THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) has explained that Zambia’s 2022 budget indicates a clear commitment to address the fundamental issues that created the need for support and a clear ownership of the reform programme which has facilitated a relatively rapid conclusion of bail out discussions. And the IMF says allegations that it was in talks with the opposition UPND towards the August 2021 elections are false. Rainbow Party general secretary Wynter Kabimba recently claimed that IMF and the UPND were in talks before the August elections and that’s why the programme was concluded in two months. But responding to a press query, the IMF stated that the staff only engages in formal discussions and negotiations with the member’s formal representatives,...