Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
President Edgar Lungu has been challenged to hold a media briefing and tell the nation whether indeed he will institute an inquiry into the privatization of Zambian assets.
Former Minister of Finance Ng’andu Magande says if indeed this inquiry will be held, the announcement of the exercise should be done at the highest level of the presidency.
Mr. Magande is reminding President Lungu that prior the nationalization of Zambian companies, for instance, first Republican President Kenneth Kaunda actually delivered a speech to the nation.
In an exclusive interview with Q-News Mr. Magande has also recalled that when late former President Frederick Chiluba came in, it in fact became government policy to privatize national assets.
Mr. Magande, who was Cabinet Minister during Levy Mwanawasa MMD government, has further recalled that the Chiluba regime went to the extent of promulgating the Zambia Privatization Act.
He says, if therefore, President Lungu and his government has made it policy that an inquiry be opened into the privatization of Zambian assets, he must also issue a statement to the nation.
The Former Minister of Finance is urging President Lungu to explain to the Zambian people, through a media briefing, what the origin, purpose, criteria and benefits of this inquiry are.
He says, having lived long enough to understand the benefit of privatizing of Zambian assets, he thinks that Zambians equally need to know whether this inquiry now forms part of managing the Country.
Mr. Magande says knowing how this issue encompasses the biggest part of the Zambian economy, he thinks that it was wrong in the first place to start the debate of privatization at the level it began.
He says it is thus very important that President Lungu does not delay in clearing this whole issue in a media briefing.