PARTY of National Unity and Progress (PNUP) president Highvie Hamududu has re-launched his political party and says the current economic situation is worsening and should not be allowed to continue.

Speaking during a press briefing, Hamududu said the forthcoming elections presented an opportunity for introspection.

“It is evident that our country is in a state far from what it should be. Our country is faced with all manner of challenges that have become deep-seated over a passage of time and worsened in the recent past. These challenges range from low growth of the economy, high unemployment, high poverty levels, growing inequalities, and environmental degradation. What is most sad is that this state of affairs obtains amidst great opportunities and huge resource empowerments that this country has been blessed with,” Hamududu said.

“The above gloomy picture cannot be allowed to continue. The country’s preparations for the forthcoming elections presents an opportunity for introspection and heightened platform for an expression of holistic far reaching and evidence based solutions to the challenges and problems faced by our country and its citizens. In other words, this election should not be business as usual as the current situation requires very clear reform proposals if our country has to register sustainable progress.”

Hamududu said his decision to stand in the 2021 elections would increase competition which would result in better choices by the electorates.

“Let the forthcoming tripartite elections be about our people and not about us, politicians, by giving unto ourselves a fresh start. These elections must be about the people not us the politicians. When you increase the choices you increase the outcome. It is just like in business the more the competition, the better the products. In the political arena we need to raise the bar on the competition including the array of choices. As the Party of National Unity and Progress (PNUP), we join the 2021 election race in proposing a clearer roadmap for redressing the challenges and problems that our country faces. We promise to endeavor to do the best a political party can possibly do on pragmatic policy supremacy, clarity, consistency and predictability informed by evidence based lessons learnt at home and abroad. We are of the strong view that there is enough evidences and lessons learnt all around us for us as a country not to continue making mistakes and experience the kind of problems and challenges that will face today,” Hamududu said.

“We are of the strong view that the 2021 elections must spell clearly a total renew in fundamental areas of our country. We take the area of economic policy and management very seriously, as one of the most important aspects in our endeavor for social economic progress of our country, but unfortunately one of the most badly handled in the recent past. Off late the biggest problem in this regard has been the waivering conviction on the principles and etticequnec of the free market economy by the current government, even when their manifesto on paper expouses the same. Populism has overtaken best practice evidence and lessons learned. This is the biggest reason why our economic progress has regressed in the recent past. For an economy to grow for a very long time you need to be very clear about a particular economic ideology, so that you are clear and you are consistent. It is very important for investment.”

Hamududu promised to reduce the current number of government ministries from 29 to 18 to reduce government expenditure.

“We promise a small cabinet by amulgating related functions into a few ministries. There is no need to have multiplicity of government offices in our districts because that takes away the resources for actual service delivery. As PNUP, we promise to reduce government ministries from the current 29 to 18. This approach will have a cascading effect in right-sizing of government to bring about cost efficiency in running of government so that resources are freed for actual service delivery such as education and health. We promise to provide premier, pragmatic and tested economic sector policies that can transform this country in 36 months. We promise to be clear, consistent and predictable on these key policy matters. This country can be transformed in 36 months, this country is not complicated. Even the solutions are basic,” said Hamududu.