MAYBE LUNGU MUST GET A TASTE OF HIS MEDICINE BY REMOVING HIS IMMUNITY – NKOMBO
LOCAL Government and Rural DevelopmentMMinister Gary Nkombo says he would choose having a high cost of living over experiencing daily murders which occurred during former president Edgar Lungu’s tenure.And Nkombo says maybe Lungu must be given a taste of
his own medicine by removing his immunity to see if he will be dancing around.In an interview, Nkombo said the high fuel prices were not peculiar to Zambia, adding that it was hard to fix the damage which PF caused during the 10 years it stayed in office.
“Given a choice in my own view, between the high cost of living which we are experiencing today, no one is saying no to that, and daily
murder, I’d choose a high cost of living. Anybody normal would choose to live, to battle with the high cost of living than not being sure if you’re going to see the rise of the sun the next day, living in fear. Today, they say the
democratic space is shrinking, it’s really unfortunate. Anybody who today can buy into
president Edgar Lungu saying if Zambians want him to come back, he will gladly do so, means that he or she wants to reverse all
the fortunes we have made this far in terms of social protection. It’s a hard road to repair what was damaged,” he said.
“So, we can only appeal to Zambians to be steadfast, hold on and to agree that the
direction we’re taking this country is the right direction and we must not reverse the
benefits we have gained this far. On the fuel, this is not peculiar to Zambia alone. Botswana it is $1.12 per litre which is K31. South Africa, a liter is $1.18 which is K32. Tanzania, $1.32
which is K36. Malawi, $1.50 per litre which is K41. In Zimbabwe, $1.57 per litre which is K43. In Namibia, $1.12 per litre which is K31. In DRC, $1.49 per litre which is K41. In Kenya, $1.36 per litre which is 35.46 and Zambia, $1.25 per litre which is K34. These prices are for today as we speak.”And commenting on
the formation of the people’s movement comprising of various political parties including the Lungu-led PF faction, Nkombo
said hallucinating was free.
He said maybe Lungu must be given a taste of his own medicine by removing his immunity to see if he will be dancing around.“The right to associate as they have made this alliance
sits within the Bill of Rights. They also have the right to dream, because dreams are free. It doesn’t cost a thing to hallucinate. He must
concentrate on first fixing PF which I think is damaged beyond recognition at this point.
He must understand that those of us looking from outside know clearly that he is the cause of the damage of PF himself. So he has gone to put the last nail on the coffin of PF and we welcome him to the political arena. He is
free to do what he is doing but I think he is on a dangerous path. President Lungu is not good for the country, he’s not good for PF. Probably he’s only good for his immediate family,” he said.
“There’s a lot of dignity in stepping back a bit because charity begins at home. He must put his house in clear order. When he lost power, he still has full enjoyment of his rights.
Maybe Mr Lungu must be given a taste of his own medicine by now removing his immunity
so that he can be like all of us and see if he will be dancing around. But it’s really up to him. The friendly advice he should get is that he shouldn’t take Mr Hichilema’s kindness for a weakness. It’s not a weakness. For someone who put it clearly that when I hand over power to myself, the first thing I’ll do
is arrest this one, so he’s a joker. Mr Hichilema’s focus is to fix what they damaged and not any other thing”.Meanwhile, commenting on Lungu’s call for Zambians
to demand for an early election, Nkombo said the country is not ungovernable to warrant an
early election.
“That is a pipedream. Is the country ungovernable? He is treading on a dangerous path. What is ungovernable about this
country? In my view, nothing. So he is treading dangerously on a path that is going to put him in harm’s way himself. He is a very daring man. The earlier he realises that he cannot cross a certain line, the better. Calling for an early election when there’s no crisis is wanting to assume power unconstitutionally. Other
than him and his former friends and now his friends, so now they are united in defeat.