There is an element of hypocrisy in Zambian politics – Kabimba
By Staff Reporter
WYNTER Kabimba says while there is nothing wrong with having foreign investors in Zambia, there is no evidence across the world that such a phenomenon can sustain an economy.
Meanwhile, Kabimba, who is Rainbow Party general secretary, has observed that there is an element of hypocrisy in Zambian politics.
Kabimba made the remarks when he featured on Muvi TV’s The Assignment programme on Sunday evening.
He explained that when he featured on a programme on 5 FM radio, recently, “somebody phoned in and said ‘why do you come to the radio and attack fellow opposition leaders?’”
“I’m not in marriage with fellow opposition leaders! I have every right to disagree with them. So, if somebody says to the Zambia people ‘I’m going to create employment by bringing in more investors,’ I’ll tell them nonsense. That is not correct,” Kabimba said.
“I can give examples of countries that have more investors than Zambia [but] they are not any more developed than Zambia. Go to Argentina today. There is nothing wrong with having investors but the argument that what is going to sustain your economy is only foreign investors has no evidence across the world.”
He regretted that very few political parties were talking about Zambians’ participation in the economic activity.
“The primary catalyst of your economy must be your citizens. Even PF’s policy on foreign investment is wrong and we as Rainbow Party disagree,” Kabimba noted.
Earlier, Kabimba, a lawyer, said he was happy with the resolutions made at the April 24 to May 16 National Dialogue Forum (NDF).
He, however, was quick to put a caveat that: “none of us who attended the Forum says that is a divine document that is dropped from heaven and we can’t revisit it in future.”
“I don’t believe like that! So, you can’t turn round two years from now and say ‘oh no! But we told you that…’ I’ll tell you that yes. It is simple human experience; let’s try to be a society that is gracious, considerate with one another,” Kabimba noted.
“Let me tell you this from my experience; there are many times when I went to Mr [Michael] Sata when he was President and I reminded him [that] ‘this criticism that you are receiving from outside, and now you are trying to get worked up, that is the same criticism you peddled yourself against Rupiah Banda. Why have you forgotten?’ So, there’s an element of hypocrisy in our politics.”
He added that he knew everybody who was in the politics of Zambia today.
“Sometimes I laugh as we try to exchange diatribes across the political lines. This one is trying to appear to have more integrity than the one. Oh my God! I just laugh,” said Kabimba.
“I hope one day I’ll have an opportunity to write a book and describe the people that have participated in politics in this country. All that I’m saying, in simple words, is let’s try to be a constructive society.”
