By: Anthony Bwalya – UPND Member
Zambians need to learn very quickly, how rogue, unpopular regimes seek to consolidate power and control.
This is often achieved through the hostile takeover of an entire economy by agents of the regime, acting together with members of the regime, to systematically paralyze and then take over key sectors of the economy under their unfettered control.
Once all economic power has successfully been moved away from microeconomic actors and placed into the command and control of state capture elements acting for and on behalf of the regime, then that is it: the country and it’s people and well and truly done.
Now, the state capture cartel at the heart of the PF regime intends to, and have for a number of years now, been creating a hostile business environment for both local and international investors, targeting ALL critical sectors of the economy from energy, agriculture, mining and manufacturing.
Once the business environment becomes becomes too hostile and key players start pulling out, the cartel will move in with a combination of their stolen billions and conniving investors to take over the Zambian economy.
Then they will be able to control forex, exports and consumption patterns within the economy. They will also be able to control wages and other compensation, just enough to keep the people loyal and foolishly silent.
For example, while Zambians are complaining about the expensive pump price of fuel, what they don’t know is that the Energy Regulation Board no longer sets the pump price of fuel. The ERB us used to rubber stamp the instructions of the cartel that has taken over all oil procurement, supply and distribution channels.
The more Zambians pay for fuel at the pump, the more money the cartel makes.
As we speak, oil is currently trading at less than $25/ barrel and the cartel are using public resources to cheaply procure oil and then feed it into the local market at a premium!
I am sure many of you have seen a huge number of filling stations popping up everywhere…These actually belong to members of the cartel and are intended to maximize economies of scale.
The failure by ZESCO to successfully renegotiate and renew the Bulk Power Supply Agreement with the CEC is not an accident. The regime cartel intended for the BSA to be sabotaged, frustrate CEC and launch a hostile takeover of the over $500m worth of private assets belonging to CEC. Once they have successfully taken over the supply of the critical production component of the mining industry, they can then use predatory energy pricing tactics to force the closure of key mining corporations and then the cartel will pick them up for close to nothing.
Today, there is a screening headline in one of the local tabloids, suggesting “fraud” on the part of Mopani, and another calling for them to “hand over the mine” if they have failed to run it. All this is music to the cartel because that is the precise intention.
This is also how the cartel moved to illegally take over the Mukula business, destroying a lot of legitimate local timber companies.
Zambians need to open their eyes and never take a chance on a morally bankrupt PF regime.
2021 will be a monumental year for our country. Reclaiming our country will be tough, even at the ballot, because the PF regime has already signalled an intention never to give up power; whatever the consequences.
In the same breath, Zambians must commit to getting rid of the mafia regime of the PF, whatever the price… because this now will be a battle for the heart and soul of our beloved country.
This is, must be, and will be for our independence.