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UPND raises eyebrows over PF setting up company

UPND raises eyebrows over PF setting up company
By Moses Kuwema
Thu 18 Oct. 2012, 14:00 CAT

UPND spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa says the decision by the PF to form a company is strange.

Commenting on the decision by the ruling Patriotic Front to form a limited liability company called Ilunda Chalo Investments, Mweetwa said setting up a company in itself was not a bad idea, but that for the PF, this raised serious concerns.

"Why didn't they form a company when they were in opposition? They were in opposition for a very long period of time and in the opposition it is very difficult to sustain yourself. If that company was going to operate for the same objective for which it is now being formed, why didn't they form it that time?" Mweetwa said.

Mweetwa said the PF wanted to abuse public authority and opportunities through the formation of a company.

He said the only way that the PF could legalise the abuse of these opportunities was through the creation of an entity which would have the legal right to be able to extend its arm into these public opportunities and resources.

"The company has come at a very strange opportunity because PF has been in existence for about a decade. What has prompted them now to form a company now that they are in government? There is a very strong temptation for one looking at it because they have now seen that they are in the saddles of leadership and they have to legalise mechanisms to siphon public opportunities and resources," he said.

Mweetwa said the formation of a company would amount to a synthetic form of corruption which would be soft in nature. "It does not appear to be corruption per se because it is hidden into the legalising of the existence of the company as an entity, yet the authorities are to grant the life of that company in terms of it being commercially viable," he said.

He said public perception would be highly against the PF because those who were in public offices would deliberately accord opportunities to the PF company and ensure that it makes money for the party.

"In this country there are two forms of courts, the legal court and also a supreme court called social court of justice. This is the one which tries people based on morality of their actions. Morality must become an integral part of leadership, if we have to move our country forward. The morality of forming a company one year after forming government cannot be justified, it raises eyebrows," he said.

Mweetwa said the PF did not go into government to make money for the party and themselves but to serve the people of Zambia within their given mandate.

PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba on Monday announced that the PF had incorporated a limited liability company called Ilunda Chalo Investment and President Michael Sata had since appointed James Matale as acting general manager.

Kabimba said the party had taken a position that it would not abuse any public resources to finance its activities.

Labels: CORNELIUS MWEETWA, PF, UPND

posted by MrK @ 7:47 PM