ZAMBIA LOST OUT FROM KAMALA HARRIS VISIT, NO MEGA PROJECT ANNOUNCED – MUNDUBILE
Lusaka, Thursday (April 6, 2023)
Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Brian Mundubile says Zambia lost out on the opportunity to lobby for mega projects when USA Vice-President Kamala Harris visited Zambia.
Mr. Mundubile said Zambians were expectant of America, being a super power, to announce major investments in the energy sector.
Mr. Mundubile who is also PF Presidential Candidate said Zambians were expecting major pronouncements as had been in the past, whenever high profile visits like the one by Ms Harris were conducted.
He said Zambians got firm pronouncements that resulted in the Decongestion of Lusaka Roads Project that included building fly over bridges and expansion of existing roads plus ring roads, when then President of India, Nath Kovind, visited his Zambian counterpart President Edgar Lungu
Mr. Mundubile said the relationship benefited the country with the 650 health posts from India.
He said President Lungu visited China resulting in huge investments in roads, airports, energy, communication towers, among others.
“Zambia is centrally located and the previous administration, the PF, was positioning the country as a transport hub and a net exporter of power in the region in view of the water bodies that we have,” he said.
He said projects in road and railway infrastructure to turn Zambia into a transport hub in the region would have been ideal.
“So far, Zambians are surprised with the figures that they got, pledged by the USA Vice-President,” he said.
Mr. Mundubile said Zambian Missions abroad, through Ambassadors and High Commissioners, need to come on board to solicit for real investment.
“Clearly, there has been no investment for two years in Zambia,” he said.
Mr. Mundubile said it was a great opportunity for the Embassy in USA to lobby for transformational projects in Zambia funded by USA.
“Otherwise, we have lost out on this high profile visit by Ms Harris. The benefits that we will get from her visit is not as many Zambians would have expected,” he said.