It’s Hichilema’s endless excuses, rooted in alleged Patriotic Front failures, that are the real chains holding Zambia back, leaving us stuck, unhappy, and dissatisfied. Let him call for early elections if he’s failed as Head of State.
Lusaka, June 26 – This analysis aims to contextualize Mr. Hichilema’s Facebook post from December 10, 2019. In that post, he asserted, “True leaders address problems instead of assigning blame to others or external factors like climate change. When faced with a challenge, the best approach is to confront it head-on, as external factors beyond human control have always existed and will persist for years to come.”
He further reflected on how Arab nations, despite being predominantly desert and never experiencing rainfall, manage to supply electricity year-round. He concluded by emphasizing that “the difference lies in leadership quality and vision.”
Also Read: A man’s ambition, should never exceed his worth! Political ambition alone is not enough to guarantee national development; it must be accompanied by the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience.
It is disheartening to witness President Hichilema acting contrary to his professed beliefs. He must promptly face the reality of his tenure, accepting full responsibility for both the successes and failures of his political decisions. Rather than retreating into excuses to stay in a political comfort zone, he owes the people of Zambia a transparent account of how he has utilized the mandate they entrusted to him in 2021.
Take the current energy crisis for instance, it is merely echoing the mistakes of the agriculture sector. Previously, we maintained a year’s supply of maize in storage but Hichilema prioritized exports for business. Similarly, last year, he signed substantial power export deals without heeding weather forecasts, depleting our reservoirs. Blaming the Patriotic Front now is nothing short of dishonesty; it’s a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
As George Washington Carver famously stated, “Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses!” But by constantly shifting blame, Hichilema is not only acknowledging his inability to solve our pressing socio-economic development challenges but is also underscoring his failure to deliver the solutions Zambia desperately needs.
In opposition, Hichilema pledged to halt new debt acquisition. However, under his leadership, Zambia’s external debt has surged by approximately $5 billion in under three years. The costs of essential goods and services, including fuel, electricity, bread, and transport, remain prohibitively high for most citizens.
Additionally, his promises of increased private sector job creation and a robust industrialization strategy to boost manufacturing have yet to materialize.
Probably, Zambians must face the music and accept that they may have elected a man woefully unprepared to govern. It’s as if he never believed he could win in the first place. He is like a clueless football coach who has no idea how to make crucial substitutions. He needs to address life changing issues such as how the mining sector can be used to sustainably diversify the economy.
Zambia, the second largest copper producer in Africa, relies heavily on its copper industry as the cornerstone of its economy. Despite this, the sector contributes only an average of 15 percent to our GDP. Ironically, the primary contributors to our GDP have been the retail sector and PAYE, indicating that our nation’s economic growth is disproportionately funded by the poor, while the benefits largely accrue to the wealthy.
It’s not Edgar Lungu’s past mistakes or the devastating blow of El Niño to Zambia’s energy sector that’s dragging the nation down, it’s Hichilema’s own incompetence.
His incessant excuses instead of addressing real issues, such as the few aforementioned examples, have shackled the nation, preventing the realization of its pre-2021 general election aspirations. It’s high time he wakes up and realizes that lamenting the current state of Zambia won’t change a thing. To transform the lives of ordinary Zambians, he must abandon his political excuses and take decisive action.
People didn’t elect Hichilema to play detective and point fingers at the Patriotic Front’s past missteps; they voted for him to raise their living standards. They did not cast their ballots for an attention-seeking showman but for a President who rolls up his sleeves and gets to work.
Also Read: Hichilema: A Disaster Greater Than El Niño. The devastating blow of El Niño to Zambia’s energy sector has been compounded by Hichilema’s shocking incompetence, leaving the nation utterly powerless to combat the catastrophic fallout.
With the reins of power firmly in his grasp, he has everything needed to steer this nation towards a brighter future. He can move mountains and make a lasting impact if he musters the courage to believe in himself and take bold risks. It’s time to break free from the shadow of the Patriotic Front’s alleged mistakes and chart a new course for progress.
It’s time to break free from the shadow of the Patriotic Front’s alleged mistakes and chart a new course for progress.
The bottom line is that Hichilema will never unlock the true potential of the UPND manifesto if he doesn’t boldly implement it. His endless excuses, rooted in alleged Patriotic Front failures, are the real chains holding us back, leaving us stuck, unhappy, and dissatisfied. It’s not Edgar Lungu’s past mistakes but Hichilema’s own incompetence that is dragging the nation down.
Also Read: Accountability for the Zambia Police’s incompetence rests with President Hichilema! The Digest perceives the suggestion by President Hichilema of involving the Zambia Army in maintaining law and order as a deliberate step towards distancing the country from democratic norms.
About Our Advocacy: Woodpecker’s Digest, an online platform, provides analyses and commentaries on pertinent issues of national interest, complemented by articles focusing on personal development and and health. Journalism is a powerful tool for driving positive socio-economic change!
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