CHIRUNDU UPND member of parliament Douglas Syakalima says Zambians know that opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema is going to fix the economy.

Commenting on Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo’s remarks that President Lungu had done so much for the country “compared to a liar who promised to fix things”, Syakalima said the PF had put the country in so much debt.

He said President Lungu and Hichilema should not be compared, adding that President Lungu was not even qualified to stand in this year’s elections.

“In normal countries, Kampyongo can never be where he is today and he always wants to look pompous as if he has been to school, he has never been to school. Where is the economy? These colleagues have put us in huge debt, more than US$20 billion. Does that mean you have done well? Where are the drugs in the hospitals? We are leading on the table, be it corruption, thievery, manipulation or hunger. So how can a person pride themselves that they have done well? It does not matter how many times Hakainde Hichilema has contested. The other time he was saying ‘Zambians are happy’ Zambians are sad people, they know who is going to fix the economy. Every Zambian has known that HH is the main man now and in any case, there is no competition between HH and Lungu. Lungu doesn’t qualify to stand so why compare HH to a person who will not stand anyway? I don’t even know why they are comparing Lungu and HH. So bring HH’s competitor,” Syakalima said.

He asked Kampyongo to stop tendencies of threatening people.

“Every time he wants to be threatening Zambians. Those police officers he sees around, they are not his! Those are state property. People form government and the state remains. There were police officers in (Kenneth) Kaunda’s days, when he left did he carry them? That is what he must know. When he gets out of there, they will not follow him, they will remain. So he must stop what he does otherwise when he leaves power, people will start threatening him,” said Syakalima.

Speaking when he commissioned and handed over newly constructed housing units to the Zambia Police Service in Chongwe district, last week Thursday, Kampyongo wondered how a person who had lost elections five times could fix anything.

“Sometimes people don’t appreciate you when they need to and unfortunately, they want to appreciate you when you are gone; sometimes when you are gone six fit under. It is important that people appreciate what they are able to see. The President has done so much in this country. When President Sata died President Lungu took over and continued his works. Naifwe bonse twalikonka same route iyakubombela abantu not ati fixing, fixing what? Fix yourself. Muna mvela waboza ati fix, fix yourself first, waluza five times uluze naka six ufixing’a chani? Aini azimai ungazimvele izo? Ati nizabala mwana bwino, bazanko ba bala bana? (We have all followed the same route of working for the people rather than remarks suggesting that you will fix it, fix what? Fix yourself. You have heard this liar saying ‘fix it’ you have lost five times, you will lose for the sixth time. What are you fixing? You women, can you believe that? A person saying ‘I will bear children one day’, when your friends are having children)?” said Kampyongo.