Maravi

(LUSAKATIMES) RB explains why he fired Nkole

RB explains why he fired Nkole
Sunday, August 30, 2009, 15:06

President Rupiah Banda has said that government fired former Task Force on Corruption Chairman Max Nkole because he defied government advise over former president Chiluba’s acquittal.

President Banda said Mr. Nkole’s failure to heed advise from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Chalwe Mchenga following Dr. Chiluba’s acquittal amounted to indiscipline.

The President said this in Matsapha, Swaziland when he addressed the Zambian community living in that country.

He said Mr. Nkole went ahead to appeal against the former president Chiluba’s acquittal in Ndola High Court, ignoring advise from the DPP to allow his office study the judgment first before taking such a move.

Mr. Banda said the DPP had all the constitutional powers to prosecute all criminal cases without interference from anyone.
He said Mr. Nkole should have followed the advise from the DPP before appealing against the acquittal of Mr. Chiluba.

Mr. Banda disclosed that Mr. Nkole’s behaviour also made it difficult for him to renew his contract which expired in November last year. Mr. Nkole’s contract as Task Force on Corruption ended on November 16, 2008.

“Mr. Nkole defied advise given to him by the DPP and decided to deal with the matter in his own way,” The President said.

Mr. Nkole’s appeal against the former president’s acquittal in the Ndola High Court has since been withdrawn by the DPP.

The president told Zambians community in Swaziland that the country was politically stable although it had faced some economic problems brought about by the global financial crisis.

Mr. Banda said he was happy that things did not become worse because there was fear of massive job losses due to closure of companies especially in the mining sector.

He said only one mine had problems and was put on care and maintenance but government has since sorted out the problem with over 1000 people who had lost their jobs re-employed.

President Banda hoped that the National Constitution Conference (NCC)would conclude its business soon and give the country a better constitution than the current one.

He said due to a strong appeal from Zambians in diapora, the NCC has agreed that Zambians should be allowed to have dual citizenship.

Mr. Banda said the current constitution did not allow Zambians to have dual citizenship but the NCC felt that the constitution should be changed to allow that.

The President said there were several reasons why Zambians seek citizenship from other countries.
He said if Zambians who sought citizenship from other countries still wanted to remain Zambians, they should not be denied that opportunity.

And the Association of Zambian Nationals in Swaziland (AZANAS) has appealed to government to speed up the processing of new passports for Zambians living abroad.

AZANAS President Dickson Mukunda said only few Zambians in living in Swaziland had so far acquired new passports.

Rev. Mukunda said the rest were still waiting for the passport one year after submitting the forms to the Zambian Mission in Mozambique.
The AZANAS president also appealed to the President Banda to extend the deadline for the renewal of passports.

President Banda said he would ensure that the Passport Office speed up the issuance of passports to Zambians living abroad.

Those who attended the meeting included Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane, Zambia’s Ambassador to Mozambique Agness Ngoma and government officials from both countries.

ZANIS

Labels: CHALWE MCHENGA, DPP, MAX NKOLE, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:11 PM