United Party for National Development (UPND) President Hakainde Hichilema said there is need to take remedial measures to address the ongoing economic crisis the country is facing.
Mr Hichilema said instead of wasting time and resources at the ongoing “Patriotic Front (PF) engineered” National Dialogue Forum, citizens must urgently come together and rescue this country from the economic sabotage.
“The agriculture sector is at an all-time low, mining firms are shutting down critical operations resulting in massive job losses, the cost of living and doing business keeps escalating, inflation is increasing, the Zambian currency is tumbling against major currencies plus many other depressing issues,” Mr. Hichilema said.
Mr. Hichilema added that, corruption is getting worse and that those holding instruments of power are not giving any direction on where the country is headed.
H e further said that the country is running on autopilot hence the need for some form of leadership that cares for the country and can offer some policy alternatives.
“Zambia belongs to all of us, so we must get concerned about the ongoing economic crisis facing the country. This is the kind of dialogue that must be promoted as no one has a monopoly on knowledge,” Mr. Hichilema said.
The opposition leader said that people from various sectors including marketers, drivers, miners, students, youths and women, should all be given a platform to offer solutions.
“The nation cannot be subjected to the kind of circus that is currently going on at the PF driven national dialogue when our economy is in a free fall. Let’s put our heads together and address the ongoing economic collapse,” Hichilema said.