By Mwimba Kashikishi
Citizens First (CF) leader Harry Kalaba says the shoes President Hakainde Hichilema has been wearing as Head of State are too big for him “considering the magnitude of his failures in office.”
And Kalaba said he would extend the Social Cash Transfer Programme to include vulnerable men and women, and that it would be paid monthly to the beneficiaries as opposed to waiting for two months.
Addressing campaign rallies in Chilubi and Lupososhi, in Northern Province today, Kalaba said it was ichibeleshi (familiarity) with the people for the UPND to promote the ‘salt sana slogan’ when Zambians were having to share fertilizer in medas, and when there was no single tarred road in the district, including the main district road connecting Chilubi and Luwingu.
He told the people to count themselves among the worst poverty stricken inhabitants in the land.
“I hear they have sent ba OP (officers from Office of the President) to hear what Harry Kalaba will say and tell HH. Those of you who have been sent, go and tell HH that Kalaba tafwaya ichibeleshi. There are people who have failed to come here to appreciate the challenges you are going through. They are flying over the problems while I drove on this road to appreciate the challenges you are going through,” Kalaba said. “Death and life is in your hands. On 13th August you shall be voting for life and death.”
Kalaba said had president Michael Sata not died, the Luwingu-Chilubi road would have been tarred as plans to engage the contractor were already in the pipeline, but all that ended when he died. He said he was asking the people to give him the powers of President in order to realise the project.
He said he resigned as Foreign Affairs minister from the PF administration of late Edgar Lungu as he could not agree with some of the issues that were obtaining in that administration.
Kalaba also promised to fulfil the long held cry for the people of Chilubi to separate the mainland from the island.
On the Social Cash Transfer Programme, Kalaba said he was the one late Sata assigned to sign for the programme.
He said the programme would not end by removing UPND from office, but would be improved upon to include vulnerable men and women, and that it would be paid to them monthly.
