I had to fire Nyirongo - Levy
I had to fire Nyirongo - LevyBy Amos Malupenga
Tuesday March 20, 2007 [02:00]
My efforts in fighting corruption are not appreciated, President Levy Mwanawasa complained yesterday. Reacting to yesterday's Post editorial comment that criticised him for firing Reverend Gladys Nyirongo as lands minister on grounds that she reported the suspended Commissioner of Lands Frightone Sichone to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) without his permission, among other reasons, President Mwanawasa said he considered the criticism very unfair because he also stated that Rev Nyirongo was implicated in some corruption allegations.
He said he had to act against Rev Nyirongo because she had clearly misconducted herself in the manner she reported Sichone to the ACC and the Drug Enforcement Commission. President Mwanawasa said he had a duty to maintain order in government.
“Otherwise ministers will be appointing permanent secretaries,” he said.
President Mwanawasa said he not only fired Rev Nyirongo for the manner she misconducted herself in reporting Sichone but because she was also alleged to have been involved in corrupt practices.
“And I mentioned this before,” he said. “I took that action so that investigations against her could be completed. And no one can say that I am protecting Sichone because I suspended him the moment I was given information that there were corruption allegations against him. In fact, I said that the allegations against him were worrisome so I suspended him to pave way for investigations.”
President Mwanawasa explained that he took issue with Rev Nyirongo because of the manner in which she went about seeking Sichone’s removal as acting permanent secretary on grounds that he was corrupt. He said procedurally, Rev Nyirongo should have informed him first about Sichone’s corrupt activities because he is the appointing authority.
“In saying so, I am not trying to shield anybody from anything,” President Mwanawasa said. “Since I am the appointing authority, I was to be informed first. But she went to the Vice-President, Hon. Shikapwasha and even the first lady. She said she had written me a letter but she took that letter to the ACC first before bringing it to me. Yes, I was out of the country but I was only away for a week so why didn’t she wait for me to come back? As minister, she could have reached me on phone wherever I was because ministers have access to me wherever I am.”
President Mwanawasa said in stating this, he was not contradicting his earlier statement that any individual should feel free to report anyone to the ACC including ministers because he would not be available to shield wrongdoers from facing the law.
“For members of the public, yes, they can go to the ACC and report anyone they think should be reported without necessarily coming to me first,” President Mwanawasa. “But for ministers, they have certain limits and they have to follow that. They can’t do that without informing me as the appointing authority.”
President Mwanawasa said this was not to say that he would not act on reports by ministers.
“Rev Nyirongo reported the transgressions of the former PS Ms Mukuka Zimba to me and I acted on that information by suspending her,” President Mwanawasa said. “In fact, when she brought that information about Ms Zimba, I was already working on her case because she was reported to be involved in some corrupt activities. But since the information she gave me about Ms Mukuka Zimba was clear and serious, I suspended her immediately to pave way for investigations.
So why didn’t she wait to report Sichone to me the same way she reported the former PS? Why was she in a hurry to act when she knew that I was out only for a few days?”
President Mwanawasa complained that unfair criticism would not help him in the fight against corruption.
“You say that we are partners in this fight but sometimes the way you write I wonder if we are really partners,” President Mwanawasa complained. “Are you not protecting those who appear to be guilty they way you are writing? You see, I don’t feel appreciated sometimes. We are doing a lot to fight corruption. And my letter to Rev Nyirongo which you quoted was marked “secret” but I am giving you permission to reproduce it in full so that people can see for themselves everything that I said because you only quoted where it was convenient for you. You left out a lot of things. So let people judge.”
President Mwanawasa reiterated his commitment to the fight against corruption and reassured that he would not protect wrongdoers if their wrongdoing was established.
He said he was duty bound to dismiss Rev Nyirongo because the allegations against her were serious.
“She is alleged to have given plots to her husband and children but why should one family have so many plots?” President Mwanawasa asked. “These are the issues to be investigated because one family cannot have so many plots when there are a lot of people who do not have land.”
Labels: ACC, CORRUPTION, DEC, GLADYS NYIRONGO, LAND, MINISTERS
posted by MrK @ 3:47 AM
3 Comments:
Levy is a walking contradiction. His random and schizophrenic actions –-in erstwhile times, only an annoying irritant, have now become a foul stench in the collective nostrils of any one with a claim to reason. His cheap rhetoric belies reason and his inconsistencies are disturbing. Who will end this spectacle?
no one will all our political leaders are jockers. Sata is even worse
I agree with you that Sata is an even worse caricature...
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