By Staff Reporter
New Heritage Party (NHP) leader Chishala Kateka has urged people living in compounds not to be fooled by the government, following its sudden decision to increase hours of power supply in their respective areas.
Commenting on the sudden uptick of power in compounds, Kateka said the government was doing what it was doing in order to appease people in compounds by providing them with increased hours of power. She, however, urged residents in the compounds to tell the government that ‘mwakamba late’ (it’s too late).
Zambians have endured long hours of darkness for close to two years.
Energy minister Makozo Chikote, when he featured on a Diamond TV programme dubbed ‘COSTA’ on Sunday night, revealed that people in places such as Lusaka’s Kanyama and Matero townships were receiving at least not less than 10 hours of power in a day. He added that in places where less privileged people operated from like the City Market, government was providing not less than 10 hours of power.
He justified the power blackouts in low density areas like Lusaka’s Woodlands where he said residents there could afford to install solar systems.
But Kateka yesterday said a government that was about to be kicked out always made promises that it would not fulfil.
“Do not be fooled. When a government is about to be kicked out, they will come with promises and you know that they always promise, and they do not keep their word. So, the moment you vote for them, don’t forget that … it would be someone’s last chance. It would be HH’s last term so what they will do, if they were to come, in kufilila munsenga (they would destroy), so they will come to make even more money than they were making before because they know that they are not going to come back anyway,” Kateka said.
She said if Zambians wanted to suffer for another five years, they should vote for UPND.
“If you want another five years of what we have gone through, then vote for UPND. If they are only coming to make things right, in the last months of their term of office, why would you vote for them?” Kateka asked. “I think mukabasuke ati mwabwela late (tell them that they have come late). That’s my message to the people. Let them tell the government that mwakamba late.”
Kateka said Zambians had been complaining about long hours of load shedding and nothing was being done about it. She said in the last two to three months, Zambians had enough, and the government had realised that yazanda (things don’t seem okay).
“So, as we are now, 11 months to the elections, obviously they know there are some things that Zambians will not forgive them for and one of them is power. And who are the voters? It’s mostly not imwe mumayadi (it’s not you people who live in low density areas) such as Woodlands, Kabulonga you know even if you vote, you are not enough,” Kateka said. “So, what they are trying to do is to appease the people in the compounds.”
Kateka also urged the government not to forget that people in mayadi (low desity areas) and compounds were interconnected and interrelated.
“So, their jobs are affected. Some of them have businesses mumayadi. Their jobs are still affected,” she said.
And Kateka cautioned the government against discrimination based on where one lived when it came to power supply.
“We are supposed to treat people fairly. So why should people in Woodlands and Kabulonga suffer?” she asked. “We are all supposed to get power equally. It’s not right. In any case, if people have already decided, so where is the power suddenly coming from? Lyonse ili balecita complain (all along they have been complaining). Now they feel ‘okay we have made enough money for now, let us give them some power,’ they are thinking ngababwekelapo futi bakatampa filyafine balecita (once they win, they will continue) to increase load shedding. That is where the problem is.”
Kateka also accused the government of bringing in third-parties under companies which she said belonged to President Hakainde Hichilema’s business associates.
“They brought in this third party … you know; we are not afraid to mention who has been making money at the expense of the suffering Zambians. May God judge them harshly futi (again),” said Kateka.
