Maravi

Chiluba should not continue to get benefits, says Emily

Chiluba should not continue to get benefits, says Emily
By Bivan Saluseki
Tuesday May 15, 2007 [04:00]

Women for Change executive director Emily Sikazwe has said Chiluba has too much money and taxpayers should not continue to pay for his comfort. And Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) director Fr Pete Henriot has said a new constitution is a must to address some of the corrupt practices and deal with debt contraction. Meanwhile UNZASU and Copperbelt University Students Union (COBUSU) former presidents Antonio Mwanza and Emmanuel Mwange said Chiluba was a political vulture who had swooped Zambia’s meagre resources.

During a newsmakers forum organised by the Press Freedom Committee of The Post at Chrismar Hotel in Lusaka on Sunday, Sikazwe said the civil society would put pressure and make sure that Chiluba did not continue to get benefits and stay in comfort, while people he stole money from were dying of curable diseases.

She said the fight against people who extracted resources was a responsibility for all Zambians. She said plunderers such as Chiluba had been found guilty, yet they were even allowed to hold press conferences and begin to trivialise issues. Sikazwe said hospitals had inadequate equipment because the money had been stolen while an army of children had been offloaded onto the streets.

She said despite what Chiluba did, Zambians even had the audacity to build him a house. “What are we saying now? He deserves a house? Mr Chiluba will not get that house and he should not get that house,” she said. Sikazwe said the money should be used to build hospitals or restock the University Teaching Hospital where people were dying. “No Zambian should be left with any doubt. Chiluba is not a poor person. Already we are maintaining him on taxpayers’ money. I don’t think that us Zambians should be keeping plunderers in comfort,” she said.

Sikazwe said at times Zambians were funny people. “We are very funny people. To be saying you are going to maintain this person on meagre tax money, when you can use it to reduce maternal mortality, we want to build them better houses. That same afternoon when the judgment was being read out, he (Chiluba) was being shown a plot where his house would be constructed near Baobab. He even took a walk. We should not be allowing such things. Chiluba will not be built that house. He should not be allowed to get any penny from tax payers’ money.”

Sikazwe said the issue of emoluments would have to be raised during the Constituent Assembly. Sikazwe said it was sad that Zambians were finding themselves in a position where ‘vultures’ such as Donegal had descended on them despite the few resources. She said Zambia was in such a position where Donegal was claiming millions of dollars because government officials responsible did not do what people wanted. Sikazwe said leaders were currently busy signing new loans and ordinary people were not aware. “We don’t know for what and we don’t know the levels and under which conditions those loans are being contracted,” she said.

Zambia is to pay $15.5 million to a British Virgin Isles-registered firm to settle a case at London’s High Court. Donegal International - described by critics as a “vulture fund” - had taken the country to court seeking payment of a debt, and late payment penalties. The firm had been seeking US $55 million in total - after buying a debt of US $3.2 million that Zambia originally owed to Romania. Sikazwe said it was morally wrong for Donegal to claim such an amount. She said Zambians who participated in the deal must be brought to account.

And Fr Henriot said a good constitution was needed to address issues of debt and corruption. He said the debt issue was a moral and ethical issue as it affected everyone. Fr Henriot said the issue of debt was locked into the economic system and globalisation. He said Donegal had taken advantage of Zambia’s debt cancellation but they were morally wrong. Fr Henriot said there was need to find out if the government had already started paying Donegal for the debt.

And Southern Africa Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) executive director Lee Habasonda said it was murder to extort money from vulnerable and weak economies like Zambia. Habasonda said Donegal wanted to get a cut from Zambia’s debt write off. He said the money being claimed undermined efforts aimed at poverty alleviation. Mwange said Zambians had been creating an environment rife for vultures.

He said Zambia had political vultures such as Chiluba who had embezzled money. “We have Zambians in the name of Chiluba who vultured some funds,” said Mwange. Mwange said embezzlement was taking place even in the current government. Mwanza said Chiluba wanted to hide in a press conference that was not justified.

Labels: CHILUBA, EMILY SIKAZWE, PFC, SACCORD, WFC

posted by MrK @ 4:00 PM