IS HH OUR LAST HOPE?
As Things Stand, PF Has Completely Failed To Manage The Country and HH is seemingly being seen now, not only as an economic liberator but also as a guarantor of peace as well as political and economic stability in the nation, but is he equal to the task?
*By Daimone Siulapwa*
Zambia will be going into a general election in 2021, still a bit far, but yet again very close. The question on the mouth of most citizens is, will Lungu continue to be our president or will HH scope it this time? For now it seems Hakainde Hichilema of the UPND is growing the numbers, though a little too slow as he seems not to see the opportunity that has been presented to him on a silver platter by the many misfortunes of PF and the mismanagement of our resources.
PF’s Edgar Lungu is on the other side losing ground rapidly as the PF continues to loss key members PF. There is now no doubt in the mind of many Zambian that the newly formed NDC has done quite some extensive damage to the PF and will continue to do so as time goes on.
The resignation of Harry kalaba as Minister of foreign affairs also added salt to the injury, his resignation sent shivers in the PF camp and we should expect more surprises the in future. As things stand, Lungu and his PF are facing the exit and they are fast getting closer everyday to the door.
Meanwhile, the knew kid on the block, Chishimba Kambwili, nick-named the young cobra or Imbwili, the supreme NDC consultant or now NDC’s presidential candidate for 2021 is playing into the power game slowly, he can now not be completely ignored as he has punched some serious holes in the PF and he is busy tapping into the structures of the PF to create his. What effect this will have on the strength of the PF, we yet to see.
As for the MMD, It is now safe to say that they will without any doubt field-in their own presidential candidate in 2021 and PF must closely watch Mulusa, he is soon to unveil MMD’s grand master plan, he could be the unifier for Felix Mutati and Nevers Mumba, his desire to be fired and differ with the alpha and the Omega - aka Eagle one was not by chance, it was well planned and executed strategy and trap which Lungu fail into, to advantage Mulusa in the eyes of the voters. wedding
So far there has been very few defection from the UPND to the PF than there has been from the PF to other parties including the newly formed NDC. Barely a few months after the country voted Edgar Lungu into power; his sympathisers in PF endorsed him for 2021, an act that brought anger and discontentment in the ruling party. It is now very clear that PF is in a mess and they will need more than a miracle to win in 2021.
Though Lungu has become confident in his role as the president of Zambia, HH is also widely considered to be a leader with outstanding abilities whose personal integrity and modest lifestyle is in sharp contrast to the extravagance many top PF leaders have been accused of, of late, especially in the midst of the serious hunger many Zambians are facing since PF come into power.
With the coming 2021 elections and after citizens having given the PF a chance to rule, it is widely been hailed that HH represents a ‘new breed’ of reform-minded Zambian politician. HH is now perceived, as a person who possesses both a genuine concern for egalitarianism and an intense dislike for all forms of elitism and corruption.
He dresses simply as compare to his foe Edgar Lungu, takes no interest in the spoils of being rich or having possession and he has pursued his objectives of becoming the next Zambian President with missionary zeal. In fact, many people now expect HH to be even more aggressive because whether he like or not, this will be his last short the presidency, unless the PF government passes a law that will bar him from contesting, a recipe for confusion and violence.
HH’s intellectual energy is formidable as he articulates political and economic ideals with clarity, how that translates to positive results can only be seen if he becomes president one day.
HH endorses an orthodox free-market strategy and advocates strict fiscal discipline, lower government deficit and spending, trade liberalisation as well as export-driven growth.
HH is a business magnate who has been nurtured in the corporate world from an early age and he thus understands the economics of this nation. Conversely, HH has experienced the hardships of life having grown up herding cattle in Southern Province and he thus appreciates what deprivation entails.
With the many hardships now facing Zambians, People have come to see HH as an acceptable face – soft-spoken, articulate pragmatist, who favours a negotiated settlement to an end rather than violence. He is particularly skilful in handling contacts with a stream of other politicians, businessmen, academics and the church in seeking a way to better the nation, a attribute that other may take for a weakness.
HH is a model of decorum and generosity - his pronouncements encourage a sense of optimism. In the past, HH has carried out his campaigns remarkably with no resistance from within or outside the party ranks and he has recently after his release from prison been greeted in many parts of the country with great relief and enthusiasm during UPND’s card party renewal meetings.
HH has shown that he has serious interest in the business of government, and indeed an understanding of it. He is clearly familiar and patient with the intricacies of administration that is why so much confidence, so much trust is now being placed in him.
HH is seemingly being seen now, not only as an economic liberator but also as a guarantor of peace as well as political and economic stability in the nation. Most people have realised that Zambia stands at the threshold of a new era and think that HH is the one who is set to rescue the country from abyss.
HH is a shrewd intellectual who believes that education is the greatest equaliser as it can be a tool that can be employed by one to get out of deprivation. According to HH, poverty and prosperity hinge on the presence or lack of education and he has thus promised to offer free education up to university level if or when elected Republican President in 2021.
Maybe it is time the Zambians tried the man they rejected five times, he could just be the missing link we have been missing, in any case how much bad or worse can HH be as compared to Edgar Lungu?
*Daimone Siulapwa is the founder and Editor-In-Chief of the Voice Newspaper in Zambia.