GIVEN LUBINDA ADVISES PRESIDENT HICHILEMA
….to be cautious when tying up Zambia to international deals
Lusaka, Thursday, December 29, 2022 (Smart Eagles)
Former Minister of Justice and current opposition leader for the PF hon. Given Lubinda has advised President Hakainde Hichilema to act collectively when committing Zambia to international deals following a flurry of deals in the public domain by the seventh President of Zambia lately.
Hon. Lubinda said ´failure´ to abide to the Zambian constitution that requires major agreements to be eiter debated or approved by parliament, President Hichilema could find himself in criminal problems once he leaves office.
“Mr Hichilema must remember that he was voted in office for only five years, maybe ten if he is lucky but after five years, he may have some serious questions to answer before the law,” said ho. Lubinda before a packed end of year presser held at the PF secretariat in Lusaka.
Flanked by other top ranking opposition members such as hon. Brian Mundubile and Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba, a fire charged Lubinda aka Zayelo warned Mr Hichilema to always remember that he was voted into office by Zambians and not the IMF, World Bank, or the United States.
He said presently President Hichilema acts mostly in favour of this western partners than he does on behalf of Zambians and to the exclusion of China, Zambia´s largest trading partner.
Hon Lubinda said for instance, “I can slaughter a cow and share with friends because its my cow, but Hichilema wants to treat state assets and agreements as his own, no you cant Mr President you mist consult parliament.”
Of direct concern hon. Lubinda on behalf Zambians asked President Hichilema to:
· Make public the MoU between Zambia-DRC and the United States regarding copper and cobalt value chain without consulting parliament
· President Hichilema must disavow statements made by Idaho US senator James Risch who twittered that Zambia was now working closely with the US at the exclusion of China
· President Hichilema must step up to the plate and make the MoU between himself and AFRICOM public
Hon. Lubinda, the acting President of the PF in his fieriest speech since last year also reminded my Hichilema and deliver on campaign promises of bringing down the cost of living because Zambians are living in the worst poverty on his watch since independence.