HH HAS A LOT TO LEARN FROM US— MAKEBI
…*As he hits back at the President over ‘boys’ and reserves plunderers jab*
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has a lot to learn from “these boys” on governance and public administration, NRPUP vice-presidential candidate Makebi Zulu has said.
Mr. Zulu said although President Hichilema had dismissed him and NRPUP presidential candidate Brian Mundubile as “two boys”, the pair had a proven record in Government and understood public administration better than the Head of State, who, he said, entered office without prior government experience.
Mr. Zulu was reacting to remarks made by President Hichilema during the launch of his campaign yesterday, where the Head of State allegedly referred to him and Mr. Mundubile as “boys” and accused them of seeking to return to power to plunder the country’s national reserves.
“We know that it may have taken time for him to understand how Government works. Unlike him, President Brian Mundubile and I served as ministers responsible for Northern and Eastern provinces. We have practical knowledge of governance issues. President Hichilema came from the corporate world into Government with no clue how Government operates. Mr. President, you have a lot to learn from these boys,” Mr. Zulu said.
Mr. Zulu said it was not his nature to disrespect the Republican President but accused Mr. Hichilema of resorting to personal attacks to gain political mileage ahead of the August elections.
He challenged the President’s claims regarding the country’s national reserves, arguing that if Government indeed had billions of dollars in reserves, it should have prioritised paying local contractors owed substantial sums of money.
“Assuming those reserves exist, a wise leader would know what the priority is. Local contractors who are owed billions should have been paid because they employ thousands of Zambians who are also waiting to be paid. Instead, people continue wallowing in poverty because Government has not released money to contractors,” he said.
Mr. Zulu further argued that Government appeared more concerned with winning international recognition than addressing the economic hardships facing ordinary Zambians.
“You cannot keep reserves merely to stabilise the US dollar while people are suffering. Government seems more concerned about what the international community thinks than improving the lives of ordinary Zambians,” he said.
He pledged that an NRPUP administration under Mr. Mundubile would restore “truth and dignity” in governance by ensuring suppliers and contractors were paid on time, hospitals were stocked with medicines and farmers received farming inputs when due.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mundubile said he fully supported Mr. Zulu’s response, adding that despite President Hichilema’s remarks, the NRPUP leadership would continue according him the respect due to his office.
“President Hichilema referred to us as boys and thieves, but I subscribe to the response by our vice-president, Makebi Zulu, that we shall always respect him as our elder brother,” Mr. Mundubile said.
Mr. Mundubile said Mr. Zulu’s tenure as Minister for Eastern Province saw the rehabilitation of the Chipata-Luangwa Road and the construction of Kalindawalo Hospital in Petauke, while his own tenure as Minister for Northern Province delivered mini hospitals in Chilubi, secondary schools in Kaputa, Nsama and Kasama, among other infrastructure projects.
“When we served as ministers, Government resources were used to improve the lives of our people. Farmers were paid on time, contractors were paid on time and fertiliser was delivered on schedule. We can account for how public resources were utilised in our respective provinces,” Mr. Mundubile said.
He said unlike the current administration, whose focus was on attracting international accolades, an NRPUP government would prioritise improving the welfare of ordinary citizens.
“We will not sit back chasing international accolades while our people are hungry, while farmers have no fertiliser, while those who supply maize to FRA are not paid and contractors continue waiting for their money. Government must first improve the welfare of its own citizens,” Mr. Mundubile said.
HH HAS A LOT TO LEARN FROM US— MAKEBI…As he hits back at the President over ‘boys’ and reserves plunderers jab*
