THESE guys are mocking Zambians; apart from plunging the country into economic crisis, what has Edgar Lungu done to deserve a plane? asks Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba (GBM).
In an interview yesterday, GBM, the UPND vice-president, said Zambians should blame themselves, not President Edgar Lungu, because “we were the ones in the forefront lifting our fists that Pa Bwato”.
GBM, who served as defence minister during Michael Sata’s reign, said buying planes when the country’s treasury was on its knees showed that President Lungu does not love the country.
He said it was unfortunate that President Lungu was “forced on the Zambian people” by a handful of PF members who knew that he “was weak and without a vision”.
Russia’s Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (GSS) has said it will deliver a VIP Sukhoi Business Jet for President Edgar Lungu next year.
The aircraft manufacturing company was, initially, set to deliver five planes to Zambia, with a business jet meant for the President.
The company’s vice-president Yevgeny Andrachnikov said at the Russian Business Aviation Exhibition forum that the aircraft to be delivered to President Lungu costs between US$45 million and $49 million.
“The contract was signed and in 2019, Sukhoi Business Jet in the VIP version will be delivered to the President of Zambia,” Andrachnikov told the forum in his presentation. “This airliner costs $45-49 million. It is much more expensive than the passenger SSJ-100, which costs about $30 million.”
Africa Confidential further revealed that Israel and Zambia were almost ready to sign a new $400 million package for high-tech aviation equipment to be funded with a loan from Israel’s Hapoalim Bank and another deal for a jet suitable for use by a head of state.
“Military experts question Zambia’s need for the new equipment it is ordering from Israeli contractor Elbit Systems, as well as its enormous cost. Elbit has $400m of existing supply contracts with the Zambian military for surveillance equipment and other services, such as 18 Skylark mini-drones, an unspecified number of F-5 supersonic jet fighters, ground vehicles, and upgrades to the air force’s Russian-made Mi-17 E transport helicopters.
These deals, signed last year, also include centres for flight-training, and command control and communications,” Africa Confidential stated.
“One of the contracts was part-funded with a $48m loan from Israel Discount Bank, which was signed by President Edgar Lungu on 5 September 2016. The latest Elbit deal includes over $100m allocated for the purchase of an aircraft for civilian use, which will have a military tail number, according to African Confidential. The jet, we understand, is a Gulfstream G650 and would be earmarked for presidential use. Much of the rest of the $400m deal is a maintenance package, we understand.”
And sources have told the News Diggers! that government has actually procured eight planes – five from Russia, two from Italy and one from Israel.
The inside sources have disclosed that apart from the five planes from Russia, which include one VIP Suckhoi airliner and the controversial Gulfstream G650 anti-missile presidential jet from Israel, the Zambian government is also buying two C-27J transport aircraft from Leonardo Aerospace Company Of Italy in a separate deal.
“I am sure you heard the Permanent Secretary [for Defence] admitting that they are buying fine planes from Russia, one for the President with luxury specifications. That is the Sukhoi airliner. Then there is the Gulfstream 650 extended range which is coming from Israel. But apart from those six, there is now another consignment of military transport planes coming from Italy. In fact, a part payment was actually made on this procurement already. So the total is eight planes purchased under the defence modernization committee,” sources explained.
Commenting on these revelations, GBM said the UPND was not surprised.
“It was actually anticipated. When Edgar Lungu said he had no vision, he really meant it. Unfortunately, the people of Zambia did not understand him, he was forced to the throne by the so-called PF stalwarts who wanted to have a leader who was weak like Edgar Lungu,” GBM said. “You can see what has now happened, the country is now in Dununa reverse. I think JK and his friends were right when they were singing that song or composing that song, they knew where it was going to, they knew that Edgar would fail at some point and the Zambian economy and the Zambians at large would be Dununad in reverse…here we are now, we are all affected.
But some of us who worked very closely with Edgar are not surprised. The guy indeed had no vision. The guy did not even have a Kantemba, how do you expect him to run the country of 17 million people?”
He questioned the logic behind the purchase of a luxury presidential plane at the expense of the majority poor Zambians and a crumbling economy.
“It’s very unfortunate but Zambians should realise that this is something of our own making. We should not blame Edgar. We should blame ourselves. We were the ones in the forefront lifting our fists that Pa Bwato [on the boat] but Ubwato [the boat] has now sunk,” GBM said.
“Look at the chaos, the political chaos that PF under Edgar has put us in; we are in problems, the donors have started withdrawing simply because they have seen that this government has no priority…their priority is buying things like planes, a presidential aircraft at the expense of the Zambian people. Really is this the time to buy such things like a presidential aeroplane now? It’s not worth it. Look at how Zambians are suffering! Look at the cost of fuel, how the kwacha has depreciated! These are factors they should have considered and probably seen that it is not a priority at the moment.”
He insisted that President Lungu was a heartless and visionless leader who doesn’t deserve a new plane, especially with the prevailing economic turmoil.
GBM said PF founder Michael Sata could have not allowed the misplaced priority of buying a plane against competing needs of the poor.
“They have decided to increase their salaries when Zambians, not majority but all Zambians are suffering. Where did that logic come from and who advised him?” GBM asked.
“Being a leader, it should have been him to say come on guys don’t be foolish, how do we increase our salaries when Zambians are suffering? Sata could have not allowed this but all in all, this is something Zambians should blame ourselves, we were in the forefront, those that voted for PF, except me and my brother Hakainde Hichilema, and the 1.7 million people that rejected Edgar Lungu, we knew that the man had no foresight, the man had no vision and this is not coming from me but himself. He said he had no vision. PF guys look at what you have done; you have plunged this country into an economic crisis.”
He said preaching austerity measures and doing an absurd thing like buying a luxury plane was a mockery to the Zambian people and warned of harder times ahead.
“You are yet to see the worst economy since independence,” said GBM.
“These guys are mocking Zambians. It’s just that Zambians are…I wouldn’t say docile but we are humble people. They have been preaching about austerity measures, they have been saying these are measures they want to take but before they even finish a sentence about austerity measures here they are now buying a plane worth $49 million, is it worth it? That’s the question Zambians should ask themselves. Lungu does not deserve that plane, what has he done for this country when all we know and see is that he has plunged this country into an economic crisis. He doesn’t deserve that.”
By Oliver Chisenga
Source: themastonline.com
