New Heritage Party joins calls against $72 billion deal with purported Vietnamese investor

The New Heritage Party has joined other stakeholders in opposing the recent proposal to allocate 6 million hectares of land for rice cultivation to a foreign investor for 90 years.

Party leader, Chishala Kateka, said the purported investment, projected to be worth US$72 billion over 20 years, poses a serious threat to Zambia’s sovereignty and future.

In a statement issued in Lusaka on Tuesday, Kateka criticized efforts by the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) and the Minister of Commerce and Trade to downplay the gravity of the issue.

She stated that the sheer size of the land and the extended duration of foreign control were deeply concerning.

“Land is a sacred heritage of Zambian citizens, both born and unborn. The proposal to cede such a vast portion of national territory to foreign entities for nearly a century is both dubious and outlandish.

“The fact that our functionaries could even consider this proposal underscores the incompetence and lack of acumen within the ZDA board and leadership,” Kateka asserted.

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She also questioned the patriotism of those involved in this potential transaction.

She raised additional concerns about reports that the purported Vietnamese investor was also a mineral prospector, signaling potential threats to Zambia’s mineral resources.

“As a party committed to protecting Zambia’s heritage—including our land, wildlife, and mineral resources—we condemn this shameless attempt by the government and its local and foreign collaborators to sell off and plunder our precious resources,” she said.

Kateka lamented that this was not the first, nor likely the last, scandalous and potentially corrupt dealing under the current government.

She assured that the New Heritage Party remained committed to fighting against such malpractices and ensuring the protection of national heritage for the benefit of all Zambians.

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