GOVT TO GO AHEAD WITH IMF DESPITE LUSAMBO’S DEMAND

By IRVIN MUYUMBWAGOVERNMENT says it will go ahead with negotiations with the International Monetary Fund despite a demand letter by Kabushi Member of Parliament Bowman Lusambo for the IMF not to disburse the US$1.3 billion bailout package until transparency is guaranteed.Last week, Mr Lusambo wrote to the IMF Board not to approve the recently signed Staff Level Agreement with the Zambian government until full disclosure is reached regarding the contents of the agreement.But Ministry of Finance and National Planning Permanent Secretary for Economic Management and Finance Mukuli Chikuba said the letter purported to have been written to the IMF had not been copied to the ministry.Mr Chikuba said the ministry would continue with negotiations with the IMF unless it saw the contents of the letter which among other things demanded full disclosure of any conditionality.