By Patson Chilemba
The UPND has resolved to govern this country on the culture of lies, State Counsel Wynter Kabimba has charged.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Kabimba highlighted the government’s hypocritical stance on several national issues, saying publicly they were portraying the picture that they had abandoned vaccination mandates to access government buildings, yet several government institutions are demanding Covid-19 vaccine to access their premises.
Kabimba also talked about the government’s new found embrace for increasing fuel and electricity tariffs when they vehemently opposed the same issues while in opposition, saying President Hichilema was showing the nation that the way it was before the elections is how it should always be. He said President Hichilema vehemently opposed the appointment of party cadres to civil service positions, yet he was now “eating his own vomit.”
“The bottom line is that UPND wants to govern this country using the culture of lies. That’s the culture Zambians should judge UPND. Just look at the Covid pronouncements how they have changed positions within a few days,” Kabimba said. “The minister of Health Masebo said she did not say that vaccination was compulsory and yet the previous day, from a statement and videos are there she said people to access government buildings you needed proof of vaccination. They say they reversed that, but today you to as a member of the public and you are told that there is a demand that you need to provide vaccination proof.”
Kabimba said for those who heard the language from President Hichilema during the campaigns and those hearing him now, it should come as a shock to them that his government would today talk about increasing fuel and electricity tariffs.
He said President Hichilema and Finance minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane knew during their time in the opposition that fuel and electricity were being heavily subsidised, but they still insisted on telling people that if they voted for change, they would be voting for lower electricity and fuel tariffs.
“HH is quoted as saying that electricity should not be treated as a luxury, it’s actually a necessity. Those were his words. He didn’t say that once but on several occasions. He also said that fuel prices were very high and the reason for that was that the PF has engaged middle men whom they were paying along the way, and that UPND will remove the middle men,” Kabimba said. “He made two major pronouncements very consistently and very deliberately to woo voters to get to State House, and Zambians believed. He said this is what is going to bring about change.”
Kabimba said in a country that had subsidised electricity only a minority had access to electricity, wondering how others would be connected in the absence of subsidies and high electricity prices.
He said most people were already walking home to Lilanda, Kanyama, Chibolya after working hours in town, because the cost of bus fares were already high, wondering what will become of many with increased bus fares following the fuel increments, saying even the coming salary increments would simply go towards cushioning the high electricity and fuel costs.
Kabimba said President Hichilema could not even find time to apologise for his lies, because he knew that he was lying in the first place.
“Even the briefing with the IMF is a betrayal. They had no choice but to show their true colours. They were speaking as if it was someone talking under hostage with a gun to their head and the humble minister makes a statement to justify the removal of subsidies,” Kabimba said. “PF was able to build schools, roads and hospitals with subsidies running parallel. So to offer this justification that because along the way we want to save money to invest in hospitals, is just not true.”
Kabimba further called out President Hichilema for appointing cadres into the civil service.
“The other second issue that I have about Patrick Mucheleka’s position is what does special duties mean? I have never heard of that position in the civil service and this is what creates friction when you appoint people to positions whose job description is not clear. I think HH must be very careful, he can’t start redesigning positions that are not conventional in the civil service,” said Kabimba. “Civil service has very clear positions and civil service we practice here is common to all Commonwealth jurisdictions and therefore to try to reinvent positions in order to give positions to your party cadres is what will destroy the UPND government.
“He is creating positions to reward people, not for people to come and serve the country, not in national interest but in personal interests because these are people who have been loyal to him as HH over the years.”
