MMD faction president Felix Mutati says late president Frederick Chiluba’s legacy has been undervalued in the country.

And Mutati says every president that has come after Chiluba is inheriting the economic base that the MMD leader already laid down.

Mutati said this soon after Chiluba’s first ever Memorial Lecture which was held at Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, Sunday.

“My only concern is that his legacy has been undervalued. He has not been remembered for the things that he undertook to change the political and economic landscape of this country. President Chiluba took some of the most courageous and bold decisions that transformed the economy of Zambia, but much more important, he reignited the spirit of enterprise in the people of Zambia, giving opportunity and choice. We came from a process where you waited for the bus [but] now you have to choose a bus that you need to get on. We came from a season where there was only ZNBC, but today, we have so much private media! We came from a situation where press control was mandatory, [but] he said no press control, including removing exchange controls, igniting international trade, igniting investment. He touched most of the people of Zambia through the housing empowerment,” Mutati told journalists.

Mutati noted that every Republican President after Chiluba inherited the economic base which he laid down.

“For me, that’s a profound legacy, which should be etched in the hearts of the people of Zambia. And it’s never too late. We should remind ourselves that we are what we are today because of the sacrifices of leaders, such as Chiluba, who created this economic base upon which we are progressing. So, any other president after Chiluba is merely inheriting a base that was created. He is a founder of openness, and he is a founder of a different way of managing ourselves. He gave energy in the legs of the people of Zambia. He gave them hope and gave purpose to life. So, if you failed, it’s because of your own abilities and not because he didn’t provide the space,” he said.

And Mutati advised the current political leadership to learn from Chiluba if the country was to grow.

“So, to grow the country, let’s pick on his legacy. And for the party, MMD, it gives us renewal and new purpose to minimize the difficulties that our people are going through because we are covered by the legacy of Chiluba,” said Mutati.