MUBANGA NONDO, Ndola
UNITED Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema says he will ensure that the cost of living is made affordable for every Zambian once elected into office.
And Mr Hichilema said he will not remove vendors from the streets once he is elected president next year but that he will instead look for ways of empowering them with various skills to address the problem of vending.
Mr Hichilema said that the country’s poverty levels have reached alarming levels under the PF government.
He was speaking on Saturday when he featured on a programme at Ndola’s Sun FM.
“I will run government in a manner that will generate income for this country. I will lower the price of fertilisers as this will encourage more farmers to grow enough crops to feed this country,” Mr Hichilema said.
He added that he would ensure that he sustains jobs for Zambians by supporting businesses to grow unlike the current scenario where they are threatened with closure.
Mr Hichilema said he would ensure that the price of maize and fuel are affordable and that there is stability in the pricing of commodities.
He was accompanied by former first lady Maureen Mwanawasa, Lunte Member of Parliament (MP) Felix Mutati, UPND chairman Mutale Nalumango, and Alliance for Democracy and  Development (ADD) president Charles Milupi, among others.
And ALVIN CHIINGA reports  that Mr Hichilema says his party will avoid unnecessary by elections if voted into power.
According to a statement issued by the UPND media team, Mr Hichilema said this when he addressed a rally at Kitwe’s Freedom Park on Saturday.
Mr Hichilema said his party will also ensure people are appointed on merit and professionalism.
He said that there is need for better economic management to ensure resources are freed for investment in services
He said government needs to use the revenues it collects from the mines to invest in areas that will improve the general living conditions of the Zambian people.
And UPND vice-president Richard Kapita says Mr Hichilema’s preoccupation will be to improve the lives of all citizens if elected president, reports Chomba Musika.
He said this on Saturday when addressing a rally at Choma’s Lusumpuko grounds where residents braved the rains to listen to his message.
He was flanked by Choma Central Member of Parliament (MP) Cornelius Mweetwa, who is also campaign manager for the area.
Mr Kapita urged the electorate to vote for Mr Hichilema because “he has already been accepted by Zambians in all parts of the country as their next president”.
“Over 25 MPs from the MMD have endorsed HH…the whole world including the United States of America has agreed that HH should become the next president…what about yourselves,” he said.
Mr Kapita said Mr Hichilema, whom will ensure that farmers receive their farm inputs on time.
Other speakers were Pemba MP Mutinta Mazoka, and her Mbabala and Dundumwezi counterparts Ephraim Belemu and Edgar Sing’ombe respectively.