Focus on Development,Abandon the Petty Narrative
By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
I saw this headline in the News Diggers; “I Will Never Fly on the Gulfstream-HH, How Can I go begging for Grants in a latest scandoulous jet”. I decided to comment.
He charters planes at exorbitant prices for international trips while he has two presidential planes parked.
He has bought a new presidential helicopter, Bell Agusta 9J-Ten, at a price of $15million ( although his Minister of Defence claims it’s a loaned helicopter) while the country has 3 presidential helicopters including the famous copper Bell Agusta AWB 9J-Zam.
The issue of the presidential plane and the $400million loan obtained from Isreal for construction of Maina Soko Medical Centre and military purchases that included the jet and other military equipment, is a subject matter of the courts of law and the President is encouraged to refrain from commenting on and about matters in court as this is prejudicial.
And the story of corruption by the previous government is now a tired narrative and no longer attracts traction especially that President Hichilema has failed to attend to the current rise of corruption especially at ZESCO, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and other public entities.
He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.
And Mr. President, you don’t have to go anywhere begging for loans and grants. You may have to focus and pay attention to raising local resources.
Your Minister of Finance is a thorough specialist at giving tax-free operations, concessions and tax holidays to the mining sector.
In 2009, as soon as he was appointed, he abolished Windfall Tax to the mining sector enacted by his predecessor, a tax which was earning the country $500million a year.
He has done the same since he came to the office.
Revise the mining policy in the manner that it is citizen and Zambia-centric unlike the current focus to foreign investment.
Use ZCCM-IH to profitably mine gold, sugelite and other gemstones.
Resolve the outstanding issues of KCM and Mopani and allow ZCCM-IH to begin mining and operating the entities.
Revise exploitative power purchase agreements signed between ZESCO and Independent Power Producers and ensure the new ones being signed are not predatory.
Focus on Agriculture as the returns are immediate. Begin to plan to grow for 400million people around us instead of planning to grow food for 20.6million Zambian people.
Resolve the high cost of living and high prices of goods and services especially fuel, essential foodstuffs such as mealie-meal, sugar, salt and cooking oil.
Failure to do so is spawning ugly conditions for possible serious social unrest and political instability as warned by many economic, political analysts and authorites.
And go to China, it will help you with resolving the current debt restructuring stand-off. And in the event that you want cheap money for infrastructure and development needs, China will help you.
The West can only give you $16million, pocket money you can raise from a single truckload of Sugelite! The West, the Middle-East and others are looking to the East for money. Why are they making you look West?
Awe bombeni, abandon the petty narrative, let us develop our country.
