Edith Nawakwi argues that President Hakainde Hichilema’s led government is shaping out to be the most corrupt administration owing to the micromanagement which forced people Dolika Banda to resign her position.
And Nawakwi said she warned Anglo-American during her time as Finance minister that she was going to flood the mines if they declared that ZCCM was under receivership so that they could come through the back door to get the assets for free.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Nawakwi praised Banda for being what she described as a rare professional by resigning from her position on account of alleged micromanagement of the corporate body from State House.
“You see most people want to be politically correct and pretend things are okay. If only everybody knew that this President is a micromanager to the point where he can be responsible for allocating three bags of maize, then you know the presidency is nothing but a trading facility. You need professionals to advise politicians and politicians to distance themselves from deal making because politicians are not mining experts,” Nawakwi said and touched on the President’s ongoing trip to Europe. “Look at the difference between the President of Kenya. He went to Holland and he’s signing deals. Our President is addressing possible investors. That’s just a show as it has been tried by other Presidents. You talk talk, and they don’t come.”
Nawakwi said the mining sector was one where people have burnt themselves.
“This is going to be the most corrupt government our country has ever seen. I said when you are close to the pot you are likely to behave like Eli’s children in the Bible,” she said, saying she would not be surprised to see companies which bankrolled UPND campaigns taking over the running of mines, in the same manner the husband to Information minister Chushi Kasanda became one of the first beneficiaries from the UPND administration.
She said she did not understand President Hichilema because she thought after the trip to Europe he would announce that he was going to China, claiming that he was probably being advised by people in Anglo-American to ignore China and focus on the west.
She said the people who let the country down at the time they were needed could be brought back to run the mines.
Nawakwi said she once threatened them against doing what she said was not in the best interest of Zambia.
“They came and (the late UPND leader) Anderson Mazoka was there in the meeting. I threatened them that if you walk out of my office today the miners are ready to turn on the taps. If you think Zambians will walk away with nothing you will also walk away with nothing, if you say today that ZCCM is under receivership,” said Nawakwi. “I said let’s put up a technical team and they will advise. That’s how I stopped the receivership and liquidation of ZCCM.”
On the $400,000 concealed by former first lady Esther Lungu, Nawakwi said it was possible that President Hichilema himself could be sitting on sacks of money and that was probably why he was refusing to move from Community House to State House.
