Maravi

Corruption fight is setting stage for current leaders - Lubinda

Corruption fight is setting stage for current leaders - Lubinda
By Moses Kuwema
Sat 18 Feb. 2012, 12:01 CAT

FOREIGN affairs minister Given Lubinda says the government through the fight against corruption is setting a stage for the current leaders to be called to judgment when they leave office. And Lubinda has urged Zambian diplomats going to serve the country abroad not to open themselves to any kind of temptations.

Speaking when he met diplomats accredited to Zambia at the new Government Complex yesterday, Lubinda said the leaders in government were aware that the fight against corruption they had embarked on, would also follow them.

"Some have said to us that by digging up issues of corruption, we must be alive to the fact that he who digs pits falls in them. We are alive to the fact that we are digging these pits because we ourselves in this government are called by our society to be exemplary. We are aware of the fact that what we are doing now shall also follow us so this fight is not against any particular individual, it is against corruption and we are setting a stage for us too, when our time comes to be called to judgment," Lubinda said.

Lubinda said there was need to emphasise that the process of fighting corruption which the government had embarked on, was not meant to prosecute any particular individual or groups but to restore confidence in the government system.

He said the government wanted to establish that confidence through all established institutions at all stages in order to attract better investment, both local and foreign.

"That is the only way we can ensure that investors participate in our economy on a level playing field. Our government is aware that a number of genuine investors from some of your countries have shunned the Zambian tender processes in key investment areas due to their lack of confidence in our system and what they believe is a pre-determined result of tender processes. I have come across some potential investors who have said to me they don't dare participate in our tender processes because they fear that these are pre-determined, the tender processes are just a smokescreen, they are just for window dressing," he said.

Lubinda said it was sad to be a citizen of a country whose systems do not generate confidence and was hoping that with the support of the cooperating partners, they could clean the bad image.

He said the setting up of various commissions of inquiries by President Michael Sata was a self-cleansing process that would demonstrate his government's commitment to the fight against corruption.

And speaking earlier at his office during the orientation meeting of Zambian diplomats, Lubinda said temptations for exchanging of envelopes were very high in the foreign missions.

"Some might come to you with what might appear as innocent gifts in the process of lobbying you. Remember, they are lobbying Zambia and you cannot trade Zambia's image in exchange for an envelope. Please don't be tempted. Bear in mind always that when they are lobbying you, it is not you the person, it is Zambia that they are lobbying and Zambia will not make decisions based on the size of the envelope," Lubinda said.

Lubinda urged the diplomats to guard themselves jealously by not opening themselves to such temptations.

Meanwhile, Lubinda said it was government's desire to come up with a Diaspora policy, that would protect the interest of Zambian diplomats abroad and other Zambians who were selling their skills on the international scene.

Labels: CORRUPTION, GIVEN LUBINDA, PF

posted by MrK @ 5:43 PM