PF extravagance at the expense of poor Zambians – Sean Tembo
By Staff Reporter
The Patriotic Front government has created a sub-society where they are living above the law and in extravagant affluence at the expense of the majority of the Zambian citizens who are wallowing in poverty, Sean Tembo has said.
Speaking in a special radio interview on Hot FM today, Tembo who is opposition Patriot for Economic Progress (PeP) president said the priorities of the PF were strange because they focus on enriching this sub-society at the expense of the poor citizens.
“PF members are living luxurious lives where they drive Range Rovers, live in mansions, and fly where ever they want in the world in private jets. How do you explain the president acquiring a customized private Jet at a cost of K700 million at the expense of paying farmers the K300 million kwacha owed to them for the supply of maize last season?” he questions.
Tembo lamented that the priorities of the farmers were different from those of the rich politicians because they relie on the supply of maize for their basic livelihood.
“Maybe a farmer was waiting for that money to patch up his torn trousers but the money never came for one whole year. Pensioners have been dying year in year out for money that has never come forth for over 30 years…. this is manslaughter!” he said pointing out that this extravagance had been further exhibited by the action of the Bank of Zambia to renovate the historical heritage tree in Kabwe at a cost of K370 000.
“Bank of Zambia should resign on moral grounds! That is if they have any morals at all to resign. How can they renovate that tree for that amount when they have failed to give a coin to the old freedom fighter who equally appears on their currency notes (as the freedom statue) just like the same tree?” he asks.
Tembo also stated that PF members are breaking the law with impunity by manipulating government contracts in order to sustain their insatiable lifestyles of greed.
“Government leaders are breaking laws but not arrested and yet ordinary citizens are quickly apprehended even for small offences. It is regrettable that the courts ordered the ministers to pay back the money for holding office illegally during the last elections but the police have failed to move in because they are answerable to the minister of home affairs” he says.
He said because of this impunity 10 political parties had come together to form a political working alliance which would focus on the sustainability of the nation’s aspirations.
Tembo who also heads the alliance said at the moment the focus was on working together and not who is going to be the leader of the alliance going into the 2021 presidential and parliamentary elections.
“We will not focus on our difference of ideology or interests but on what we agree upon. We are united in developing a better Zambia. If I felt this is unworkable I was not going to be part of this alliance. There is a lot of panic in the P.F over this alliance,” he said.
