Africa-Press – Zambia. Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations Anthony Bwalya has said that there is no way the Patriotic Front (PF) officials can admit that the Treasury is empty when they failed to pay retirees, Contractors, and suppliers of materials when they were in government
Mr. Bwalya told ZNBC that government is in the process of eradicating dishonesty and lack of transparency in the management of public resources. Mr. Bwalya said that President Hakainde Hichilema’s administration has continued discovering many financial anomalies since assuming office, and assures Zambians that this will be fixed once and for all.
Mr. Bwalya said that lack of financial discipline made Zambians remove the PF Government as the cost of living kept rising. Mr. Bwalya also said the continued appreciation of the Kwacha is an indication that the UPND Government is on the right trajectory of awakening the economy which was on the verge of collapsing.
During the week officials from PF and oppositions parties have been challenging assertions that the new Government has inherited empty coffers following the president’s interview with the BBC.
Raphael Nakacinda Former Minister of Water Development Sanitation and Environmental Protection, Hon Raphael Nakachinda dismissed claims by President Hakainde Hichilema that he found empty coffers.
Hon Nakachinda said the claims by the President were unfounded and cannot be substantiated when the former ruling party was leaving office the International reserves were close to US$3 billion. The former minister said the continued claims by Mr Hichilema clearly show that he does not have any plan to govern the country.
“He used all that time to bash at President Edgar Lungu and Patriotic Front, suggesting that they have stolen money and left empty coffers, lamenting that it is a new dawn and he has nowhere to start from.
“Basically this means that he didn’t have a plan for this country,”Hon Nakachinda said.
Hon Nakachinda said President Hichilema is trying to create excuses for him not to fulfill his promises to give free education from pre-school to university level.
