STOP BLAMING UKRAINE/RUSSIA WAR, FIX THE ECONOMY-TREVOR SIMUMBA
Economist Trevor Simumba has charged that Zambia’s economic problems should not be blamed on the ongoing Ukraine war.
Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Bwalya has over the last few days been announcing that Zambia’s economic woes will worsen due to the effects of the Ukraine war on global oil and fertiliser supply.
But Mr Simumba said it is very lame and lazy for the Zambian government to claim the economic problems are as a result of the Ukraine war.
He stated that Zambia’s current economic malaise is a result of past ineptitude of the PF and the current Government’s total fear of implementing decisive policy reforms.
Mr. Simumba accused the UPND government of playing the blame game.
“We even have the Central Bank blaming the transition for dollar shortages on the market. Honestly seven months down the road we cannot see any real policy decisions on KCM/Mopani, dismantling of local debt arrears, local content, industrial policy etc,” he said.
“What recovery efforts are those that are affected by the War in Ukraine?”
He added, “Subsidies have been removed according to Govt. Oil and fertiliser are not examples of reforms being affected. Those are factors of production. More importantly, we can buy fertiliser from other sources.”
He observes that Zambia already pays 50% above world market prices for fertiliser.
“The war has no impact on Zambia’s debt negotiations.