UPND must must abandon the International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal

Opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) President Kasonde Mwenda has said the New Dawn Government must abandon the International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal because it will destroy Zambia beyond redemption.

Mr. Mwenda said the IMF will never have an interest in developing any nation.

He charged that it will be the ordinary Zambians who will suffer as a result of harsh IMF conditions.

Mr. Mwenda said President Hakainde Hichilema and his group will not suffer because they are already benefiting in billions through taxpayers allowances and kickbacks.

“IMF want their borrowed money back and last week the IMF chief rushed to Zambia because they were concerned why Zambia was slow in implementation of harsh austerity economic measures as were instructed and warned our leader to implement ALL IMF conditionalities (SAPs) with immediate effect regardless of how they will hurt the poor Zambians provided the country raises the money to pay back the $1.3 billion debt. The IMF also demands that it be prioritized for repayment above old debt and China whom we owe $6.6 billion is very displeased. China wants to talk directly to Zambia but HH is afraid of the Americans who unfortunately owe the Chinese like us,” Mr. Mwenda said.

“The IMF must go before life becomes too unbearable. Mr. Hakainde Hichilema and his group will not suffer, they are already benefiting in billions through taxpayers allowances and kickback’s, it is the ordinary Zambian who will perish if we just sit and watch our country being grabbed from us by the West. The solution is to have visionary Fresh Generation Leadership which is selfless and firm.IMF has and will never have interest in developing any nation, it is NOT their objective. Their professional objective is to make sure all countries keep participating in international trade so the developed Western world continues benefiting from cheap natural resources and having a market for their products. They do this by providing liquidity to keep governments running by helping them balance payments. Yet we have leadership that is either just naive or just deliberately lies to people that they got a “bailout package from IMF. That backward thinking,” he said.

Mr. Mwenda said Zambians must wake up and claim their country back from foreigners.

“IMF and World Bank are technically US projects to serve western interests. This even President Hakainde Hichilema knows but he is now their puppet. He is now too weakened and afraid to tell them to stop dictating hurtful policies such as increase of electricity tariffs, liberalization of our economy, devaluation of our already weakened kwacha, removal of subsidies on farming inputs, deregulation of the economy, selling of public estates and the loss of sovereignty. This is how powerful nations conquer and take over weaker nations in this modern era. So as we speak we are a conquered nation. Of course the visionless PF started the mess and now the hopeless UPND is worsening it. Zambians must wake up and claim their country back otherwise the end will be bad,” he said.

Mr. Mwenda said only Zambians can properly develop their nation.

“We have all the potential to develop ourselves because we have the resources the world needs. With our Cobalt, Lithium, Copper we can develop Zambia with the AV batteries technology value chain even more than Dubai which used their oil advantage. But the West won’t allow that and they will use their puppet Presidents in Africa to stop Africa from developing so that we continue being dependent on them. Mental slavery indeed, that’s why we open mines but avoid establishing value adding plants. We can change that narrative in this generation if we unite and work together for our country and continent of Africa. Wherever we want to go our feet will take us there,” he concluded.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva last week dispelled fears among Zambians that the institution’s bailout package for the country will come with harsh conditions that will negatively affect the citizens.

Speaking on ZNBC TV’s Sunday Interview, Ms. Georgieva said the IMF was aware of fears among some Zambians that its bailout package for the country will come with harsh conditions.

She said the IMF over the years has transformed into a better global institution that means well for nations seeking bailout packages like Zambia.

“I was meeting university students who asked the same questions about harsh conditions. I told them this is not the IMF of your grandmothers. Look at me and other people in the institution who include Africans. We promote good governance,” she told ZNBC’s Sunday Interview.