HH should move into State House – Kalaba

By NATION REPORTER

CITIZEN First President Harry Kalaba is demanding that President Hakainde Hichilema should move into State House because his continued stay at his private residence was not only an inconvenience to the general public but was also a security risk on the presidency.

And Mr Kalaba expressed concern with the lack of transparency that has manifested under the UPND with Hichilema refusal to declare his assets in as dictated by the tenets of good governance.

Speaking at a media briefing yesterday, Mr. Kalaba said it was his view that the refusal to declare assets by Mr. Hichilema has created an opportunity to amass illicit wealth without anyone questioning how he amassed it.

He said it was important that as head of state, he learns to lead by example by people that he stands for transparency rather than just talking.

Mr. Kalaba said the continued use of President Hichilema’s private residence, the community house was pausing a risk to the Presidency as only State House and State Lodge were constructed with the security features and systems that were secure enough to protect a Head of State.

“President Hichilemas’s continued used of his private residence is not just an inconvenience to the residents who are stopped every time he is moving to and from but also pause a security challenge as his handlers have to deal with a road that was not specifically made to manage the movement of a President,” Mr Kalaba said.

 He said Mr. Hichilema wanted the world to believe that he was a thrift and an accountable leader yet he was allowing excessive costs to be incurred in upgrading security features as well as doing the road to his private residence which was tantamount to defrauding the people of Zambia.

Meanwhile, Mr Kalaba said Mr. Hichilema has over the last 21 months failed to meet with China who were the leading lender to Zambia’s debt, resulting in a stalemate in the restructure of the country’s debt.

He said after being in office for almost two years, the UPND government has demonstrated dismal failure in the running of government.

“What we have seen is a clear lack of a coherent strategy that is premised on a cogent plan intended to emancipate the people of Zambia from the shackles of poverty and starvation,” he said.

Mr Kalaba also said the UPND was voted into office on the promise of a level playing field and promotion of the rule of law but were doing the opposite.

He said increase in targeted attacks against perceived political opponents of the ruling party like the actions that took place former President Edgar Lungu’s house was not acceptable.

Mr Kalaba said it was something that should be condemned by all well-meaning Zambians.

He said Mr. Lungu served this country as head of state and Commander in Chief, and deserves to be given the respect that that position deserves.