Maravi

Rupiah and Chiluba are birds of a feather

Rupiah and Chiluba are birds of a feather
By The Post
Tue 14 Sep. 2010, 04:00 CAT

It is said that things that are done in secrecy will one day be exposed for all to see. It is better to live an honest life and expect that everything that one does will one day be open for all to know. This attitude can help us to live a life of integrity because we realise that sooner or later we will be held accountable for what we do. This knowledge can also be helpful to those of our friends who find themselves in positions of leadership and public accountability.

It is easy for those who have power today to be fooled into believing that they are the ultimate and are capable of doing whatever they wish without worrying about the consequences. Power allows those who have it to influence things for their own benefit. And it is this ability that fools the powerful into believing that they can get away with anything. This is the corrupting influence that power can exert on a person. This is why it is said: “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.

We are not saying anything new or discussing some novel kind of wisdom that is unknown by our people. Our languages are full of sayings reminding people that what is done in secret will one day be known by all. This is something that Rupiah Banda, and those that are enjoying what they consider to be the benefits of power with him, should not lose sight of. Today they can abuse their positions in all sorts of ways and seem to get away with it because they control everything. But they can be sure that a day of reckoning is coming.

There is something wrong with the way Rupiah has decided that his political fortunes are tied to Frederick Chiluba. It seems Rupiah believes that defending Chiluba will get him political benefit that he will otherwise not get. This is why they can proudly declare Chiluba to be their political consultant. And this is why they have the courage to denounce the donors, who try to help our country in one way or the other, all in an effort to defend a thief.

As Col Panji Kaunda has rightly observed, Rupiah’s closeness to Chiluba has rendered him impotent and incapable of ever fighting corruption in any meaningful way. By embracing Chiluba, Rupiah has accepted corruption and clearly told the nation that he has no problem with the crimes that Chiluba has committed. To Rupiah, it is okay for Chiluba to steal money, to accept bribes and ransack state institutions such as Zanaco, where Chiluba and his tandem of thieves used to get cash without ever concerning themselves with accountability. Chiluba treated government money as if it was his. His Children could be given obscene amounts of cash from state coffers for no reason other than the fact their father was president. Chiluba used his position as president to control as much of the government business as he could. State House, as our people know, became the headquarters for all economic activities.

It was at State House that all government procurement was controlled. Chiluba was on the payroll of known government suppliers. Of course today when he is challenged, Chiluba will say that these were his friends and well-wishers, and the monies they gave him were gifts with no strings attached. But we all know that the monies that Chiluba received were bribes and inducements meant to cause him to give favourable consideration to the interests of his so-called friends.

As a result of Chiluba’s known inclination toward corruption and other breaches of his duty to protect our national resources, there was a total breakdown of discipline in government. It was during this government that all sorts of conmen and other criminals perfected the art of defrauding the state. There were even suppliers who used to get paid for supplying nothing – supplying air.

These are the things that Chiluba stood for. Corruption and abuse of power in all its heinous manifestations was so rampant in Chiluba’s government that those who were involved in it even forgot that it was a criminal offence. To this day, some members of Chiluba’s tandem of thieves do not see that receiving bribes and abusing their offices in all sorts of ways was anything wrong. Those who were prosecuted during Levy Mwanawasa’s presidency believe, and some of them sincerely, although wrongly, that they were victims of a political witch-hunt. Such was their sense of entitlement to the abuse of their offices that they have difficulty acknowledging that they did anything wrong.

By embracing Chiluba, Rupiah is telling the whole world that he has no problem with what his political consultant did. If anything, by declaring Chiluba to be his political consultant, Rupiah has accepted Chiluba’s methods. It is no wonder that the same indiscipline and determination to abuse public offices that characterised Chiluba’s tenure as president is back under Rupiah. In fact, Rupiah’s two-year tenure is quickly eclipsing Chiluba’s record. At this rate Chiluba’s record may be relegated to that of an amateur.

It is because of Rupiah’s own attitude towards abuse of office and corruption that you have a shameful attempt by the government to remove the offence of abuse of office from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Act. Rupiah and his minions even have the audacity to attempt to defend this nonsense with what they think are convincing arguments that do nothing but expose them as being corrupt.

This leads us to the question: why is Rupiah so determined in his defence of Chiluba? Is it because Chiluba is such a damn good political consultant that he cannot do without him? Indeed, could there be a more sinister motive for this dogged defence of such a thief? Could it be that Rupiah is also receiving unearned income from all sorts of ‘friends and well-wishers’ for which he fears he might have to give account one day? If this is true, it could offer an explanation for this dogged defence of Chiluba. We say this because it seems that if Rupiah allows Chiluba to face the consequences of his actions, it would set a ‘very bad’ precedent. Of course, Rupiah may not want to allow a precedent to be created that comes to haunt him.

But what cannot be denied is that corruption and abuse of office in the Chiluba style is back in full force under Rupiah. Rupiah’s defence of Chiluba is clear blessing of criminality. Anyway maybe this is why it is said: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3).

Applying this to Rupiah and his walking with Chiluba, it means that he agrees with him and has no objection to his thefts of money from our people. It also means that Rupiah believes that a person in his position should be able to abuse his position and enrich himself without any consequences. This is what will land Rupiah in all the trouble that is already heading his way. Being President does not entitle the office holder to enrich himself. Rupiah will have no one to blame when his troubles come.

It is said that birds of a feather flock together. Rupiah and Chiluba are birds of a feather and now they are flocking together.

Labels: CORRUPTION, FREDERICK CHILUBA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 6:28 AM