The opposition Rainbow Party has urged Information Minister Chishimba Kambwili and Presidential Assistant for Press and Public Relations Amos Chanda to desist from commenting on the state of the economy.

Rainbow Party 1st Deputy General Secretary Cosmas Musumali told a news briefing that Mr Kambwili and Mr Chanda have contributed negatively to the state of the economy through their careless statements.

Dr Musumali said issuing of statements on economic issues such as the depreciation of the Kwacha should be restricted to key officials from the Bank of Zambia and the Ministry of Finance.

He said the Secretary to the Treasury and BOZ should take the lead adding that State House and the Ministry of Information should take a back-stage saying their involvement to date has been catastrophic.

Below is the full statement issued by Dr Musumali

POSITION OF THE RAINBOW PARTY ON THE ESCALATING ECONOMIC CRISIS IN ZAMBIA

 From the 1st Deputy General Secretary–in charge of Ideology and Mobilization Comrade Cosmas Musumali

Zambia is today facing one of its worst economic crises since independence in 1964.

The indications are that this crisis is just beginning and will deepen over the next 6 months:

The Zambian kwacha is under immense downward pressure – reflecting both external developments (U.S. dollar strength and lower copper prices) as well as domestic factors (growing fiscal deficit, depleting government deposits, unstable fiscal regime, unprioritized spending, high levels of corruption and the electricity crunch).

Over the past 4 years monetary policy, through the Bank of Zambia (BOZ), has overstretched itself in containing inflation and trying to stabilize the Kwacha.

With low reserves at its disposal, the options for BOZ have narrowed down. We do not therefore reckon with active interventions of the central bank in stabilizing the Kwacha.

Fiscal policy has therefore to play a significant role. However, the fiscal policy of the PF government has not been is still is not supportive. The end result is that the Kwacha is now the worst performing currency in the world.

As we stated in the last Press Release by the Rainbow Party General Secretary two months ago, this has pushed the currency risks to unprecedented levels and will critically hurt the entire economy.

Growth is projected to decline to below 5% as businesses reduce capacity or close – rendering thousands of workers jobless.
Key risks to this outlook being a volatile currency, the electricity crisis, absence of fiscal adjustment especially with the pending general elections in 2016, persistent low copper prices, and policy uncertainties that continue to undermine investment in the economy.

Inflation will rise; induced by a weaker Kwacha, increase in food prices and essential commodities and high electricity bills. This will push the cost of living upwards and exacerbate the prevailing poverty conditions of the masses of the Zambian population.

This crisis requires urgent and informed action that goes beyond what the PF government has today exhibited:

There is need for strong efforts to ensure macroeconomic stability with focus on fiscal consolidation to reduce the deficit, stabilize debt, and create conditions for lower interest rates.

We are calling for sustained expenditure efforts, including efforts to contain international travel, the never-ending workshops, unprioritised spending, procurement of vehicles, office furniture, etc.

The government should postpone the setting up, equipping and staffing of the newly created Ministries for at least 10 months.
All ongoing infrastructure projects should be reviewed with the aim of halting a number of them until the economic conditions improve.

The Bank of Zambia should continue to maintain a tight monetary policy stance to contain inflationary pressures, continue with exchange rate flexibility and resist demands to deplete the little remaining reserves.

The Zambian government should stop contracting any more commercial debt for the next 12 months.

We also demand to see and provide input to a comprehensive debt management strategy that will help mitigate the risks of public debt vulnerabilities.

The economic policy “messages” being sent to the public and financial markets should be informed and well-though out.

The treasurer and BOZ should take the lead.

State House and the Ministry of Information should take a back-stage – their involvement to date has been catastrophic.

ONLY FORCES OF EVIL WOULD OPPOSE THE NATIONAL OF PRAYER AND FASTING

Lusaka, Zambia, 2nd October 2015 – We wish to advise political players in the Country to remember that while they have the right to freedom of expression, that right must be expressed in reverence of our Creator, God.

It is therefore of grave concern that some leaders in the Opposition have elected to take their politics to matters that concern God. The attacks by UPND leader Mr. Hakainde Hichilema on the national day of prayer on 18th October declared by His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu should not just be perceived as a question of logical debate but goes to expose the absence of religious principle in his personal life and that of the party he leads.

The words of scripture have reminded us time and again that “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14:1). Sadly, some of the rich in our country seek to play politics with God by blatantly and forcefully scorning and mocking the National Day of Prayer. We wish to advice that them that God is never mocked and the earlier they humble themselves the better for them and their aspirations to lead a nation given to faith.

We wish to remind the nation that other Countries have embraced the National Day of Prayer beyond partisan, religious and any other divides. In the US, on 5th May 1988 President Ronald Reagan observed as follows: “On our National Day of Prayer, then, we join together as people of many faiths to petition God to show us His mercy and His love, to heal our weariness and uphold our hope, that we might live ever mindful of His justice and thankful for His blessing.”

In the same regard, President Lungu called on all Zambians from all political and religious backgrounds to embrace this important Day for the Nation. He did this from the realization that through prayer the nation takes a moment away from the concerns of everyday life to understand the greater power that gives us guidance. This Day is not about President Lungu or PF as a Party, but about Zambia and the future of our Nation.

Lastly, it is a fact that Satanists and all those opposed to God will resist efforts by a nation to rally together in prayer. PF therefore is asking Zambians to discern the resistance as a fight between good and evil, darkness and light. It is unexplainable how anyone would get so offended with a call for prayers.

Zambia has always embraced God from its foundations as the national anthem confirms “ Praise be to God, Praise be, Praise Be, Bless our Great Nation, Zambia, Zambia!” 18th October is the day to recognize our blessings, acknowledge our wrongs, to remember the needy, to seek guidance for our challenging future, and to give thanks for the abundance of his blessings from the founding of our nation. In churches, synagogues, temples, and mosques, Zambians must come together to pray for the nation.

Issued by: Sunday Chilufya Chanda, Vice Chairperson, PF Media and Publicity Committee

Government has commenced a consultative process aimed at enacting a new diaspora policy to meet the aspirations of Zambians living abroad.

Foreign Affairs Minister Harry Kalaba disclosed this during a media briefing held at the offices of the Zambian Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York today.

Mr. Kalaba said the consultative meeting follows a directive from President Edgar Lungu for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to engage various stakeholders in formulating a national diaspora policy.

He said Government has listened to cries of Zambians living abroad regarding issues affecting their welfare hence the holding of the consultative forum with various stakeholders to adopt a new diaspora policy.

Mr. Kalaba has since urged all Zambians to read through the contents of the proposed diaspora policy and submit comments in order to make the consultative process inclusive.

The Foreign Affairs Minister said so far study tours to others countries like United States of America and United Kingdom have been to establish how they have come up with a diaspora policy that meets the wishes of its citizens living abroad.

Mr. Kalaba observed that in the past, Zambia has tried to review its diaspora policy but little has been achieved.

He however expressed confidence that the process started by the Government will succeed considering that a lot of stakeholders who include civil society organisations and Zambians in the diaspora have been involved in the consultative process.

The National consultative meeting will take place in Lusaka from the 7th to 9th October, this year.

Mr. Kambwili who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister says Mr Hichilema is not a factor.

He says Mr. Hichilema is trying to use malicious means to seek sympathy from voters ahead of next year’s general election.
Mr. Kambwili states that President Lungu is not a heartless leader who would consider killing Hichilema.

He has since advised Mr. Hichilema to offer his leadership qualities instead of resorting to cheap propaganda.