2024 WILL BE HARD- Antonio Mwanza

2024 WILL BE HARD

…says Mourinho as he adds that UPND officials are enriching themselves at the expense of the suffering citizenry

Lusaka, Friday, January 5, 2024 (Smart Eagles)

Socialist Party (SP) Deputy General Secretary Antonio Mourinho Mwanza has warned that this year will be very difficult for Zambians economically, socially and politically.

Speaking when he featured on Diamond TV’s “This Day” yesterday, Mr Mwanza lamented that the growth of the economy has shrunk by 2.8%.

He also said that inflation rate is high, adding that fuel prices have gone up by almost 90% in the last 24 months.

“The statutory reserve ratio and the monetary policy rates have all been revised upwards. There are serious implications for that in terms of business, in terms of access to money, in terms of access to loans and in terms of liquidity in the economy,” he said.

“And also you know that there have chaotic distribution of agriculture inputs. But also we have to look at the weather pattern. We have been told by ZESCO that the water levels at Kariba are really down and we also understand that ZESCO is importing power. So we are also likely to go into load shedding.”

Mr Mwanza said “so if you look at the fact that government is not willing to make the tough choices, to make the cost of living, the cost of doing business go down, it will simply mean one thing for the people of Zambia. That 2024 will be a tough year economically, politically and socially.”

He said instead of working to improve the wellbeing of the majority citizens who are living in abject poverty, government officials have enriched themselves.

“They have unlocked their economic situation, individually as those who work in government. They are doing very fine, they have got all the deals, they have commissions… they are making money, nabanonka,” he said.