Vice President Madam Mutale Nalumango says the coffers are not completely empty, but “may have something”.
She however says the treasury does not have the capacity to attend to all the country’s financial obligations.
She has told Parliament that the resources that the treasury may have cannot be compared to how much the country is owing.
She was responding to a question in Parliament during the vice President’s question and answer session when she was challenged to explain where money to finance President Hakainde Hichilema has suddenly come from to travel to the United Nations assembly even when there is an option to attend virtually.
Leader of the opposition in Parliament Mr. Brian Mundubile was seeking an explanation from the vice president following president Hichilema’s pronouncement that the UPND government found empty coffers when they assumed office after the August 12 elections.
But the vice president has wondered why it is an issue for the President to travel to the UN national assembly when he has to do everything possible to try and rebuild the country’s broken economy.
“The travel of the president is not an indication that we have money, it simply means this must be done” Ms. Nalumango stated.
“We may have a little money in the treasury” She said but said the president needs to do all it takes to meet and engage with key stakeholders in an effort to find solutions to the country’s struggling economy.
She said one cannot talk about the travelling of the president as an issue of empty coffers but that of priority to address economic issues as well as high indebtedness levels.
