"IMF is breathing fire on our heads, says Samukonga"

By Larry Moonze, www.zamnet.zm

THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) is breathing hot fire on our heads, commerce deputy minister Geoffrey Samukonga told Parliament yesterday.

Responding to Bahati MMD member of parliament Emmanuel Chungu's question on what was government's position or plan for the private sector in the country, Samukonga said there was a lot his ministry wanted to do but the IMF and World Bank set certain terms.
"To be poor is a grave problem," he said.

Samukonga said the government apart from the investment Act that it was amending would implement the Public-Private Partnership, Build-Operate-Transfer and growth triangle concepts as a basis for fostering private sector participation in the economy.

But Choma UNPD member of parliament Jesse Muleya wondered why every time government wanted to do some thing in the economy, it had to depended on foreign input.

"What is the Ministry (commerce) short of to develop a policy on Zambian industry that it has to rely on foreign input?" Muleya asked. "What are you scared of?"

Earlier, Luena UPND member of parliament Crispin Sibetta questioned why government did not invite any successful indigenous businessman to the Private Sector Development Forum held in Livingstone last month.

Sibetta said he was surprised that only naturalised Zambians and international businessmen were invited to the forum that was to develop an agenda for private sector participation in the Zambian economy.

But Samukonga said Zambia was the only country without local billionaires. He said the forum was intended to see how best local businesses could be stimulated.

"We are not scared of implementing any policy, but we are indebted. Institutions like the IMF and World Bank give us certain terms and conditionalities we have to adhere to," Samukonga said.
He blamed wholesale liberalisation of the economy for the death of infant industries in Zambia that could have been an anchor for economic growth.

"Wholesale liberalisation was wrong. It left our infant industries vulnerable to big South African industries, hence their collapsing," Samukonga said. "We should now approach the whole privatisation programme cautiously."