MSONI WARNS HICHILEMA OVER THE SALE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL JET
By New Dawn Reporter
THE sale of the Presidential jet, will deliver prisoners in 2016, All Peoples Congress (APC) president Nason Msoni has warned.
And PF presidential aspirant Emmanuel Mwamba says the sale of the jet will be illegal without parliamentary approval.
Mwamba says before President Hakainde Hichilema sells the Presidential Jet, he needs to familiarize himself with Article 210(2) of the Constitution of Zambia( Amendment) No.2 of 2016.
“The said article requires that before a major state asset is disposed off, it be preceded by Parliament signifying approval by a two-third majority vote!
The Presidential Gulf Stream G650 Jet, qualifies to be a major state asset especially that it was bought at the huge cost of $120million.( President Hichilema states that US$193million was used)
The contract signed in in April 2017 between the Government of the Republic of Zambia (Ministry of Defence) and Elbit Systems Ltd(DIB NO. MOD/MPC/024-17) shows that the Jet was bought at US$70million,” he said.
Mwamba further says the contract shows that the VIP Aircraft was later fitted with aircraft defense system and poor weather landing systems that cost a further $50million. The contract was financed by a loan from Israel Discount Bank Ltd,” he said.
He said listening to President Hichilema declaring that he has almost sold the Jet, raises alarm as such a sale will be totally illegal and a serious constitutional breach if Parliament doesn’t approve the sale.
And APC President Nason Msoni has warned that those that will sell the jet will go to prison in 2026.
“I fear that potentially the sale of the Presidential jet may deliver prisoners in 2026.
The selling of the jet would amount to exercising poor judgment and the resultant proceeds may end up in individual pockets,” he said.
Msoni the UPND-Alliance partner said given the fact that the other presidential jet (challenger ) is now ageing it is a good idea that the G650 is not sold for strategic reasons.
“The sale process might render Zambia making a huge loss and possibly getting less than half of the purchase price as much of the money will go to appointed agents and ultimately the money will end up in the hands of politicians. In a nutshell we are better off keeping the jet than selling it as the money will just vanish in thin air,” he said.
Msoni noted that the past experience in such sells Zambia had lost out in all such transactions due to its greedy and unpatriotic citizens who connive with outsiders to rob their own country.