Adam Silumbwe, PhD

Umea University Alumni. Health policy, management, and systems, NCD implementation research enthusiast. Arsenal FC fan

[Diggers.News @DiggersOfNews]

Some opposition leaders talking about infrastructure development should be in jail – Milupi
By Diggers Correspondent

UPND Alliance Chairperson Charles Milupi says some of the opposition members talking about infrastructure development should be in jail.

And Milupi says Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu have nothing to offer with regards to infrastructure.

During a recent rally, Mundubile promised better housing for teachers across the country.

Commenting on that in an interview, Milupi, who is former infrastructure minister, accused the PF of inflating the costs of infrastructure projects during their time in power.

He added that Mundubile, who was a minister in the PF, and others are still owed money because they left a huge debt in infrastructure.

“They left a huge debt, the infrastructure that they are talking about, K12 billion, they left it, these are facts. Some of them are owed money including Mundubile himself, that’s the situation that they left. But worse than that, even though they spent some money on projects, they did in a very expensive way, that’s why they keep telling you that 1KM of tarred road was $1.2 million, sometimes $1.4 billion, completely out of scale. That’s why the Lusaka-Ndola Road… they gave a contract on a loan that they were going to get, they gave it to China Jiangxi at a cost of $1,245,000,000 before interest, before they borrowed the money. If they had borrowed the money, it would have come to $1.8 billion, we came on and we said we will do it under PPP. But even then, we carefully worked out the cost, we agreed with the contractor, it has come to $649 million completely with interest,” he said.

“The breakdown includes interest, a third of what it would have cost those same chaps. And there are many other projects like that I can tell you, some of them, they paid… Someone would come up with advance payment certificate and they claim that they have done 60 per cent of the work. They would pay them for 60 per cent, when we go and check it’s only 30 per cent that has been done, roads were abandoned like the Mokambo, the pedicle road which is a vital link into Luapula, completely abandoned. So, this is where we are, then they had other infrastructure projects which costed a fortune, some of these people should be in prison instead of talking the way they are”.

He said if Mundubile was re-elected, the country would go back to poor quality and expensive projects.

“For example, the Lusaka International Airport, it cost $369 billion, just that new building, because we already had the runway. Similar airports, people who checked in Ghana for example, there was a similar airport costing $60 million, you compare that building with the Mulungushi International Conference Centre KK wing in terms of just the buildings, the building at the International Airport and this, I think more or less they are similar. This one because it was a gift from the Chinese government it cost $60 million, that one because it was Zambian money, it cost $369 million, just compare. If that thing was expensive, it should have been a maximum of $100 million, but it cost $369 million,” said Milupi.

“On infrastructure, Mundubile and Makebi Zulu and the whole of Tonse Alliance they have really nothing to offer, either what they have done or what they promise to do. In a highly unlikely event that they were to assume power, we would go back to the poor quality that they left, we would go back to very expensive projects or infrastructure. They would go back to giving themselves contracts, one of them was a minister and he ran a construction company, even as a minister, I’m not aware of

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Read more @Diggers.news

[Adam Silumbwe, PhD @ASilumbwe]

@GraemeBailey @TEAMtalk Arsenal should slow down on this old guy, Bruno. He couldn’t even help Brazil. Go get Manu Kone. He is a big deal

[Dean N Onyambu @InfinitelyDean]

Cape Verde, you were magnificent! You were brilliant! Africa is soooo proud of you. We will not complain about the ref calling it early when you stll had a throw in to come, but my goodness, I have never been so proud of an African performance at the WC as I am today.

Africa, please bow down for Cape Verde!

#ssfootball

[Adam Silumbwe, PhD @ASilumbwe]

@briansimasiku I think its good competition. If HH emerges victorious, he will be kept on his toes for the next five years.

[Adam Silumbwe, PhD @ASilumbwe]

@briansimasiku These are the consequences of deliberate efforts to squeeze the opposition. Had Sangwa succeeded, he would have been a credible alternative. How is it possible that Muliokera can register a party but Sangwa can’t. Makebi is making HH to run for his money. It’s a good show.

[Diggers.News @DiggersOfNews]

Zambia must target $50bn in reserves - Hambayi

By Sherry Chabala

ECONOMIST Dr Trevor Hambayi says the country must aim to attain at least $50 billion in reserves to create a sovereign fund that addresses budget execution, debt and industrialisation.
Zambia’s reserves currently stand at $6.5 billion, equivalent to 4.4 to 5.7 months of import cover.
Responding to a query, Tuesday, Dr Hambayi

https://t.co/1biueR5t8e

Read more @ https://t.co/xPDGUNkJay

[Distant Relative @LankyObserver]

Ifintu fimo tulanda bane sometimes twaibwelamo.

96% of your children cannot read by age 8. Only 4% of your population can read at Grade 2 proficiency. Only 3% of your 22 million citizens have a Bachelors degree.

This free education we keep downplaying is as important as food.

[Reuters @Reuters]

Ramiro Valdes, lauded as hero of Cuban revolution, dies at 94 https://t.co/TPR4cGKw0i https://t.co/TPR4cGKw0i

[Dingindaba Jonah Buyoya @BuyoyaJonah]

Airtel Zambia has hit a US$1bn market cap, up from US$182m in 2024. CEO Hussam Baday says the milestone reflects customer trust. Officials at LuSE note Airtel is only the 4th firm in their exchange history to reach the mark, with growth expected to boost jobs and the economy.

[Distant Relative @LankyObserver]

The thing that causes me the most disquiet about the Mundubile candidacy isn't even its evident lack of depth or real substance.

It is that so many Zambians are rallying around a presidential candidate whose utterances should scare anyone with a modicum of discernment on them.

[Jeremy Corbyn @jeremycorbyn]

Today I secured an Urgent Question on the humanitarian emergency in Cuba, following the criminal and inhumane blockade by the United States.

Hands off Cuba!

[AFC SMA🔴 @SmaAfc]

This time tomorrow, everywhere go stew, no Arsenal fan will sleep.

[Laura Miti @LauraMiti]

How did building a house for CJs become a priority, ahead of funding the judiciary to make it less of the mess & torture it is? More importantly, where is the reform to urgently free the Bench from the suffocating clutches of the Executive? To make it free & equal. Eh Zambia🙆🏽‍♀️!

[Laura Miti @LauraMiti]

The Judiciary is so underfunded. Some districts have only one Magistrate & a ramshackle of a court house. The accused are punished before conviction coz of how long cases take. What does gov do - table a law to build houses for retired Chief Justices. OK politicians delela us😮

[Laura Miti @LauraMiti]

Millions in rural & impoverished urban Zambia barely exist - monga Bingo pachishala😢. The personification of indignity & unfulfilled potential.
All of it unnecessary. Could be changed if only thieving of public money could have a fuse. Sembe bamakuta aba bantu sure😢.

[Adam Silumbwe, PhD @ASilumbwe]

@Litmagogo I think he raises important issues on corruption that I think need to be a acknowledged and addressed

[Adam Silumbwe, PhD @ASilumbwe]

@HandofArsenal The same old talk. Can’t come up with new ideas. Just look away Arsenal fans. No false hope. He talks about anger. Those boys show no anger from the first second they touch the ball.

[Seyed Abbas Araghchi @araghchi]

Statement on behalf of the Supreme National Security Council of the Islamic Republic of Iran:

[Don Salmon @dijoni]

The Prime Minister of Barbados remember the contribution of Cuban doctors during the pandemic. So many Caribbean countries and south and central Americans are turning their back against Cuba because America pressuring them to do so.. Cuban doctors saves millions of lives over the past 50 years. Stand in solidarity with the people of Cuba..

[Distant Relative @LankyObserver]

180 kids killed in a strike in Iran today.

How do people look into their children's eyes in their homes, and imagine it is OK to do that to other people's kids elsewhere?