President Lungu’s trip to China – A failure or success?

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11 years ago

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President Lungu meets the Chinese President

By Chewe Mubiana

President Edgar Lungu’s trip to China has drawn sharp praise and criticism in equal measure.

The Opposition ADD and FDD leaders Charles Milupi and Edith Nawakwi respectively condemned the trip stating that this was a sheer waste of tax-payers’ money and therefore it must be condemned.

The PF through the Foreign Affairs Minister and Presidential spokesperson Harry Kalaba and Amos Chanda have roundly praised the President for taking the “historic” trip to China and for being given the full honors by the Chinese government.

The PF government has also intimated the fact that the President whilst in China managed to secure loans and pledges of investment into the country totaling around USD 2billion. The Government disclosed that Zambia attracted a total of US$2.4 billion in investment pledges from Chinese companies during President Edgar Lungu’s recent state visit to China, according to a report issued by ZANIS.

Here is my take.
The real truth is that the Zambian Government secured US$130 million from China under a concession of loans and grants, out of which $65 million of the funds will be channeled towards the construction of communication towers in the country under the Zambia Information, Communication and Technology Authority (ZICTA). The real deal for Zambia during this trip was the borrowed money.

Investment pledges are simply, pledges. It does not mean that the pledges made will actually result in real investments on the ground. This is the case of counting chickens before the eggs hatch. Zambia has not secured US$2.4 BILLION! This is naivety of the worst kind! It is therefore very strange to hear the Minister of Foreign Affairs justifying the trip to China based on the Investment pledges Zambia got. Its just so daft to think that business people who were met in China will actually end up investing in Zambia.

In the end, the only thing which this trip has managed to do is get Zambia into more debt! This is the reality! The other thing which this trip achieved is to make sure that the little resources which are left in the Zambia coffers are depleted looking at the DELEGATION which accompanied the President. THIS IS THE REALITY! THIS IS THE TRUTH! WAKE UP ZAMBIA! WAKE UP!

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