Opposition Party for National Unity and Progress leader Hyvie Hamududu has called for domestic revenue reforms in the country if macro stability is be achieved.
He said says the absence of widening tax collection and only confining to a few is forcing the government to overborrow.
Hamududu also pointed out that the continued huge expenditure on luxurious such as expensive cars did not demonstrate government’s willingness to reduce budget.
Mr. Hamududu has also questioned government’s failure to sell luxurious V8 vehicles used by ministers, despite the economic challenges facing the country.
Speaking when he featured on Tuesday edition of Phoenix FM’s “Let the People Talk” program, Mr. Hamududu said there is need for extensive reforms to address the economic challenges facing the country.
He said if reforms can be taken government, money saved can be directed to grow other sectors. He cited the SME sector as one which requires to be supported as it had potential grow the economy.
The opposition leader further called for the need to support young people and their innovations. He said the youths were drivers of many economies and these should be tapped in.
Mr Hamududu bemoaned the absence of serious commitment on the part of government which has failed to actualise the enabling environment it preaches about.
He added that recurrent spending was also choking other need such as health where there is serious shortage of drugs in health facilities.
Mr Hamududu also described the current administration of been clogged and bloated thereby it draining the treasury.
He also warned against anchoring the country’s economic recovery solely on debt restructuring and emphasized the need for domestically oriented reforms to ensure long-term economic stability and prosperity for Zambia.
Further, Mr. Hamududu urged government to take immediate action to address the current level of public expenditure, which he says surpasses the accepted threshold.
Among the priorities his party will focus on once in power will be to empower Zambians with land affordable and without complications. He said the current process of acquiring land only favoured the rich leaving the majority poor with nothing.
Mr Hamududu also said despite the budgetary allocation of over k177 billion for year, little will trickle to change the lives of Zambians.
The leader also stated that his party will scrap off of the position of DCs as their presence was only draining the treasury.
On the debt, Mr. Hamududu said Zambia will not manage to clear off its debt as its every many the country will be saving will just be consumed by other sectors.
The party leader also bemoaned the increase in economic and social inequality on the country.
He compared the levels to that of apartheid in south Africa.
He poverty was high and the business opportunities in the country were only favouring foreign ones at the expense of the locals.
ENDS