Debt swap cancellation is bad signal for civil servants – PF

By ROGERS KALERO
THE cancellation of the Debt swap is a clear indication of the worst things to come for the civil servants under the ‘New Dawn’ government of President Hakainde Hichilema,” the Patriotic Front (PF) has warned.
PF Copperbelt Provincial Deputy Media Director Munalula Moola said civil servants and Zambians in general must brace themselves for hard times under the UPND because it has nothing to offer, apart from the usual waffling and witch-hunting.
In an interview in Kitwe yesterday, Mr Moola said it was clear that the UPND had nothing to offer because it was struggling to settle down and lay a firm foundation for economic recovery and national development.
From the so many press briefings, President Hichilema had categorically failed to chart the way forward in the agriculture, mining and other sectors, but was merely talking about corruption instead of leaving it to the law enforcement agencies to deal with.
“From the press conference, we expected President Hichilema to tell the nation how he will deal with problems and challenges at Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) and other mines facing problems, but he has been silent on that one.
“On agriculture, his government has even failed to distribute agricultural inputs on time. This is sad. For civil servants, they should expect worse things to come especially with the scrapping off the debt swap and the wage freeze, it will be hell on earth,” Mr Moola said.
Mr Moola said the ‘New Dawn’ administration of President Hichilema should save the more than 3,000 jobs for miners at Baluba Mine just like former republican President Edgar Lungu had saved more than 4,000 jobs at Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) when Glencore PLC wanted to put the mine on Care and Maintenance .
He said President Hichilema should prove that he was capable of fixing economic challenges in the country by ensuring that he saved the more than 3,000 jobs at Baluba Mine shaft 28 which was set to be closed next year.
Apart from saving the more than 3,000 jobs at Baluba Mine, Mr Moola said President Hichilema should also pay the remaining two instalments of retrenchment benefits for miners at MCM.
“During campaigns for the August elections, our republican President Hakainde Hichilema was being called Bally will fix it. So after winning the elections, it is his opportunity to prove his critics wrong. So first he should save the more than 3,000 jobs at Baluba mine.
“Then, he should proceed to pay the remaining two instalments of retrenchment benefits for miners at MCM. The first instalment was paid by the PF, the remaining two instalments should be paid by the New Dawn government since it is in power now,” he said.