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President Hakainde Hichilema has urged Zambians, particularly the youth, to refrain from relying solely on government employment, emphasizing that such positions may not provide adequate financial support.
Speaking at the Energy Forum for Africa Conference in Lusaka on Wednesday, President Hichilema encouraged citizens to seize opportunities in the energy sector, especially in light of the current drought, which he sees as a chance for entrepreneurship.
“Don’t cry about not getting a job; invest in genuine businesses. If you get a job in government, do you know how much you will be earning? K20,000 per month,” said Hichilema, stressing that government salaries are modest and should not be the sole focus of aspiring professionals.
The President highlighted that even his own salary of K53,000 per month is insufficient to sustain all his activities, underscoring the need for Zambians to seek out and invest in more lucrative ventures.
“Now I will tell you this: the president in this country gets a salary of K53,000. Now, the whole of me queuing for K53,000—what for? People don’t understand what they are asking for,” he remarked, pointing out the limited financial rewards of government roles.
Hichilema urged Zambians to unite and explore various sectors for long-term and short-term investments, which could help create much-needed jobs. He pointed out the potential for collaborative investments in energy projects, such as generating five megawatts of power.
“Yet if they got together, 10, 20 of them, [they can now invest]. We have now made it possible quickly for them to invest in five megawatts. Zesco, ERB—if the business generates five megawatts, you will get a decent amount. You learn to work hard, you learn to be patient,” he stated.
The President also called on Zambians in the diaspora to invest back home, particularly during this time of drought, and urged financial institutions to offer attractive packages to facilitate investment in the energy sector.
“Let’s encourage Zambians even in the diaspora to invest back home. Why are you sitting there, focusing on brown, bread, yellow bread, pink bread? Invest back home. You are in a market where you can access capital at a lower cost; the interest rates are lower in Europe,” Hichilema said.
He added that the government has already implemented regulatory and legal reforms in the energy sector to make it more attractive and challenged experts across various sectors to develop innovative solutions to address the ongoing energy crisis.
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