CHISHIMBA Kambwili says things are so bad that civil servants now have to pray and fast for their monthly salaries to be released.

The Roan PF member of parliament said it was sad that when he revealed that Zambia’s debt was in fact $15 billion and not $9 billion, he was insulted.

He said reality would soon dawn on the government following its announcement that the debt had shifted to $14 billion.

“And I am equally shocked that educated people like (Felix) Mutati and uyu Canisius Banda can behave this way and say the economy is doing very well. Look, the economy is in ICU and very soon it will be in the mortuary. When I said the debt we are facing is $15 billion just a few weeks ago, I was insulted. Just last week the Ministry of Finance adjusted its figures from $9 billion to over $14 billion – almost at $15 billion. And this debt is minus all the corruptly obtained loans and sovereign guarantees full of commissions from China and other criminals,” an angry Kambwili said.

He said he would forgive Mutati for saying that the economy was doing well but Banda should be the last person to say so because “not too long ago, he was unable to pay his rent”.

Kambwili lamented that he was dreading to see what would happen to already poor Zambians when the government starts collecting withholding tax on rentals in various compounds.

“Ba Mutati and Canisius can even say the economy is doing very well yet salaries for civil servants are not assured at each month end. Today civil servants have to hold a prayer and fasting session before a salary can come. Previously salaries used to be guaranteed but now salaries have to be prayed for, for them to come by. Every month end, people are worried because they don’t know when the salaries will come. In fact, we can forgive Mutati but Canisius must be the last one to even talk about the economy doing well because not so long ago he was unable to pay his rentals. Can he imagine how bad things will become with this so-called withholding tax on rentals when aba bakabolala [the thieves] you have for a government want to go and collect from a ka mudadada in Chawama, Kanyama, Misisi, Chibolya, Wusakile, Buchi, Kamitondo and ku mikomfwa?” Kambwili complained.

“So what has changed now for our brother Canisius? If there’s any improvement in his economy, it’s because he’s singing and dancing for PF. In fact, I hear they have even bought him a house. At least he can’t pay rent now and if that’s what he means by the economy is doing fine, then indeed it’s doing fine – only in his pocket! But we all can’t be sycophants. Some of us have respect for ourselves and [our] families [and] we can never sing for a meal. Balya niba muchindila ubwali (dance so that they can eat). Let him not insult Zambians that the economy is doing well when it is only doing well in their pockets.”

He further warned that any deal laced with corruption would be reversed.

Kambwili also cautioned the ‘Chinese chaps’ negotiating to take over Zesco that alert and conscious Zambians would take to the streets over their plans.

“Finally, let me warn that any deal that has corruption laced with it will be reversed without any compensation whatsoever. We can’t and we won’t pay back a single ngwee for loans, which have Lungu and his friends’ commissions in them, not a ngwee. And as for those Chinese chaps negotiating to take over Zesco, tell them that we will meet them here in the streets as Zambians. Let them take their dirty money somewhere else or to the usual recipients, PF. Zesco will remain a Zambian asset, come hell or high water. That I can promise you, as surely as the sun rises every day,” said Kambwili.

“This country is so broke that now we are being told that if you don’t register your borehole, for water given to you by God and not President Lungu or that fake bishop with fake degrees, then you must pay K30,000 as a penalty. And you hear things like the economy is doing very well from aba ba mucindila ubwali.”