Africa-Press – Zambia. The Socialist Party on the Copperbelt has charged that President Hakainde Hichilema’s recent visit to the province failed to offer hope of improving the economic and social status of the region and the nation at large.
The Head of State visited Ndola, Kitwe, Mufulira, Chingola and Chililabombwe to thank voters for ushering the UPND into Government during the 2021 General Election. Among other activities President Hichilema visited churches, held road shows, graced the UPND Dinners and met selected party structures.
In a media statement, Socialist Party Copperbelt spokesperson Joseph Kangwa said it was disappointing that Mr. Hichilema failed to address the burning issues of Konkola Copper Mine (KCM), lack of essential medicines in government hospitals and high cost of living during his visit.
“Presidential visit to the province turned into a nightmare for HH and UPND.The coming of President Hakainde Hichilema to the Copperbelt Province for the first time as Republican President had been received with mixed feelings by the people in the region. People’s expectations were that the President would give them hope in improving the economic and social situations in the province and the whole country. However, we the Socialist Party on the Copperbelt expressed our disappointment with HH’s tour. It is folly for the President to come all the way from Lusaka using our poor Zambian tax payers’ money only to deliver an empty speech thereby wasting our money as his visit was in vain as it has always been,” Mr. Kangwa said. He said being a key economic sector mining issues should have been on top of the President’s visit to the Copperbelt.
“Having acknowledged the suffering and miserable life of our people, the mine workers, youths, bus and taxi drivers, marketers and farmers living in the province, as Socialist Party (SP) we expected Mr. Hichilema to address the burning issues of Konkola Copper Mine (KCM), lack of essential medicines in government hospitals and high cost of living due to high unemployment rate obtaining in the province.It is a known fact that mining is the main activity which the people of Copperbelt do for their livelihood, as such this entails the importance of mines and the impact they cause not only to the miners but also to the thousands of residents in the province. People’s expectations were to know the position of the government on KCM. They were very optimistic that the President would address his government’s plans and the future of the mine,” he stated.
“HH’s failure to address the burning issues of mines, especially Konkola Copper Mine and its future, is an indictment of his government’s ability to resolve the mining stalemate situation. Otherwise, it was shameful for President HH going back without giving a concrete solution to the aforementioned problems. The writing is on the wall that UPND has become very unpopular less than a year in office and it was for that reason that Copperbelt residents shunned President HH’s rallies as evidenced by poor attendance throughout all the towns despite high publicity of his visit. It was very unusual for someone who won elections recently not to attract the attention of the same people who voted him into office. We can safely infer that his hollow speeches have finally cost him popularity and it is doubtful if his government would go beyond 2026 at the rate they are going.”
Mr. Mulenga has since called on President Hichilema to address challenges being faced by people of the Copperbelt. “The Socialist Party together with the people of the Copperbelt province, are therefore calling upon the President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema to make sure that he addresses all the challenges being faced by the poor people in the province. The issue of KCM should be pacified in the interest of the Zambians.”
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