By Merlyn Mwanza
Major Ben Phiri says he finds the statement attributed to Development Bank of Zambia chairperson Noel Nkhoma urging citizens to stop complaining about lack of liquidity crunch misplaced and running counter to the approach taken by President Hakainde Hichilema.
“Asking people to stop complaining about inadequate cash at their disposal bears all the hallmarks of mocking those that may genuinely be struggling to earn a living. I would instead prefer that we encourage our people in all parts of the country to seize the multiple opportunities that the Huchilema led government has put in place in form of various empowerment avenues, like grants for the youth and women, bursaries for pursuing skills training, job and wealth creation windows etc,” Maj Phiri argued in a statement to Daily Revelation. “How can you tell someone without money to stop complaining? Of course, he will certainly complain but l think advising them on existing income generating UPND government structured programs is more user friendly than the seemingly elitist approach contained in Noel’s article.”
Maj Phiri stated that notwithstanding President Hichilema’s impeccable academic and professional credentials, “he still lowers himself to the level of the ordinary Zambian for everybody to understand that he feels for them.”
“It’s a known fact that the President always talks about his difficult days as a young boy, how he grew up in a village set up and how he understands the practical way of lessening the sufferings of our people. The President never talks about intricate terms of the rudiments of Economics like ‘liquidity crunch, narrow money’ etc whenever he is addressing Zambians. Instead, he speaks in ordinary and basic terms by referring to himself as a person who grew up in a rural part of Zambia,” Maj Phiri stated. “That is what we ought to emulate not bringing in difficult to comprehend terms that only serves to drive a wedge between the people and our leadership in general.”
Maj Phiri continued: “Apparently, this is the same Noel Nkhoma who a few weeks ago tried to disown his own statement which incidentally with his trademark ‘Zikomo’ just like the one l have responded to.”
