MUNDUBILE TELLS HH TO ENGAGE CHINA BEFORE ECONOMY MOVES FROM BAD TO WORSE

By NATION REPORTER
LEADER of the Opposition in Parliament, Brian Mundubile says the Zambian economy has reached a desperate point where things can only improve if President Hakainde Hichilema physically meets his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
Mr. Mundubile who is also Patriotic Front (PF) Presidential Candidate, said China would play a key role in Zambia’s debt restructuring. 
“I want to once again call upon His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, to consider visiting China soon,” he said. 
Mr. Mundubile said it was now clear that the UPND would not admit that things were not going as they planned.

He said Zambians would recall that each time Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane spoke, whether on the Floor of the House or outside, he kept on assuring the nation that most of the challenges the country was facing would end once Zambia signed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Extended Credit Facility (ECF). 
“But things are moving from bad to worse in the economy,” he said. 
Mr. Mundubile cited the unstable exchange rates where the Bank of Zambia had to intervene to stabilize the Kwacha. 
“The way forward is that the process of debt restructuring should be expedited and that cannot be done without the help of China,” he said. 
The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament since Zambia started by ignoring China, there was need to strengthen diplomatic ties with that country and that could only be done at a higher level. 
“His Excellency the President, should he, himself, travel to China. At this stage he cannot send an envoy to go and speak to his Chinese counterpart. He, himself, should negotiate with his counterpart to see how best China can help us restructure our debt going forward otherwise the suffering of the Zambian people will be getting worse by the day,” he said.