Lungu Now Richer Than Barrack Obama, Says Saviuor Chishimba
United Progressive People(UPP) president Saviuor Chishimba says President Edgar Lungu who is now richer than former US President Barrack Obama should account for his wealth.
“The campaign to ask President Edgar Chagwa Lungu to account for his fast-track wealth will not stop until he gives an account on how he has accumulated such wealth. We can now authoritatively state that President Edgar Chagwa Lungu has accumulated more money in two years than President Barack Obama earned in eight years as President of the United States of America,” Dr Chishimba said in statement.
He added:” by January 2017, President Barack Obama’s net worthiness was US$20.5 million broken down as follows:
1. Presidential Salary: US$3.1 million
2. Senate Salary: US$610, 000
3. Corporate Boards: US$130, 000
4. University of Chicago Hospitals: US$760, 000
5. Royalties from his bestseller books: US$15.6 million
6. Other incomes: US$250, 000
According to Forbes, the traceable wealth of Barack Obama is from 2005 through to 2016. A comparative analysis of the current asset portfolio of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, upon full disclosure, is by far more than Barack Obama’s US$20 million.
It is therefore nauseous that whereas the major preoccupation of the President of USA, the richest country on earth, is making all Americans better, the Zambian President’s major goal is self-empowerment.”
Dr Chishimba said it is incontrovertible that President Lungu clamoured his way into immense wealth through deals and numerous international travels without any sense of duty of care for the poor people who live on less than a dollar per day.
He said President Lungu is presiding over the transformation of government into a cash cow, saying all known criminals in Industry who are involved in money laundering have made State House their playground for schemes of looting. Dr Chishimba said UPP can prove this before any Court of law or tribunal.
“The people of Zambia must not be taken for granted. Enough is enough! He openly and publicly disclosed to the nation that he had evidence on how huge amounts of money were corruptly being deposited into the accounts of his ministers, but it’s now ten months without any recovery of public funds,” the opposition leader said.
He said like the President himself, Ministers and senior government officials have overnight acquired huge fleets of trucks, housing estates, commercial buildings, lodges, restaurants, private jets and other offshore assets.
“Surely, these public funds can be invested in building houses for public workers, defense and security personnel. The people of Zambia can benefit from these funds through clean water and sanitation, jobs, healthcare, education, among other public goods,” Dr Chishimba said.
He said clearly the dead conscience of PF “leaders” is punishable if not by the Courts of Laws, but certainly by the LORD God Almighty, charging that millions of Zambian children need food and this is not too much to ask for. Dr Chishimba said useless trips can be suspended to serve Main Street (The People), saying President Levy Mwanawasa did this and Zambians began to see change in their lives and the debts were forgiven.