UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema says the opposition party will not be part of the October 18 national ‘prayers’ because prayer without action does not yield results. And Hichilema says the ruling PF government will fall with a slight disorder because some Cabinet members are in touch with him.

Addressing journalists at the party secretariat in Lusaka yesterday, Hichilema, when asked whether or not he could encourage UPND members to attend the day of prayers, responded: “Some of us pray every day!”

“Some of us go to the Sabbath every Saturday. Some of us go to Church every Sunday. So, why create a fictitious day of prayer? So, it means maybe those [in the PF] before that day (of prayer), they are pagans. They are even doing negative things, including stealing from nkote (the aged). Then on the day of prayer, they will go and pray; we are not part of them – we pray every day,” Hichilema said.
“Prayer without action does not yield results; prayer must be backed by action. So, let those who create Christians for an individual, other than Jesus, continue doing that. We are Christians for only one God – the father, the son and the Holy Spirit.”
Hichilema, who was flanked by party secretary general Stephen Katuka, among other party functionaries, noted also that anybody who was not aware of the current economic challenges in the country lived elsewhere.
“Maybe [they] do not live here or they are part of the band of thieves that are stealing from the people. Only those not feeling the pain of the PF failure of leadership… PF never went into office to run a country [but] they went into office to steal from the blind, from the orphans [and] to use you so that they can live well while you suffer. While your children are not in school, they (government officials) are living well,” he said.

“Just a week ago, they (government officials and some PF loyalists) were saying that the cheaper fuel from Saudi Arabia yafika (has arrived). [But] did you see a reduction in the price of fuel? So, because we are now dealing with thieves and liars, you don’t know whether it’s true that the fuel from Saudi Arabia came. When Zambians quizzed them, they said ‘inali ya six days chabe’ (it was for six days only). Manje ngati inali ya (if it was just for) six days, why didn’t the pump prices go down for six days?”
He added that if the fuel from Saudi Arabia, which was supposed to be sold for K5 per litre, came, it means “all the motorists are owed any price above K5 they bought fuel for those six days”.

“If you (the government) don’t refund that money to the motorists, ninshi naiyo ndalama munaiba (then you have stolen that money as well). So, I’m saying PF you stole money from people [for] all the fuel that was sold to people above K5 for the six days. Zambians, I know you have good hearts but time has come that your good hearts will not help you in any way. No one person will do it for you! It is your duty to do what is right for your children,” Hichilema explained.