FORMER labour minister Joyce Simukoko says she doesn’t blame those who were promising heaven on earth during campaigns, but the people who actually believed them.

In an interview, Simukoko said there were crazy promises made during the campaign period, but so far, she had not seen anything which UPND had done differently.

“They (UPND) are still celebrating. So far, we have not seen anything that we can say is different. People will gauge as we go along because so far, I have not seen anything new. Let us give them time but days are moving. Promising is one thing, and doing what you promised is another. They promised a lot of things and you the youths fell for it. There is no government that cannot give people things if they are able to give them, but we heard very crazy promises and we are waiting. If there is no money and I promised you that I will bring money, let them bring money. It’s not a game where I should lie, hoodwink you and when I go into power, I start saying ‘give me time’. Some of those promises were crazy,” Simukoko said.

“But I don’t blame those who were promising, I blame you who believed. Are you sure if it was possible that the party that was in government was to give people what they were promising, they can’t give you? The PF would have given people if it was possible. So, we are waiting for them to see what they will give you, which PF didn’t give you. It is crazy to start imagining that life is free.”

She said free things from government would never come, urging youths to sweat for them.

“God is the one who said for you to find food, you have to sweat. So, who is man to come and say ‘I will be giving you free things’? We tried free education during president Kaunda, we tried free things because that time there was a lot of money but what did we end up with? Bankrupt. So, we are waiting for free things and I can assure you, it will never come. When they were campaigning, they didn’t say we gave them time, they just said, they will bring those things. They still have four years to go, we will see if they will deliver what they promised. You as young people must know that for you to find food, you have to sweat, there is no free food. We have countries that are doing very well, even there, they sweat. You cannot just sit back and expect that manna will come from heaven. They promised you jobs, heaven on earth we are waiting,” said Simukoko.