Shimunza Calls For Limited Zambianisation Of The Economy
Movement for National Transformation(MNT) founding president Daniel Mvula Shimunza says Zambians have been left out as key drivers of the country’s economy.
Shimunza said in a statement made available to the media that 53 years down the line, Zambians have not been main stakeholders in as far as driving the economic agenda of the country is concerned.
He said the indigenous Zambians have sadly been exploited by foreigners through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
” In the last 53 years, Zambians have been left behind and we have been exploited by foreigners through Foreign Direct Investment. So we need to rise up and begin to participate in the private enterprise of our economy,” Shimunza stated.
He said his party will put much emphasise on the Zambianisation policy when it forms Government.
“The Movement for National Transformation has a policy that when we form Government, will be dealing with the Zambianisation policy or limited Zambianisation. Limited because you have to balance between privatization and Zambianisation, where the Zambians become the drivers of the means of production of the economy and begin to be major players in the economic agenda of this country, ” said Shimunza
He promised that education and skill training for the youth will be the party’s priority when it forms government, saying it is the only way young people can be productive and become drivers of the vehicle of development.
“It is important that when it comes to the youth who are graduating from Universities…the Movement for National Transformation is the vehicle for youths that is going to promote your quest to be educated and empowered with skill and that you may grow up and graduate from Universities and find jobs…that are not casual jobs but become entrepreneurs and participate effectively to develop our country,” Shimunza said.
He said the party will work towards making Zambia an industrialized and first world economy.
” The Movement for National Transformation stands for an advanced economy and aggressive industrialization. Not as appendix or an addendum to all other things. Zambia should not be a middle income country but must become an advanced economy and the best form of development we have to find ourselves and the ultimate of every country is to become a first world country that is fully industralised and fully advanced. Citizens should be drivers of the economy and not foreigners,” the opposition leader concluded