And Mweetwa says President Hakainde Hichilema, as chief marketer for Zambia has improved the country’s international visibility.

Meanwhile, Mweetwa says government’s decision to export 500,000 metric tonnes of maize is a well-researched decision which will not threaten food security.

Speaking when he featured on Zanis Tv, Wednesday, Mweetwa said those involved in corruption were aware that they were on their own.

“We are getting back to the constitution dictating that we are all equal under the law and it’s very important because with that restoration of the rule of law. It also speaks to reduction in terms of setting up businesses in Zambia, it eliminates certain bottle necks that come as a result of corruption. For instance, today. Yes, we can say there’s still corruption.

But those who are involved in corruption know how the law stands in relation to themselves. They know that there’s a famous cliché that you are on your own if you break the law regardless of who you are.

Regardless of which political affiliation. So, that is very critical in terms of decisions over investors because you have a corruption ridden country. You find that investors will have a second thought on how much they will need to spend in terms of acquiring licenses.” he said.

And Mweetwa said President Hichilema as chief marketer for Zambia had improved the country’s international visibility.

“The president as chief marketer has really sold the image of the country out there and today when you travel out of the country. You know that the moment you introduce yourself that you are a Zambian.

More often than not when you go out there someone will ask you if you are from that country [where there is] President HH because he has created himself as the brand name for the leadership of the moment, not just for the country but the world. With that stature the President has put Zambia on the front seat in terms of its visibility and attraction for investment.

You are seeing the investments that are coming through the key sectors he has been promoting such as wooing the investors in the energy sector to meet the deficit that the country is faced with out of the drought” he said.

Meanwhile, Mweetwa said government’s decision to export 500,000 metric tonnes of maize was a well-researched decision which wouldn’t threaten the country’s food security.

“I have heard after the announcement that the government will export 500, 000 metric tonnes of maize that some people say the government has moved too early to export maize, too early when we are just walking out of a severe drought. Yes, that is true in terms of the drought.

But in terms of the maize, we have unprecedented numbers out there. I have been touring the constituency myself. The depots are ladened with a lot of maize and I can now indicate that the decision was a researched decision coming out of informed choices.

Because the maize that we have produced is way beyond our National annual average in terms of requirement. You must know that when you produce more there’s a requirement for storage,” said Mweetwa.

“Right now, almost all the FRA sheds across the country are completely full but notwithstanding that the government has instructed FRA to continue buying the maize.

So, this export is actually a realization that in terms of the initial figures that the government had set out to buy maize from the farmers, farmers have taken much more maize to the depots and we can’t tell them to take it back.

So, FRA will keep on buying but priority has already been taken and given to the fact that we need enough in the country before we think about export. The export of 500,000 metric tonnes of maize does not threaten food security”