By Patson Chilemba
We can only hope that President Hakainde Hichilema’s government is working on the logistics to introduce free education for all in January 2022, says Democratic Party (DP) leader Harry Kalaba.
But ruling UPND national chairman Stephen Katuka said free education will be fulfilled, saying the party was only less than a month old in government.
During his inaugural address to parliament yesterday, President Hichilema said deserving students will be offered an opportunity to education, but opposition members of parliament demanded that the President say that the education should be free for all as promised during the elections. But the President said he was using English, adding that children from well to do families such as his did not need government help, but only those from poor households.
But Kalaba said he hoped the President will clarify himself on free education for all.
“He had an opportunity yesterday to tell us where he stands, with his party the UPND where they stand and as government, and the President didn’t tell us. So as Democratic Party we are hoping the President will find another opportunity to tell us on free education,” Kalaba said in his reaction to Daily Revelation. “We can only hope that behind the curtains they are working on the logistics and all those that go with issues of free education so that by January people can begin benefiting from the free education that they have been promised.”
But asked if he thought it was possible to do that looking at the dire state of the public coffers as some have alluded to, Kalaba said: “You can’t say that, you can’t say do you feel looking at the coffers. That is not your problem. I mean the promise was given. It was a promise given I think sometime in April this year, and must be fulfilled, and we are going to ensure that President Hichilema fulfills that to the Zambian populous. These are promises.”
On the appointment of cabinet ministers, Kalaba said he would not say much on that as they have just been appointed, saying the nation will have to see how they will perform.
“You only speak of the cabinet when they start working. So for us as Democratic Party we want to see closely how the cabinet will work. There are certain things UPND has told us they will do we are watching. And so that’s all I can say for Cabinet,” said Kalaba.
But Katuka said the UPND will have to be judged based on their party manifesto, which he said was a social contract with the people.
“So if it is an item that is in our manifesto let them take it as it is. You know when you are speaking you will not cover everything. But a manifesto is a written document. So I have seen people already complaining that the speech was very long. Now if he was to go into detail on every aspect it would have taken five hours and people will be bored,” said Katuka. “But he talked about free education. If what (Lupososhi member of parliament Emmanuel) Mpankata (who said President HH was being haunted by his promises) was expecting a statement didn’t come according to the way he wanted it, but he (President Hichilema) talked about it. And what he said tied to our manifesto. I think he covered everything. And we are sure that it will be done. He doesn’t expect that to be done, we are only less than a month old in government. So I am saying hold us accountable for what we promised based on our manifesto.”
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