Youth activist Gregory Chifire has observed that President Edgar Lungu is preoccupied with his ambition to stand for the third term, instead of working to improve the lives of the poor people who voted him into office.

In an interview with News Diggers! on Monday, Chifire said President Lungu was preoccupied with personal aggrandisement at the expense of delivering his campaign promises.

“Everyday Zambians are decrying the unavailability of their President to attend to their needs because the man is preoccupied with personal aggrandisement at the expense of bettering the lives of the poor. The man is preoccupied with the ambition of running for a third term as President at the expense of bringing development to the nation. The big boss does not love the people of Zambia. Zambians must brace themselves for hard times ahead,” Chifire warned.

“Zambians deposited their trust in President Lungu, but his soft spot for corruption is worrying. President Lungu had a perfect chance to carve for himself a good legacy owing to the overwhelming support that voters had given him following the demise of President Michael Sata in 2015, but most of the people are now regretting because the man is a let down. He has embraced corruption more than he has embraced the poor that voted for him. Zambians today are suffering because there is too much corruption. Only him and those close to him are making a living, are prospering on the exclusion of everyone else. This is not the leadership that Zambians bargained for. Zambians have suffered at the hands of this man. But one thing he should know is that God is watching.”

He observed that the President was surrounded by a wrong team of friends, presidential aids and ministers whose only interest was to “service the lining of their pockets with silver and gold”.

“The President cannot claim to be ignorant of the many complaints regarding corruption perpetuated by his aides, his ministers and his close friends. His silence is an indication of complicity. President Lungu has lost touch with reality. He is surrounded by a wrong team of friends, aides and ministers whose only interest is to service the lining of their pockets with silver and gold. All those condemned drug dealers during the UNIP are the ones who have become his close friends. This is disheartening,” Chifire said.

“Ever since the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) made revelations of illicit deposits into bank accounts of ministers and those close to the powers that be, there has been no positive response by those charged to investigate such matters such as the Anti Corruption Commission, the Drug Enforcement Commission or indeed the Police. All we got was scratching threats on the Directors of FIC by one Mr Lewis Mosho, a known friend of the PF regime. And the stopping of funding of the Centre by government is a clear indication that the FIC touched President Lungu’s raw nerve and it will not surprise me and many other Zambians to soon start hearing state sponsored calls for the disbanding of the FIC.”

He wondered why President Lungu complains of corruption in his Cabinet but doesn’t take action.

“The President has on a number of occasions threatened to fire some of his colleagues in Cabinet and elsewhere for being involved in corruption, but suddenly develops cold feet to act, why? He admits corruption in government, but doesn’t do anything about it. He is only playing to the gallery. Zambians wish to see political will from the President in the fight against corruption as opposed to chastising corruption whistle blowers,” said Chifire.