The opposition Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) has said that it was unfair to claim that the opposition is not providing alternative solutions to the current economic challenges in the country.
In response to President Lungu’s suggestion that the opposition are not offering any solutions, FDD Spokesperson Antonio Mwanza told QFM News that opposition leaders have written to the Head of State in many instances seeking to meet and advise him, but that most of these letters have not been responded to.
Mr Mwanza said that FDD leader Edith Nawakwi just this month wrote to the President offering to help out in dealing with the current power deficit, but that her letter has not been responded to.
Mr Mwanza said that this clearly showed that the PF Government does not want to embrace outside ideas.
Mr. Mwanza said that the FDD Leader also offered to be consulted in arresting the kwacha which is depreciating at a fast pace, with her experience as former Finance Minister, but no one has agreed to listen to her ideas.
Mr Mwanza said that it is high time the PF Government embraced ideas offered by stakeholders if the current challenges are to be addressed.
Mr Mwanza said that this was not the time to think about personal interests but rather work for the benefit of the country’s economy.
Today President Lungu told journalist that people accusing him of not being a listening leader were not offering any solution to the current state of the country’s economy.
“Right now people are saying that I am not listening to any advice on the economic challenges we are facing but what options have they offered me? nothing at all, they want to deceive Zambians that Zambia is a classic case of a failed economy,” he said.
He suggested that politicians ought to dialogue and brainstorm on which measures could be taken in the interim to ensure that the situation did not get out of hand.
Meanwhile, President Lungu said that radical measures will be applied in the short-term to bring the country’s economy back on track, President Edgar Lungu has said.
Mr. Lungu said some of the measures might not be very palatable but were necessary in stabilising the country’s economy which has suffered from the negative effects of the latest global economic meltdown.
Copper prices have dropped on the international market forcing the Kwacha to depreciate against major global currencies.
“Everything is on course but obliviously we have challenges and we are trying to take immediate measures in the short-term which can bring us back on the rail.
“Fuel is a challenge; we are paying for it in hard currency, the mines; copper prices have gone down, the power deficit; but in the short term certain radical measures will have to be taken and some of them might not be very palatable, am afraid, but that’s the nature of the game,” the President said.
To be fair to ED, he didn’t hear you. His fingers were pushed in to his ears while he sang bla bla bla until the noise stopped. At which point he then reached out for some spiritual healing, blacked out and developed selective amnesia.
I am inviting ED to come and stay with me permanently… #zedyouarewelcome
Nawakwi and general Miyanda can offer president Lungu great advice. He is a willing listener. The only problem are the people surrounding the president. They are malicious. By people I mean kambwili and Chama.
NAWAKWI…… ITS ADVICE WITH A SCORN…… WE CAN T GET THAT TYPE OF NONSENSICAL ADVICE FROM A FAILED POLITICIAN
the problem of Lungu is lying to himself that he will be life president like his mentor MUgabe,thats why instead of attending to economic challenges ,he is preoccupied with campaigns.this man wants to make allowances for himself,he doesnt care about the ordinary person.hh ,nawakwi and other opposition leaders warned zambians of darker days aheard but ecl and kambwili brushed it but today all zambians regardless of tribe and party affilition are in dire need of the messiah.
But why should the opposition offer advice? Whatever clever plans they have are theirs to implement when they take over governance. Unless they know they will never get that chance to implement their plans. Because of course they cannot sell their plans to the electorate
Comment: The idea of wanting to be president at any cost won’t help you.Zambians
are not dull.
It’s clear the problems must be hashed out in a special Parliament seating perhaps, where all Party’s can come to some agreement???
What is parliament for anyway? Doesn’t the opposition have MPs there? Let them take their advice there and debate meaningfully and their advice will not be ignored.
Having said that, I think most of Zambia’s current challenges are not so much as a result of bad governance than economic mismanagement. Though the two go hand in hand, I would like to believe that if only the country’s resources (especially copper!) were more equitably exploited and distributed among the people, the more sustainable the economy would be. A transparent and effective management of the resources will immediately stabilize the economy and leave no room for bad governance, corruption and cronysim.
Look at countries like Rwanda, Ghana or Botswana: they haven’t always had the best leaders but they have…
…always maintained a stable economy through an equitable management of their resources.
The foundation on which to build solutions is not there.
By now more than 70% of domestic consumers should have had the option to use solar, implemented by concerted GRZ efforts. But all in GRZ seem to be concentrating on their personal businesses.
Kindly start working on Structural Adjustments, the effects on the Chinese Economy on the Zambian Economy is real and its gonna take months if not years.
Mr “Me too” President says “Right now people are saying that I am not listening to any advice on the economic challenges we are facing but what options have they offered me?” ??????
Start with NUMBER ONE! FIRE the useless old FOSSIL Chikwanda! This man borrowed Zambia into bankruptcy once before. It is beyond belief that he ever could be appointed Minister of Finance for a SECOND TIME! And allowed to do exactly the same thing AGAIN!
Have you never heard of learning from your mistakes? As they say, REAL STUPlDITY is doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result.
Nawakwi offered any advice? you mean that sarcastic language and downright insults in the Past news?
So ba Antonio naimwe kanshi muli ba empty head?
How the late Satan scoffed at HH’ letters suggesting solutions!
Anyway the opposition remains an alternative government. So giving solutions to a ruling party that isn opposition party is not in a coalition with may not be tenable. What about the other opposition political parties which openly campaigned for PF such as those led by Mr mulongoti, Mr mpombo, fr bwalya and civil society organizations, is their advice not good enough?
In the meantime the expensive unbudgeted for charity tour by the first lady continues. Tax money being bled from the budget leads to failure to realise plans.
This man is really DULL!
Let me explain it to you Jamesoni Lungu. It is YOUR JOB to go and find solutions. That is why you are paid a huge salary.
Do you really expect to sit on your lazy bum and have someone else who is not being paid to do your job for you?
Have you understood now?
This man is really DULL!
Let me explain it to you Jamesoni Lungu. It is YOUR JOB to go and find solutions. That is why you are paid a huge salary.
Do you really expect to sit on your lazy bum and have someone else who is not being paid to do your job for you?
Have you understood now?
“THE FDD SPOKESPERSON ANTONYO MWANSA TOLD QFM NEWS THAT EDI0T NAWAKWI WROTE TO THE PRESIDENT SEEKING TO MEET AND ADVISE HIM…..”
Excuse me! Was that an offer for solutions? Will Messi accept to play his number to help Barca win?
It took almost 4 years for Mbezuma to score for Zambia.
I can assure you, this man, Lungisani, will soon start getting on top of things. And that will be the end of Nawakwi, her bro in law, HH and the PAST newspaper of lies.
SA warned as Brazil loses status
REUTERS September 11 2015
Johannesburg – The cutting of Brazil’s credit rating to JUNK should set the warning lights flashing that South Africa might be next in line, economists said yesterday.
WHO SAYS WE ARE ALONE IN THIS MESS?
And how does that make you comfortable/happy? That is why Dilmas approval rating in Brazil is in single digits at 9%. Brazilians want her out. She is corrupt and incompetent. Lungu should also be booted out!
Things are really bad in Zambia-this can be seen vividly if you are a radical & proactive patriotic citizen not these primitive bloggers like Luapula Premier who still brag that Alungu can still perform just like Mbesuma & fimofimo Messi!These are some of the people who are under-performing in PF & were employed corruptly!When we say PF have illiterate cadres in key sensitive positions of our institutions including Lungu himself & henceforth all these social economic crumblings countrywide its not a joke!Lungu seems to be too small for that post,he was not fit for that seat no wonder he’s unmoved & never mind to seriously trim his useless underperforming employees & lounge lizards by half!
ED an her brother in law HH should mature up.
The Cartel,Up and Down and Nawakwi Carlington maize will be ashamed in 2016 because Lungu will kolopa them and this ka so called Mwanza who failed at UNZA will stop yapping carelessly.Time will tell !
Ba Lusaka times show us the pictures of Lungu getting booed instead of these good for nothing stories. Lungu needs a reality check, not lies about how everything is okay. His ministers are not working, that’s why they are just issuing orders and those orders are not good for you. Because next year if I own those mines I will honestly tell them “if you vote for Lungu kiss your job goodbye”. Leading without a vision is chaotic and very dangerous.With so much suffering even the hardest-core supporter will switch sides if he is to live another day
I meant Sata and not “Satan”. I would never call a fellow human person “Satan” especially the late old man. He certainly could never deserve to be called that.