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Banda’s leadership is a danger to democracy - Hansungule

Banda’s leadership is a danger to democracy - Hansungule
By Ernest Chanda and Chibaula Silwamba
Sat 06 Nov. 2010, 04:01 CAT

PROFESSOR Michelo Hansungule has asked President Rupiah Banda to be sober minded and show leadership over Parliament’s removal of the abuse of office clause in the ACC Act. And SACCORD executive director Lee Habasonda said Parliament has been turned into a rubber stamp.

In an interview, the Pretoria based Professor of human rights law said it was a shame that President Banda had chosen not to listen to people over the removal of the abuse of office offence clause. He described President Banda's leadership as a danger to democracy.

“The unacceptably high level of ignorance in President Rupiah Banda’s Cabinet over simple issues is worrying. MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya has just expressed her ignorance over the abuse of public office clause by invoking the UNIP old order to justify why her government is in order to strip the law of this clause. Is this what they discuss in Cabinet? ‘UNIP brought this clause, therefore, we must remove it because it is outdated and will prevent us from owning property.’” questioned Prof Hansungule.

“Why should Zambia be so unlucky to have such raw people as leaders? Put simply, the letter and spirit of the clause is that you cannot be allowed to abuse public office to build yourself a house. The clause does not prevent you from building your house from your salary or from your other lawful resources earned from lawful activities. All it does is to bring honesty in public office by ensuring those who occupy public office use it (not abuse it) for private gain. President Banda's leadership is a danger to democracy.”

Prof Hansungule questioned how President Banda acquired his Chipata farm during the UNIP era if at all the clause had barred leaders from acquiring assets.

“How did President Banda acquire his Chipata farm if the clause is what he and Dora say it was? Is he suggesting he abused his office to acquire his farm? I think leaders like Dora Siliya and President Banda have a duty to understand simple things to avoid confusing the people,” said Prof Hansungule.

“President Banda must show leadership on this issue. He should think and act beyond the likes of Dora Siliya. The issue at stake is very simple. A whole President cannot be seen celebrating those that abuse public office as ‘new dispensation’. What is this ‘new dispensation’? Abusing public office for private gain with impunity is ‘new dispensation’? President Banda can do better than that. He must restore public confidence in the country's anti-corruption programme. He should not be seen kissing corruption.”

And Habasonda said it was unfortunate that Parliament had become a place of formalities and rituals without ability to challenge the executive’s actions, particularly those that threaten good governance, rule of law and systematic conflict resolution.

“We cannot have a Parliament that always rubber stamps things. Something must surely be wrong,” Habasonda said.

“SACCORD notes with sadness that the justification of the removal of the abuse of office clause by President Banda signifies a loss of legal and political direction for the country. It is clear that the executive is only listening to its own voice.”

He said Zambia was at a crossroads and stood the risk of an international perception that Zambia was now a haven of corruption where it was fashionable and gave pride to legalise abuse of office without any scruples at all.

Habasonda said it was worrying that this would have implications on donor support and domestic accountability.

“It is becoming very clear that capricious individuals have captured the statecraft and the leadership cannot appreciate the value of those persuading them to abandon the path they have taken over this law,” Habasonda said.

“As SACCORD we wish to serve timely notice that those scheming these laws and forcing them on Zambians must be mindful that while they can triumph for a season, what is certain is that their day of reckoning is surely coming. And it will be that day when they are no longer secured and protected by the trappings of government and the state machinery that they will discern reason in what we are saying now, but it will be too late. Zambia needs laws that serve the interest of the majority rather than the minority.”

Habasonda appealed to President Banda to send the amendment Bill back for further consultation instead of signing it into law.

Labels: LEE HABASONDA, MICHELO HANSUNGULE, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 1:17 AM