Letters to the Editor

Tue, 27 Jun 2017 13:58:58 +0000

IMF denial has left the UPND flat on its face

Dear Editor,

The UPND-biased social media’s insinuations and allegations that President Edgar Lungu bribed the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s mission team leader to Zambia, Tsidi Tsikata, as a way of improving Zambia’s chances of getting the mission’s home-grown bailout package were bound to fail.

The question was when would they fail and who would be embarrassed?

As fate would have it, the IMF Communications Director Garry Rice provided the answers in good time by describing such insinuations and allegations of being outrageous and rubbish (“IMF rubbishes bribe claims”, Daily Nation, June 24, 2017).

Two months to Zambia’s next IMF bailout package in September 2017, the UPND and its surrogate one-man political parties, alarmed that the PF government was earmarked and well positioned for a home-grown bailout package believed to be in the region of US$1.3 billion, started talking ill and smearing with filth the country’s chances to the international community.

But IMF officials are not listening as the country’s frugality and credibility are on the rise in the international finance body’s view.

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini’s ordered Finance Minister Felix Mutati to issue a ministerial statement in Parliament to clearly explain Zambia’s factual external debt between the UPND doomsayers’ figure of US$17.2 billion as opposed to the official US$7.2 billion.

Nevertheless, the IMF Communications Director further clarified that as far as the IMF was concerned Zambia’s external debt stood at US$7.2 billion and not the purported US$17.2 billion, a humongous figure he described as a shocking statistic (“Explain external debt, minister ordered”, Daily Nation, June 24, 2017).

As expected, IMF’s denials and disclosures have excited the Zambian public. As God would have it, the Fund’s revelations could not have come at a better time for Zambia.

Because for the last nine months since the 2016 polls, the UPND has kept on claiming that it had a water-tight case against the alleged PF regime’s poor governance record and therefore was unfit for an IMF bailout package.

But the IMF weighty trashing of the bribery allegation on social media is a severe blow and embarrassment to the UPND and its surrogate one-man political parties led by Mike Mulongoti, Nevers Mumba and Charles Milupi.

Please UPND and your proxies stop peddling and reporting fake stories and bad things about Zambia on your biased social media platforms.

All in all, what is worse, IMF denials and revelations are not only humiliating to the UPND and its proxies but have left the UPND flat on its face, they have also done more harm than good for the political ambitions of the incarcerated UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema, who is reinventing himself behind bars at either Chimbokaila Central Prison or Mukobeko Maximum Prison in readiness for the 2021 presidential race.

Mubanga Luchembe,

LUSAKA

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Explore investment opportunities in rural areas

Dear Editor,

Investment is another way of generating income besides someone being in gainful employment.

Both people and corporate entities can invest in various sectors of the economy such as agriculture, manufacturing, mining and tourism.

There is a widely held notion that investment opportunities are only prevalent in urban areas and individuals can only succeed in these areas.

I wish to rebut the above notion because investment and business opportunities are everywhere.

Zambia is known globally as one of the best investment destinations.

This is because the country offers conducive investment environment. This is applicable to both local and foreign investors.

All things being equal, there is an urgent need for the entrepreneurs and those contemplating to venture into business to explore investment opportunities in the rural areas of our country. Once investment opportunities in rural areas are explored, the move will reduce rural-urban drift that is people moving from rural to urban areas in search of employment opportunities and other social amenities such as electricity among others. This because jobs will be created and these areas will be fully developed.

Investment in rural areas is not debatable. It is high time people considered exploring investment opportunities in these areas.

President Edgar Lungu is on record of encouraging people to invest in rural areas as well due to the potential which is there.

Ultimately, this will contribute to growth domestic product (GDP) and the same time, it will lead to increased income of the potential investors.

Both the employed and unemployed individuals can invest rural areas. This is inevitable in that people should have multiple sources of income (MSI).

These can be derived from employment, investment like in shares and business to mention but a few.

Elemiya Phiri, Lusaka

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The withdrawal of footballer Walter Bwalya’s forged NRC is commendable

Dear Editor,

The withdrawal of Nkana Football Club striker Walter Bwalya’s national registration card by the Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship is commendable.

Walter’s real name is Heriter Binene Sabwa and he is a Congolese national and he is alleged to have forged a Zambian NRC.

This is according to Zambia Immigration department’s investigations. He plies his trade in the Zambian club.

The Nkana striker cheated that his parents were Zambians and yet they were Congolese nationals.

This came to light after a thorough investigation with the Congolese authorities who confirmed that he was indeed a Congolese from Congo Democratic Republic (DRC).

The Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship has disclosed that Walter will be prosecuted and taken to the courts of law.

If found wanting, he will face a jail sentence. This will deter would-be offenders.

The Nkana prolific striker has since been banned to play football in Zambia because he was doing so illegally.

This is not right. Moreover, he didn’t come to Zambia with the International Transfer Certificate which he left in DR Congo his home country.

At one time, he once played for TP Mazembe Football Club for the whole soccer season.

To crown it all, Walter Bwalya should face the wrath of the law for the offence of concealing his nationality and fraudulently obtaining the Zambian NRC.

Furthermore, he should be sanctioned by the world soccer governing body, FIFA for the offence he committed.

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) should scrutinise players playing in the elite league to avoid what transpired in the case of Walter Bwalya.

The action by the Department of National Registration, Passport and Citizenship of withdrawing Walter’s NRC is commendable.

Concerned