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Sata invites OP to join fight against corruption

Sata invites OP to join fight against corruption
By Bright Mukwasa
Wed 04 Jan. 2012, 13:59 CAT

INTELLIGENCE officers must fight corruption with renewed vigour, says President Michael Sata. And President Sata says he is aware that the PF's ascendancy to power has heightened the expectations of Zambians who had lost hope under the previous regime.

According to a statement issued by Presidential spokesperson George Chellah, President Sata was addressing the ZSIS senior officers' conference yesterday, on the theme: "Efficient and effective intelligence key to enhanced national security, sustainable economic development and the fight against corruption." President Sata urged the Zambia Security Intelligence Service (ZSIS) to contribute to the fight against corruption.

"The Patriotic Front (PF) government will spare no effort to fight corruption which the previous regime had embraced. As government, we are aware that corruption has been a major factor hindering national development and service delivery to the majority of our people," President Sata said.

"In this fight, you should not be swayed by attempts by some elements who are deliberately misconstruing government's efforts in order to gain political mileage. These elements have gone to the extent of promoting tribalism and regionalism to further undermine the government at the expense of national unity, peace and stability."

He said it was the same corruption his government was fighting that had given birth to the tribalism and regionalism which some people were trying to use to divide Zambians in a bid to protect themselves against possible prosecution.

"Whereas our government is working hard to live up to people's expectations, some opposition groups and their sympathisers are sowing seeds of discord in our people by discrediting the efforts by the government towards the realisation of its goals of delivering to the people," President Sata said.

He directed the ZSIS director general Regis Phiri and his senior managers to ensure close monitoring and negation of manoeuvres, which border on subversion.

"The theme for the conference could, therefore, not have come at a better time than this one given the subversive activities being hatched by some elements that are bitter about having lost the September 20 elections," he said.

President Sata reminded senior intelligence managers that they carried the responsibility of ensuring that the service remains a noble institution by setting high standards of integrity and professionalism.

And Phiri pledged the intelligence service's total loyalty to the head of state, the government and the people of Zambia.

Labels: CORRUPTION, GEORGE CHELLAH, MICHAEL SATA, ZSIS

posted by MrK @ 5:38 PM