Presidential Aspirant Emmanuel Mwamba calls for ´issue based´ politics
…as Zambia prepares for the next elections
By Staff Reporter.
“Zambia loses up to US$3 billion annually from tax evasion, avoidance, and lack of proper collection of taxes…this is criminal,” Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba, Camnet TV.
07.11.22
One of the most formidable political rising stars in Zambia Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba says he wants to ´up the ante´ of Zambian politics from trivial and vitriol politics to ´issue based´ politics that builds the nation and not continue to divide it.
Speaking in a live Camnet interview, Ambassador Mwamba said there is ´too much trivia, drama and hate´ in the Zambian political space that stifles economic development and encourages the culture of poverty and divisions.
“I am here to raise the Zambian political bar high not the current sad politics where only drama and hate thrives,” Ambassador Mwamba said, “when I post a joke on my Facebook page for instance, there are more likes and hits than when I post policy and development issues. Some educated people sadly even respond to serious posts by saying, “its too long I can’t read.”
Ambassador Mwamba who has served as Permanent Secretary in three different provinces, Western Province, Eastern Province. Northern Province as well as Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Information said his ´success record´ speaks for itself hence the reason he is seeking the national presidency now.
“I re-opened the Northern Coffee company that was closed for five years as PS, I opened the Cashew nut project that was shut down for many years in Western province while as PS for Information I gave out a record number of licenses that even saw me get fired, its in public domain. I deliver on my work and not just speak,” said Ambassador Mwamba.
Ambassador Mwamba has also served in two crucial diplomatic stations namely South Africa as High Commissioner and Ethiopia as Ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations of Zambia.
His father was born in Kasama while mother was born in Chinsali before he moved to Lusaka to work as a banker for Zanaco and head the media team of the late President Frederick Chiluba in retirement until his sad death.
Some major take aways from the interview are below:
• No concessions for the foreign mining companies robbing Zambia of about US$3 billion annually in tax evasion and other vices
• Increase agriculture production and export food across the region instead of growing food for Zambia alone
• Build state of the art railway lines that must stop the haemorrhage of Zambian roads through exports to the DRC
• Clean up the fertilizer contracts and deliver farming in puts on time to avoid poverty and grow the economy
• Check the Zambian government so that organisations like Africom do not wantonly set up offices in Zambia without Zambians knowing what they are doing due to lack of knowledge.
Zambia loses US$3 billion annually from tax evasion, avoidance, and lack of collection, this is criminal.
If it was up to Mr Mwamba, Zambia should refine its own copper, via low than allow exports of the commodity in raw form, including increasing a national stake in all mining companies currently owned in majority form by foreign companies.
He also encouraged educated Zambians to participate in politics because if they don’t they will continue being governed by uneducated individuals.
Even educated people in Zambia stare an analysis article I the face and say ´it’s too long´.
He also described current Zambian politics under the UPND as punitive and divisive that don’t provide ´healing ‘but are steeped in adversary.
“Our politics are adversarial, malicious, and hostile. It doesn’t provide for healing largely because of the fight that precedes the office. We must change this,” said Ambassador Mwamba, one of the eight politicians running for the presidency in the main opposition PF that is due to hold polls next March to select a party leader.
The full interview is available on Camnet DSTV Channel recorded live in Lusaka.
Source: Camnet TV