CLAIMS OF SALE OF STATE FIRMS FALSE- WINA

Vice President Inonge Wina says reports that government has sold state-owned enterprises to the Chinese are false and misleading.
Mrs Wina says allegations that government has sold its enterprises are being peddled by some opposition leaders who want to gain political mileage by making people rise against Government.
The Vice President was responding to Guinea President Alpha Conde who wanted to find out, the truth about the media stories circulating that Zambia is experiencing demonstrations as a result of government’s move to sale its state-owned enterprises to the Chinese.

This was during an informal meeting on the sidelines of the 11th Extraordinary Summit of Heads of States and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Vice President explained that state owned enterprises are intact and operating under the statutes of Parliament.
Mrs Wina clarified that the protest that was on the Copperbelt was necessitated by a statement from an opposition leader who misled the citizens that ZAFFICO has been sold.
And responding to the Vice President, President Conde said he is not surprised that Zambia too like other African countries, is experiencing the same negative publicity about Chinese investment.
President Conde says the careless use of social media to peddle lies is a problem in many African states, and governments should be alert to this threat.
With particular reference to Guinea, President Conde said some of his citizens had gone to an extent of creating false pictures with a view of misleading people.
The two leaders agreed that the African Union should be concerned about fake news circulating on the continent as this might frustrate Member States.
This is contained in a statement issued by First Secretary for Press at the Zambian Mission at the AU in Ethiopia Inutu Mwanza.