By NATION REPORTER
TWO opposition political leaders have observed that the UPND administration’s economic model being implemented is negatively affecting the under-privileged and have advised President Hakainde Hichilema to address the high cost of living because there is a risk that Zambians could resort to what is currently happening in South Africa and Kenya.
The Economic Front party and the New Heritage Party (NHP) have advised President Hichilema to stop thinking that those with divergent views on how best Zambia should be governed were his enemies.
Mr Wynter Kabimba, the leader of the Economic Front says one of the characteristics of a revolution in the world was spontaneity and that it would be prudent for the UPND administration to listen to the cries of citizens over the high cost of living after being promised that things would be better, cheaper and easier under President Hichilema.
Mr Kabimba said those who were raising concerns about the high cost of living, the Ndola-Lusaka dual carriageway, the breakdown in the rule of law and the political violence being perpetrated by the UPND cadres were not enemies of the State but were merely helping President Hichilema to govern the country the best way he could.
He said while the events in Kenya and South Africa could be isolated and not related, it would be folly for President Hichilema to think that what was happening in the two countries could not happen in Zambia.
And Ms Chishala Kateka, the president of the New Heritage Party says Zambians have been complaining about high cost of living from the days of MMD and the PF and that complained have continued into the UPND without getting any relief from the successive governments.
Ms Kateka said the frustrations among Zambians about the high cost of living were cumulative and that there could be a time when citizens would no longer hold on to their patience of things ever improving to their favour.
Lack of medicines in health facilities, the ever rising cost of living, decisions that seem not to be of benefit to Zambian, such as the 20,000 hectares for Kenyans, high cost of fuel, the foreign exchange rate that now seems to be in free fall and the very little money in circulation all are vexatious issue to Zambians. Not attending to these could see Zambians deciding to follow in the wake of those from other countries that took to the streets,” Ms Kateka said.
