ROCK of Glory Church Bishop Andrew Mununga is wondering at what point the nation concluded that ‘we are dull and can’t handle anything by ourselves’ to seek foreign help on debt management.
He also says that 2021 is coming in style, “we are seeing change that is coming and that change must not make someone to lose life.”
Mununga was commenting on the government’s decision to award French company, Lazard Freres, a US $5 million contract to help restructure the country’s debt.
Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba stated in a statement recently that Lazard Freres met all requirements under the public procurement Act of 2008.
Lazard Freres is one of the world’s leading financial advisory and asset management firms, and advises on mergers, acquisitions, debt restructuring and capital ventures.
The opposition and some civil society organisations have condemned the government’s decision to award the French company $5million, which money could be used on pressing national issues, including gold mining.
Mununga, who calls himself defender of the Christian faith, said the government decision on the French company was an error that must be corrected.
He said Zambians were independent and had independent minds.
“To that effect God has designed us with wisdom. I don’t believe that Zambians we are second to anybody, not even to any white man out there. What I believe is that we have what it takes to handle problems by ourselves,” Mununga said.
“The only problem is that we are not involving ourselves quite well. We need to come together on the round table as one and see how best we can help those who are in offices as of now as opposed to going to seek help. I don’t think there is one human being who is more human in wisdom than who we are.”
He wondered how long the country would depend on other people who do not consult Zambians on anything.
“I feel it’s an insult, it’s an abomination,” Mununga said. “We need to believe in ourselves because at what point have we come to conclude that we are dull, that we can’t handle anything? The fact that we are having challenges here and there does not take away our God designed help in us. God has designed us in such a way that we can handle anything, not just handling the cadres but critical issues as a nation. We cannot afford to take this path, more especially in the 21st century. We can’t do that.”
Mununga said inasmuch as Zambians know they are in a global village they should not sell themselves too cheap.
“It’s too cheap, we are behaving as though we have stopped thinking,” he said.
Mununga urged the government to bring on board local specialists among the millions Zambians to help it manage the national debt.
“Are you telling me the 20 million of us have failed to handle this? It’s a joke of the year. We are too much to fail to handle anything. I don’t think the white man out there, whether French, Chinese have interest to help us, their interest is to benefit,” he said.
Mununga said foreigners would never feel pity for Zambians.
He said 50 years after independence, the country had created systems that were expected not to fail.
Mununga wondered why Zambians in the diaspora who were doing well in their fields could not be consulted.
“Moreover, when you consult us Zambians, we will not charge anything because we belong to Zambia and we want to see a better country,” he said.
And Mununga urged those in the leadership to align themselves with God.
“Where we are stuck, let’s pray, God will give us brilliant ideas. Zambia is a rich country and we need more of God’s help than we need the help of man,” said Mununga. “May the good Lord bless Zambia as we look forward to 2021, which is coming in style. We are seeing change that is coming and that change must not make someone to lose life. That change is coming as something that God has allowed just like God allowed change in 2011. I see a special tree, a bamboo shooting out of the ground of Zambia and instead it is red in colour, we should accept the will of God.”