Africa-Press – Zambia. ZAMBIA Must Prosper leader Kelvin Fube Bwalya says President Hakainde Hichilema has no credibility to stay in State House because his time is up.
Bwalya adds that if President Hichilema cannot answer how the average Zambian is supposed to develop under current conditions, he should just keep quiet.
KBF was responding to President Hichilema, who was urging Zambians to shift from the culture of constant complaining to one of action.
President Hichilema said many citizens miss out on opportunities right under their noses because they focus too much on complaining.
In an interview, Friday, Bwalya said President Hichilema lived in a Utopian world where he thought Zambians were at the same level as he was.
“For anybody to develop, those countries that you see developing, those countries that you see having an idea developed from scratch, it is because the basics are satisfied. They are not worried about essential commodities, they are not worried about electricity, they’re not worried about the price of fuel moving from point A to point B. It doesn’t make sense. I think my friend lives in a very Utopian world.
In his head, he thinks the level where he is, that’s the level where the average Zambian is. He shouldn’t think like that as a leader. You should take yourself to their level and ask yourself: how is this average Zambian able to think, first of all, and how is he capable of developing this which I’m asking him to develop? If you can’t have that answer, just shut up, don’t insult Zambians. Tell the President to shut up and come up with ideas himself of solving the problems,” he said.
“When he was in the opposition, he made it seem so simple. He was saying, ‘if you can’t reduce the price of mealie meal, cooking oil, sugar, salt, whatever, you have no credibility of staying in government, you have no credibility as a leader to be in State House.’ Tell him today, he has no credibility to stay in State House, his time is up. So those comments he must not direct them to the poor Zambians. He should let Zambians suffer with us, but in 2026 we are chasing him out.
Giving up quickly? Has he seen the women who wake up at 04:00 in the morning to go to Soweto to wait for their orders? Has he seen the women at Chisokone market waking up at 04:00 to go and get their orders somewhere in Mtendere market, somewhere in Twapia in Ndola? Does he know how they survive? Have they given up on life? No, the Zambians don’t give up, they’re giving up on him because he’s a liar. He lied to them and they’ve realised that his lies are not working”.
Bwalya noted that the right question to ask the President was what opportunities he had presented to Zambians.
“I think the right question to ask the President is what opportunities has he presented to Zambians? Because that’s very fundamental. It’s like he’s saying Zambians cannot be creative, Zambians are not capable of industry or manufacturing, or the artistic world, they don’t develop themselves. That’s a very unfortunate statement to come from the Head of State when his government has not given the Zambians any opportunity to develop themselves.
Now for development to occur in a country, what are the driving forces? One, electricity, two, petroleum products. So, if electricity is not there, how are the SMEs going to go and do their business? The same people that he wants to grow, the same people that he wants to show development and creativity, how are they going to do their business without constant supply of electricity and at an affordable rate?” asked Bwalya.
“How do you blame the Zambians? This is the kind of thinking which I think, with the greatest respect, the President must revisit. Secondly, how does the President expect the Zambians to be creative or indeed to develop themselves, when his government has put up repressive laws and the atmosphere in the country is not conducive for such development? People are worried by basic food commodities, basics of life.
What is the price of mealie meal today? What is the price of an average bottle of cooking oil? A packet of sugar? Even at the market at Soweto, how much do people go and buy vegetables for? Tomatoes, Onions? So, when people are worried by the basics, how do you expect them to be concentrating on development or coming up with ideas which are going to be creative? That is why Zambians are complaining”.
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