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President Edgar Lungu has observed that fighting the influx of Chinese in Zambia is an exercise in futility because Chinese are like Cockroaches who are found everywhere.
President Lungu charged that it will not help Zambia to cry about Chinese influx.
President Lungu said there is no need for Zambians to be Xenophobic towards the Non Zambians like the Chinese but that Zambians should instead work with them.
President Lungu was speaking on Wednesday evening during the inaugural Economics Association of Zambia gala dinner.
“I don’t mean to insult but what I am saying is that the Chinese are like Cockroaches. They are billions of Chinese and invaluably they will be everywhere including here in Zambia,” President Lungu said.
He also suggested that Zambians should emulate the resilient of their Chinese counterparts.
“When I say they are like Cockroaches I am not demeaning the Chinese. They are very resilient and they can survive in any condition and Zambians need to learn that kind of resilient,” President Lungu said.
He said Zambians should not eliminate the Chinese from the county but just work with them.
“This cry about China won’t help us. I was reading statistics the other day and someone had written that out of 10 thieves, six could be Bembas and that does not really mean Bemba are thieves but because of many Bemba speaking around. Invaluably, China will be everywhere because they are many. You can’t eradicate Chinese from Zambia, they are everywhere. They are like Cockroaches,” President Lungu said.
And President Lungu has signaled out the Zambia Engineering Institution as one of the professional bodies that is not adding value to national development.
President Lungu who described the EIZ as aloof said the institution has stayed away from key national decision processes because it is inactive.
He said the EIZ is failing to provide professional input in key government construction projects.
“The EIZ is aloof and are not interested in providing professional advice. A case in point is the construction of the new Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, I learnt the other day that the new airport is being constructed without refrigeration equipment and yet we are planning on doing this goat export deal to Saudi Arabia,” President Lungu said.
He added, “the money the country when doing the Mongu Kalabo Road could have been saved had our Engineers told us the type of road we needed there before roads could get washed away easily.”
He said there is a lot of lethargy by some professional bodies.
President Lungu also condemned some opposition parties whom he accused of spreading falsehoods about the state of the economy.
He said Government is happy that the new Economics Association of Zambia Board is proving to be a true partner in correcting the negative narrative about the Zambian economy.
President Lungu said all stakeholders should partner with government to realize the Vision 2030 saying there is no need to be pulling in different directions.
“We should avoid unpatriotic tendencies as Zambians. By denouncing the economy, by denouncing the Kwacha, you are not gaining anything. Its a zero sum game by talking ill about Zambia. How do you want to take over from failure?
And EAZ President Lubinda Haabazoka said the Association is confident that Zambia will meet its aspirations of creating a broad based economy as it pursues the Vision 2030 without leaving anyone behind.
Dr Haabazoka further stated that EAZ is determined to fight the spread of fake information about the Zambian economy.
He also announced that the EAZ will in April next year hold the first ever National Economics Summit at which research backed papers will be shared on key economic subjects.
Lusaka Times
