Lubinda doubts Zambia’s future eligibility for MCA funds

Lubinda doubts Zambia’s future eligibility for MCA funds
Written by George Chellah
Sunday, October 04, 2009 5:00:50 PM

KABWATA PF member of parliament Given Lubinda has expressed doubt on whether Zambia will continue to be eligible for funding from the United States government under the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA).

Contributing to debate on President Rupiah Banda’s address, Lubinda told Parliament on Friday that under the present situation, the possibility of Zambia remaining eligible for the MCA was a tall order. He mockingly said works and supply minister Mike Mulongoti deserves credit for fighting corruption.

“In the Zambia Daily Mail of 2007, Mulongoti said and I quote, ‘Dr Chiluba was telling lies that government departments had been requested to transfer their insurance policies from the Zambia State Insurance Corporation to Professional Insurance Corporation. Dr Chiluba was found liable of theft of public funds by a London Court and was still appearing in court of other cases and that was evident of how bad his regime was. Millions of dollars were not only misappropriated by government officials but were also stolen by some former leaders who were now masqueradering as angels...’ surely Mulongoti deserves to be put on the list of those who fought corruption,” Lubinda said. “With the demise of [Levy] Mwanawasa and with the turning around of Mulongoti…all of a sudden, a very dynamic Mulongoti has turned around. One wonders whether we shall continue to be eligible on the Millenuim Challenge Account. Will we qualify under ruling justly when we are governing by threats to the fourth estate, the press? Is intimidating the church by calling them genocidal people commensurate with ruling justly? Is intimidating donors like we have seen today in the paper commensurate to ruling justly? Is intimidating NGOs ruling justly?”

He wondered whether Zambia would stay afloat on the Millennium Challenge Account.

“All I can do is to wish my dear friends good luck because theirs is a tall order,” Lubinda said.

However, Lubinda said all was not lost for the Zambian people.

“In this House sit men and women whose goal is to give Zambian people the sense of patriotism. Hope for a One Zambia, One Nation and one law where criminals will be treated as such irrespective of their history,” he said.

He also took time to eulogise the late Solwezi Central MMD member of parliament Benny Tetamashimba and commended him for his forthrightness.

Lubinda who cited the incident when the late Tetamashimba accused him and two others of dual party membership said the incident helped him in his political career.

“It saved me the anguish of campaigning for a presidential candidate who was also a campaign manager for another presidential candidate,” said Lubinda in apparent reference to United Liberal Party (ULP) president Sakwiba Sikota who campaigned for President Rupiah Banda.

He said the late Tetamashimba protested any person he felt was corrupt.

“He surely deserves credit,” said Lubinda.

During the launch of the Millennium Challenge Account-Zambia (MCA-Zambia) at State House recently, US Ambassador to Zambia Donald Booth said Zambia’s eligibility to the MCA was dependant on several indicators but the most important one being the fight against corruption.

“Maintaining the high level fight against corruption is paramount to Zambia’s current and continued eligibility. That is one indicator that absolutely has to be met in order to maintain eligibility for MCA,” said Ambassador Booth. “Zambia must adhere to principles of good governance and economic freedom in order to maintain compact eligibility. Compact eligible countries must re-qualify every year. Every year these different indicators are analysed.”

And national co-ordinator for MCA-Zambia Robert Liebenthal said Zambia became eligible in December 2008 when its control of corruption indicators exceeded the median of all low-income countries for the first time.

“Zambia must maintain eligibility by continuing to score above the median for all indicators especially the control of corruption indicators in December 2009 (based on 2008 data) and December 2010 (based on 2009 data),” Liebenthal said. “Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) attaches particular importance to the control of corruption indicator. Zambia could become ineligible if that indicator slips even if all the other indicators are favourable.”

He explained that MCC was established in 2004 by the US government in order to fulfill that government’s pledge at the 2002 UN conference on financing for development to provide greater resources to countries taking greater responsibility for their own development.

“MCC assesses country eligibility based on progress in three broad areas: ruling justly, investing in people and economic freedom,” said Liebenthal.