Impeachment bid will be defeated – Chanda

Sun, 18 Feb 2018 11:21:24 +0000

By KALOBWE BWALYA

THE planned opposition motion to impeach President Edgar Lungu once Parliament opens , is an exercise in futility as it will be defeated because the Patriotic Front (PF) has more Members of parliament, says special assistant to the President for press and public relations Amos Chanda.

Mr Chanda said “kadancer’ political parties” will be wasting their time by taking an impeachment motion to Parliament because its failure is “as certain as the sun rising tomorrow”.

Speaking in Lusaka yesterday when he met media representatives, Mr Chanda said the futility of that motion of no confidence of impeachment was just exactly what it was because the President had a comfortable working majority in Parliament.

He said those who want to exercise their democratic right as political ‘kadancers’ are free but quite clearly the defeat of such a motion was assured.

Mr Chanda however said it was their democratic right to do so, therefore the motion can be presented to parliament for further debate.

And Mr Chanda said Government did not need an external body instructing it on what to do because President Edgar Lungu had already put in place policies to strengthen the economy and therefore Zambia will not go to the ends of the earth trying to secure an IMF deal.

Mr Chanda said the programme was ongoing and yielding results adding that there  was significant control of expenditure, a strict adherence to budget credibility and principles embedded in the programme.

He said newly appointed Finance Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe would next week be making a policy statement on the IMF position.

“Minister of Finance honorable Mwanakatwe will be making a policy statement within the course of next week to outline the control measures that government has put in place with regards to issues coming out of the Auditor General’s report, realignment and restructuring of debt with the Chinese government and contractors.

“But I know she will say the IMF negotiations with Zambia will have to be constructed on the basis of what Zambia thinks is right for the country…whatever program shall be agreed upon shall be pro poor therefore strong emphasis on social sectors, health and education, health and sanitation, investments in programs for the poor, social cash transfer.”

Meanwhile, Mr Chanda disclosed that the government was in talks with European Union to for support  as well the American government.

He said the Government had advised Commonwealth envoy Professor Gambari to delay his visit to Zambia until the cholera crisis was contained.

“Yes the Commonwealth has been in touch with government and we advised Professor Ibrahim Gambari to delay his return in February because we were dealing with very crucial issues of cholera.

“But I can reveal to you that the Commonwealth has spoken to me and the position is that Prof Gambari will be returning very soon to commence the processes with a composition of what he is calling the national peace council, said Mr Chanda.