"Political Tension to Jeopardize Investor confidence

Economist  Yousuf Dodia says the current political atmosphere has the potential to jeopardize investor confidence in the country.

Mr. Dodia says that investors will opt to withhold their investment due to the political tension in the country.

President Edgar Lungu on Wednesday invoked Article 31 of the Republican Constitution to facilitate a state of public emergency.

If approved by parliament, this entails that police in the country will have more powers to search, arrest and detain perpetrators of violence in view of clamping down sabotage against public property.

But Mr. Dodia says  that Parliament Should  exercise extreme caution on the matter with the view of protecting the country's investor confidence and economic fundamentals of the nation.

He says the move may be intimidating on the country's would-be investors as well as those already operating in the country.

He adds that investors may also opt to withhold their investment until the country is politically stable, thereby affecting the smooth and stable flow of economic activities in the country.