By Merlyn Mwanza
Debt Swap tricks for civil servants by the PF government is a hoax and an absolute criminality, UPND Alliance presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema has charged.
And Hichilema outlined the Alliance position on various policies once assumed office after August 12.
Briefing the media at his residence commonly known as Community House this morning, Hichilema warned civil servants and all those being promised to have their debt swapped by the PF government against being hoodwinked and be on the alert, saying such political rhetoric and monkey tricks are not only dangerous but actually an insult to civil servants.
He reminded civil servants and the people of Zambia at large that it is the PF government that has put most civil servants in debt by deliberately failing to remit workers’ contributions to lenders such as banks and other financial lending institutions.
Hichilema said civil servants have never failed to pay what they borrow from lenders. Hichilema said it is the PF government that have been dubiously stealing civil servants’ money and never remit to financial institutions.
He warned civil servants against buying into what he termed as PF “last kicks of the dying horse”.
He added that a caring government does not wait for an election to salvage its civil servants out of excessive debt
“What a hoax: the question is why are civil servants in debt? Who has created this crisis in the civil service? It’s the PF. Civil servants contribute but the government doesn’t remit the money to the lending institutions. And today the PF can come & announce debit swap? Thats a hoax! What an insult to the people of Zambia? what an insult to the civil servants who work so hard to earn a living? You’re a criminal; PF is a criminal (government),” Hichilema charged. Don’t buy into this PF debt swap hoax. This is not a solution. The solution to resolve this crisis is: (1) we will improve pay & conditions of civil servants; (2) we will reduce the cost of materials & food. This means you will have more income & money; (3) we will reform NAPSA so you can access your NAPSA savings to avoid you borrowing “kaloba”; (4) we will lower the interest rate.” The combination of these measures will enable you out of debt crisis. The PF want to hoodwink & manipulate our civil servants.”
And announcing his Alliance government measures particularly on combating deadly Covid-19 pandemic, Hichilema said there would be no tangible progress to be made after August 12 if the pandemic is addressed in the casual manner the PF had handled it.
He said Covid-19 required aggressive and bold steps to eliminate its negative impact on the overall life of the country.
He said among the measures to be taken include: declaring the pandemic a national disaster alongside creating a Covid-19 directorate under the office of the President.
To achieve this, he said, his government shall recruit more doctors, nurses and that all health personnel that had been fired by the PF government for simply demanding for their hard-earned allowances will be reinstated immediately.
“My message to all doctors that were fired for demanding that they be paid their allowances is that, please get prepared to resume work after August 12,” Hichilema assured.
Hichilema reiterated the UPND Alliance government’s position on the fight against corruption and the desire to create a Zambia devoid of inequality, segregation and hate based on perceived political differences.
He also urged his supporters against engaging in political violence, saying there is no room for violence in the UPND Alliance.
“We know that PF are desperate to remain in power: for them political office is livelihood, contrary to what we believe in. They will try to rig the election but they will fail. We won’t allow them to rig your elections. Today, when an alliance person puts bill boards, you are killed just like Sinkala. They will continue to do that but we are saying, this will not continue. I appeal to PF cadres, to stop the violence! Police, please protect citizens. When the police don’t defend you, defend yourselves; protect each other,” he urged his supporters. “This is your safety; your elections. We (UPND Alliance) are the majority. No violence should be condoned. None of our members should engage in violence. They’re disregarding COVID-19 regulations, saying no rallies, but they are having rallies; no road shows but they are having road shows as we saw in Mtendere (referring to President Edgar Lungu who last week attracted huge crowds in Mtendere against ECZ directive). Now within the Covid-19 protocols, go in the field & campaign. Door to door campaigns should be encouraged because we believe in the collective good for all of us, everywhere, you deserve a better life.”
