PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has revealed that if his government didn’t manage to restructure the debt, civil servants would have had no salaries, including the chief civil servant himself who happens to be the Secretary to the Cabinet.
Speaking today when the Reformed Church of Zambia Synod paid a courtesy call on him at State House, President Hichilema added that the whole 2025 budget would have gone to debt servicing without debt restructuring.
“There would be none of the issues we see and take for granted, payroll, free education, recruitments. The normalcy you see came because we detested the instability, the violence,” said the Head of State.
Meanwhile, President Hichilema disclosed that the country has in 2024 recovered over US$30 million from the corruption fight.
He said the money will be used in different sectors of the economy to ensure quality development across the country.
“Many people thought the fight against corruption was going nowhere. We are using a cheaper simpler system. We need to work together in the fight against corruption. We said we will fight corruption of the past and the present. Let us work together in the fight against corruption,” he explained.
The Head of State further stated that citizens must bear in mind that the fight against corruption is neither political nor ethnic.
He encouraged the church to continue working with government so as to achieve one common goal.
“Sometimes, we think that some churches are thinking we are in competition with each other or what? The fight against corruption is not ethnic and it’s not political. We are proud that this country has diversity for followers. Some of the friction we see based on ethnicity or religion is unnecessary. We should keep our country united,” said President Hichilema.
And RCZ moderator Reverend Ackson Banda stated that the church is committed to providing support to the government in every sector.
“We will support you for we know that you have been ordained by God. There’s no other government in Zambia than the one led by President Hichilema,” said Rev Banda.
And the Synod’s vice Moderator Reverend Moses Mwale said the church supports government’s commitment towards the fight against corruption.
“We are very fortunate to have you as the leader of the nation, we support your fight against corruption. Corruption has stolen a lot of things from this country. We stand with you in this fight against corruption and we are sure that your fight against corruption is genuine,” explained Rev Mwale.
By Catherine Pule
Kalemba, November 28, 2024
