UPND DENIES INCITING BOND HOLDERS TO SQUEEZE ZAMBIANS

By KETRA KALUNGA HAKAINDE Hichielema has not instructed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) not to give Zambia a bail-out package, says United Party for National Development (UPND) spokesperson, Cornelius Mweetwa. Mr Mweetwa said this yesterday at a media briefing in response to Mr Chishimba Kambwili’s allegations that some opposition leaders with an evil agenda have been going to bondholders asking them to squeeze the government so that Zambians can suffer and kick out the current leadership. Mr. Kambwili, who is former National Democratic Congress president said on Saturday when he rejoined the Patriotic Front that he had learnt some shocking things about some leaders who were more interested in getting into power than serving the interests of the nation. But Mr. Mweetwa denied the allegations saying that the UPND leader was not an influential person who could convince the entire IMF to deny Zambia a bail-out package. “HH didn’t instruct the IMF not to give relief to Zambia, he has no authority to do that and he is not that influential to convince the IMF,” he said. And Mr. Mweetwa said the UPND is not shocked with the return of Mr. Kambwili to the ruling party because he was not interested in the UPND alliance. He said Mr. Kambwili’s pretence over the alliance was very clear and that the UPND knew that he would return to the PF anytime. “We knew a long time ago that Chishimba Kambwili didn’t want the alliance, it was just a matter of time and because as UPND we wanted the alliance not that we could not win because winning is not based on an alliance,” Mr. Mweetwa said.