By Mubanga Mubanga
The economic is bad because of economic sabotage by civil servants who support the opposition, says UPND deputy secretary general Gertrude Imenda.
Meanwhile, no sooner had President Hakainde Hichilema told his cadres not to become the new thugs in town than they gladly took on that same mantle, whereby yesterday the panga-wielding thugs broke and smashed vehicle windows and went after the lives of peaceful bus drivers who were protesting against the same thugs unruliness where they are charging people for using public facilities.
This was another dive into the sewer of violence, with many more of such escapades coming on the horizon, following up on the many other indiscretions where not too long ago the uncontrollable thugs ransacked PASME Radio station in Petauke where they unleashed their brutal force on an unarmed journalist for simply doing his job.
Featuring on Diamond TV on Monday evening, lmenda said those working in the system knew the calendar for acquiring the fertilizer, saying
“They know the calendar when they should start when you float a tender they know what to do but they didn’t do it what do you call that? Isn’t that sabotage?” she asked.
When asked by the program presenters to provide evidence of sabotage, lmenda said the evidence was circumstantial, saying it was in the news that someone was caught with a truckload of fertilizer trying to resell it.
Imenda urged the Zambian people to be patient with the UPND government because they are still reconstructing the country after inheriting an economy with a lot of debts.
”We have five years to deliver. The first year is for reconstructing, what we are experiencing is because of the previous government,” Imenda said.
Indeed, the PF left a mountain of unsustainable debt, some which went on questionable projects which bordered of suspected corruption.
However, the PF also left fuel prices at K17.62 as opposed to the K25.95 for petrol for instance and the connection fees for electricity too weren’t as steep as they have been increased. Fertilizer prices too for the 50kg bag were not at over K1000 but K750, something the President said he would reduce to K250.
One thing which seems to be in common with both parties is the presence of thugs within their ranks. Former president Edgar Lungu said they were part of his office, but while his successor President Hakainde Hichilema promised to address that, nothing seems to have changed going by the evidence.
Asked on the same thugs who stoned flash buses, Imenda said there was no evidence that it was the UPND cadres, claiming that the UPND would never allow that to happen.
“Criminals are criminals whether they belong to the UPND or any other party. Criminals you cannot say they are UPND cadres as a party we don’t condone such a thing. The president was very clear no caderism. However, if they are UPND cadres as a party we are going to investigate,” said Imenda.
