Maravi

Single-digit inflation just on paper, says Mususu

Single-digit inflation just on paper, says Mususu
By Ntalasha Mutale
Wednesday October 31, 2007 [03:00]

Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) executive director Bishop Paul Mususu has said Zambia should not brag about the single-digit inflation rate because the levels of poverty were still high. In an interview, Bishop Mususu said the single-digit inflation rate was just on paper as people continued to experience poverty. He said government officials should not fool themselves that everyone was living in luxury because they themselves lived well.

“Zambia has certainly not attained its economic independence and one does not need to be a scholar to see that,” he said.

Bishop Mususu challenged finance minister Ng’andu Magande to accompany him on one of his missionary trips to see the levels of poverty people were experiencing.

Bishop Mususu also said current investors in the mining sector were not interested in their workers’ welfare as it was with the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM).

“These so-called investors do not even care about where the local people sleep, what they eat, or their health. All they want is to make their money and leave,” Bishop Mususu said.

He said if Zambia was to develop, a balance in foreign investment was needed.

“Zambia should tighten up its investment structures rather than let the local people suffer in the name of investment,” Bishop Mususu said.

And Bishop Mususu said the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) had divided the Church because some members were allegedly being bribed by the government.

He also wondered why some organisations such as the EFZ and the Zambia Centre for Interparty Dialogue (ZCID) had been asked to nominate only three members to represent them in the NCC while others such as the United Liberal Party (ULP) had been given a chance to nominate six.

“It is not fair that EFZ should only be given three places of members to participate in the NCC. That’s not enough, we are worth more than the three places we have been given,” said Bishop Mususu.

Labels: BISHOP MUSUSU, EFZ, INFLATION

posted by MrK @ 8:10 AM