Stop wasting our money, NAREP tells Lungu

EDGAR Lungu should stop wasting taxpayers’ money by openly declaring his position to the Zambians people that he wants to participate in politics, National Restoration Party (NAREP) deputy Secretary General, Martin Mulenga has said.

Speaking to the Scoop, Mr. Mulenga said the manner in which the former Head of State was participating in politics was not in line with Zambia’s Constitution.

He said as much as it was Mr. Lungu’s democratic right to participate in politics if he wished to, it was important for him to state his position on the matter so that he could relinquish the privileges that came with being a former President.

He advised the Patriotic Front (PF) to stop misleading Mr. Lungu but correctly advise him on making the right decision if he could not make his personal choice.

“He should stop doing it in a manner where he is going out and racing with political activities symbolizing that he is interested in doing politics but at the same time the Zambian Government, using taxpayers’ money, is still paying him. We are paying for his accommodation, security, medicals and everything that goes with his office.

“In that regard, we feel he is being unfair to the Zambian people. He cannot have his legs on both sides of the river. He must choose where he stands but if he wishes to participate in the politics of this country, he should come in the open and we will welcome him and at the same time we remind the Zambian people the way and the manner in which we lived during his reign as President,” Mr. Mulenga said.

He said Mr. Lungu’s coming back into active politics publicly was not an issue as it was a welcome move as well as his right but that his continued enjoyment of benefits accorded to him while clinging to politics by making public stunts with his supporters suggesting his comeback to active politics was wrong. 

“At the moment that (his purported comeback into active politics) is not our worry. Our worry is him having to continue enjoying the taxpayer’s money which we feel that money could have been used as an addition to the budget allocation to agriculture, education or health to help the Zambian people but instead we are paying him while he is secretly in active politics,” he said.