Zambia must act immediately just like Kenya and suspend all flights from China, says opposition UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema.
Asa Manda reports that Kenya has suspended flights from the Asian country where the deadly Coronovirus was first reported and has recorded more cases and deaths.
Hichilema or HH as he is commonly referred to is concerned just like other stakeholders that there are no practical measures being taken by the Zambian government to prevent the disease.
”We therefore call upon the PF to act in the interest of the Zambian people, and take practical measures to protect our citizens, like what our Kenyan counterparts have done. There is no time to waste,” advises HH.
The UPND leader states this in a message below posted on his Facebook page Sunday morning.
Good morning fellow citizens,
We have read reports of Kenya suspending flights from China in an effort to contain the spread of the Corona virus to its citizens.
This is exactly what we expected from those in government today. Leadership calls for making aggressive and sometimes painful decisions in the interest of the well-being of the people they are governing.
We should therefore consider extending a moratorium on various engagements with our Chinese counterparts, until the disease is contained. We do not just have the capacity as a country to fight this virus because in the first place, we do not have the resources. If this virus finds its way to Zambia,the consequences will be dire.
As matter of fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) Director General, Dr Tedros Alhanom has expressed alarm that if the disease enters Africa a continent that generally has a poor health care system, it could potentially kill millions and cause more havoc, than anywhere else in the World. We must act now.
We therefore call upon the PF to act in the interest of the Zambian people, and take practical measures to protect our citizens, like what our Kenyan counterparts have done. There is no time to waste.
HH
Zambia doesn’t have any flights from China
The ruling party always calls upon the opposition to propose ways forward on national issues.
Here is one. Let’s hope the PF will act in the interest of our security. This is a matter of life and death. And not just one or a few deaths, but millions of Zambian lives will be lost if the PF govt acts negligently and irresponsibly.
There’s nothing wrong about the message. The mode of delivery slaughters the message. Hichilema is just a “concerned” citizen who defies his parliamentary party.
Shouldn’t he be advising the parliamentary leader of opposition to appeal for the recall of parliament in order to address the important issues he raises?
He should stop playing Republican President!!!.
powerful