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(TIMES ZM) Govt ponders lifting RB’s immunity

Govt ponders lifting RB’s immunity
February 16, 2013
By NAKUBIANA MUMBUNA and VICTORIA PHIRI -

GOVERNMENT is still considering lifting immunity on former President Rupiah Banda so that the truth in corruption allegations levelled against him can be established.

Chief Government spokesperson Kennedy Sakeni said in Lusaka yesterday that there was widespread corruption during Mr Banda’s administration and as such it was important for the truth to be established.

Mr Sakeni said this when he addressed journalists after appearing on UNZA radio in Lusaka yesterday.

He said it would be prudent that matters were not left hanging.

Meanwhile, Mr Sakeni says UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema and MMD’s Nevers Mumba must apologise to the Zambian people for being unpatriotic.

Mr Sakeni said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday that the action by the two opposition leaders was uncalled for and unbefitting of leaders who aspired to govern the country.

He said Government was pleased to note that level-headed citizens had not hidden their dissatisfaction of the trio’s reckless act of treachery to the nation.

“Let them not comfort themselves. Their recent conduct in South Africa was abhorrent and a highly risky political gamble by all standards,” he said.

Mr Sakeni, who is Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, said it was politically suicidal for any opposition leader to think that they would ride on the back of former President Rupiah Banda who refused to be interviewed by law enforcement agencies.

He said their decision to defend Mr Banda’s alleged plunder and abuse of State resources under the guise of human rights violations and abuses was the worst self-deception.

Meanwhile, UNPD spokesperson Charles Kakoma said during a media briefing yesterday that the party would use every opportunity to discredit President Michael Sata to the International Community.

Mr Kakoma said the party was yet to seek audience with other international and regional governing bodies to discredit the President.

He insisted that there was nothing immoral about holding a media conference on foreign soil and that Mr Hichilema had no intention of seeking asylum in another country.

“Please tell Mr Sata that we are going to embarrass him, this is just the beginning, from here we are going to SADC, African Union and even individual Heads of State will be told about what is happening here,” Mr Kakoma said.

On Thursday, Dr Mumba said he and other opposition leaders did not go to South Africa to seek asylum but to ensure that a 40-page document highlighting alleged human rights violations in Zambia was delivered to the Commonwealth Secretary General.

Labels: IMMUNITY, KENNEDY SAKENI, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 2:24 PM