VICE-PRESIDENT Inonge Wina says the acquisition of majority shares in Mopani Copper Mines by ZCCM-IH is the best deal of the year which Zambians should be proud of.

And Vice-President Wina says the opposition in Zambia is very disappointing because it condemns everything government does, including good things.

Meanwhile, Vice-President Wina says any leader who claims to have magic to reduce inflation within a short period of time is not being sincere.

She was speaking in Parliament on Friday morning during the Vice-President’s question time.

Chifubu PF member of parliament Frank Ng’ambi asked the Vice-President what message she had for those who were against the Mopani takeover.

In response, the Vice-President assured citizens that the Mopani takeover was the best deal of the year.

“Mopani will not be killed. On the contrary, it may surprise many that Mopani Mine may flourish better than even before. The acquisition of majority shares in Mopani by ZCCM-IH was a business transaction and not nationalisation as some representatives of monopoly capital are now claiming. Glencore International and ZCCM-IH sealed a deal to increase Zambia’s shareholding to 100 percent from 10 percent in Mopani. I can assure you that this is the best deal of the year and Zambians should be proud of a government that is caring for its people, its workers. A government that is trying so hard to preserve jobs and to create new ones. A government that aims to increase local participation in the mining industry and the other sectors of the economy,” she said.

Sioma independent member of parliament Mbololwa Subulwa asked her to address negative comments by the opposition against the government.

“Your honour the Vice-President, you may be aware of the many negative comments that are being passed on social media which are affecting our country very seriously. We have seen some opposition political parties using corruption tag to attack the PF government. I have not heard anyone talk positive about the PF government from the opposition. I would like to know what your comment is as government,” Subulwa said.

In response, Vice-President Wina said the opposition in Zambia was very disappointing because it condemned everything government did, including good things.

“The opposition side in this country, particularly in politics, is very disappointing because in all the democracies that we know around the world, there are times when a government achieves a positive outcome and the opposition would at least commend or acknowledge that positive action. However, in Zambia it’s a condemnation of everything including good things as we saw the condemnation of Bill 10 in the House here. As we saw the condemnation of the referendum that was going to increase or enhance the rights of Zambians. So then you wonder what kind of opposition we have in the country. This is meant to tarnish the name of this government, this is meant to influence investors not to bring their resources into the Zambian economy so that the country is paralysed. Some opposition leaders want to see the collapse of this government and the destruction of the whole country. So I don’t know what country they will take over after this mass destruction. But we shall not allow it,” she said.

Meanwhile, Vice-President Wina said any leader who claimed to have magic to reduce inflation within a short period of time was not being sincere.

“Any leaders that claim to have magic to reduce inflation within a short period of time are not being sincere. We said in the House last week that inflation is caused by a number of factors. And those economic factors cannot be addressed in one day, it may take time for government to ensure that the issue of inflation is brought under control. This government is doing everything possible to ensure that the inflationary state in which we find ourselves, should be tackled head on,” she said.

Vice-President Wina was responding to Chasefu PF member of parliament Gerald Zimba also asked that, “there have been major reports quoting the UPND leader saying inflation will drop under his regime. What is your advice to the UPND leader or what is causing inflation and what is government doing about it?”

Sikongo UPND member of parliament Mundia Ndalamei, also asked what measures ECZ had put in place to ensure that officers who were involved in the electoral process like police officers, polling assistants and others, were allowed to vote from where they were conducting elections.

“A lot of people during general elections don’t vote especially the police officers and civil servants who are taken to conduct the election to other polling stations where they didn’t register. This time around what measures has ECZ put in place so that presiding officers, polling assistants and police officers are allowed to vote wherever they are conducting elections?” asked Ndalamei.

Vice-President Wina said in response that the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) was looking into the matter.

“ECZ has taken note of this observation and stakeholders have been engaged in setting out modalities on how the officers involved in the elections process will not be denied their democratic right to choose leaders of their choice. So this is a matter that ECZ is looking into it and we will soon be informed about the decision and on how this exercise will be undertaken,” said Vice-President Wina.