Yesterday Booker Rising highlighted the Zambian-born moderate-conservative economist's recent lecture in Lusaka, which included criticism of her homeland's economic policies. Well, she done upset her country's left-wing leaders now. From the Lusaka Times (Zambia): "The government has advised US-based Zambian born writer Dambisa Moyo to have her facts straight on economic issues before making divisive statements that have the ability of painting a bleak picture of the country. The advice is coming from Miles Sampa, the Deputy Minister of Finance who says Ms. Moyo has lately been issuing statements on Zambia’s economy largely based on opinion rather than fact. 'As an economist, Ms Moyo knows that you don’t go around making statements that make the country look bad without facts,' Mr Sampa said, 'she has insinuated that investors are wary of coming to Zambia when our in trays are full even as we try to empty them.'"
The article continues about the controversy: "At a recent Economics Association of Zambia discussion forum in Lusaka, Ms. Moyo tabulated a shopping list of things she believes have gone bad in Zambia including an unstable economic playground that scares away investors. But at no time, according to Mr Sampa, did she place a finger on anything tangible or give a scientific example of how investors are now discouraged of coming to Zambia. 'Criticism without facts seems to be the latest avenue for venting personal anger, frustrations and disappointments by people like Ms. Moyo,' Mr Sampa said."
More: "Under the previous Rupiah Banda administration when she released her first book Dead Aid, Ms. Moyo was treated like royalty, a trend that led her to land various board positions on multi-national corporations whom she sometimes speaks for. Ms. Moyo’s attacks did not end at investors sounding alarm but she went further to question the Zambian government’s decision to pass a law banning the use of US dollars in domestic transactions which has even been commended by Wall Street Journal analysts. Mr. Sampa said: 'If an educated economist cannot appreciate the importance of rebasing our currency, then I wonder whether I should continue pursuing my PHD.'"
Zambian Deputy Finance Minister To Dambisa Moyo: "Hush Your Angry Mouth, Before Making Divisive Statements About Our Economy That Scare Away Investors"
