Africa-Press – Zambia. While President Hakainde Hichilema speaks of engagement with the private sector and the need for collaboration, the reality on the ground tells a different story. The Zambian private sector the very backbone of our economy continues to suffer under his administration.
Prolonged load shedding has crippled manufacturing, mining, and SMEs, dragging productivity to its lowest levels. No amount of consultation at State House can substitute for stable and reliable electricity, which is the lifeblood of any modern economy.
As if this is not enough, we are grappling with high fuel prices and, currently, a shortage of diesel a major driver of the economy in terms of the transportation of goods and services. Yet President Hichilema remains detached, speaking as though he is out of touch with the daily struggles of our people.
Policy implementation has also been weak and selective. While government speeches promise inclusivity, the reality is different. Implementation has been poor and, in many instances, skewed in favour of small-scale enterprises, leaving medium and large-scale industries exposed to unfair competition and high operational costs.
Equally, despite acknowledging that growth comes from a thriving private sector, this government has failed to provide even the most basic support framework predictable policies, reduced red tape, energy stability, and a level playing field in both domestic and export markets.
The President continues to hide behind endless consultations, but consultations without tangible outcomes have become the hallmark of his government. The private sector does not need more empty meetings it needs an environment where investments can thrive, jobs can be created, effective representation of workers in private sector especially where salaries is concerned cause most of have poor salary and working conditions. Zambians can prosper with good, focused, action oriented, patriotic and visionary leadership with clear intent to serve the country not personal ambition.
President Hichilema has always branded himself as a successful businessman and an economist. Yet in practice, he has failed to apply even the most basic principles of business and economic sense in managing the economy. No credible business leader would promise growth while presiding over power shortages, fuel crises, inconsistent tax policies, and weak policy execution. This contradiction exposes a clear hypocrisy between the President’s rhetoric and his actual delivery.
Until he demonstrates genuine leadership by ending prolonged load shedding with practical solutions, implementing fair policies across all sectors, and building investor confidence through consistency and transparency, his statements of partnership will remain nothing more than empty rhetoric.
The Zambian private sector deserves better than promises. Sadly, President Hichilema is still behaving like an opposition leader who can afford to keep making promises, forgetting that he is in the driver’s seat a seat he fought tooth and nail to occupy. Yet without a clear roadmap and vision, Zambia will remain stuck in cycles of mismanagement and circus politics, where national resources and government machinery are auctioned off for personal gain.
The most unfortunate aspect of President Hichilema’s administration is the absence of a good governance culture. A modern government must embrace the King IV Principles of ethical culture, good performance, effective control, and legitimacy. These four pillars are not just ideals they are the foundation of good governance and a healthy democracy. Yet under this administration, they remain completely ignored.
Instead, what we see are unproductive and oppressive laws such as the Cyber Security Bill designed to gag citizens from questioning government, alongside Bills 7 and 13, which serve personal ambition rather than national interest. Meanwhile, productive laws and policies that could uplift the lives of ordinary Zambians remain neglected.
For More News And Analysis About Zambia Follow Africa-Press
