Opposition leaders must criticise with facts

ly-mail.co.zm” class=”f”>Zambia Daily Mail by Online Editor on 6/24/13

THERE has been an explosion of media publications in the past few years and people are having an unprecedented access to various news channels both online, electronic and print media.
The influx of the various media publications has been good as it gives people more access to information and wider choice so that people make informed decisions.
But there has also been some disadvantage because some of the publication have been unprofessional and practice yellow journalism characterised by slanderous publications some of which thrive on half-truths and innuendos.
There are professionally produced tabloids and broadsheets and there are also some good online publications but there are also many other publications which thrive on writing unconfirmed reports and lies with their own agenda.
We know of publications that will stop at nothing to portray things are not alright in the country or in government when in fact this is not true.
Others have made it their editorial policy to accuse the ruling PF government of all sorts of lies when we can all see that there is no tension in the country.
It is, therefore, not surprising  that some people are claiming that the budget has “collapsed” and alleging that there is a budget overrun and yet they have no evidence to back their claims.
It is sad that some opposition leaders are claiming that there is a budget overrun when they know very well that this is not true and that government is on track to deliver on some of its promises.
Such misleading claims can discourage investors and cause anxiety among citizens which is not good for development and growth of the local economy.
On Saturday, President Sata and Deputy Minister of Commerce, Trade, and Industry Miles Sampa spoke out and shamed some critics who have been claiming that Zambia is facing a budget overrun.
The budget is about figures of revenues and expenditure, therefore opposition leaders who have been claiming that the budget has suffered an overrun should have provided figures to back claims.
The President has described such claims as “premature, unwarranted and mischievous.
“Our foreign reserves currently stand at about US$2.4 billion while the country has recorded over US$2 billion in investment pledges in various sectors of the economy in the first quarter of 2013,” he said.
Mr Sampa has also rejected claims by former finance ministers who have been claiming that the PF has “overrun” the national budget.
Mr Sampa also described as unfortunate and unnecessary the two former ministers’ decision to deliberately mislead the nation on the matter for the sake of playing politics.
He explained that the factual position is that salary increments for civil servants have been struck at levels higher than those anticipated or budgeted for and this is the correct position not that the budget has suffered an overrun.
We expect opposition leaders to offer constructive criticism based on facts and not criticising the Government based on online publications that have been known to peddle in lies and rumour mongering without verifying what they report about.
We hope that in future, opposition leaders should provide facts when questioning government policies and actions so that the public would know whether they are just politicking or offering genuine checks and balances.
In any case, how many supplementary budgets where presented under the MMD?
There were so many such that the public got used to supplementary budgets almost every other year.
Therefore, there is nothing new about supplementary budgets because it all depends on how wisely the money is used.
We are not saying that there will be supplementary budget but if there will be one, then it is normal because this happened under the MMD on innumerable occasions.