Zambian President, Edgar Lungu says he is set to make tough decisions, some “very painful”, to accelerate economic growth in his next five-year tenure.
According to Lusaka Times, Lungu said this while addressing more than 70 heads of Commerce and Industry at an exclusive breakfast meeting at Lusaka’s Christmar Hotel.
“I will take measures to grow the economy and control expenditure. Some measures will be painful but they will yield results and by 2021, and people will reward us for having taken such action,” Lungu was quoted as saying.
His address came after fierce criticism by opposition leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND) Hakainde Hichilema, who claimed that Zambia’s economic dire situation was due to Lungu’s mismanagement.
Lungu recently won the country’s presidential elections held on August 11.
Reports indicated that Lungu received 1 860 877 votes while his rival, Hakainde Hichelema of the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) received 1 760 347.
For the first time, the winner needed over 50% of the votes to avoid a run-off election.
The elections were tainted with street clashes followed by allegations of irregularities from the opposition.
