Maravi

Habasonda urges govt to review direction of corruption fight

Habasonda urges govt to review direction of corruption fight
By Moses Kuwema
Thu 13 May 2010, 03:30 CAT

SOUTHERN African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) executive director Lee Habasonda has urged the government to rise above personal vendettas and review the direction the fight against corruption has taken.

Commenting on the termination of Mutembo Nchito’s contract as Task Force on Corruption prosecutor, Habasonda said Nchito’s removal was a way of getting rid of people who could do the job that needed to be done.

“Some of us are surprised that Mutembo lasted this far really. What we can urge is that it is important for government to rise above personal fights and vendettas and begin to address the larger issues and in this case to seriously review administratively the direction in which the fight against corruption has taken,” Habasonda said.

“And if they have shifted to the Anti Corruption Commission ACC, have we put in place the necessary measures that will ensure that the ACC is not the usual toothless bulldog that Zambians have known?

“… And now they have gotten rid of him so they can sit on what they want to sit on, they can select who they want to prosecute and so on. Now it will be about who they want prosecuted and who they don’t want to be prosecuted. We all know the record of our brother Mr Chalwe Mchenga Director of Public Prosecutions. So really, the future doesn’t look bright at all. By removing Mutembo it means those who have removed him want to have their way, so if you are expecting anything… I mean that’s the end of the road. And for some of us who are observing from a distance we think it is the end of the story that’s why I was saying it does not create a very bright picture about Zambia’s commitment to the fight against corruption.”

Habasonda said Zambians should not expect much out of the fight against corruption.

“Unless government will really prove themselves otherwise. We are watching and if they can do so, we will be the first ones to praise them but we are really doubtful that the action they have taken intends to improve the performance,” he said.

“There had been a number of seculars on the internet trying to discredit Mutembo but we think that he has done his job well. Unfortunately the same system which hired him now thinks they don’t need him, that he has become a pain in their backside so now they can do what they want I suppose.”

On intentions to investigate the Task Force on Corruption, Habasonda responded,

“This clearly indicates that it is rather some sort of vendetta that is being waged because our understanding is that the Task Force was receiving the money through the normal civil service channel and to begin to behave the way they are doing now raises more questions than answers. Clearly while the DPP has the right to fire and hire prosecutors, our view of the situation is that the manner in which this is being dealt with is like witch hunting and this is really a source of conflict from our point of view as SACCORD.

This will just create more suspicions, more witch-hunting and we are not really building the image on the fight against corruption. I think what we expect is that things must be made clear in white and blue to say yes the job has been terminated they can’t keep Nchito.”

The government recently terminated Nchito’s contract as prosecutor on grounds that he had concluded all the corruption cases he was handling.

Labels: LEE HABASONDE, MUTEMBO NCHITO, TASK FORCE

posted by MrK @ 4:01 PM