Stop lying, Kalaba told

Sun, 21 Jan 2018 11:21:58 +0000

By CHIKUMBI KATEBE

FORMER Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba is lying that India does not have multinational enterprises running large shopping malls when he insinuated that as a result Zambia’s local trade was chocking because of the supermarkets, says Zambia’s High Commissioner to India Judith Kapijimpanga.

Ms Kapijimpanga said Mr Kalaba had never been to India on official business to ascertain the terrain of that country’ business industry while he was minister.

 She said the Asian giant enjoyed fair share of multinational investment in shopping malls, but that country also provided for the growth of the small and medium sized enterprises by allowing designated places in all states for local business participation.

She said her office was aware that the Government’s open market was a key development tool that allowed interdependence to help trade flourish.

“The mission is fully aware that India has recognised that the world is a global village which calls for interdependence to enhance trade and bilateral relations amongst countries,” she said. Ms Kapijimpanga was reacting to sentiments expressed by Mr Kalaba that India had strict laws that protected local small and medium business against the establishment of multinational shopping malls, claiming the huge investors overshadow the growth and development of small-scale businesses.

And Ms Kapijimpanga said her office was not aware of any foreign trips that could have been undertaken by Mr Kalaba to India for him to express firsthand information about the Asian economic giant.

“The statement by the former minister on K-FM of Mansa today should therefore, not be taken seriously as he was speaking from a premise of misinformation because during his tenure as Minister of foreign Affairs he never visited India,” she said.