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Rupiah’s govt should take responsibility of Chiluba’s corruption cases – Magande

Rupiah’s govt should take responsibility of Chiluba’s corruption cases – Magande
Written by Patson Chilemba
Monday, August 24, 2009 6:43:37 AM

CHILANGA MMD member of parliament Ng'andu Magande has said President Rupiah Banda's government should take full responsibility of Frederick Chiluba's corruption cases since they had promised to follow late president Levy Mwanawasa's legacy. Magande said the government should not distance itself from matters involving former president Chiluba.

"If they are saying that is not our case, then they can't come to Parliament, because we will also say this is not our case, it was started by the previous Parliament. Some of us were not there," Magande said in an interview last Thursday. "The current government has a responsibility to implement programmes of the past government."

Magande wondered why there was express speed on the part of Chiluba to have his immunity restored.

He said president Mwanawasa did a wise thing when he asked Parliament to lift Chiluba's immunity so that he could answer to the several corruption allegations that were levelled against him.

"From my limited legal understanding, Frederick Chiluba had a case which was adjudged against him in London, and has to do with corruption issues. Just now the Ministry of Health was saying they had recovered K13 billion which was meant for maternity wings in 34 hospitals. So the question which still stands is; was there a part played by the former president?" Magande asked.

"So before asking for the immunity, we must be told that these things have been lifted, the way things are being said, it's at such an express speed that you wonder why the rush?"

Magande said people like former Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZNCB) managing director Samuel Musonda were still appealing against the judgment meted on them, and Chiluba would need to answer if it was established that he participated in the loot.

Magande said those who went into public office should be transparent and accountable to the people. He said those who were accused of being thieves should even be the first ones to seek legal redress and not the other way round.

Magande charged that President Banda and his government were not following late president Mwanawasa's legacy and vision. He said he was privileged to have been close to president Mwanawasa and in the process came to understand the late president's vision. He said national affairs were currently not being run the way president Mwanawasa would have liked them to be run. Magande said people could make several promises during election campaigns, such as following president Mwanawasa's legacy but fail on the implementation.

"Clearly, like I have said, I was privileged to be close to president Mwanawasa. Sometimes we were flying the two of us in the presidential plane, and during that time we were not just sleeping. Is president Mwanawasa's legacy, his vision, is it being done, is it being implemented now? I want to say no. After these 12 months [since the death of president Mwanawasa] of reflecting on what we did, I want to say a lot of what president Mwanawasa wanted done, is not being done. If it is being done, it is not being done in the way it should be done," Magande said. "President Mwanawasa said we Zambians are responsible for our own development. He said 46 per cent of our budget is sponsored by foreigners, 'I want you Magande and your team to work this out so that we generate more of our own resources'. Budget support of donors was reduced from 46 per cent in 2003 to 16 per cent in 2008."

Magande said president Mwanawasa's government also introduced the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) so that more Zambians could be encouraged to establish companies and the government would in the process collect taxes, thereby reducing on donor dependency.

He said during president Mwanawasa's time, the country became self-sufficient in terms of food.

"Levy said I don't want you to be going to Europe to get the money which these people get from us. We came up with the windfall taxes. Six months ago I said the issue of low mineral prices is just temporal. It is now 6,400 United States dollars. But the current provision is that we shall be getting from the profit tax, and we shall be getting that next year in April. And what do you do when they tell you we made losses here and there?" Magande asked.

"Last week, we were amazed that 682 tonnes of nickel was exported at 10,000 dollars per tonne per nickel, meaning six million dollars altogether. The minister of finance was asked how much did government earn? He said government earned 300,000 dollars. So where is the other money? It has gone. The current mineral regime is not fair to Zambians."

Asked what advice he would give government based on the observations he had raised, Magande responded: "I don't know the mission of this government. I don't know the vision. So I can't advise them. I think during campaigns, people can say a lot of things, but whether they fulfil them, that's another thing."

However, Magande thanked former first lady Maureen for saying that president Mwanawasa worked with people who believed in his vision.

"That's why I am saying thank you for recognising the effort of the team which worked with Levy," he said.

Asked how he rated his chances at the MMD convention now that President Banda had announced that he would seek a second term, Magande said the convention for the MMD was for MMD members, saying leadership was not about the MMD but for Zambians.

He urged Zambians not to focus on what would happen at the MMD convention. Magande said Zambians needed a leader that would carry the vision forward. He said he would want to be in a position to have an opportunity to articulate his mission for Zambia.

"If he [President Banda] wants to start talking about a second term, as long as he gives Zambians his mission and vision, if they are looking to me as one of those who can move the country forward, I am available," Magande said.

He said it was a blessing to have worked with an inspirational leader like president Mwanawasa who had a vision and mission statement, and was not concerned about himself but the people.

Magande said his knowing and working with president Mwanawasa stimulated his creativity.

He said he became a feature both in Zambia and the international community, and when he spoke he was confident about what he was going to say.

"Of course I presented myself for the presidency last year because I understood president Mwanawasa's vision. Since then, I didn't get elected by NEC. But in the last 12 months, people who were in that NEC meeting have said 'I wish we knew you better, how close you worked with the late president'," he said.

Magande wondered why President Banda attacked him over the sale of ZNCB when the matter was adequately debated by the public. He said even the sale of ZNCB shares was well known to the public.

"Zambians have the capability to manage their assets, but they need to be inspired. How can somebody say out of the many people we have, no one has the capability to run our assets? What is more complicated, running Zambia as a country or running Zamtel? Running a country is more complicated," said Magande.

Labels: CEEC, CHILUBA, CORRUPTION, MAGANDE, MWANAWASA, RUPIAH BANDA, WINDFALL TAX

posted by MrK @ 5:45 AM