President of the Economics Association of Zambia (EAZ) Dr. has said those who championed the privatization of national assets should have apologized to late Zambia’s first Republican President Dr. Kenneth Kaunda whilst he was still alive.
Dr. Haabazoka said perpetrators of the privatization process in which leader of the opposition UPND Mr. Hakainde Hichilema played a key role destroyed that which Dr Kaunda created with so much sweat.
Mr. Hichilema reportedly enriched himself using dubious means at the expense of the majority of Zambians during the privatization process.
Dr. Haabazoka said individuals in question sold over 225 Companies that were immediately shipped out of the country.
“Whilst he is still alive, we should apologize to President Kenneth Kaunda for having destroyed that which he created with so much sweat…Insulting him and humiliating him in the 1991 polls, we went on to dismantle airlines, ZCCM and many companies that he created to provide jobs upon completion of school, college or university,” he said.
“We blamed him for our economic problems and paid a blind eye to the fact that he was fought by international forces that hated socialism, humanism, and African control of mineral resources!!! Instead of standing by KK, we allowed and aided international forces to defeat him!!! We sold over 225 companies that were immediately shipped out of the country.”
Dr. Haabazoka said it had to take Micheal Sata in 2011 and His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu in 2015 to restore the dignity of the founder of the nation from 1991.
“I lived under KK and I can attest to the fact that patriotism and love for one another was the order of the day!!! We produced most of what we consumed and had destiny over our resources,” he said.
“In order to remove control over the pricing of copper on global markets, KK mobilized the whole world and formed an OPEC-like organization called CIPEC. The Intergovernmental Council of Countries Exporters of Copper (CIPED) was created in 1967 in Lusaka with the objective of coordinating policies of the country members looking for growth in the revenues coming from copper.”
Dr. Haabazoka also mentioned that the mess created by privatization has created a huge gap in employment opportunities because many were sent to the streets and newcomers were not given jobs.
He added that Zambia created youth retirees in the 90s and sent economically active citizens into destitute while a few shared leftovers and became midnight millionaires.
“Those that misled us on Kaunda and guided privatization should apologize to us and also to our Founding father!!… International Institutions that guided privatization should not be listened to and only the national agenda should take center stage,” he said.
“We owe KK an apology!! He built a nation that was surrounded by countries either at war or under colonial rule but managed to feed us!!!”