Africa-Press – Zambia. Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba has issued a post on his Facebook page condemning the actions of President Hakainde Hichilema, pointing out various issues that have caused public concern in Zambia.
The first issue raised by Mwamba is the hiring of a private jet by the government to fly President Hichilema to a SADC meeting in Namibia. Despite promising to reduce the cost and frequency of travel, President Hichilema has taken over 30 international trips in 16 months. The use of a private jet has raised questions about the President’s commitment to his promises.
“The plane, registration ZS-SGC is a 1990 Bombardier Challenger was hired from ExecJet Lanseria, a private jet charter operating from South Africa. Zambia owns two presidential planes, A Challenger and a Gulfstream G650. President Hichilema has repeatedly claimed that he would reduce the cost and frequent of travel to the extent that he will use commercial flights. But he has since taken over 30 unrelenting international trips in 16 months, ” his post read
The second issue is the recent increase in the pump prices of petroleum products by the Energy Regulation Board (ERB), which has caused a record hike in the prices of diesel, petrol, kerosene and jet A-1 fuel. This is likely to impact the economy, as Zambia is an import-oriented country.
The third issue is the termination of the concession contract for the management of the Dry Port Facility at Walvis Bay by the government due to alleged poor performance and underutilization of the facility. This decision has raised questions about the government’s involvement in business interests, especially in light of their past actions and compensation payouts for canceled concession contracts.
Despite sinking $5 million into the development of the port facilities, office buildings, warehousing facilities, and harbor equipment, the government alleges poor performance and underutilization of the facility as the reason for termination.
It should be noted that the termination of the concession contract raises questions about the government’s ability to cancel agreements they are not a party to. The facility had been considered a key route for exporting from Zambia by organizations such as First Quantum Minerals, as alternative routes through Dar-es-Salaam, Durban, Lobito Bay, or Beira were more costly and complicated.
The cancelation of the concession contract appears to be politically motivated, with a perceived fall-out between Ndambo and President Hakainde Hichilema. The Brenthurst Foundation, a charity organization owned by the Oppenheimer family, known supporters and funders of Hichilema, had expressed interest in the Walvis Bay Port and the Zambian facilities. This cancelation is reminiscent of the cancelation of the Mpulungu Harbour Concession in 2008, which resulted in the government paying millions of dollars in compensation and damages.
The fourth issue is the announcement of record profits by ABSA Zambia, which has contributed to the treasury, but the Auditor General’s report has revealed irregularities and poor performance among parastatal bodies and statutory institutions. The report showed a total of K3.4 billion in irregularities, including failure to remit statutory obligations and failure to collect revenue.
The fifth issue is the continuous depreciation of the Kwacha against major currencies, which has lost value from K16 to K19.2 per U$1 in just three months and has become one of the worst-performing currencies in the world. This will further impact the economy negatively.
Finally, the rising mealie prices and the anticipation of a poor harvest and crop failure due to the late distribution of farming inputs and the outbreak of army worms, has led to concerns about food security and increased cases of hunger among vulnerable and rural communities. Vice President W.K. Mutale Nalumango’s advice to resort to roller meal, a cheaper but more nutritious option, has been criticized as reminding Zambians of remarks made by former Patriotic Front Chairperson, Ng’onga Mukupa, during a similar crisis.
The Facebook post by Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba has brought to light several pressing issues in Zambia, and it remains to be seen how the government will address these concerns.
For More News And Analysis About Zambia Follow Africa-Press
