Chitotela slams ‘hypocrite’ HH

UPND president Hakainde Hichilema is a ‘hypocrite’ who sold state-owned companies which Government is now handing back to Zambians and not selling to foreigners as alleged, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development Ronald Chitotela has charged. And Mr Chitotela also said that the US$4.3 million total cost of the Michael Chilufya Sata toll plaza built in Luanshya included the cost of building the back control room, payment to ZESCO for electricity, buying of a standby generator and provisions of software that connected the plaza to the server room, among others things. Speaking when he featured on ZNBC's live television programme dubbed 'Government Forum' on Monday evening, Mr Chitotela accused Mr Hichilema of having incited the people on the Copperbelt to riot by lying on a radio programme that Government had sold ZAFFICO to a Chinese investor. Mr Chitotela said contrary to lies propagated by Mr Hichilema, the PF Government was known to be grabbing back companies that the UPND leader wrongly sold and hand them back to the Zambian people. Mr Hichilema’s remarks were aimed inciting xenophobic attacks on the Chinese investors, Mr Chitotela said. He said Mr Hichilema was a hypocrite who, during the day spoke against the Chinese so that Zambians could rise against them, but in the night wrote to them that he would like to work with them if he formed Government. "There is a named political opposition leader by the name of brother Hakainde Hichilema and when he was on the Copperbelt he went to Sun FM to incite the people of the Copperbelt that PF has sold ZAFFICO. Just total lies and cheap propaganda," Mr Chitotela said. Mr Chitotela said it was not true that ZAFFICO was sold and called upon Zambians to be wary of the UPND leader who was just bent on bringing anarchy in the country. Mr Chitotela said Government had no intention of selling any parastatal company. He said contrary to Mr Hichilema's assertion, ZAFFICO and other 32 parastatals were being considered for listing on the Lusaka Stock Exchange to make them financially viable.