ZAMBIA should never ever return to a time when the rule of law was largely ignored with the vices such as violence and corruption reign to hurt citizens and stifle economic progression, President Hakainde Hichilema has said.
Addressing the nation on the eve of the Africa Freedom Day, President Hichilema said as Zambia continued on her path of fighting for economic freedom, it was important that political freedom that the country’s fore-fathers fought for was defended.
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This year’s Africa Freedom Day is themed: “Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area Implementation”
President Hichilema said political freedom should be accompanied by economic freedom driven by trade and investment among African countries if a strong and sustainable economic development was to be achieved.
He said Zambians owed it to the fore-fathers and mothers to love and care for each other as they continued to work together for a brighter and stronger future.
“As we fight for our economic freedom, we must always defend the political freedom that our fore-father and mothers fought so hard to attain. We cannot return to a time when the rule of law was ignored or when violence and corruption hurt our people. We must guard these freedom…but political freedom must be accompanied by economic freedom driven by trade and investment among African countries in order to achieve strong and sustainable economic development,” President Hichilema said.
President Hichilema said the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) had a population of 1.3 billion people with a value of US$3.4 trillion and it was prudent for the Continent to maximize the benefits from the region. The head of State stated that to achieve economic freedom, governments across Africa should be able to provide an attractive environment for the private sector to thrive.
The head of State explained that the UPND government was positioning Zambia for the future where the country would become the net exporter of energy, agriculture and manufacturing related goods and services. “We will increase our export earnings and lead to stronger growth. To realise the maximum benefits from the Continental Free Trade Area, we require the active participation of our youth. We therefore encourage all stakeholders to ensure that youths can take advantage of the opportunities presented by the free trade area,” President Hichilema said.
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