DP president Harry Kalaba says President Edgar Lungu has shockingly become richer than Zambia.
He says it was for that reason that President Lungu was bailing out institutions and individuals with ‘personal’ money.
Meanwhile, Kalaba says failure by the government to construct Mbesuma bridge across the Chambeshi river, separating Mungwi and Chinsali districts, points to its lack of seriousness with governance.
Recently, President Lungu donated a bus to the Copperbelt University (CBU).
“The government cannot afford to bail out individuals and institutions the way he is doing. Where is he finding those huge amounts of money?” Kalaba wondered in an interview.
“The government has failed to buy a bus for the Copperbelt University for years. Even the Copperbelt University itself has failed to buy a bus for itself. But ba Lungu has the financial muscle to help everyone – public institutions or individuals. He has suddenly become richer than the government of Zambia. But the question is how? I’m shocked.”
He added that it was: “honestly shocking that ba Lungu has money to donate to everyone.”
“And then he wants people to clap that he has donated! The economic environment in Zambia at the moment is extremely poor. But ba Lungu continues to have a viable pocket to donate to almost everyone,” Kalaba said. “It’s a matter of time before everybody gets to know the truth behind these cash and material donations. Bailing out everyone!”
Meanwhile, Kalaba complained that people in Mungwi and Chinsali districts were technically cut-off due to lack of a bridge across the Chambeshi river at Mbesuma.
Crossing over, at a fee, is done using a pontoon operated by the Engineering Services Corporation (ESCO).
“We’ve been talking about opening the northern circuit. That means putting up bridges like the Mbesuma bridge here. But immediately [president Michael] Sata died, everything died,” Kalaba complained, as he travelled from Kasama to Chinsali, via Mbesuma Pontoon last Wednesday.
“As DP we want to come into government and connect Muchinga Province with Northern Province. It is movement [of people] around that promotes the growth of the economy. Without movements, people can’t trade.”
He said if the Mbesuma pontoon was not working, then there was no activity between Muchinga and Northern Provinces, especially for people from Kasama, Mungwi (Northern Province) and Chinsali (Muchinga).
“It is lack of seriousness that the PF government has abandoned that project (construction of the Mbesuma bridge),” said Kalaba. “All they want is politicking! And they are saying sonta epo wabomba (point at what you have done), sonta apa shala (point at what has remained to be done). A lot of things have not been done in this country. In Chinsali, they have abandoned [construction of] the Paul Mushindo University. The Mbesuma bridge here is abandoned. It’s sad!”