Where Did Zambia’s Billions Go? Miti Asks

Alliance for Community Action (ACA) Executive Director Laura Miti has asked where the billions Zambia has contracted in debt have gone. 

According to Miti the “World Bank has revealed that Zambia owes USD 27 Billion in external debt. Our own government has been claiming its 11 Billion. Now, remember that when the PF took office, we owed only 1 Billion USD.” 

“Just where did these billions go?”, Miti has asked. 

Drawing on the findings of the FIC report Miti says that most of the debt “has gone into politician's pockets”. Meanwhile, the public is left to “suffer the resultant broken economy and failure by government to provide services.” 

Miti adds some additional thoughts about how the money might have been spent. Noting that the fortunes of certain individuals appear to have been transformed since the PF took power. 

“My thinking is that those Billions is how individuals like Bowman Lusambo have gone from MMD cadre in a blue overall to tarred driveways and K2 million pocket change. How the President increased his declared earnings 10 fold in one year,” Miti speculates. 

Miti admits she could be wrong, but suggest that is she is the President, Lusambo and other individuals such as Chitalu Chilufya, Given Lubinda and Ronald Chitotela should explain the source of their recent wealth.  

Miti has also questioned the PF’s recent spending of thousands of dollars to bring foreign artists to a campaign rally during COVID when the country is at the same time begging for debt relief. 

“The PF arrogance, the recklessness, the belief that citizens can do nothing about their impunity is on steroids,” Miti writes. 

“As for Mafikizolo and Master KG, they should know that performing at a PF rally is being paid by an oppressive regime using money stolen from poverty stricken Zambians,” she continues.