Maravi

Rupiah should admit his failures, says HH

Rupiah should admit his failures, says HH
Written by Gloria Siwisha
Saturday, December 13, 2008 3:48:42 AM

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda should admit his failures to come up with workable policies for the people of Zambia instead of hiding behind the global financial crisis, opposition UPND president Hakainde Hichilema said yesterday.

In an interview, Hichilema said Zambians were now going through a difficult time because of President Banda’s failure to find a solution to the economic crisis much earlier. He said the current economic situation was a sign of worse things to come in future.

“It is clear that President Banda had no plans for this country because if he had, he was not going to take the issue of increasing his own salary as top priority on his agenda. Instead, he would have worked towards improving the lives of the people of Zambia,” Hichilema said. “My heart bleeds for the Zambian people.”

Hichilema said President Banda rarely showed his face in public nowadays because he didn’t know what other lies to tell Zambians.

“How can he proudly show his face in public now when he knows he told lies during his campaigns?” asked Hichilema, “He just has to hide it as is always the case, liars always try come up with other lies to cover up the last ones. But I would like to believe that Zambians can see through him now and will definitely take him to task if he does not fulfil earlier promises.”

He said the high interest rates, coupled with the high inflation and exchange rates had the potential to hike the cost of living, a situation he said would adversely affect the vulnerable people.

He also warned that investors would soon start losing confidence in the MMD government since the cost of doing business in Zambia had gone up.

“The exchange rate is too high and already it’s clear the markets have already started losing confidence in Rupiah Banda’s government. One wonders where our late president’s legacy is,” he said.

Hichilema said there was no harm in President Banda admitting that he promised the people of Zambian things he had no intentions of fulfilling.

“President Banda promised that he would reduce the price of fertiliser, has it happened? No! Look at the two companies the government has contracted to distribute fertiliser; he is failing to pay them. This is another disaster on their part,” said Hichilema.

“The government has an obligation to take care of its people but the problem is that government is refusing to accept advice. They take it that we are insulting them when in fact we are not. They should not forget that we are also part of the Zambian people and are feeling the impact of the economic crisis.”

Labels: HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 3:48 AM