Maravi

Kunda risks finding himself in trouble, warns Kavindele

Kunda risks finding himself in trouble, warns Kavindele
By George Chellah
Tue 22 Dec. 2009, 04:01 CAT

FORMER Republican vice-president Enoch Kavindele yesterday warned that Vice-President George Kunda risks finding himself in trouble in future over Dr Rodger Chongwe's US $6.7 million compensation claim.

In an interview, Kavindele cautioned Vice-President Kunda that he would be in trouble over the matter because he has no immunity.

“I am shocked to learn that the Vice-President George Kunda who sat in meetings and agreed on the way forward on this Chongwe matter… he attended the meetings with late president Levy Mwanawasa when this matter of Rodger Chongwe was discussed and how the US $60,000 compensation was arrived at,” Kavindele said.

He wondered how Vice-President Kunda could now say Dr Chongwe was entitled to a higher amount than the US $60,000.

“Mr Kunda should realise that he does not enjoy the same immunity from prosecution as the President. He doesn't have that immunity and therefore, in my opinion when the reasons why Chongwe was only offered US $60,000 or when the reasons are disclosed, Kunda will be in trouble on the issue of Chongwe because he was in meetings that discussed this US $60, 000 and they had agreed on that,” Kavindele said.

“So how can he today come round and say ‘add more zeroes there to make it US $6 million?’ My advice to him is that he should stick to the amount they agreed upon which was US $60,000. I do not understand why these people want to open this Pandora’s Box.”

He said there were many people who could come out to claim.

“Take the case of a Mr Lumbwe, who was an officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was shot in the groin by the police. When he went to seek asylum at an American embassy house, the police shot him in the groin. He lives somewhere in Kabwe's Mukonchi area,” Kavindele said.

“I am just giving you a few cases. In Chingola, two children were killed by a police stray bullet. The children were playing and then police fired a stray bullet, which went into children who were playing. Their parents have asked me as former MP for Chingola whether I can assist them to launch a claim with this government.

“Many politicians also… most of them have died like Simon Kapwepwe, Justin Chimba, John Chisata, Abel Chambeshi and many others went through police brutality. Although they are dead, their children would want to come out and claim.”

Kavindele urged Vice-President Kunda to make available to the President a report on human right abuses in Zambia.

“It was an inquiry…human rights abuses inquiry by eminent Lusaka lawyer Mr Bruce Munyama. Then they will understand the extent of the pandoras box that they are opening,” he said.

Last week, Vice-President Kunda maintained that Zambia is liable to compensate Dr Chongwe.

He said Dr Chongwe's case was being ably handled by the office of the Attorney-General in accordance with the constitutional provisions and the United Nations Convention on Human Rights under which Dr Chongwe 's claim was lodged.

Vice-President Kunda said that Zambia, being a member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC), was found Zambia liable to pay Dr Chongwe the sum of US $6.7 million as compensation.

He said that as Vice-President and Minister of Justice and on the instruction of President Banda, he met Dr Chongwe and referred him to the Attorney-General where the matter was dealt with in full.

Labels: ENOCH KAVINDELE, GEORGE KUNDA, ROGER CHONGWE, VICE PRESIDENCY

posted by MrK @ 5:29 PM