 As Zambia must prosper, I want to put it on record that yes, we did support HH and the UPND purely on principle. We wanted to project the truth about what our constitution says. We wanted to protect and defend the constitution of Zambia because we do not believe in third terms for presidential candidates. Personally, I was approached and requested to support HHLMA and the UPND by various NGOs, civic organizations, church leaders, friends and relatives to the president. Zambia engaging HH personally in private for about 11 times, he convinced me that the pillars of reuniting the country, re-establishing the rule of law, good governance and running a meritorious government would be the pillars on which the UPND will run this country. At that time, UPND was in the poor position of fighting the patriotic front who had just expelled me. Today, however, just like the 2.8 million others ambiance who voted for Aga in the HLMA and the UPND, we are here to officially withdraw our support of the UPND and the vote that we gave them. Aga in the HLMA and the UPND and their lives have been exposed and it is clear that the UPND and Aga in the HLMA are politically and morally bankrupt. As the good book says, our Bible, in Proverbs chapter 29 verse 18, where there is no vision, people perish. When I realized that Aga in the HLMA and the UPND had no vision, I left the alliance and Zambia Mass Prosper was born as a political party, not as a movement. Some of you have insisted that I have been bitter. I want to explain. When you realize that your friend has lied to you, when you realize that your friend has lied to the nation and it is on the basis of those lies that he got elected, there is only one logical thing to do and that is to disengage. There is no bitterness in me. I think if you've listened to my interviews throughout my political career, I have never insulted this president. I have always called him my friend and so he shall remain. But the lies have to be called out. I am now asking every Zambian to ask Aga in the HLMA to resign for the following reasons. One, failure to govern our country in a united fashion as promised. This may seem very simple to some of you, but information reaching some of us is alarming and we must call a spade a spade. Regionalism has reared its ugly head and if we are not careful, we shall see certain parts of this country marginalized and certain people who come from certain tribes not being considered for promotion or for employment or for business opportunities. Bad decisions, bad policies have also characterized the UPND government. Implementation of controversial economic policies even in the face of evidence that such policies won't work is what Aga in the HLMA keeps doing. Implementation of questionable contentious social policies without due regard of the impact of these policies on key economic sectors and industries as we have seen. The failure to understand the repercussions of such policies on the vulnerable, Zambians, widows, orphans, the majority youths and the unemployed is also a factor. The lack of care for the poor is totally unacceptable. The rise in corruption, allegations and scandals surrounding the presidency of Aga in the HLMA is now alarming. We have had the gold candle. We have had Sujilite scandals. We have had procurement scandals all implicating high ranking public officials very, very close to the president and yet the president has taken no action. We have had fertilizer scandals, medicine scandals, CDF scandals and now we are having legal compensation scandals. I need to pause on this one. I think you're in a lawyer's office as you can see from the books behind me. Lawfare is not something that you as journalists must take very lightly. Using the law, using the law or institutions of the law to move fraud and begin to compensate your friends and yourself and other people is lawfare. It looks, seems legal but it's not. In my little experience as a lawyer, a no-lead prosecutor is not an acquittal. You cannot at any time use the fact that the DPP entered a no-lead in your case to claim compensation from the government further. It is law in the Constitution that whilst in office, a sitting president cannot be sued for his actions. Why is it that now we are hearing that this compensation, which is likely to be affected to the tune of 6. something million quatra to people who are in some so-called treason case when only a no-lead was entered? The law is that only when you are acquitted and you sue the state and you prove your case for malicious prosecution, by the state can you be compensated. You don't keep entering constant judgments. Let me sound a warning to the office of the attorney general, a very dear friend of mine again. Mr. Murilo Kavesha, we sat in the same law school, same class, I am asking you to reconsider these compositions which are being proposed for the so-called treason cases. A no-lead prosecutor is not an acquittal. It means the government or the DPP can bring that case again if evidence so permits or fresh investigations are instituted and new witnesses are found. You are not free. It is not an acquittal. Only when you are acquitted can the government compensate you. I am asking you as the media and through you, the nation, to go and ask the attorney general, the solicitor general, including the minister of legal affairs or the minister of justice why these compositions are going on. This is government money, taxpayers' money. There is no legal justification. This is lawfare. We must stop these illegal acts. This is a very poor country and we cannot be paying our friends and paying ourselves simply because we are putting ourselves. We must also understand that when you use the law to enrich yourself, it is unjust enrichment, especially if you are a politician. Those people that were in the so-called treason case, did you hear them sue the government? If so, ask for that judgment. Which judge sat in that case? Which judge sat and declared that they were entitled to 6.0 million quatchas as compensation? Go and ask them. Out of stealing, using the law, this is lawfare. Also, the lack of accountability and transparency in this government has moved me to push the notion that we as Zambians must begin to chant for the resignation of this government. In Salah Ta'ilo Leila, you cannot be asking people who are hungry to give you time, time for what, so that they starve to death. As a politician, your job is to find solutions for the suffering masses. When people are hungry, it is not for you to start saying, I need 10 more years before I can solve this problem. Let me say this directly now to the president, my very good friend, people are tired of you and we as Zambians are tired of you and your stories. It is always the PF did this, the PF did that. When you are campaigning, asking the Zambians to vote for you, you promise the Zambians under your very own slogan, Bali will fix it. You knew what the problems were. But of issue, why are you complaining today? You didn't see these problems. If you applied for a job bigger than your brain, resign, it's very easy. And since we don't have time to go into a by-election, the constitution says the vice president takes over, let Nalumango take over. See if she has the brains to run this country. That's the only thing we can ask you. There is lack of transparent governance practices in this government, which has undermined public trust in this government, resulting in cover-ups, blocking citizens from holding government accountable. Because HH has failed to discipline his public officials and his friends by failing to take action to fire some of them, to do reshuffles. Public confidence is now very low in this government. Public confidence is now nonexistent, if I dare say so. And the only thing for Zambians to do is to ask Fuwaga in the HLM to leave us alone. I am answering the question that you keep asking me, but why did you support him? But why you are one of those that support him? Yes, I did. Just like the 2.8 million, some of you here, we all were lied to. Now it's time to flip the coin. Further, there is a lot of pluralization and divisions within society today, based on region, based on tribe, based on friendship, and based on party affiliation. Under the UPND, the country has witnessed very alarming divisions, which we cannot allow to continue. People who are close to the UPND are being favored, and people who come from certain regions have been fired from their jobs in the civil servant, some of them without even committing a crime, or having been disciplined. Further, political arrests, political persecution, harassment, and differences have become deeply entrenched under UPND. These are being pitted against each other, based again on region, where do you come from, your name, tribal extraction, political affiliation. This cannot go on. This is not what our forefathers wanted for this country. This divisive toxic atmosphere not only breeds confusion, mistrust, and hatred, but also threatens national unity, which was one of the pillars, as I promised me personally, and the country. So this divisive environment has placed a lot of significant pressure and stress on law enforcement agencies. A lot of the people in law enforcement are now being torn apart because they don't know whether to push the agenda of this government or not, because they don't even believe in some of the things they're being asked to do against their fellow citizens. This can't continue. The recent public demonstrations where the president went to commission a boho somewhere in some compound and cries over the high cost of minimum will soon grow bigger and bigger. And if we're not careful, this could lead to riots. When a party in power and a president specifically cannot address or indeed misunderstands what the needs of his people are, then that president is detached from reality. That president is detached from reality. You journalists will remember these as facts. Our first president, Dr. Kenneth Kounder, the late, may so rest in peace, was so detached from reality that when people began to shout for the reintroduction of multi-party state in this country, multi-party politics, he still wanted to perpetuate the one-party state. By the time he realized that he had to introduce multi-party politics, it was too late. He misunderstood the mood of the Zambians. That's what cost KK. You also remember as journalists, Arabi, a very loved, the late president again, Arabi, a very loved president in MMD, who put up one of the most expensive campaigns in this country. And yet he didn't see it. He thought by putting up an expensive campaign and making people eat his campaign money, people are going to vote for him. He misunderstood recently the PF also misunderstood the Zambians. The PF thought if they put up massive infrastructure in this country, then the people are going to forget Caderism. Then the people are going to forget that this was a third term which was being pushed. Then he misunderstood what the Zambians wanted. I'm saying this to you as Zambians. We have reached that crossroads with Aga in the HLM. Aga in the HLM is trying to drag this country to the north. When the country is saying we need to go south, he is detached from reality. People are crying. And you want to start talking about the environment, commissioning a boho, clean water. People are hungry. What reality is this, my friend? What reality do you live in? Go and ask him. Aga in the HLM has three major traits as a person. And I want you to mark my words. He's my friend. I know him. One, he takes credit where it is not due to him. That's his MO. You heard him sing praise about himself and his government over the Kazungula Bridge, which he never commissioned, which he never built. That's who he is. The other factors you take credit over, when he didn't do it, that's who he is. Watch him very closely. Two, he likes shifting responsibility to others. So when you talk about debt restructuring, he's shifting responsibility to your children and your children's children because he doesn't want to pay that debt. He doesn't want to face the debt head on. What kind of leader is this? Who doesn't have solutions? But he always postpones the problems for other people. Look at this leader. Thirdly, Aga in the HLM never gets advice from anybody, even where it is necessary. We've got one surviving former president in the name of Edgar Chagualungu sitting in Ibexio, who has run this country for seven years and Aga in the HLM doesn't want to go and consult him over some of the problems that you and me are facing. Why can't he take it? I wanted the Zambians to see the sincerity in me and I'm asking you to do the same. Look at me and look at the level of our politics. But coupled with that was a caveat. I didn't want you or any of the Zambians to be fooled that if we didn't give him an opportunity, you would be crying and declaring that, ah, if only they had given Aga in that chance, we have given him the chance and you are the witnesses. You and the majority of the Zambians out there, you have seen now that there is no leadership in that man. There is no vision in that man. He is offering the Zambians no solutions at all, apart from his own friends and business associates. So I hope that going forward, this question, but why did you support him, will not come back to me and I am hoping you will not bring this up so that we can move and begin to offer solutions to the Zambians. My second reason for calling this pressor today is to congratulate President-elect Emerson Munagawa of Zimbabwe, who is going to be inaugurated today. I find this a very important aspect in our history as Zambians. Sometimes you, as journalists, you don't keep your records very well. Please learn your history and keep your history tight. Zambia must prosper, sends its heartfelt congratulations to President-elect Emerson Munagawa of Zimbabwe on the recent election victory of ZANU-PF. Zambia must prosper, wants to place the following on record. We support Pan-Africanism and we believe that ZANU-PF stands on the principles of Pan-Africanism. We do not support imperialism. Zambia must prosper, does not support neocolonialism. We believe that African democracy must be allowed to grow and mature without external pressure from Europe or the West or any agents sponsored by other forces. As students of history and politics, we in Zambia must be clear on where we stand on the global geopolitical stage as Zambia must prosper. We believe in being non-aligned, yet we must maintain our friendship with both the East and the West out of mutual respect. Zambia must prosper will not allow any military bases on Zambian soil once it takes government. I'll repeat that. Zambia must prosper will not allow any military, foreign military bases, foreign soldiers on our soil will not allow that. Zambia must prosper will not allow the exploitation of its mineral resources or natural resources with little or no benefit accruing to Zambians. Zambia must prosper will stand firm on the principle that when Zambians prosper, Zambia prospers. So in everything this party will do, we shall put the citizens of this country first. We shall amend all the economic laws that we have studied thus far for the benefit of Mother Zambia and its citizens. Such laws will include mining laws, agricultural laws, land law, banking laws, commerce and trade laws. Those are the laws that govern the economic agenda of this country. Zambia must prosper will foster good nibblingness with all its eight neighbors based on mutual respect for each other's sovereignty. Today we are congratulating Zimbabwe proudly because history has taught us well. What is that history? We know what happened in Afghanistan. We know what has happened in Syria. We know what happened in Libya when Colonel Mama Gaddafi was overthrown and finally killed. We know what happened in Iraq when Saddam Hussein was overthrown on flimsy, false grounds and finally killed. We know what happened in Iran. We also know what happened in Tunisia. We are also aware today what is happening in Sudan. We are aware what is happening in the DRC. We are also aware what is happening in Ethiopia, what is happening in Somalia and we are also aware what is happening in Ukraine. As journalists and through you, the Zambian people, go and find out why these wars continue or why they took place. We urge President Munagawa and the people of Zimbabwe to remain resolute in the vision to develop Zimbabwe with homegrown solutions. Just like Zambia must prosper, we will be proposing homegrown solutions. We are aware that the economic sanctions on Zimbabwe were meant to effect a regime change and they didn't start now. They started 22, 23 years ago. That's the history of Zimbabwe. Thank God, thank God the majority of the Zimbabweans rejected this. This brings me to discuss briefly one little report. That's the history. We can't ignore that fact. The elephant in the room which your report should have taken into account were the economic sanctions. As of the press, since the end of World War II, some 78 years ago, the world order has always been skewed in favour of the former colonial masters of Africa and the West, in particular America, by deliberate laws, policies and economic structures that were meant to perpetuate neocolonialism, economic sanctions on countries that did not behave according to them, and indeed effect military regime change where necessary. And those are the countries I refer you to, some of them. Some foolish African leaders have accepted to be used to entrench poverty, ignorance, disease, hunger and the exploitation of Africa's resources as a result of this economic order which has been existing since the end of the Second World War. Time has prospered, is congratulating our neighbours in Zimbabwe for standing strong and refusing to bend, even with very hard economic sanctions. Those elections were not being conducted in a country which is economically prospering. The Sadik report should have taken note of that. Those elections were not taking place because Zanu PF wanted certain things to be missing, they didn't have the money, and there are still under sanctions today. Credit goes to them for standing strong, and the report by the Sadik mission should have taken this into account. The economic malaise that is obtaining in Zimbabwe. When you squeeze people economically, but you want them to provide everything simply because it's in the constitution or in the electoral rules, you're not being fair, you're not being fair. It is just like a woman at home, she wants to feed her children chicken, chips, rice and have very nice breakfast, eggs and bacon every morning. But economically she squeezed, what do you want her to do? She'll make do with what she has, that's a reasonable wife, that's a reasonable mother, and that's what Zanu PF did, but at least elections were held. We must look at the transparency, we must look at the fairness, did anybody die? Was there enough violence for the Sadik region to say the elections were not free and fair? Of course not, everybody was free, especially the main opposition leader. He campaigned and campaigned and went to vote without interruption. That's what's important here, President Munagawa and Zanu PF deserve our support, and indeed all the help that they need as they strive to grow the economy and resist the pressures of these biting economic sanctions. Zambia Masprospa will stand eyeball to eyeball with the Zimbabwean people and their leadership on their journey to economic emancipation. We ask that the ordinary Zimbabweans and indeed the region Sadik at large put a lot of trust in the vision of President Munagawa and Zanu PF. Zambia Masprospa in government will not hesitate in recommending that Zambia joins BRICS so that we change the kind of economics we have seen for 75 years skewed in favour of a certain region of this world. We therefore ask that Zimbabwe quickly applies for membership into BRICS so that they can begin to cushion the biting sanctions in that country that their people are going through. This is to avoid the exploitation of their nation's resources because they have been under sanctions. We respectfully and strongly advise Zimbabwe to consider joining BRICS immediately as we believe there is strength in numbers. I am very happy to note that as early as this morning President Joe Biden has congratulated Munagawa, that is how it should be, that is how it should be, that is leadership. I don't know why it has taken Zambia so long to send that message and yet we are the chairman of SADIC and TRUIC. The elections in Zimbabwe are done and dusted. Congratulate the leader and the people of Zimbabwe for conducting those elections and the very trying circumstances and we move on. I certainly hope that we have put to rest certain of your fears about where Zambia must prosper stands and I hope the next time we meet we shall not meet in this office but you will be invited to come to our secretariat so that you can see where Zambia must prosper will be operating from. I thank you very much for your time and indeed if there are any questions we shall take them now. I thank you. Thank you very much Mr. President.