By NATION REPORTER
PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema should not be struggling to justify his numerous foreign trips he has made in less than two years of being in government because when and if such travels are bearing fruits, Zambians will be able to vouch and speak for him, Brian Mundubile has said.
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And Mr Mundubile says it is disappointing that President Hichilema has ganged up with his Health Minister Sylvia Masebo and other UPND functionaries in branding Zambia’s medical doctors and other health workers as thieves stealing essential medicines in hospitals. Mr Mundubile, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament says President Hichilema has been struggling to explain the benefits of his foreign trips to Zambians because the head of State knew that his frequent foreign trips were a huge cost to Zambians.
Mr Mundubile, one of the Patriotic Front’s presidential candidates said in an interview that he felt for President Hichilema because the head of State struggled to justify his frequent foreign trips at the last press conference with little success.
He said President Hichilema had been pontificating himself as a prudent and thrift leader in the utilisation of public resources yet the head of State had been exhibiting the traits of an extravagant person.
Mr Mundubile explained that it was one thing to order the cancellation of the VXs vehicles for Ministers and Permanent Secretaries and another to undertake many numerous foreign trips which could have cost more than the procurement of the vehicles.
“President Hichilema has been struggling to justify the numerous foreign travels he has made so far. If and when his foreign trips were of any benefits to Zambians, he would not have to struggle to convince anyone because Zambians would speak for him. My advice to the President is that let him use our Ambassadors and High Commissioners for some of the events he want to attend.” President Hichilema comes out as a person who is prudent and thrift in the use of public resources. But he should know that it is one thing to cancel the purchase of VXs and another to make so many foreign trips as an individual. If we were to cost how much the President has spent in his foreign trips, you would discover that it would be much more than the purchase of the VXs put together,” Mr Mundubile said.
He stated that Zambians had a choice to either let President Hichilema continue with his foreign travels or just reward his deserving Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with the VXs.
And Mr Mundubile says it is shocking that President Hichilema has joined the band wagon of government officials accusing doctors of being thieves instead of prevailing over the matter and cure the narrative that the shortage of essential drugs in hospitals was as a result of pilferage.
He said President Hichilema should take the shortage of drugs in hospitals seriously and should stop demeaning the country’s medical personnel because the cadre of doctors and health workers were professional.
He is wondering how doctors could start stealing medicines only under the UPND when they did not during the PF reign and other administrations before the UPND.
“I want to take this opportunity to condemn the President for joining people who are demonising our doctors. Instead of President Hichilema curing the narrative that doctors are thieves, he has joined the band wagon and is also demeaning them. The question one would ask ids why is it that the doctors were not stealing the drugs under the PF and other administrations before. Why is the stealing of medicines only happening under the UPND? They should not trivialise the issues because the impact on the careers of our medical workers are at stake,” Mr Mundubile said.
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