Malanji’s Questionable Helicopter Acquisition

With the country about to enter it’s 13th month of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joseph Malanji, has taken this as his opportunity to purchase a helicopter worth US$1.4 million. 

The purchase has caught the attention of the Drug Enforcement Commission who are working with the Financial Intelligence Centre to probe cash donations and large sums of money being publicly displayed. 

Whilst Malanji enjoys spending his earnings on opulent goods, his employees at the Gibson Hotel, Continental Lodge as well as his other businesses have been seen to struggle financially. These individuals are behind Malanji’s great wealth, yet some have complained of being unable to send their children to school, to pay hospital bills and even to meet their house rental obligations. 

Dr Musumali, Socialist Party general secretary and first vice-president commented on the purchase to note that “Zambian elections are a period when cost-effectiveness is thrown on the rubbish heap”, with the PF benefitting from the purchase, with the helicopter enabling Malanji to get into the charter business. 

“For the employees in Malanji’s companies, the helicopter has been bought at the cost of their welfare. It is their sweat that has made the Foreign Affairs Minister rich. They would rather have seen US$1.4 million ploughed back into the companies that have been struggling under the impact of COVID-19.” Musumali notes. 

With the proportion of the population living below the poverty line (on an income below US$1.90 per day) expected to rise as a result of the pandemic, purchases such as these are selfish and unnecessary. To add, foreign debt has increased significantly whilst the PF has been in power, rising from US$4.8bn in 2014 to US$11.2bn in 2019, with the country also defaulted on debt re-payments.

During a period which has had a large negative impact on the country’s economy, spending needs to be better thought-through if the country is to recover.