By STEPHEN KAPAMBWE-
THE last one year of the United Party for National Development (UPND) in power could be described in a number of ways by many people.
But Vice President WK Mutale Nalumango, who not only witnessed the last kicks of the previous administration, but has also been part of decision making in the current administration, is upbeat about what the country has achieved in the last 12 months.
Looking back at the last one year, Ms Nalumango expressed happiness that the UPND Government has started achieving the electoral campaign promises it made when in opposition.
Speaking during a Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation interview to mark the party’s first anniversary in office, Ms Nalumango cited the creation of 42,000 public service jobs and the free education policy as being among key milestones.
The employment of over 30,000 teachers and 11,276 health workers, which was completed in July this year, has been described by many as unprecedented.
Among those employed where some who had waited for years after graduation and had been without jobs.
Others had worked as volunteers with low and no pay.
Being employed by the Government assured them of a sustained source of income to sustained their families and support themselves.
“We talked a lot when we were in opposition and I am happy that we are doing what we said we would do and the people are able to see that,” the Vice President said.
Ms Nalumango said since assuming office, the New Dawn administration
has ‘walked the talk’ on its promises of not only ensuring peace and stability, but also job creation.
Employment of both the teachers and the health workers was among the promises made by the UPND in its quest to improve the dwindling state of social and human conditions in the country.
Staff shortages in health facilities had become critical at a time the Government was working towards expanding the healthcare system through construction of new facilities countrywide as well as expanding and upgrading the old facilities.
But staff was seriously coming up short to man the growing healthcare infrastructure.
Additionally, many schools, especially in rural areas, had run short of teachers to an extent that some schools had only two teachers handling pupils from Grade One to Seven.
But the UPND had also promised to make education free from Grade One to Grade 12 in order to give an opportunity to underprivileged families to send their children to school.
That promise became reality when schools opened for tem one in 2022.
“Free education; if it was not for free education, I would not have been sitting where I am sitting today,” Ms Nalumango said.
The Vice President, together with President Hakainde Hichilema, are both products of the free education policy under the United Nations Independence Party (UNIP) of first President Dr Kenneth Kaunda.
Since the free education policy was introduced, schools have been overwhelmed by the positive response of communities which have seen the need to send children to school.
The free education policy has brought hope to thousands of children whose dreams would have been lost as a result of their inability to afford school fees.
In North Western Province, at least 4,700 pupils who dropped out of school due to financial challenges have re-enrolled after the Government introduced free education.
In Northern Province, 45,000 pupils who had dropped out of school have been re-admitted following the introduction of the free education policy.
Copperbelt is another region that has seen a surge in school enrolment.
In June, Copperbelt Provincial Education Board Secretary Stephen
Chishiko said the introduction of free education has created an increase in the number of learners from 756,299 recorded in January 2021 to 800,288 in January 2022.
This represents an upsurge of 40,000 learners.
Dr Chishiko said owing to the rise in school enrolment, schools in the region are faced with a serious deficit of desks and limited classroom space.
It is obvious that besides Northern, North Western and Copperbelt provinces mentioned above, other regions have equally seen thousands of pupils being re-admitted back into school owing to the introduction of the free education policy.
The Government is also putting in place measures to ensure that the large all schools have sufficient desks, teaching staff and ample space to accommodate all the learners.
The recent employment of the over 30,000 teachers is one of the measures, and others are being put in place.
The Government plans to construct an additional 120 secondary schools to increase access to education through a concessional loan from the World Bank under the Zambia Education Enhancement Project.
The Government also provided K2.2 billion for general operations of all public schools across the country in the education sector.
Introduction of free education has also reduced the burden on families to keep children in school.
This means money which was going to pay for school fees can now go towards acquiring other needs for families.
The Vice President said the Government still remains resolved to fulfilling all promises it made to the Zambian people and would endeavour to continue doing so.
“We are also making head ways in dismantling the debt. As you may know, this is very critical in rebuilding our economy and creating jobs for our people,” she said.
The UPND administration inherited an unsustainable debt contracted by the previous administration.
However, its efforts to restructure the debt and also secure an economic bailout package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have been positive.
Achieving the IMF package will give the Government room to maneuver and unlock resources required to meet additional economic targets.
The Vice President also alluded to restoration of peace in markets and bus stations where party cadres of the previous ruling party had taken control.
In the last 12 months, the markets and bus stations have reverted back to local authorities.
Traders and bus drivers now work peacefully without the beatings they endured every day and the illegal fines and fees they were made to pay.
The violence and hostility was extended to farmers who could not freely sell their produce without the cadres demanding to take part of the money.
But that is now a thing of the past.
Ms Nalumango also commended her party for increasing the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) from the previous K1.6 million to K25.7 million in the 2022 Budget.
She implored Members of Parliament (MPs to use part of the fund for procurement of desks in schools in light of the overwhelming attendance of school pupils arising from the free education policy.
The Vice President also said the Government has resolved to train youths with various empowerment skills so that they could contribute to national development.
She encouraged women not to look down on themselves as they also have a role to play in fostering development in the local communities as well as in the country.
These are just some of the many achievements that have the UPND has managed since August 24, 2021 when President Hichilema was sworn in as the seventh President of Zambia.