[By Michael Chokani]
Politics is about finding relevance, and politicians like Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) president Edith Nawakwi have to survive on it to put food on the table.
Why has privatisation suddenly become an issue now and never before? Why is Hkakainde Hichilema (HH) being the only one mentioned in our privatisation issue? Who was minister of mines, minister of finance during privatisation? Who was the Zambia Privatisation Agency (ZPA) chief executive officer then, and who was the privatisations lawyer on behalf of government? If we are able to bring these people on board, then the issue of privatisation will be objective. As at now, it’s just a political gimmick to dent HH, especially for 2021.
Privatisation happened in Zambia at the time we were on the verge of losing our assets due to debts under UNIP, and we all know this fact. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other international groups kept on fighting the then president Kenneth Kaunda to move away from a socialist to a capitalist government and be bailed out of debt. As much as KK was fighting back, he was just dragging the bomb time to later date or next government. It was vividly difficult for Dr Kaunda’s successor, president Frederick Chiluba to sustain the debts we had, hence privatisation was the immediate solution or we would have lost assets.
Who was involved in the privatisation process?
The MMD government took over the privatisation plan from Dr Kaunda’s United National Independence Party (UNIP). In this case, Dr Chiluba and his Cabinet were sole owners of privatisation. ZPA was then constituted by government to independently lead the process whose CEO was Valentine Chitalu who is still alive. Edgar Chagwa Lungu, now the Republican President, was the privatisation lawyer. Edith Zewelani Nawakwi, now the FDD president, was finance minister then. Alexander Bwalya Chikwanda was involved, including others such as the late Ronald Penza and Christone Tembo.
These guys, as a team in Cabinet with president Chiluba, consulted HH and his company for asset evaluation pending a sale. HH did not at any point choose the clients or any bidder for national assets. The question then is, did HH mislead the nation? No, he didn’t. The government had a choice to refuse the price range HH gave but it was within the government approximation. The lawyer, Edgar Lungu, finance minister Edith Nawakwi, ZPA chief executive officer Valentine Chitalu and president Chiluba agreed to the sale of assets independently from HH.
For HH, that was business and he worked. The government paid him his dues. How HH used and multiplied his money into what he has now, is not our business. Let’s agree that the government got paid of the money which was due. Our issue now should be, how did the government spend the money we earned from privatisation? Edgar Lungu was paid his dues as a privatisation lawyer at that time. What happened to his money nobody knows, but certainly we fail to talk about him because he has immunity protecting him from such topics.
Valentine Chitalu was paid his dues as ZPA CEO. He put his money into good use and he is stinking rich now but no one mentions his name in relation to privatisation. Hon Chikwanda was paid his money and he is stinking rich. Finance minister Edith Nawakwi was paid her dues but squandered all her money, same as someone did and they both became bankrupt.
Let’s agree, the case of HH is not about privatisation. It’s all about political assassination from the threatened cartel in fear of losing 2021 elections. If HH was not in politics, his name would have been as silent as that of ZPA CEO Valentine Chitalu, Hon Chikwanda, Penza, Christone Tembo, etc. But just because he is eyeing the presidential office, then his name has to be put in the mud.
Are Livingstone’s Intercontinental Hotel and Lima Bank the only assets which were privatised? No, not at all. If Sun International is really owned by HH which he bought at US$5.6million in 1997, then it means that HH did not get rich from privatisation but was already rich during that time. In this case, the document in circulation doesn’t prove anything.
The greatest primitivity we may have now is to constantly keep questioning the wealth of an individual who has never held a public office, has never ever been entrusted with public funds while we are ignoring the source of wealth for those holding public office and funds.
We have a current president who had K2.5 million by 2015 elections. By 2016 elections he was worthy K23 million. Just in 15 months, how did President Lungu earn K19.5 million? Meaning on average he was earning K1 million net per month. If Zambia is a country of good citizenship then this is the question we need to ask President Lungu. How did he manage to earn that? If his gain between 2015 and 2016 was at K19million, then how much worth is he now after being President for two terms? We all know the President’s salary; does it equate to such a gain? We have misplaced priorities of time wasting.
I would ask our mother ba Nawakwi to be realistic and upright. Be noble, mum. Don’t hurt to solve issues. Don’t use ager to stage your agenda. Zambia wants to know the truth about privatisation. Give correct information, not malice. Further, the house which Nawakwi is putting in question in Kabulonga was never owned by Lima Bank. That house was for Tobacco Board of Zambia (TBZ).
We have money being distributed in Zambia now, have we ever wondered the source of that money?
Let’s spend time asking ourselves how PF ministers have gotten so rich that they can even insult citizens for not having earned K2 million. How did they get rich to own the mansions like those of Hon Chitalu Chilufya? Or are these issues too soon to be asked?
Let’s take time to think of the current corruption cases going on yet acquitted amidst overwhelming evidence. I feel it’s a desperate attempt to block the main opposition leader from standing. Things might not be looking greener on the ground for the ruling party.