By Revelation Editor
Many are beginning to wonder whether the steep rise in fuel prices following the August 13 general elections is also part of the grow Zambia agenda, as the same has corresponded with the period President Hakainde Hichilema declared his theme for his second and last term of office.
During the same period, the advent of power interruptions have also become frequent and common, with people wondering whether this is just another continuation of the same struggles they endured during President Hichilema’s first term, which probably just received a brief pause during the 2026 campaign season.
One may probably even pause and ask: Where has the quick, decisive and methodical and other worldly approach to responding to pressing public issues shown from the period December, 2025 to August 2026, gone? Because during that period, Zambians suddenly experienced heaven on earth months with the sudden disappearance of the loadshedding – which had become a constant feature for three years, with most households only experiencing three hours of electricity daily.
On the fuel side, what may actually be termed as a subsidy was introduced to cushion the public on the effects of the same turmoil in the middle east which is being attributed to as the main reason behind the K8 fuel hike since the August 13 general elections. Where those subsidies a loan, a nkongole to the public through which repayment is now being demanded from them to pay through the nose with this steep hikes in the price of fuel? Is this how the grow Zambia agenda will be financed by asking Zambians to pay for the fuel through their noses?
Surely, a caring government should not allow a situation where the price of fuel rises by K8 in just two months without being prompted to do something about it? Surely at this moment in time again the voice of Gertrude Imenda is urgently needed again to ask Vice-President Mutale Nalumango in Parliament on what the government will do about these escalating fuel prices, because they are not good for the worsening cost of living in the country, which President Hichilema promised he would address during his inauguration ceremony on September 01 for his second term.
We are just wondering how the President would be able to fulfil the same lowering on the cost of living when just two months after being sworn in, bus and taxi owners have announced new higher fares, followed up by even more higher fares they will announce following this new batch of escalation in the fuel pump price? How will he do that when the cost of producing goods is already going up, whose cost will be passed on to the consumers in terms of higher prices from the grocery stores because of the high fuel prices? This scenario appears to be more like the very sad experiences Zambians went through during his first term, which he said was a recovery period. They are experiencing the same struggles trough a period he’s calling as a growth period? No relief at all.
There are those who of course mindlessly argue that subsidies must not be introduced on things like the price of fuel as it is synonymous to spoon-feeding the people. If so, why were the same subsidies introduced during the election season? Was it for securing the narrow interests of politicians in power to win public office again by dangling the carrot before the public? The same carrot they were well aware they would take away once they won back public office? Isn’t that government hypocrisy of using lies to win over public office? If masses are being battered by high prices, is it not the responsibility of government to cushion the hardships by coming up with measures to lessen the shocks?
Governments are expected to govern the country with a human face because they are actually in office to serve public interest in the first place, unless they don’t understand why they are actually in public office in the first place.
They surely won’t endear themselves to the people by having a carefree attitude in the midst of such glaring challenges. They won’t endear themselves to Zambians if they go along the route of ‘we are increasing to reduce’.
If the price of fuel has increased by K8 on any given liter, surely a caring government should be able to intervene and do something about it, otherwise it is just condemning the same population it claims to serve to more abject poverty.
The government can’t continue singing about numbers in terms of lowered inflationary figures and increased reserves when the reality on the ground is a total opposite. If they call that as methodical then we must find another word for the same.
Related
By Revelation Editor
Many are beginning to wonder whether the steep rise in fuel prices following the August 13 general elections is also part of the grow Zambia agenda, as the same has corresponded with the period President Hakainde Hichilema declared his theme for his second and last term of office.
During the same period, the advent of power interruptions have also become frequent and common, with people wondering whether this is just another continuation of the same struggles they endured during President Hichilema’s first term, which probably just received a brief pause during the 2026 campaign season.
One may probably even pause and ask: Where has the quick, decisive and methodical and other worldly approach to responding to pressing public issues shown from the period December, 2025 to August 2026, gone? Because during that period, Zambians suddenly experienced heaven on earth months with the sudden disappearance of the loadshedding – which had become a constant feature for three years, with most households only experiencing three hours of electricity daily.
On the fuel side, what may actually be termed as a subsidy was introduced to cushion the public on the effects of the same turmoil in the middle east which is being attributed to as the main reason behind the K8 fuel hike since the August 13 general elections. Where those subsidies a loan, a nkongole to the public through which repayment is now being demanded from them to pay through the nose with this steep hikes in the price of fuel? Is this how the grow Zambia agenda will be financed by asking Zambians to pay for the fuel through their noses?
Surely, a caring government should not allow a situation where the price of fuel rises by K8 in just two months without being prompted to do something about it? Surely at this moment in time again the voice of Gertrude Imenda is urgently needed again to ask Vice-President Mutale Nalumango in Parliament on what the government will do about these escalating fuel prices, because they are not good for the worsening cost of living in the country, which President Hichilema promised he would address during his inauguration ceremony on September 01 for his second term.
We are just wondering how the President would be able to fulfil the same lowering on the cost of living when just two months after being sworn in, bus and taxi owners have announced new higher fares, followed up by even more higher fares they will announce following this new batch of escalation in the fuel pump price? How will he do that when the cost of producing goods is already going up, whose cost will be passed on to the consumers in terms of higher prices from the grocery stores because of the high fuel prices? This scenario appears to be more like the very sad experiences Zambians went through during his first term, which he said was a recovery period. They are experiencing the same struggles trough a period he’s calling as a growth period? No relief at all.
There are those who of course mindlessly argue that subsidies must not be introduced on things like the price of fuel as it is synonymous to spoon-feeding the people. If so, why were the same subsidies introduced during the election season? Was it for securing the narrow interests of politicians in power to win public office again by dangling the carrot before the public? The same carrot they were well aware they would take away once they won back public office? Isn’t that government hypocrisy of using lies to win over public office? If masses are being battered by high prices, is it not the responsibility of government to cushion the hardships by coming up with measures to lessen the shocks?
Governments are expected to govern the country with a human face because they are actually in office to serve public interest in the first place, unless they don’t understand why they are actually in public office in the first place.
They surely won’t endear themselves to the people by having a carefree attitude in the midst of such glaring challenges. They won’t endear themselves to Zambians if they go along the route of ‘we are increasing to reduce’.
If the price of fuel has increased by K8 on any given liter, surely a caring government should be able to intervene and do something about it, otherwise it is just condemning the same population it claims to serve to more abject poverty.
The government can’t continue singing about numbers in terms of lowered inflationary figures and increased reserves when the reality on the ground is a total opposite. If they call that as methodical then we must find another word for the same.
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