Given Lubinda told a press conference this morning.
Below is his press statement:
PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED BY HON. GIVEN LUBINDA, PATRIOTIC FRONT ACTING PRESIDENT
Monday, 18th July 2022
MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE,
MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
WE HAVE CALLED THIS PRESS CONFERENCE TO REFLECT ON VARIOUS ISSUES AFFECTING OUR COUNTRY.
POOR ATTENDANCE OF THE AFRICAN UNION MEETINGS
THE AFRICAN UNION 41ST ORDINARY SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND THE 4TH MID-YEAR COORDINATION MEETING, 14TH-17TH JULY
ZAMBIA WAS AWARDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOST THE AFRICAN UNION JULY SUMMIT IN 2017.
AT THE TIME, THE AFRICAN UNION HELD TWO MAJOR SUMMITS; THE JANUARY AND THE JULY SUMMITS.
IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT ZAMBIA IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO MOBILISE RESOURCES TO PREPARE TO HOST THE 55 HEADS OF STATE SCHEDULED TO ATTEND THE 2022 SUMMIT.
PRESIDENT EDGAR LUNGU SOUGHT THE HELP OF CHINA. THIS CULMINATED IN CHINA-AID SUPPORTING THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ULTRA-MODERN CONFERENCE FACILTY AT THE COST OF $65M.
HOWEVER, FOLLOWING THE KAGAME LED AU INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS, THE JULY SUMMIT WAS CONVERTED INTO A MID-YEAR COORDINATION MEETING IN 2019.
THIS NOW HAS 13 HEADS OF STATE COMPRISING FIVE (5) HEADS OF STATE OF THE BUREAU AND EIGHT (😎 FROM REGIONAL ECONOMIC COMMUNITIES (RECs). AS A MATTER OF FACT ZAMBIA HAD ALREADY REQUESTED THE AU TO CONSIDER ZAMBIA HOSTING A FULL SUMMIT DUE TO THE COLLOSAL INVESTMENT IN THE PREPARATIONS.
AS SEEN FROM YESTERDAY THIS MEETING WAS POORLY ATTENDED WITH ONLY FIVE HEADS OF STATE OUT OF THE EXPECTED 13.
ONE WONDERS WHETHER THE QUORUM WAS MET AT THIS MEETING. I ALSO WONDER WHETHER THE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE AT THE MEETING WILL BE BINDING ON THE OTHER HEADS OF STATE WHO DECIDED NOT TO ATTEND.
AU AND ITS SUMMITS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TREATED WITH HIGH REGARD BY AFRICAN NATIONS. ONE WONDERS WHY ONLY FIVE HEADS OF STATE ATTENDED. OVER THIS WE CAN SIMPLY SPECULATE.
WE AS A COUNTRY MUST FEEL THAT WE WERE SNUBBED BY THE EIGHT HEADS OF STATE WHO DID NOT ATTEND.
WE WONDER WHETHER THEIR DECISIONS TO STAY AWAY FROM ZAMBIA IS NOT BECAUSE ZAMBIA IS BEING VIEWED AS A COUNTRY PROMOTING INTERESTS THAT MAY BE INIMICAL TO OAN-AFRICANISM AND AGAINST THE INTEREST OF THE REGION.
CONCERNS
WE HAVE STRONGLY EXPRESSED CONCERNS ON THE FOREIGN, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL POLICIES OF PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA AND THE NEW DAWN GOVERNMENT.
HIS POLICIES ARE PRO-WEST, PRO-RICH, PRO-INVESTOR AND AGAINST PAN AFRICAN IDEALS AND AGAINST PRO-POOR.
USAFRICOM
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE USAFRICOM OFFICE OF SECURITY COOPERATION, AGAINST THE STATED POSITION OF SADC AND THE AFRICAN UNION.
THE USA GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THAT AFRICOM WILL OPEN THIS OFFICE IN AUGUST/SEPTEMBER, 2022.
WE WROTE A LETTER OF CONCERN TO PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA TO PUBLISH THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) REGULATING AND GOVERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS OFFICE. TODATE, WE HAVE HAD NO RESPONSE.
IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT WE HAVE WRITTEN TO THE AFRICAN UNION CHAIRPERSON, HIS EXCELLENCY MACKY SALL, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SENEGAL, TO PERSUADE HIM TO REMIND PRESIDENT HICHILEMA ON THIS NEGATIVE ACTION AGAINST AFRICA.
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE AFRICOM OFFICES IN ZAMBIA IS A SECURITY RISK TO ZAMBIA, SADC AND THE REGION.
ACTION AGAINST MOBILE-MONEY AGENT
THE DEMOLITION AND REMOVAL OF BOOTHS BELONGING TO MOBILE MONEY AGENTS WITHOUT ADEQUATE NOTICE AND AWRENESS IS REGRETTABLE.
ZAMBIA HAS DONE VERY WELL IN BRINGING FINANCIAL SERVICES TO THE UNDER-BANKED AND THOSE LIVING OUTSIDE BANKING AND FINANCIAL SERVICES.
SINCE 2015, ZAMBIA HAS CLIMBED THE LADDER OF FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND HAS RISEN FROM 30% TO ALMOST 70%.
THE OVER 150,000 MOBILE MONEY AGENTS HAVE BEEN AT THE CENTRE OF THIS REMARKABKE PROGRESS.
TO THEREFORE DISRUPT AND DESTROY THE SELF-CREATED EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE ZAMBIA WAS HOSTING AFRICAN UNION MEETINGS WAS UNFORTUNATE AND REGRETTABLE.
WHILE WE SUPPORT THE INITIATIVE TO MAKE LUSAKA CLEAN AND ENSURE THAT TRADERS CONDUCT BUSINESS AT DESIGNATED SPACES, THIS CANNOT BE DONE AT THE EXPENSE OF LIVELIHOODS.
BY THE WAY THE BOOTHS DID NOT COME BY ACCIDENT, THEY CAME AS A RESULT OF THE FINANCIAL INCLUSION STRATEGY OF 2017.
THE CORRUPTION FIGHT
IT IS NOW ESTABLSHED THAT THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION IS A FUSS AND HAS DESCENDED INTO A FIGHT TO DESTROY THE PATRIOTIC FRONT AND ITS LEADERS.
OUR WARNING IS TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, TO KNOW THAT ZAMBIANS ARE WATCHING HOW STATE INSTITUTIONS ARE BEING ABUSED TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE.
WHILE THEY PAY A BLIND EYE TO THE CURRENT MASSIVE ACTS OF CORRUPTION BEING DONE IN THE NEW DAWN GOVERNMENT, ZAMBIANS ARE RECORDING THE DETAILS.
THE RECENT DECLARATIONS OF ASSETS BY CABINET MINISTERS DEMONSTRATES ILLUSTRATES THE LACK OF SERIUSONESS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION BY THIS GOVERNMENT. FIRSTLY THE DECLARATIONS ARE BELATED BY 10 MONTHS BECAUSE THE LAW DICTATES THAT WITHIN THE MONTH OF BEING APPOINTED, A PERSON MUST MAKE A DECLARARTION. SECONDLY THE INDECENT AMOUUNTS AND ASSESTS THAT HAVE BEEN DECLARED MAKE A MOCKERY OF THE PERSUIT OF 15 FLATS AGAINST THE FORMER FIRST LADY, ARE DESIGNED TO CAUSE PUBLIC EMBARRASMENT AND RIDICULE TO THE FORMER FIRST FAMILY.
WE HAVE SEEN, PERSONS THAT HAVE BEEN CIVIL SERVANTS ALL THEIR LIVES DECLARE $18MILLION CASH IN THE BANK.
SO IN THIS CASE, YOU MEAN THE FIRST LADY CAN’T BUILD FIFTEEEN FLATS?
THE DECLARATION BY MINISTERS NEED VERIFICATION WITH VARIOUSNINSTUTIONS TO ENSURE THAT THE ASSETS WERE GENUINELY EARNED AND OBTAINED, AND APPROPRIATE TAXES WERE PAID ON THE ASSETS.
THE DECLARATIONS SHOULD NOT BE USED AS INSULATION AGAINST FUTURE CASES OF CORRUPTION.
HON. GIVEN LUBINDA
ACTING PRESIDENT
PATRIOTIC FRONT