Economics Lecturer Dr Lubinda Haabazoka says Zambia should shelve its plans of getting an economic bailout package from the International Monetary Fund.

Zambia has for the past three years pursuing a bailout package from the IMF believed to be in the region of US$1.3 billion.

Dr Haabazoka who is also Head of the UNZA Graduate Business School stated that Zambia has the potential to turn around its economy without support of the IMF.

“Forget about the IMF!!! One point something billion dollars is pocket change to Zambia. We have the brains to move this country forward,” Dr Haabazoka said.

“Let us embrace everyone!!! Let us not shy away from providing a service to this nation. We only have one nation! Let us give respect to the people in government and the people in the opposition. They don’t sleep because of the many problems facing our nation,” he said.

He said, “Government is not the policy makers or the civil servant, it’s you and me. Don’t vandalize government property but at the same time accuse another person of corruption.”

Dr Haabazoka warned that some Zambians might end up abandoning the county for greener pastures if things do not improve.

“Zambia, if you continue like this, some of us might abandon you for greener pastures. By doing so, you would be sending us into slavery,” he said.

He added, “In the next five years, we shall be admiring Rwanda the way we admire South Korea. We shall use Rwanda as a case study on how to develop a country. Let’s wake up! Rwanda Air can now fly to the States! Rwanda is now assembling motor vehicles!!! What are we doing?”

Dr Haabazoka observed that Zambia as a country has failed itself.

“With all that copper!!! Allowing foreign multinationals get it for a song? This is a sin our future generations will never forgive us.”

“In 2018 you hear people glorifying street vending!!! You have so many agencies such that even to access God given water you need to pay. We need to put our act together. And by that I don’t mean politicians. I mean you and me. Our shanty compounds should be a thing of the past.”

“They have no place in Zambia. Let’s use our mineral resources to build decent houses for our people.”

He said, “Let us stop the Pull Him Down syndrome. Let’s call back Clive Chirwa to realize his electric train dream. Let us support the idea of our neighbor, friend, work mate or even competitor. By pulling them down, you are making your own relatives suffer because they would not have enjoyed the fruits of that innovation!!!! Let us abolish tribes! They have no place in a Zambia of 2018!”

He advised, “Let us abolish chimbuya!!! All Zambians are mbuyas! This Mbuya nonsense is dividing the nation!!!! Much of the problems we face are because of stereotypes of tribalism. We can’t live in a single country divided by mbuyaship!” – Lusaka Times