Maravi

Chongwe disqualifies Katele for presidency

Chongwe disqualifies Katele for presidency
By Patson Chilemba
Thursday July 24, 2008 [04:00]

VETERAN politician Dr Rodger Chongwe yesterday said it would be immoral and unethical for MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba to aspire for the presidency when he is facing corruption charges. Commenting on MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba's statement that Kalumba had presidential ambitions, Dr Chongwe urged Kalumba to examine his conscience and wait until the corruption cases he was facing were disposed of.

"What I am saying is that it's immoral, unethical for a leader facing criminal charges to seek to stand for higher office. But it is not unlawful because according to our law, a person can only be prevented if they have been convicted of crime," Dr Chongwe said.

"Let him ask himself, is it correct to throw himself before the people of Zambia when the accusation for criminal offences has not been concluded?"

Dr Chongwe said the MMD elected Kalumba as their national secretary even when they knew that he was facing corruption charges.

"For him to be allowed, it would seem that this country allows people who are facing charges to assume higher office," he said.

Dr Chongwe explained that human ethics dictate that a person facing charges like the ones Kalumba was facing should not aspire for higher office.

"It would be wrong for him to stand for the highest office. He has to make judgment himself that the people in Zambia and elsewhere will not expect him to offer himself for the presidency whilst he has this charge dangling around him," he said.

Dr Chongwe further blamed the country's judicial system for taking long to dispose of the case involving Kalumba and former Republican president Frederick Chiluba.

Dr Chongwe said a judicial system that could take more than three years to dispose of such a case was incompetent and not properly organised to discharge its functions in cases of such nature.

"We have to blame our judicial institutions which appear to take too long to dispose of cases," said Dr Chongwe. "Quite honestly, we should blame the judicial institutions for the inordinate delay in concluding criminal cases regarding the plunder of national resources. Surely must it take four or five years to conclude a charge of corruption before our courts?

"This is a country where to register a foreign judgment takes six months when it should take weeks. But what we should be talking about is how to reform our judicial institutions so that they perform their function. Obviously they need training and equipment."

Labels: CHONGWE, KATELE KALUMBA

posted by MrK @ 4:23 AM