Don’t trivialise Chiluba’s achievements, says VJ
NO ONE should trivialise former President Fredrick Chiluba’s achievements and the solid foundation he left for those who became Presidents of Zambia after him to build on, says veteran politician Vernon Mwaanga.
Dr Mwaanga said in statement yesterday that there was need to remember Dr Chiluba for the “difficult work he did for our country at a very difficult time in our history.”
Dr Mwaanga said though Dr Chiluba was not perfect, he did his best for the country and its people and left a legacy for which he will forever be remembered.
He said Dr Chiluba had a gift of the garb and oratory which won him the acclaim and approbation of many in Zambia and abroad, and he had a unique way of communicating and relating to ordinary people.
Dr Mwaanga explained that Dr Chiluba being the founding father of Movement for Multi-Party Democracy (MMD) together with other compatriots in 1990, under very difficult circumstances, succeeded in fighting for the re-introduction of multi politics in the country, after 18 years of one-party rule.
He said MMD restored multilateral and bilateral economic programmes which had been suspended and had our country classified as a least developed country (LDC), to become eligible for increased grants and soft loans.
He also said MMD ended the shortages of essential goods such as, cooking oil, bread, mealie meal among many other things and successfully negotiated debt relief for the debt burdened country and put the country on an economic growth trajectory.
“We successfully negotiated debt relief for our debt burdened country and put our country on an economic growth trajectory and there was increased political tolerance under his watch and an inclusive approach to governance issues, thereby actualizing the national motto of One Zambia, One Nation, left by our founding fathers.
“Yes, he had his low moments, but no one should trivialise his many achievements and the solid foundation he left for those who became Presidents after him to build on,” said Dr Mwaanga.