HERITAGE Party president Chishala Kateka says there is no salvation for Zambia’s economy under PF.
In an interview, Kateka said there was no hope that the economy would rebound in 2021.
“I would like to believe that the economy would rebound in 2021, however, when you look at all indicators it does not give that confidence. Let me give you an example, when you are in a boat, even if it has an engine and you are on the Zambezi river going into the Victoria falls, there comes a point where the boat is going towards the Victoria Falls, there is a point where even if you try to[stop], the force of the water is so great that even if you try to reverse the boat, it is very difficult to come out unless you are thrown a lifeline. So I am not seeing that life line into our economy, what is the life line? If you point to me and say, this is what will reverse it, I am not seeing that life line,” Kateka said.
“So what is it that would turn that boat from going over the Victoria Fall? There are some times where austerity measures blah blah will work, but at a certain point we are so far gone, we need that life line, that will help reverse, that is the process which I have not seen. I would love to give the nation hope but under this dispensation, I am not too sure that we have that life line.”
Kateka said Zambians should not trust the PF government to restore the economy because the PF were to blame for the crippled economy.
She added that a change of government would help in restoring the country’s economy.
”The change of government will help, because they will come up with a different plan, which will have that life line. The current Economic Recovery Plan, I am not seeing any lifeline [from that] , that is what I am saying. I don’t know, do you see anything there that gives you that confidence? Some of the things they talk about, bits and pieces that this is what we will do, those things will work when you are in a better place, but when you are in the space where we are, we need something that will reverse this whole process,” said Kateka.
“In 1991 when we were queuing up for everything and the economy almost came to a standstill under UNIP. Then came a new government which was the MMD with new leadership and they brought in new plans, within a few months the economy started to reverse. Because you can’t take the same people who created the problem and expect them to give you solutions to the problems they created it.”