Muchinga Province Minister Malozo Sichone says it is suicide to abandon borrowing at this stage because many economic sectors need investment for them to make returns.

And Sichone has appealed to Zambians to support President Edgar Lungu and allow him to borrow enough for this country.

Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo says people like Chishimba Kambwili should avoid breaking the law if they know that they faint when the same law visits them.

The duo were speaking when they debated the 2019 national budget in Parliament, Wednesday.

“We have a situation in this country, and this talk about borrowing will continue; we are basically dwarfing the economic development or growth that we have been experiencing all these years. So, are we going to begin to fight middle-way so that we abandon to plan to borrow and invest properly and fully in these economic sectors? If we are going to abandon at this point, Madam Speaker, that is suicide because some of these sectors will not begin to give us returns. Can we allow this government, let’s give this government support, let’s give the President of the Republic of Zambia support so that we borrow enough and ensure all economic drivers start to roll so that we start getting returns from these investments,” Sichone argued.

He added that President Lungu does not do a lot of press briefings because those are only “talk shows.

“We need to do more than talking and that is why you have seen the President, His Excellency, doesn’t even spend time on press briefings because that is talking. Those are talk shows. We are saying can we be serious and start to work. Madam Speaker, I discovered why the opposition will always be the opposition. The opposition is not practical, they simply criticize! Can we bring matters or issues that will help us grow this economy because once this economy is injected or stimulated, you will discover, Madam Speaker, that the future of this country will be smooth,” Sichone added.

And Kampyongo said Kambwili should avoid being a law-breaker if he is not strong enough to face the law.

“And I am surprised today; I hope the Minister of Justice has taken judicial notice of the Honourable member of parliament for Roan who we know as MP for PF [and] today was declaring that is opposition. It’s understandable that those who break the law must be brave to face the consequences! But if you break the law and when they visit you, you breakdown, you faint as if you didn’t know the consequences…you have heard about witchcraft this afternoon. Madam Speaker, to reduce the investment in law and order to canisters is shameful because here we must be knowledgeable to give accurate information to those that have sent us to this August House,” Kampyongo said.

Meanwhile, Kampyongo said that most finance ministers have received pressure from Cabinet if they don’t consult on the budget components before presenting it.

“The challenge that we have had, Madam Speaker, and in all the previous ministers of finance will attest to this, is the pressure they get from their colleagues in Cabinet if there is no consultation. The pressure that is mounted on them is what makes them veer off their trajectory. I must also register my disappointment on the hypocrisy that characterised the debate of this motion and it’s at a time, Madam Speaker, where we remember former MPs like one MP for Bweengwa, Honourable Highvie Hamududu, because when he stood here this time around to talk about the budget, to analyse the budget, to criticize and to offer solutions, we all said, ‘yes, indeed, job well done,’ because he was not only criticizing baselessly, but he was criticizing and ensuring that he provided solutions,” recalled Kampyongo.