Maravi

HH defends diplomats

HH defends diplomats
Written by Agness Changala
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 5:12:31 PM

UPND president Hakainde Hichilema has said diplomats should not be abused when they talk about how their money is being misused by the MMD government. Commenting on MMD chief whip Vernon Mwaanga who urged foreign missions in Zambia to desist from attacking the Zambian government because it was against demands of international diplomacy, Hichilema said issues should be dealt with as they are.

Hichilema said the donors were doing a correct thing because there was rampant corruption in the government and a lot of money was being stolen.

"The donors are spending taxpayers' money to help the poor Zambians and that money is being stolen by corrupt MMD government. It is in their right to talk about the money which is being abused," he said. "I am not sure if Vernon Mwaanga himself can allow a situation where he is trying to help someone and the money he is giving, if he had any money, is being abused by other people."

Hichilema said the misuse of donor resources was evidenced by the Auditor General's annual reports and the recent K27 billion scam at the Ministry of Health.

He said in view of such irregularities, the donors had the right to speak.

"And I insist that donors should stop giving their money for budgetary support but instead put it directly into projects because the money is being abused," Hichilema said.

He described Mwaanga's statement as unfortunate because it had the potential to compel donors to cut aid to the Zambian government which in turn could make the poor Zambians suffer more.

Hichilema said the MMD had lost direction and was no longer serving the interests of the people.

He said there was no way the donors could continue to give Zambia their hard-earned taxpayers' money which could just end up in individuals' pockets who could not survive without political jobs.

"We know people in Zambia who cannot survive without jobs and they always have to do bootlick to be able to get their salary," he said.

Hichilema urged the Zambians to wake up from their slumber and condemn such actions because donors had contributed to the country's development in many ways.

Labels: DONORS, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, VERNON MWAANGA

posted by MrK @ 4:12 PM