National Democratic Congress president Chishimba Kambwili says government is just trying to keep up appearances by announcing austerity measures which it doesn’t intend to implement.

And Kambwili says President Edgar Lungu acts like a “know it all person and yet he is simply a drunkard”.

Speaking to journalists at the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court, Thursday, Kambwili said he didn’t believe government was serious about austerity measures.

“In order to try and keep up appearances with the donors, the Zambians, they announce austerity measures; two days later, last night on TV I was watching Chitalu Chilufya breaking the ground for the construction of a district hospital in Mambwe district. If really we don’t get upset as Zambians, these are reasons we must remove Edgar Lungu from government. I have said this and I want to say it again ‘Lesa nga alefwaya ukufumya abantu mucifulo alabala abalowa icilafi’ (when God wants to remove people from their positions, he makes them become forgetful),” Kambwili said.

“Because really, I don’t see how serious this government is; becaue they are discussing with the IMF to try and get another loan for balance of payment, they go and cheat the whole world that we are stopping all the borrowing that is in the pipeline and they are going to reduce on all projects, yet two days later they go and mislead the people of Eastern province that they were breaking the ground for the construction of a new hospital using money borrowed from China. What inconsistency is this? I think we need to be serious as Zambians.”

And Kambwili said President Lungu acted like a “know it all person and yet he is simply a drunkard”.

“How can you have a President who is a lawyer, says KCM is under liquidation at the same time they go and appoint a management for the continued operation of KCM, what nonsense! When you are liquidating a company, you are winding up a company to stop operation. After the liquidation is done, that company has to be removed from the register of companies, it will never exist any more. You see, ‘insoni ebuntu, ngabamishinina abanenu, bamicita advise that that liquidation is wrong, stop it, the best you can do is stop it and change the approach,” said Kambwili.

“But because this President is so arrogant, he doesn’t want to get advice, he is a know it all person and yet he is simply a drunkard. How can you go for liquidation and then appoint a management to continue running a company? Can we please put our house in order as Zambians.”