Zambia: Zamtel sale to go ahead

Professor Lungwangwa said in Lusaka yesterday that the Governments position on the matter as announced by President Rupiah Banda was final. He was reacting to the calls by Patriotic Front (PF) United Party for National Development (UPND) pact that President Banda should rescind Government decision to sell Zamtel shares.

PF president, Michael Sata said at a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday that the decision to privatise 75 per cent shares of Zamtel shares should be reversed immediately as it was being done not in public interest.

The PF leader said the privatisation of Zamtel shares meant a big loss on the part of the majority Zambian people. Mr Sata has since called upon Zambians and PF-UPND pact members to continue to pressure Government not to privatise Zamtel.

He said the privatisation of Zamtel shares was too much adding that Government should reduce the percentage to a much less percentage adding that it would not in any way help to recapitalise Zamtel. Meanwhile, Mr Sata also said PF-UPND pact was meeting with some MMD members to discuss with them to start resigning from the party.

He has since condemned the recent harassment of journalists from the public and private media by some MMD cadres. Mr Sata said the continuous beating and harassment of journalists should immediately be stopped in Zambia.

He said people should understand that journalists were important people who try by all means to ensure that they educate, inform and entertain the public. And UPND president Hakainde Hichilema said the Government should realise that Zamtel was of great value to Zambians saying privatisation of 75 per cent shares would be a big mistake that the Government will make.

The UPND president said privatisation of 75 per cent Zamtel shares would mean taking away something that is of importance and value from the Zambian people. He said Zambians do not want to lose a company like Zamtel just because of Governments move to privatise 75 per cent of its shares.

Times of Zambia