FACT CHECK: DID PRESIDENT HH SELL ZAMBIA IN THE $1.5 BILLION US HEALTH DEAL? HERE IS THE TRUTH THE OPPOSITION WILL NOT TELL YOU================ Authored By; Mupishi Jones My fellow Zambians, I have been following the debate since this morning after news broke that Zambia will sign a $1.5 billion health agreement with the United […]

FACT CHECK: DID PRESIDENT HH SELL ZAMBIA IN THE $1.5 BILLION US HEALTH DEAL? HERE IS THE TRUTH THE OPPOSITION WILL NOT TELL YOU
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Authored By; Mupishi Jones

My fellow Zambians,

I have been following the debate since this morning after news broke that Zambia will sign a $1.5 billion health agreement with the United States this Thursday.

As usual, our friends in the opposition have rushed to Facebook Live. Some are saying President Hakainde Hichilema has sold our country. Others are saying we have surrendered our health data to America. Over 9,000 people were watching those lies last night.

Let me be neutral and tell you the truth.

1.WHAT DID THIS GOVERNMENT DO THAT THE PREVIOUS ONE FAILED TO DO?

The original agreement brought by the Americans had a dangerous clause. It wanted Zambia to share patient medical specimens with the US if requested. It wanted sweeping access to our health data.

Did President HH just sign? NO.

This government said NO. For months, negotiations stalled. While Ghana and Zimbabwe rejected the deal completely and lost $1.5 billion, Zambia chose dialogue. Our Minister of Health, Prof. Roma Chilengi, sat down, engaged, back and forth, until America agreed to remove that clause.

Today, no single specimen will leave Zambia. Data-sharing will only be limited to monitoring US-funded programmes like HIV/AIDS and malaria. No more, no less.

Is that selling the country? No. That is protecting sovereignty.

2.THERE IS NO MINERAL CLAUSE

The opposition said this money is tied to our copper and critical minerals. But Health Minister Chilengi was very clear today: “There is no mention of critical minerals in the health pact.”

This is not a mining deal. This is a health deal. $1.5 billion from America plus $2.1 billion from our own government to save lives of mothers and children. When did saving lives become a crime?

Let us remember, under the previous regime, we were blacklisted. No investor wanted to come. Today, just last week President HH landed with $2.4 billion from UAE. Today $1.5 billion from US. UK has also endorsed the Grow Zambia Agenda. Is that failure? No.

3.MY APPEAL

I want to appeal to my brothers and sisters. Let us not politicize health. Let us not mislead people on live streams for likes.

President Hakainde Hichilema has proven that you can negotiate with superpowers without kneeling. He protected Zambians and still brought the money.

I might have made one or two mistakes in my life, but on this one, I stand with the President. This is leadership. This is what we voted for in 2021.

Let those with eyes, see.

Mupishi Jones
Political Analyst
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