our culture of corruption has not ended the appetite in these institutions and government to reap where one did not sow is still existent.
The people in these positions are still asking who are you and where are you from before they can attend to the greater good of our nation.
My cry to the leadership of this nation is to engage advisors who are truly honest with the state of the nation.
Zambia has seen so many leaders lose office because of their allegiance to bootlickers and I hate to admit this is a de ja vu.
In the last regime, I wrote an article where I prophesied the end of that regime’s era due to certain factors, this time I have spoken in a timely fashion to avoid the same fate.
Government should loosen its restrictions on giving Power Purchase Agreements that are lucrative so that the private sector gets involved.
The levels of unemployment will drop because the development of these plants are very labour intensive, instead of pressuring the current wage bill as you have by hiring teachers and army personnel who are not fighting any immediate threat.
The country needs employment driven by the private sector. Zambia right now cannot be using the UNIP model of development by using government as the chief employer when you are highly indebted and supposedly going through austerity measures.
The time for politicking with the opposition is over multitudes are suffering and the priority should be Bana Mulenga from Kalingalinga who woke up at 03 hours to vote you in power and Hamoonga who fought off his boss so he could get a day off to vote you into power.
Leadership is a selfless road and so it must be treated in that fashion, remember you are not the first or the last to rule.
We as a citizenry have heard of the colossal sums of money our country won in court cases over the mines we are "in partnership " with but your government is quiet not even a comment from a Town Clerk.
I am forced to ask his excellency where the patriotism in his cabinet lies. UPND was touted as the most educated government since independence and the people do not see it, period.
News of $1.6 billion to help us with imports coming from AfriEximBank is welcomed but at the rate things are going it might end up just helping the government with inadvertently subsidising fuel prices long term for political clout.
My advice to UPND is think long term, cut the buraucracy, remember today its us, tomorrow its them. Our countr’s middle class is on its knees. Our poor are poorer but hope is not lost in your in control. Use your time wisely.