HH insists he did not speak ill of the country, calls for fair media coverage

UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has maintained that he is a responsible citizen who could not speak ill or negatively about his country abroad.

Speaking when he hosted about 30 journalists from different media houses for a media breakfast this morning in Lusaka, Hichilema said the Global African Investment Summit was a great platform where he showcased Zambia’s economic potential in the areas of tourism, agriculture, mining, energy and telecommunications that need to be harnessed for job creation and economic expansion programmes.

The UPND leader said all the high levels panels that he addressed and participated in that included Heads of States and other business executives agreed with him that there was need for quick reviews and improvements in some pieces of legislation in Africa that hampered and hindered foreign direct investment.

Hichilema said there was consensus on the need to address issues of equity partnerships between local and foreign investors as one sure way of skills and technological transfer to citizens.

He insists that the people who are scaring away investment are those that are bent on talking about trivial and petty issues that divide our country.

The UPND leader says issues of inconsistency in policies were also among the issues that derailed investment in Africa and need to be addressed.

And Hichilema says there is still a need to implement true media freedom and ensure the protection of journalists.

The UPND President says media freedom must be guaranteed in a democratic country like Zambia.

He adds that when the media is well protected, there is a free flow of accurate information which later makes it easier for the public to make critical decisions.

He stressed that he is not afraid of being criticised in the media but that it should be based on factual information so that people can judge who is telling the truth.

Hichilema says it is not a fair situation where media houses do not cover other people but were quick at covering those that merely reacted to statements which they did not even have first hand information about.