Development must reach all citizens, demands UPPZ President Charles Chanda
Charles Chanda with Running Mate Simon Katimba Mbulu
…it is wrong to spend all borrowed money in Lusaka
By Derrick Sinjela in Kasama, Northern Province
United Prosperous and Peaceful Zambia (UPPZ) President Charles Chanda says Zambian dream of a nation that in holistically united with regard to nutrition, regretting that most of the US$12 billion the country owners international lender is developing Lusaka.
Mr. Chanda is aggrieved that politicians sitting comfortably in offices in Lusaka are enriching themselves handsomely at the expense of civil servants, teachers, nurses, doctors, ordinary peasant farmers, small scale entrepreneurs, law enforcement officers and the military.
During a double-header interactive early morning Interview on Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) run Lutanda 90.1FM and Radio Mano 89.3FM on Sunday 5th June 2021, anchored by a Mr. Chiti, the UPPZ leader argued that the Patriotic Front (PF) leaders erred by concentrating construction of three bridges in Lusaka’s Munali Constituency, on crossings without rivers, ostensibly to facilitate smooth flow of traffic.
“It is true to argue that the PF is working in Lusaka as it is the only province that has seen resources ploughed into bridges. In Munali Constituency, the Government or political leaders in the PF have built three bridges on the Great East Road. This smacks of selfishness by ministers and civil servants who actually reside in that particular area of Lusaka,” protested Chanda.
“Once elected as Republican President, I will not look at improving roads in areas my cabinet ministers reside, but shall ensure that all citizens’ benefits from borrowed money or income raised to provide services to all people. I will establish if at all in Chief Mumbi’s area here in Kasama, villages need a bridge. It is sad that MMD started a programme to build bridges, which took time to complete and the PF need to complete the task,” Chanda cried foul.
Responding to a presenters question on UPPZ’s policy on social welfare, disability, job creation to young people, small scale enterprises and poor access roads, Chanda attribute the depressing reality to leaders using aeroplanes and helicopters, instead of like does traversing the width and breadth of Zambia on road.
Chanda insisted as leaders borrow resource, it is imperative to spread social service provision countrywide, as it is not appropriately tenable to witness destitute villagers sharing water with domestic animals.
The UPPZ leader argues that once a government borrows 13 or 14 or 13 million kwacha, it is a must to ensure that each province receives an equal amount of a million or more to facilitate even distribution of development.
“As all citizens have a National Registration Card (NRC) and a Voters Card, it is imperative to take development resources to them instead of limited services to citizenship and electoral process documentation. These people in treat Zambians as though, we are all step children,” observed Chanda.
The UPPZ leader says Minister of Education must ensure that design and construction of school in rural areas is equal in standard and facilities as is the case in urban areas and pupils and students in a village or rustic set-up are required to take Information Communication and Technology (ICT) as an examinable subject.
“A minister of education must be broad in his approach as in my travel this week; I met a young boy who earned 9 points at Grade 12 but has not been captured or enrolled in university. The UPPZ cabinet will not concentrate on ministers getting contracts and gaining weight. How do you know people problems if you continue flying over people. In towns, water is piped at a doorstep, but here in rural area, it is a nightmare to have sustainable sanitation,” protested Chanda, as he vowed to fight discrimination.
Another concern raised by Chanda is that most of social security resources is provided from donor contributions, while local leaders are not interested in raising money domestically, to improve the status of disabled persons and ageing communities.
Worried with increased traffic carnage, Chanda says a Road Accident Fund (RAF) will be introduced to act as a compensation vault for victims and survivors, pointing out that government is responsible for accidents.
Chanda says the cost of petroleum will be reduced as instead of importing semi processed crude oil will no longer be the order of the day on account of insisting on supply and importation of pure crude oil.
As a person, whose father died in an accident in Lusaka, says compensation must be bourne by central government, because once a bread winner dies, survivors are pushed into a miserable existence.
“Government must compensate accident victims and survivors as some bread winners do not have a pension or insurance policy. My father died in an accident, I suffered, and our relatives stole the little pension,” said Chanda, imploring Zambians to vote UPPZ.
Further, Chanda says once elected as Zambia’s Seventh (7th) Republican President on Thursday 12th August 2021, two per cent of Pay As You Earn (PAYE) will be allocated to care of orphans and the ageing population in a Social Welfare Fund.
“When I am working, I use an NRC which indicates a village and a chief, which must be allocated to vulnerable citizens. It is not good to pay councillors, while ignoring chiefs and traditional authorities. It is not fair to only think about headpersons welfare during elections, when we see governments distributing bicycles,” said Chanda.
The UPPZ leader argued that chiefs will be supported with motorised mobility as Zambia is too resourceful, noting that the northern province has a lot of precious mineral, diamonds.
On small business persons, Chanda says as most of products are imported, importers like Chinese sell at cheap products, which raises eyebrows whether or not exercise duty is paid.
The UPPZ President complained that Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) concentrates on raising exercise duty from indigenous importers prompting Chanda’s proposed six months tax rebates to local importers.
Branded as an Empowerment Leader, President Chanda is not pleased to note that teachers, nurses, doctors, police officers and soldiers fail to own a car after tirelessly working for eighteen (18) years in the public service.
“Surely, is it fair for you to work for eighteen years, and the only mode of transport is a minibus, we need to empower our citizens and UPPZ, at this time is incomparable,” boasted Chanda.
On job creation, Chanda says every year Zambia records numerous graduates and secondly, though government builds universities, it is not a good outcome as unemployment is not a progressive result.
Quizzed Chanda: “If you probe just the last ten years of the PF Government, how many graduates from private and public colleges and universities are without a job?”
Chanda says nepotism must be fought tooth and nail, to clean the civil service, which must be resolved through a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) and an exit arrangement will be facilitated as one family cannot get seven slots.
Secondly, Chanda will ensure that the manufacturing sector will be revised by an Industrial Manufacturing Board (IMB) responsible for increasing employment opportunities, through value addition on natural resources; mukula trees to name but one.
“The Industrial Manufacturing Board will task a team to do a paper trail on what is manufactured out of raw Zambian mukula trees exported to China. You cannot be a President, without plans. It is wrong to limit leadership to only those that have previously been councillors or Members of Parliament (MP’s). Leadership is granted by God and that said was Zambia’s former First Republican President, ever a councillor? David to be a king was he ever a councillor, not at all. God chooses. If God does not love you, He cannot select you,” explained Chanda, pointing out that the board’s mandate is to track copper, manganese, mukula trees, and to establish products and machinery used to add value.
The UPPZ leader says his Government will empower eager manufacturers, through a five –year-tax free incentive to local and foreign entrepreneurs similar to that currently granted to South African supermarkets and furniture firms.
“Once the manufacturing industry is revived, it will translate into job creation, when you consider chitenge materials, no importation of such fabric from china, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), India and Tanzania. We will revive Mulungushi textiles so that campaign materials – tee shirts and other fabrics are locally women,” vowed Chanda, pointing out that the market is monopolised by the Indian community, whose children and mothers are never wrapped in such apparel.
Chanda says he sought audience with President Edgar Chagwa Lungu to share ideas on how to revive the Zambia economy but to date audience has not been facilitated.
“Have you ever seen a Zambian of Asian origin wearing a chitenge fabric, or wrapping a baby in it. Not at all, it is only Zambian females that use such fabric, including men, who wear chitenge shirts. The problem with President Lungu is that he is surrounded by wrong advisers, who shield people with ideas on how to government properly, and improve service delivery,” noted Chanda.
Stressed Chanda: “Advisers chosen by President Lungu chase away people with brilliant ideas. If Dr. Lungu had taken on board my ideas, to date, he would not even need to campaign. As early as last month, I made an effort, to no avail. I do not eat President Lungu’s money and UPPZ is not working with the Patriotic Front. I use my own money, but as a patriotic citizen, I have ideas, even debt would by now have been liquidated, sadly those chosen as advisers are not wise”.
Chanda says he is resolved to contest the Zambian presidency following an appeal to render help falling on deaf ears.
Vowed Chanda: “I now want that same seat, so that I can personally execute these development plans meant to revive the Zambian economy and make life better for us all”.
On youths, Chanda explains that intervention will be categorised in two ways; for those already in business and those with no experience in entrepreneurship, first; UPPZ will reduce retirement to 20 years for civil servants.
“Once we have new people being employed, it will translate in new set of ideas and ideals entering the civil service. As education levels are different, we must fuse in a new crop of civil servants. Some youths will be given a chance to purchase vehicles on loan and transportation of copper and maize will be reserved for young people on the Copperbelt,” said Chanda, as he left the studio to inspect farm blocks, road rehabilitation and clinic projects”.
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