[By Melony Chisanga and Isaac Zulu]
NATIONAL Restoration Party Mporokoso Constituency 2021 aspiring candidate Maybin Kabwe has charged that witches have resurfaced and regrouped to fight opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema’s candidature as Zambia draws closer to the 2021 polls.
Reacting to the current debate on Zambia’s privatisation of national parastatals that occurred more than two decades ago, Kabwe said the target was to deter Hichilema from his presidential bid.
He wondered why FDD leader Edith Nawakwi had to wait this long to complain on the transaction she spearheaded.
“I wish to express my disappointment at what Nawakwi has decided to start. Why bring such issues of privatisation now and just targeting an individual? Where has she been all along? The architect of privatisation, some are dead who can answer all the questions. Why didn’t she start the same crusade after [president Frederick] Chiluba chased her from her ministerial position unceremoniously?” Kabwe asked. “We have a lot of unanswered questions such as gassing, the burning of city market, fire tenders, the mysterious 48 houses and Lungu’s sudden riches. What is more shocking is that even indoshi [witches] have resurfaced just to fight an innocent person in HH.”
He said Zambia had more problems to work on than individual agendas to fix one person.
Kabwe said the PF and Nawakwi should concentrate on making the lives of citizens better.
“Our currency is weak to the extent that even doing business with our Tanzanian counterparts is now a nightmare. Can we concentrate on the current problems and find the way out,” urged Kabwe.
But the Freedom Fighters Association in Kapiri Mposhi said the privatisation of state owned enterprises did not benefit the common man but ended up enriching some people entrusted to manage the process on behalf of Zambians.
The association has welcomed calls for the institution of a commission of inquiry into the privatisation of state owned enterprises.
Kapiri Mposhi Freedom Fighters Association secretary Gregory Mpembamoto, 82, said an inquiry into the privatisation of state enterprises was long overdue considering the heightened debate it raises especially as the country nears elections.
In a statement, Mpembamoto noted that the inquiry would give an opportunity to be heard for those accused of mismanaging the privatisation process to enrich themselves.
“It is clear privatisation did not benefit a common man, that’s why if there are people who were entrusted to sell government assets and they sold these assets to themselves, the commission of inquiry is the only way to find out and they have an opportunity to exonerate themselves from these allegations,” Mpembamoto said.
He urged Zambians not to view a commission of inquiry as a witch-hunt for anyone involved in the selling of state enterprises on behalf of the country but as an opportunity for those that presided over the process to be heard and their names cleared.
“For once let us unite and close this chapter on who sold what to himself or who stole what from privatisation. It has taken us over 25 years and we are still delving into accusations, let’s have a commission to settle this matter once and for all,” Mpembamoto said.
He observed that the privatisation of state owned enterprises, especially the mines on the Copperbelt, negatively affected many people through widespread loss of employment.
“For some of us, privatisation is a personal issue because of the misery it brought through employment loss. It changed our lives completely for the worse. A commission of inquiry is a relief for us to get answers,” said Mpembamoto.