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Sata urges ACC, Auditor General to audit NCC

Sata urges ACC, Auditor General to audit NCC
Written by Lambwe Kachali

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata has asked the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and office of the Auditor General to immediately audit the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) before more money is plundered.

And Sata said PF will protect the police officer who has been threatened with dismissal on what he termed as false allegations from Kawambwa member of parliament Elizabeth Chitika-Mulobeka.

In an interview, Sata yesterday charged that only 100 people out of the 600 membership of the NCC had benefited more from the K44 billion that had so far been spent on the conference.

Sata said last year, undisclosed brand new vehicles were bought for a few individuals at the NCC secretariat and that another consignment of vehicles were purchased this month.

He said a few individuals such as Mwangala Zaloumis, Faustina Sinyangwe, Newton Ng'uni, Leonard Hikaumba, Chifumu Banda, Regina Musokotwane and a few others were benefiting more from the NCC.

He also observed that apart from the allowances, these people at the secretariat were paid huge sums as monthly salaries.

"This is why Zaloumis today is defending the dissolution of NCC. As far as I know, only 100 individuals are chewing this money more than others within the NCC. These people in the secretariat do not go on recess the way the majority membership does," Sata charged.

He said there was need for Zambians to know how such huge amounts of taxpayers' money could be spent in six months’ time.

He said currently, there was no accountability whatsoever in the way NCC was spending taxpayers' money.

Sata challenged Vice-President George Kunda to tell the nation about the remunerations of people manning the secretariat as well as the cost of the motor vehicles.

He wondered why Zaloumis talked about a draft report when there was already the Mung'omba draft report.

"All that reaction from Zaloumis is sour grapes and crocodile tears. She wants to take me on because of her disgraceful defeat she has suffered in the High Court together with PF ‘rebels’. Zaloumis thought the government would help her, that's why she used the NCC to challenge me. Now that she has lost the case, she is very worried," Sata said.

"But wait, we are going to finish her even in the Supreme Court and our fight against NCC will continue."

Sata said he would not allow Zambians to be disenfranchised on the pretext that the government did not have money to fund the voters' registration exercise.

"Continuous registration of voters will benefit the governance and democracy of our country rather than enriching one woman and her fellow money mongers," he said.

Sata said a good electoral system transcended the piecemeal changes NCC was making to the Mung'omba draft constitution.

"I urge Oasis Forum, church mother bodies, civil society organisations and the donor community to put pressure on President Rupiah Banda to commence continuous voter registration immediately. This is one of the most important exercises that will bring about transparent elections in 2011," he said.

And Sata said Chitika-Mulobeka was playing with fire for falsely reporting an innocent officer to police, saying PF was ready to protect the officer's human rights.

Sata said should the officer be fired, PF would take the Inspector General of Police and Chitika-Mulobeka to court.

"The best thing the IG can do is not threaten that officer with dismissal or else we shall meet in court," said Sata.

The Zambia Police Service Copperbelt division headquarters has asked superintendant Chitotela to exculpate himself and give reasons why he should not be dismissed for allegedly campaigning for the PF.

According to a letter signed by G Musonda for the Kitwe divisional reserve staff training officer dated November 18, 2008, Chitotela was allegedly seen by Chitika-Mulobeka on October 1 around 22:00 hours in Kawambwa's Matelo area in a convoy of three vehicles with a public address system campaigning for PF.

According to the letter, it was further alleged that Chitotela was driving a car that had stickers bearing portraits of Sata and that he introduced himself as a superior reserve police officer based in Kitwe.

"Mr T Samakai - officer-in-charge Kawambwa Police Station summoned you to his office in the presence of Hon Elizabeth Chitika Mulobeka and later interviewed you over the alleged involvement in partisan politics. You admitted coming from Kitwe to drive your uncle a Mr Timothy Walamba a Patriotic Front leader MCC who was in the area for campaign trails," stated the letter. "You also produced your identity card for Zambia Police Reserve You are fully aware that as a member of the Zambia Police Service, you are not allowed to engage or involve yourself in partisan politics but to support the government of the day.

Labels: ACC, ELECTIONS, MWANGALA ZALOUMIS, NCC, SATA

posted by MrK @ 6:46 AM