Levy's legacy of fighting corruption
By Editor
Wed 16 Oct. 2013, 14:00 CAT
The public spirit of Levy Mwanawasa, his honesty and hatred for corruption need to be preserved and inculcated in our people. And for trying to do this, those behind the Levy Mwanawasa Foundation that is trying to perpetuate and inculcate in our people Levy's public spirit and ideals deserve credit and support.
Levy stood for something noble, something just, something fair and something humane. And as Robert Kennedy once observed, "Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope…". Clearly, a leader is a dealer in hope. And it gives us great confidence in the future that that tiny ripple of hope sent by Levy has reached and has been embraced by this government, the government of Michael Sata.
The object of government is the welfare of the people. The material progress and prosperity of a nation are desirable chiefly insofar as they lead to the moral and material welfare of all citizens. The work going on here should never be allowed to profit only a small group of corrupt elements. It must be made to benefit all. And to benefit all, no form of corruption or abuse of public office should be tolerated. There should be zero tolerance of corruption. And all our leaders, political or otherwise, all our people should, like Michael, be allergic to corruption.
And being allergic to corruption means that in the first place, they should never engage in corrupt activities. And second, it means that they should never tolerate corruption whenever it rears its ugly head in any part or in any activity of our country and its government. This is what Levy stood for. This is what Levy fought for. And this is what Michael has pledged to continue.
Just in proportion as the average man and woman are honest, are incorruptible and are capable of sound judgement and high ideals, we may count on our fight against corruption as successful.
We can never establish in our homeland a more just, fair and humane society without eradicating corruption. Corruption destroys everything. It destroys our politics. It destroys our government. It destroys our traditional institutions. It even destroys our religious institutions. In a word, corruption destroys everything of value to us.
Therefore, the work that the Levy Mwanawasa Foundation is embarking on is one which should be embarked on with a sense of urgency and resolution. We must have a genuine and permanent moral awakening, without which no wisdom of constitution, legislation or administration really means anything.
No matter what kind of constitution, good laws and the right kind of administration put in place, if we don't have honest, decent, principled and incorruptible leaders in government and other institutions of our society, we will never go forward as a nation. That is imperative; but it must be an addition, and not a substitution for, all the good qualities that make up good leaders and good citizens in general.
In the last analysis, the most important elements must be the sum of all those qualities which, in aggregate, we speak of as character. If one doesn't have it, then no law that the wit of lawmakers, members of parliament, legal draftsmen can devise, no administration of the law by the boldest and strongest of methods, will avail to help us.
We must have the right kind of character - character that makes a man, first of all, a good man in the home, a good father, a good husband, a good grandfather - that makes a man a good neighbour. We must have that, and, then, in addition, we must have the kind of constitution, laws and the kind of administration of the law which will give those qualities in our people the best possible chance for development.
Every human being's life in this world is inevitably mixed with every other life and, no matter what constitutions we come up with or laws we pass, no matter what precautions we take, unless the people we meet are kindly and decent, humane and incorruptible, there is very little that will be achieved. Integrity comes from human beings, rather than from laws and institutions.
The prime problem of our country, of our nation is to get the right type of good citizenship, leadership, and, to get it, we must have progress, and our leaders, our public men and women must be genuinely progressive.
Levy's life in leadership was not an easy one. Levy was not one of our most popular politicians when he started off. Levy was not patronising. He was not the kind of politician that dished out money to people, to cadres and supporters. Levy was not an entertainer of favour-seekers. Levy used to be even irritated by politicians and other favour-seekers who were following him wherever he went. He would sometimes ask them: "Why are you following me wherever I am going?"
Civil servants didn't like Levy because he was against some corrupt practices that had become a culture of civil service life and work. MMD cadres didn't like Levy because he had stopped the dishing out of money that was started by Frederick Chiluba. In Chiluba's time, those who went to his office came out with money. Where was Chiluba getting that money to dish out to cadres, supporters and other favour-seekers, to use in patronising people? It was all stolen and abused public funds. Dr Kenneth Kaunda didn't have that type of money and didn't dish out money to people in that way.
We saw a return to the Chiluba ways when Rupiah Banda became president of the Republic and leader of the MMD.
In a society that is corrupt, corrupt people can sometimes become very popular. In a corrupt society where people live by corruption, seeking favours and patronising those in power and those with deep pockets, honest people are not the most popular. Those who dish out money in their offices, those who dispense all sorts of favours and patronage become more popular and in that way, corruption, abuse is perpetuated.
The highest proof of virtue is to possess boundless power without abusing it. And it doesn't matter what the source of that power is - it can be money or indeed political power. What matters is that, that power must never be abused.
A leader leads by example; and Levy led by example. When he said he was fighting corruption, Levy was not in any way getting himself involved in corrupt schemes. There is no money or wealth Levy left that cannot be accounted for in an honest way. His family, his children do not have the resources that Rupiah's children, family managed to amass in just three years of being in power.
Power is the ability to do good things for others and not to abuse others through all sorts of corrupt and patronising schemes.
The time, as Martin Luther King Jr once said, is always right to do what is right. And there is no power on earth that can neutralise the influence of a high, simple, and useful life. Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing.
Labels: ACC, CORRUPTION, LEVY MWANAWASA
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Levy's legacy will stay - Lundwe
By Kondwani Munyeka
Wed 16 Oct. 2013, 14:01 CAT
THE Levy Mwanawasa Foundation will help keep the former president's legacy, says former lands minister Gladys Lundwe. The Levy Mwanawasa Foundation recently held a fundraising dinner where information minister Mwansa Kapeya said the PF and its government will continue to fight corruption with the zeal and tenacity of late president Mwanawasa.
Commenting on the foundation's works in an interview yesterday, Lundwe said the organisation needed support as long as they stayed focused on following Mwanawasa's vision. "If this is the line under which the foundation would operate, then they deserve the support from all Zambians," she said.
Lundwe said the fight against corruption should not be discriminatory but must instead be applied equally to all citizens as no one was above the law.
"Anyone found wanting should be investigated equally regardless of their political affiliation," said Lundwe.
"In this fight, leaders should emulate and fight corruption as the late president did. The late president handled all corruption cases seriously to an extent that even his own ministers found wanting were arrested and charged accordingly."
The Levy Mwanawasa foundation was formed in 2010 by his family and friends to portray the ideals he stood for.
Foundation chairperson Dr Moses Banda said during the recent gala dinner that the event was aimed at raising funds to plough into the establishment of the Levy Mwanawasa Resource Centre at the University of Zambia.
Dr Banda explained that the foundation would also carry out various activities such as mentoring, role modelling and assisting young people to be lawyers.
Labels: GLADYS LUNDWE, LEVY MWANAWASA
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Levy sincerely loved Zambia - Nalumango
By Kombe Chimpinde
Sat 24 Aug. 2013, 14:00 CAT
LEVY Mwanawasa was sincerely in love with Zambia and Zambians, says Mutale Nalumango. And Nalumango says Mwanawasa's corruption fight that caught up with some of his close friends was not out of hate but love.
In an interview ahead of Mwanawasa's memorial service slated for September 1, Nalumango, a former deputy speaker of the National Assembly, said the late president would not agree to any policy or decision that was not in the interest of Zambians.
"To me, he was a great leader. In my world, it is hard to find men as sincere as I saw him. To him, Zambia came first. He was not afraid of other people's opinions because he knew what he wanted for Zambia and he was not one who was so power hungry," Nalumango said.
"In fact, I remember him telling me one day saying, 'I don't know why people want to stay forever (as presidents) because this is too tedious; it's a lot of work'."
Nalumango said Mwanawasa, who died in August 2008 at Percy Military Hospital in Paris where he was evacuated after he collapsed during an AU Summit held in Egypt, was a hard worker with an excellent memory.
"Basically, I am talking of integrity which comes from his sincerity. In fact, for me, I would call him a statesman," she said.
Nalumango said Mwanawasa was specific about what he wanted to do for the country.
"He never went with the wind just because people are shouting and they want this or that done. He knew what he wanted for Zambia and he followed his path in trying to develop," Nalumango said.
"Yes, as a democrat he listened but even in the listening, his vision was clear and not played by power and other distracters. So he was a great man. I fondly remember him oh…I miss him."
Nalumango said that she was hopeful that more leaders of Mwanawasa's sort would emerge.
She however said that Mwanawasa faced a number of setbacks during his tenure, such as the issue of legitimacy, an element which was used against him and his government.
"People thought he came in almost as a minority..." she said.
"Another challenge he found was the challenge of the constitution. The issue of the constitution was a handful to be able to sort it out. Within his cabinet, there was no total agreement as to which way to go; the constituent assembly or what was later called the NCC (National Constitution Conference), whether it was okay to go through the enquires Act. For him, he really meant to have the constitution go through before the end of his last term in office."
Nalumango added: "There was also an issue of mines when he came into office, when mine investors were withdrawing because of unprofitability. He had to make serious decisions, like to keep the mines on care and maintenance until a proper investor had come. He was very strong on the Zambian assets."
She said she was happy that some of the fruits of Mwanawasa's labour had and still benefit Zambians.
"Criticisms and insults that we received… I don't want to name some people, in the end people saw that it went well for Zambia and many people fondly remember him," he said.
And Nalumango said Mwanawasa's fight against corruption, which also affected his friends, was not done out of hate but the love he had for country.
"He had no time to waste. You will remember how he handled certain ministers only with allegations, not with proof. He had to put them away from cabinet or the Executive and proved innocent. And yet he loved people, even some people who were perceived to have been persecuted by him. He did it out of love and an opportunity for us to prove ourselves innocent. He was a lovely man," Nalumango said.
Labels: LEVY MWANAWASA, MUTALE NALUMANGO
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Investors' referendum on Zambia
Fri 21 Sep. 2012, 10:30 CAT
It seems any government that tries to fight corruption will be fought viciously by the corrupt and their defenders.
This is the experience we seem to be observing in our country. When Levy Mwanawasa tried to fight corruption, he was fought by a cross-section of our people, many of whom were unwitting defenders of the corrupt.
Some, however, had willingly sold themselves to defending the cause of the corrupt. The same thing is happening today. Michael Sata has created for himself die-hard enemies for hoisting his flag on the mast of fighting corruption. They will do everything to discredit him and try to make him appear incompetent and even corrupt. It is up to Michael and those that surround him to understand that this is a battle they are called to fight. Their opponents will tell all sorts of lies to try and discredit them and dissuade them from continuing their quest to run a clean government.
Rupiah Banda did not have this kind of problem. Rupiah was running a dirty government. And all kinds of crooks and scoundrels paraded themselves as his defenders. As long as he embraced corruption, they were happy. This is not true for Michael.
The crooks know that Michael will not defend what is corrupt and criminal. And for that reason, they will always fight him. They will even go as far as to dent the image of the country just to make sure their prophecies of doom come to pass.
This is what we have seen in relation to investor relations in the time that Michael has been President of our Republic. There are those who have spent a lot of time trying to create an impression that by correcting the corrupt dealings of Rupiah and the MMD, Michael is scaring away investors. But what kind of investor wants to operate in a corrupt environment? Certainly not clean investors. It can only be corrupt, crooked investors.
And not all investment is good for the country. Criminals must not be encouraged to invest in our economy. This is because their investment is likely to have aspects of criminality. This cannot be good for the economy in the long term.
Good investment will want to operate in a clean environment where corruption is at the lowest possible levels.
When the PF government has taken decisive steps against corrupt transactions, some have been quick to try and create panic and an impression that investment will dry up. This has fed into the empty rhetoric that the PF does not know what it is doing.
Against this background, it is interesting to note what has happened in relation to the raising of money by the government from the international capital markets. The detractors were certain that Michael's government would not be able to raise US$500 million, let alone US$750 million, from the international investing community.
Why were they so sure? According to them, Michael was scaring away investors. How? How could fighting corruption and reversing corrupt transactions scare away honest investors? It will scare away criminals, not honest investors!
The Eurobond has now allowed the international investing community to vote in their own referendum on their confidence in the PF government. They have spoken. It is up to the government to use this confidence to help our people to ensure that the resources are used properly.
This referendum allows Michael to move with confidence and ensure that the rule of law is fully entrenched. Development will not come to our country if we embrace corruption. Michael and the PF have refused to embrace corruption. And this principled position is yielding positive results.
There are politicians who have decided to defend Rupiah's corruption in the hope that it will win them support from the Eastern part of our country. Today, we have some politicians who not very long ago were publicly accusing Rupiah and his family of corruption defending him. And they are no longer talking of Rupiah's corruption. What has happened to Rupiah or to them? Were they lying to the nation when they were accusing Rupiah and his family of corruption? Or was it just part of their cheap, deceitful and unprincipled politics? They need to explain to the Zambian people why they are today defending Rupiah's corruption if they have to win back our people's support and respect.
But they are making a big political miscalculation if they think defending Rupiah's corruption will win them the political support of the people of Eastern Province. Let them ask Rupiah; he defended Frederick Chiluba's corruption but where did he end up? Rupiah thought by defending Chiluba's corruption and ensuring that he is not jailed for it would win him the political support of the people of Luapula Province, where Chiluba hailed from. Even some people in the opposition believed that Chiluba was winning Luapula for Rupiah and as a result, the political landscape had changed in his favour. It didn't happen. Chiluba failed to win Luapula for Rupiah. In the same way, Rupiah will not win them Eastern Province.
There is need to take a principled position in politics and in life in general. Of course, there is a price to pay for taking a principled position. But it is a price worth paying because in the end, principled people win the respect of the people. And with that respect, they also win the people's votes. Opportunism may appear an easy route in life. But as the Bible says, easy and wide routes usually lead to disaster.
We shouldn't fear to do the right thing simply because there are immediate negative consequences. It is said that it is better to fall with honour than to succeed by fraud.
Crooked, corrupt investors have no value to our country. And as such, corrupt investment should not be entertained for whatever reasons. There is still a lot of honest investment out there that needs to be sought. If we entertain corrupt investment, we will be keeping away honest investment. Whatever little benefits we may get in the short term from corrupt investment, they cannot in any way match the long-term benefits that honest investment brings to the country.
Labels: CORRUPTION, FDI, LEVY MWANAWASA, RUPIAH BANDA
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RB’s former private secretary defects to PF, calls for lifting of RB’s immunity
TIME PUBLISHED - Saturday, January 7, 2012, 5:50 pm
Rupiah Banda’s former Senior private secretary Rapson Chilufya has defected from the opposition MMD to join the ruling patriotic Front party. Mr Chilufya said that he has left the MMD because of its undemocratic tendencies a situation he said has also caused division within the party.
Mr Chilufya was speaking at a press briefing this morning where he called on the lifting of his former boss’s immunity, saying that there would be nothing strange if the immunity of the former leader is lifted.
He said that lifting of Mr. Banda’s immunity whom he described as a fairly good leader would allow the former head of state to clear his name from any allegations of corruption leveled against him.
The former private secretary further called on all the law enforcement agencies to ensure that they prosecute all the former leaders that will be found to have engaged themselves in corruption at the expense of the Zambian people.
Mr. chanda who also served in the Levy Mwanawasa government in similar capacity noted that the late president was determined to fight corruption but that fight against corruption lost political will when Rupiah Banda became president.
Labels: LEGAL IMMUNITY, LEVY MWANAWASA, MMD, PF, RUPIAH BANDA
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Government to constitute a Commission of Inquiry to probe the sale of ZANACO to Rabobank of the Netherlands
TIME PUBLISHED - Saturday, December 31, 2011, 10:12 am
GOVERNMENT has constituted a commission of inquiry to investigate the US$8.25 million (about K42 billion) sale of the Zambia National Commercial Bank (ZANACO) to Rabobank of the Netherlands. In 2006, the Government sold 49 per cent shares in Zanaco to Rabobank after protracted negotiations.
As part of the sale and purchase agreement, Rabobank took over management rights of Zanaco while the Government retained its representation in the bank at board level which included three members from Rabobank, two Government representatives and one representative appointed by board members.
The transaction was conducted by the MMD government under late president Levy Mwanawasa.
Meanwhile, Zanaco Managing Director, Martijn Schouten, says the bank would be readily available to help the commission throughout the process and advised customers that operations would remain unaffected during the period of enquiry.
Mr Schouten said the bank acknowledged the announcement of the formation of a commission of inquiry pertaining to the sale of the bank to Rabobank of the Netherlands in 2006.
“Zanaco wishes to confirm its full cooperation throughout this enquiry to assist in offering a transparent and professional outcome,” Mr Schouten said.
Justice Minister Sebastian Zulu confirmed that President Sata had directed him to appoint a team of officials from the Ministry of Justice and experts from the private sector to investigate what transpired during the sale and how the resources were used.
Mr Zulu said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that the commission, which he would chair, would commence sittings next month.
“We are putting together a team of experts who will include auditors, prosecutors, bankers and consultants because we want to do a good job,” Mr Zulu said.
The minister said during investigations, transactions that would suggest the prevalence of fraud would be handed over to the security wings.
He said prominent politicians who were influential during the sale of the bank would be summoned to give evidence.
The secretariat of the commission had been set up at the Mulungushi International Conference in Lusaka and that the programme of the sittings was still being prepared.
Zanaco’s 49 per cent shares were transferred to Rabo Financial Institutions Development, (RFID) which is a subsidiary of Rabobank.
The opposition political parties at the time, including the Patriotic Front (PF) and trade unions had opposed the sale, fearing the new owner could cut jobs and close branches in rural areas.
They also felt that the $8.25 million was low for the bank which had an attractive asset value with branches spread across the country including rural areas.
Mr Zulu said there would be no malice in the conduct of the inquiry and was not targeted at former Government officials who served in the previous Government.
He said he would use his experience as a prosecutor to engage people who were directly involved in the sale and ensure appropriate action was taken.
[Times of Zambia]
Labels: LEVY MWANAWASA, RABOBANK, ZANACO
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Levy Mwanawasa directed Zambia Revenue Authority to buy scanners
TIME PUBLISHED - Friday, November 18, 2011, 8:26 am
THE Kingsley Chanda-led Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) commission of inquiry has heard that late Republican president Levy Mwanawasa is the one who gave the instruction for the purchase of the controversial eight ZRA scanners from China.
Both deputy secretary to the Cabinet Evans Chibiliti and former minister of Finance Situmbeko Musokotwane said Dr Mwanawasa was the one who gave the instruction for the procurement of the eight scanners from China for ZRA.
In his submission to the commission yesterday, Mr Chibiliti said the purchase of the scanners was a result of diplomatic visits at head of State level and came up after the visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to Zambia in 2007. He said during that visit, there was a request by Zambia toChina asking for a concessional loan of US$100 million which was meant for earth moving machines, irrigation projects, grain silos, water and sanitation projects and the completion of the Government complex.
In the initial plan, ZRA scanners were not there but later there was a proposal from China that the Government should drop the water and sanitation project which was to cost $20 million and the irrigation project which was to cost $7.5 million of the concessional loan to instead procure eight scanners for ZRA from Nuctech, a Chinese firm at a cost of $27 million. Mr Chibiliti said the Zambian Government accepted that decision but ZRA objected, saying the scanners would be expensive to operate and maintain. “At ZRA technical level, advice was given against the purchase of the scanners, but the political level insisted that ZRA needed the scanners.
This is when Dr Mwanawasa gave instructions to then vice-president Rupiah Banda to proceed to procure the scanners. Initially he said 10 scanners must be procured but later when he realised that there were already two in the country, he said only eight should be bought,” Mr Chibiliti said. He said the procurement of the scanners was properly authorised by Dr Mwanawasa and his vice Mr Banda. Mr Chibiliti said he was against the purchase of all the scanners and to that effect, he wrote to thenminister of Finance to advise against the purchase of the scanners.
He said Zambia did not need all the eight scanners purchased from China at a go but he did not receive any response from the minister until he left the position of secretary to the treasury after which the scanners were procured. Later, formerminister of Finance Situmbeko Musokotwane also stated that the purchase of the scanners was under instruction from Dr Mwanawasa who asked former president Banda to procure the said scanners.
When asked the role of Ministry of Finance in providing support services for the scanners through the hiring of cargo scan, Dr Musokotwane requested commissioners that he answers that question in camera. Later, when the media was called back, commissioners grilled Dr Musokotwane on the concessioning of Zambia’s six borders to a private company, saying that was a threat to national security.
Mr Chanda said the commission did not understand why the Government decided to allow the concessioner to buy and control the pieces of land that were housing the border infrastructure in Nakonde, Kasumbalesa and six other border areas.
But Dr Musokotwane said the Government did what it did because it wanted to upgrade borders and improve employment levels in the country which was being done in many countries of the world.
Meanwhile, former Finance minister N’gandu Magande yesterday told the commission that ZRA should be allowed to operate independently. The former Finance minister said this when Mr Chanda requested Mr Magande to make a comment on the governance system of ZRA when he appeared before the commission yesterday.
Mr Chanda said from the information obtained so far from the witnesses that appeared before the commission, there was indication that serious decisions were made at ZRA following instructions from the Ministry of Finance and State House. He said ZRA made serious decisions without getting permission from the board, adding that the board was in most cases just informed of such.
But Mr Magande said there was need to appoint competent people on the board of ZRA who would be in a position to understand the operations of the commission. He said appointing people who were competent was important because such people were in a position to make correct decisions which they were able to defend if questioned.
[Times of Zambia]
Labels: LEVY MWANAWASA, SITUMBEKO MUSOKOTWANE, ZRA
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COMMENT - In the US and Canada, it is illegal to bribe foreign officials. In the US, there is
the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. I think this would be enough to start an investigation into how the 'Development Agreements' came about, who was bribed and by whom, and how much taxes were lost because of this corrupt activity. And as everyone knows, there is no protection of a legal contract that was drawn up by breaking the law.
Mines are funding MMD's campaign, says Simuusa
By Chibaula Silwamba
Fri 02 Sep. 2011, 14:01 CAT
MINING firms are bankrolling Rupiah Banda and the MMD's re-election campaign, says a mining engineer.
In an interview yesterday, Wylbur Simuusa, who is PF Nchanga parliamentary candidate in the September 20 elections, said President Banda removed the windfall tax so that he and the MMD financially benefit from the foreign mining companies for their campaign.
"I have been very disappointed with the inconsistence of the government because when Levy Mwanawasa was still alive the windfall tax was done at great expense.
There was a very solid team that was put up to go through all the numbers before presentation in Parliament," Simuusa said.
"It was very disappointing that when Banda came to power he said ‘the windfall tax was a mistake and we are over-taxing foreign investors' which is very shameful. I have challenged Banda to bring counter research to challenge the first decision."
He said a named international organisation had released a report that revealed that President Banda's government was "too close" to mining companies' owners to effectively challenge them.
"So, that ‘too close' speaks volumes. It means behind the scenes money is exchanging hands. There was talk that the mine owners, especially the Chinese and Indians are going to heavily fund the MMD campaigns and now what we are saying is that the MMD has campaign flag on every tree and pole," Simuusa said.
"Over 50 bicycles have been given. Each candidate has been given money. Where is MMD getting that money? Meanwhile, they made a statement that MMD is a poor party but all of the sudden where are they getting money to hang a MMD chitenge on every tree? So we know that someone is funding them and it's the mining companies. That is why President Banda is failing to execute the windfall tax and other laws."
Simuusa also warned Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) to desist from taking vital identity of all miners.
"I have received a lot of reports that the mine owners are demanding that all the workers should submit NRCS and other details about their families. This is a sensitive period. Let KCM stop with immediate effect this intimidation of the workers," said Simuusa. "Let the miners not submit that information."
[About the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act:
Provisions and scope
The anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA prohibit:
Issuers, domestic concerns, and any person from making use of interstate commerce corruptly, in furtherance of an offer or payment of anything of value to a foreign official, foreign political party, or candidate for political office, for the purpose of influencing any act of that foreign official in violation of the duty of that official, or to secure any improper advantage in order to obtain or retain business.
Persons subject to the FCPA
Issuers
Includes any U.S. or foreign corporation that has a class of securities registered, or that is required to file reports under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 - MrK]
Labels: LEVY MWANAWASA, TAX EVASION, WINDFALL TAX, WYLBUR SIMUUSA
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Kunda extols Levy’s dedication to corruption fight
By Moses Kuwema
Sat 20 Aug. 2011, 12:01 CAT
VICE-President George Kunda has hailed late president Levy Mwanawasa as a very courageous politician who would be remembered for his dedication to the fight against corruption.
In his remarks at the third memorial service for president Mwanawasa at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross yesterday, Vice-President Kunda also praised the late president for having laid a firm foundation for the economic success the country was currently enjoying.
“He believed in the rule of law, he had a unique personality and character, he was very tolerant to the media. The media was left to operate freely during the time he served us as president, he was able to maintain peace,” Vice-President Kunda said.
Vice-President George Kunda, who was initially not on the programme as one of the speakers, said Mwanawasa whom he said introduced him to politics, played a key role in introducing the development planning, a concept he said was abandoned by the country.
“We had abandoned the concept as Zambians and I think this too was responsible for resuscitating the economy, the fruits of which we are enjoying now,” he said.
Vice-President Kunda said the government would soon construct a mausoleum for Mwanawasa as a permanent reminder of the good things that the late president did.
And Leslie Mbulu, who served as High Commissioner to South Africa and earlier as Secretary to Cabinet during president Mwanawasa’s presidency, attributed the current economic development in the country to a very solid foundation laid by the late president.
Mbula said president Mwanawasa had inherited a very bad economy as the manufacturing and mining industries had collapsed.
“As president of Zambia Dr Mwanawasa laid a very firm foundation for economic development, most of you may not be aware, Mwanawasa inherited a very bad economy, the manufacturing and mining industry had collapsed. It took Mwanawasa and his committee in arranging many workshops and through these workshops, by the time Levy died he had laid a very solid foundation for economic development of our country which we are now enjoying,” Mbula said.
Mbula said president Mwanawasa, did not only lay the foundation for economic development, but also performed his presidential duties with integrity.
“As we celebrate the life of Dr Mwanawasa we should reflect on the many things he did for Zambia. Let us emulate him by dedicating ourselves to his ideals of fighting corruption, protecting public resources, maintaining the rule of law, practicing genuine democracy by engaging in constructive criticism,” Mbula said.
Meanwhile, Mwanawasa's daughter Chipo said her father's leadership was not only known for sacrifice but also for hard work.
Chipo said Mwanawasa did his best as a leader and he was a legend who would forever be remembered.
Among the people that attended the memorial were, Mwanawasa’s widow and former first lady Maureen, former Chongwe member of parliament Sylvia Masebo, Patrick Mwanawasa and his siblings, leaders of opposition political parties and diplomats accredited to Zambia.
Mwanawasa died at Percy Military hospital in France where he was flown for medical treatment after suffering a stroke while attending an African Union summit in Egypt three years ago.
Labels: CORRUPTION, GEORGE KUNDA, LEVY MWANAWASA
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Sata promises to fulfil Levy’s vision in Lenjeland
By George Chellah in Chisamba
Mon 15 Aug. 2011, 12:00 CAT
PF leader Michael Sata has promised to fulfil the late Levy Mwana-wasa’s vision about Lenjeland if elected. And Sata has accused President Rupiah Banda of being an opportunist whose party relies on criminal thinking.
Meanwhile, a set of mobile hospitals was on Saturday afternoon taken to Chisamba for display when word went round that Sata was in the area to address a public rally. Addressing a rally on Saturday, Sata accused President Banda and some people that were close to Mwanawasa of betraying the late president.
“When Mwanawasa died, Rupiah Banda, Moses Muteteka and Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha said it’s sangwapo,” Sata said.
“You people here have you ever heard Muteteka talk about Mwanawasa? Have you ever heard Shikapwasha talking about Mwanawasa?
“They are as if they never knew Mwanawasa. Jesus was sold and crucified by his own people.
Shikapwasha and Muteteka are Lenjes so what’s the difference with Judas Iscariot?”
He said President Banda’s government has brought mobile hospitals because they had no regard for the people.
“Because Muteteka has no regard for Chisamba he brings a container and calls it a hospital. What type of a government is this, because Rupiah Banda stole money, you go and bring a container and you call it a mobile hospital? This morning when I was coming there was a funeral at Katuba where was that mobile hospital?” Sata asked.
“Chisamba needs a big hospital, not a container because nobody knows when you are going to be sick. That container can have a puncture. I want you to ask Muteteka if you are sick at night are you going to call that mobile hospital?”
He said Muteteka should account for the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
“I went in that market today, you people of Chisamba ask Muteteka he has been here as MP what has be done with K600 million CDF when he does not even build a toilet in the market?” he asked.
“If you like the way you are suffering…they can’t buy your maize, you vote for Muteteka. When there were Europeans here they built those silos. Why are they heaping maize there? and you people working in the farms, the salary you are getting is talk time for Muteteka.”
He said PF in government would construct a big secondary school in Chisamba.
Sata said once in government PF would ensure that there was a professional civil service in place.
“What we want is the civil service to be independent from the manipulation of government,” Sata said.
“We also want a constitution, which will protect the police, the military and office of the President.”
He said the late Mwanawasa left developmental projects here in Chisamba and Keembe.
“I was there Keembe yesterday, I didn’t see a road. What has Muteteka and Shikapwasha done here because Levy Mwanawasa left you a road and I made Chibombo to be gazzetted as a district,” he said.
He challenged the people to show him the developmental projects President Banda had initiated in the area.
“The missionaries built you schools like Chipembi. The problem you have with MMD, they rely on criminal thinking that you people you are sleepy so they are going to steal the votes whilst you are watching,” Sata said.
“They are coming to you, they get your voters card and your NRC and they give you K20,000. Get the K20,000 but don’t give them the card.”
He said once in power, PF’s first task would be to create employment for the people of Zambia.
“This country has a very small population and we have too much wealth. Just as Muteteka came to get employment from you, our number one task is to employee our people,” he said.
Sata promised to come and fulfill the late Levy Mwanawasa’s vision about Lenjeland.
“What we want mwebena mukuni… if we love Mwanawasa we have to complete his projects, as he wanted them to do be. We have to complete the landless corner road up to Mumbwa,” Sata said.
“We have to give you back the fertiliser Rupiah Banda has stolen and we have to give you more fertiliser on credit. The only thing I can promise you is to bring you dignity because if Sir Roy Welensky today rose from the dead and came to Chisamba, he will die again.”
And a set of mobile hospital trucks were on Saturday afternoon taken to Chisamba for display when word went round that Sata was in the area to address a public rally.
The mobile hospitals, which arrived just before Sata began his address where stationed a few metres from the PF rally site.
The team of drivers and technicians operating the hospitals drove past the PF rally twice in an effort to draw the crowd’s attention but instead attracted jeers and booing from the crowd.
Upon realising that the crowd was not interested, the team went and parked at Chisamba Guest House, which was relatively further from where the PF rally was being held.
Immediately the rally finished Sata, who spotted the hospitals at the guest house as he drove back to Lusaka stopped to have a glimpse of the vehicles, prompting the drivers and some officers to scamper, leaving two Chinese nationals who identified themselves as technicians.
Labels: LEVY MWANAWASA, MICHAEL SATA
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COMMENT - No matter how much money Frederick Chiluba received for selling out the people's resources, it is a mere fraction of the money that was actually removed from the country by foreign mining companies whose money he took (which itself ultimately comes from the profit made from sales of Zambia's copper). Maybe one day Equinox, First Quantum, Anglo-American, will be forced to give back the billions they have taken without paying taxes.
Death and impunity
By The Post
Tue 28 June 2011, 04:10 CAT
THE dead deserve to be mourned and buried with maximum respect.
Regardless of one’s wrongs or crimes, all deserve to be mourned and buried with respect and dignity.
And it doesn’t matter what crime one has committed or what station one occupied in life, all human beings are equal before God and all deserve the same respect and dignity.
But this respect for the dead should not be used as a basis for telling lies. Rupiah Banda, in his speech at the burial of the remains of Frederick Chiluba, lied about the late Levy Mwanawasa wanting to drop the criminal charges and civil proceedings in the courts of law against Chiluba.
We say Rupiah is lying because Levy made it very clear that if Chiluba returned even part of what he had stolen, the criminal charges and civil proceedings against him would be dropped. This was the condition Levy gave Chiluba.
This was not a secretive but a highly publicised condition. At no time did Levy tell the Zambian people, and indeed the whole world, that he wanted to drop the charges against Chiluba but there were people who were opposed to it.
Was Levy such a coward?
We accept the principle of forgiveness and reconciliation. But this should not be equated to impunity. To prosecute someone who has done wrong is not necessarily an expression of hatred against that person.
We have over 15,560 of our brothers and sisters incarcerated in our prisons. Are they there because we hate them and we are not a forgiving society?
If Rupiah’s logic over the criminal cases and civil proceedings by the state against Chiluba initiated by the then attorney general and minister of justice George Kunda were a product of hatred, then we would have no one in our prisons today; we wouldn’t need any prisons. Every prisoner would be set free the way Chiluba was through the manipulation of the judicial process by Rupiah and his government.
We don’t believe that to prosecute someone where there is evidence of wrongdoing is an expression of hatred. There are many cases that Rupiah’s government has taken against some of our brothers and sisters.
Are all these cases a product of hatred? Even where accused persons finally get acquitted by the courts of law, can it be said that those who arrested and prosecuted them did so out of hatred, malice, vindictiveness or vengeance?
The truth is Chiluba was a man like any other human being and made mistakes – similar to those of our brothers and sisters who are today locked up in our jails. Being a man like any other and, like any other human being, prone to err, Chiluba made great mistakes. He was blinded by greed and power and abused public trust. Chiluba abused public resources – he stole public funds. This is a fact.
And there is a judgment obtained by attorney general Kunda in a matter he took before the London High Court. In that judgment, the details of how Chiluba abused public funds are well detailed. There is no hatred for Chiluba on our part in saying all this. We were taught that there was a constant struggle between good and evil, and evil had to be punished.
Well, we are not going to say we share that belief. We were taught that those who committed crimes and were responsible for injustice, abuse, evil, and all those other things that we are fighting against would be punished in hell. Could that be interpreted as an expression of hatred?
We don’t believe that every time a person who has stolen public funds, who has abused public office, who has committed a crime is prosecuted, it is done for the sake of hatred, vengeance or retribution.
There is no sense in revenging. On whom are you taking revenge? We don’t believe that even those criminals who were sentenced to death, to be hanged at Mukobeko Maximum Prison, are subjected to all that because someone in the state or political system hates them.
It is clear that Rupiah manipulated the judicial process to let Chiluba go scot-free and keep his loot for a personal reason. Rupiah was not motivated by the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Rupiah is not a man of love at all times. He is a man full of hate, malice and vengeance. And his hatred, malice and vengeance are not difficult to see. Just look at the way he is treating his political opponents and people he considers to be personal enemies! Look at the way he treats us!
Listen to the lies he tells about us! Isn’t it this same Rupiah that accused us without any evidence whatsoever that we had pocketed US$30 million from state institutions and he would make sure that that money is returned to the state so that they could build schools and hospitals? Was his claim against us true? It wasn’t.
It was simply a product of Rupiah’s hatred, malice and the spirit of vengeance. Look at the way Rupiah is today treating Rajan Mahtani! Who doesn’t know Rupiah’s unbridled hatred for Mahtani? Look at the lies, calumny that he is subjecting Michael Sata to! Rupiah has hired all sorts of scoundrels to malign his political opponents and personal enemies.
Is this a man of love and forgiveness? The truth is Rupiah is doing all these things for Chiluba for personal gain, politically and otherwise. He is preaching forgiveness so that when his time comes to be prosecuted for his abuses and misdeeds, the Chiluba precedent will be there to shield and protect him. He knows the crimes his regime is committing every day against the people.
It was not Chiluba’s neck Rupiah was interested in saving; it is his own neck and those of his league he is protecting. There is also the political capital he thought he would extract from Chiluba. And he still believes he can use Chiluba’s name even in death to win votes in Luapula.
Forgiveness and reconciliation should not be confused with impunity.
Rupiah is encouraging impunity and wants to entrench it to save his own neck. Levy was against impunity and this is why he asked Chiluba to return what he had stolen, or even just part of it, for the criminal charges against him to be dropped. This impunity Rupiah is preaching goes against the spirit and principle of the rule of law.
Why should poor people, humble citizens go to jail for stealing a few cabbages, small amounts of money when presidents are allowed to steal millions of dollars from the Treasury and go scot-free? There is over US$ 45 million that the London High Court ordered Chiluba to return to the Zambian people. But Rupiah has stopped this. He has made sure Chiluba does not pay back anything that he stole from the Zambian people.
Why? His explanation is that it is demeaning to prosecute a citizen who has been president of a country for corruption. Where is the rule of law here which entails equality before the law. We all know that the right to equality before the law, or equal protection of the law as it is often phrased, is fundamental to any just and democratic society.
Whether rich or poor, president or ordinary citizen, all are entitled to equal protection before the law. And under no circumstances should Rupiah or any other president impose additional inequalities; they should be required to deal evenly and equally with all citizens. No democratic and just society can tolerate the impunity that Rupiah seems to be advocating.
This is why even our current Constitution provides for steps to be taken to prosecute a former president who has abused his office, who has stolen public funds the way Chiluba did. And there is no need to mystify death in the way they are trying to do to justify corruption and abuse of public office. Let’s not forget that it is Rupiah’s government that has removed the offence of abuse of office from our Anti Corruption Commission Act.
Why? To encourage corruption with impunity.
There is no doubt death will visit each one of us. Remember that we must all die sometime. But our death should not be used to justify wrongdoing and to lie about things, which the dead said or did.
Levy never wanted to let Chiluba go scot-free and keep his loot. He asked him to return the loot in exchange dropping of criminal charges against him. This is the fact Rupiah wants to twist or distort, prying on the sorrow and grief of a nation in mourning.
Whatever the political manipulation, the facts surrounding Chiluba’s prosecution for corruption and his being let off the hook by Rupiah will never change. A man who tells lies at a funeral raises many questions about his respect for the dead and about his own personal integrity.
Labels: CORRUPTION, FREDERICK CHILUBA, LEVY MWANAWASA, MMD
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Govt has failed to follow Levy’s ideals, says Magande
By Ndinawe Simpelwe
Fri 11 Mar. 2011, 04:01 CAT
NG'ANDU Magande says the government has failed to follow the ideals of late president Levy Mwanawasa over the mines.
Commenting on finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane’s statement on QFM Radio on Monday that Mwanawasa was about to scrap the windfall tax,
Magande said the public was now getting tired of the government's insistence that the country was benefiting from the mines.
“I have stopped commenting on these issues because we have talked a lot about them but it seems no one is listening. Just ask them (the government) to tell you where they are taking all the resources they are getting from the mines,” Magande said.
“Government is operating for the public but there are people who are doing things to keep their jobs. We have made statements since last year but nothing has changed. The public is tired of listening to the same statements from government when they are not seeing the benefits.”
During Q FM's Monday Live radio programme, Dr Musokotwane said Mwanawasa had changed his mind over the windfall tax.
Dr Musokotwane, who was Mwanawasa’s economic advisor, claimed the late president had realised the windfall tax was not a good idea because it was scaring investors. He said Mwanawasa ordered experts to revisit the scheme.
Dr Musokotwane also said that the country's external debt stood at US$1.2 billion as opposed to the US $3.4 billion noted in the Sixth National Development Plan.
But Magande said the affects of the increase in external debt would be felt in the future. “The increase in the external debt means your children and your grandchildren will bear the cost,” he said.
Labels: LEVY MWANAWASA, NG'ANDU MAGANDE, SITUMBEKO MUSOKOTWANE, WINDFALL TAX
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Mwanawasa would have changed stance on windfall tax – Musokotwane
Wednesday, March 9, 2011, 6:52
Finance and National Planning minister Situmbeko Musokotwane has said that the late president Levy Mwanawasa may have changed his stance on the windfall tax. Dr. Musokotwane said that it is wrong to state that he changed his mind on the windfall tax, when he was the economic adviser to the late president.
He said that even under the late president, he had his opinion, ruling out the possibility of entirely supporting the windfall tax. He said that he has since maintained that the windfall tax was wrong, describing it as an illusion.
He said that whether Zambians like it or not, the windfall tax was very wrong to the Zambian mining sector. Dr. Musokotwane stated that the sooner Zambians realize that it is a wrong initiative to collect tax, the better. He said that it is government’s responsibility to ensure that they collect enough tax from the mine companies.
And Dr. Musokotwane has announced that beginning next year, the mining companies will be paying more tax. He said that the mining revenues will increase, from the initiatives that the government is putting in place.
QFM
Labels: LEVY MWANAWASA, SITUMBEKO MUSOKOTWANE, WINDFALL TAX
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Mwanawasa would have changed stance on windfall tax – Musokotwane
Wednesday, March 9, 2011, 6:52
Finance and National Planning minister Situmbeko Musokotwane has said that the late president Levy Mwanawasa may have changed his stance on the windfall tax. Dr. Musokotwane said that it is wrong to state that he changed his mind on the windfall tax, when he was the economic adviser to the late president.
He said that even under the late president, he had his opinion, ruling out the possibility of entirely supporting the windfall tax. He said that he has since maintained that the windfall tax was wrong, describing it as an illusion.
He said that whether Zambians like it or not, the windfall tax was very wrong to the Zambian mining sector. Dr. Musokotwane stated that the sooner Zambians realize that it is a wrong initiative to collect tax, the better. He said that it is government’s responsibility to ensure that they collect enough tax from the mine companies.
And Dr. Musokotwane has announced that beginning next year, the mining companies will be paying more tax. He said that the mining revenues will increase, from the initiatives that the government is putting in place.
QFM
Labels: LEVY MWANAWASA, SITUMBEKO MUSOKOTWANE, WINDFALL TAX
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Rupiah's govt has taken advantage of Levy's death - CARITAS
By Patson Chilemba
Tue 07 Dec. 2010, 04:01 CAT
RUPIAH Banda’s government has taken advantage of the death of Levy Mwanawasa to perpetrate corruption, says Samuel Mulafulafu. In an interview, Mulafulafu who is Caritas Zambia executive director, said everything the nation had seen under President Banda was a reversal in the fight against corruption.
He said this gave the people little hope on the future because the nation risked losing out on international funding.
Mulafulafu said the recent revelations from the Global Fund found both the government and some civil society organizations liable of abusing funds. He said Zambians were not impressed with President Banda’s fight against corruption.
Mulafulafu said due to lack of political will, the government had shown unwillingness to proceed in prosecuting the former president Frederick Chiluba’s plunder cases. He said the government had even gone ahead to remove the offence of abuse of office from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Act.
“If there is any situation where there has been any resemblance of fighting corruption, it has not been from the willingness of Mr Rupiah Banda. But it has been some actions that have been done to window dress or to try and resolve some relationship with the donors,” Mulafulafu said.
“Not that there is really organic interest from the government itself.”
Mulafulafu said the fight against corruption in the current administration died with president Levy Mwanawasa.
He said the nation had seen the scrapping off of the Task Force, removal of abuse of office and the subsequent efforts to ensure that Chiluba was let to go scot-free on corruption charges.
“All these are completely a series of stories that show that they have literally taken advantage of the death of Dr Mwanawasa to sort of perpetrate corruption. Which means that even when they were supporting him at the time when he was alive, they were not convinced about the need to fight corruption,” said Mulafulafu.
“Immediately he died, clearly there was an opportunity for them to do the things they would have done all the time.”
Labels: CARITAS, CORRUPTION, LEVY MWANAWASA, RUPIAH BANDA, SAMUEL MULAFULAFU
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Magande is a frustrated man, says Rupiah
By Sandra Lombe in Livingstone
Sun 07 Nov. 2010, 04:01 CAT
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has charged that Ng’andu Magande is a frustrated man who thought Zambia would collapse after leaving as finance minister. But Magande said President Banda is a wrong person to assess him because he never worked under him.
President Banda on Friday before departure for Lusaka at Livingstone International Airport said Magande has no issues to raise anymore. He was commenting on Magande’s statement that he had clearly exhibited stubbornness in dealing with public issues. Magande said Zambia’s current economic gains were as a result of the sound policies that had been initiated by late president Levy Mwanawasa.
But President Banda said: “He Magande has no issues to raise anymore. He lost his job as Minister of Finance and now he wants to take us back to Zamtel. He is like his brother whom I won’t mention. I don’t want to listen to him, that is why he is calling me stubborn.”
President Banda said Magande thought he would fail to find someone to take over as Minister of Finance and that the country would collapse after he (Magande) left.
“I don’t listen to frustrated people. That is why he is calling me stubborn. He thought that since he is not Minister of Finance, this country was going to collapse but I have found someone that is ten times better,” said President Banda.
But Magande, in an interview yesterday, said he had issues which had been raised in the story carried on Friday.
“Who is telling the truth? I even said that I was so positive that even when we change government, the country had a strong economy, which would not collapse. Where did he hear that the country would collapse? I am surprised. The issues were in the article. I talked about issues,” Magande said.
“I never worked under President Banda for one day, not even a minute, so where is he assessing me from? Let me tell you now that the road (Zimba-Livingstone) was started under late president Mwanawasa. EU didn’t have enough money to do the 72 kilometres road so the 30 kilometre was done by the Zambian government and the 42 kilometres under the EU money. That is how we started. For the 30 kilometres I had to convince works and supply workers who were adamant, so the 30 kilometres was done under government budget. I convinced the EU to do the 42 kilometres. All this information shows that before President Banda I was working with president Mwanawasa.”
Magande said he worked with late president Mwanawasa to get the contract to quickly work and finish the Zimba-Livingstone Road.
“He is praising his Minister of Finance (Situmbeko Musokotwane) because what he has done is fulfillment of his (President Banda’s) instructions. He (President Banda) is instructing someone. Me, who was issuing instructions? It is late Mwanawasa. Unfortunately, I don’t have my supervisor to talk for me, to speak on my behalf and assess me,” Magande said.
“He President Banda will not assess me because I didn’t work under him. He is completing late president Mwanawasa’s works. He has to remember that the chief planner was Magande, who is alive. If he forgets Magande who is alive, how can he remember Levy’s works?”
Magande said he did not want President Banda to bring him into comparison on who was better between him and Dr Musokotwane.
“Let Zambians judge my service. I intend to put myself to the ballot,” he said.
Magande said he would form a political party next year before the elections.
“Yes I am standing. I am forming one (political party) before the elections. I want the people of Zambia to judge for themselves.”
Labels: LEVY MWANAWASA, NG'ANDU MAGANDE, RUPIAH BANDA, SITUMBEKO MUSOKOTWANE
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Rupiah has betrayed Levy - Kabimba
By Chibaula Silwamba and Ernest Chanda
Fri 05 Nov. 2010, 04:01 CAT
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda, Vice-President George Kunda and their lieutenants have betrayed Levy Mwanawasa by removing the abuse of office clause from the ACC Act, PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba charged yesterday.
And Transparency International Zambia has urged President Banda to rescind his support for the removal of the abuse of office clause because the action would entail legalisation of corruption.
Commenting on the decision by MMD parliamentarians’ endorsement of the removal of abuse of office offence clause from the amended Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) Act during the committee stage in Parliament on Wednesday, Kabimba charged that President Banda, Vice-President Kunda, MMD parliamentarians and pro-government leaders had certified corruption and abuse of office by public servants through their action to remove the clause.
Kabimba said it was shameful that people that worked closely with late president Mwanawasa, masquerading that they believed in his cause, had now abandoned him.
“Today, Levy is no more, and because now they are on the payroll of somebody else they have completely betrayed Levy Mwanawasa that they could go to Parliament and betray his cause,” Kabimba said. “They gave the impression to the people of Zambia that they believed in the man so much. The lesson for the people of Zambia to learn from such leaders is that these are leaders who are self-serving. These are leaders that at anytime would betray the cause of the people in order to serve interests of him who appoints them to those positions.”
He named President Banda a betrayer.
“Rupiah Banda was a Vice-President to the late Levy Mwanawasa, appointed by Mwanawasa in the belief that he shared the same values as himself. In the hope that as a man that served in a UNIP government under Dr Kenneth Kaunda which government was the first to introduce the corrupt practices Act, to deal with the cancer of corruption in our society, would be the champion of that cause,” Kabimba said. “To our dismay and consternation, RB’s legacy after 2011 will not be about a President that stood to eradicate corruption in our society. There will be nothing for him to show that indeed he believed in the cause of Levy Mwanawasa whom he served as Vice-President.”
He said the clearest signal that President Banda had sent to Zambians over his stance on corruption was the removal of the abuse of office clause from the ACC Act.
“Nobody today can justify the removal of that clause. We hope the people of Zambia and donors are marking the words of the President when he tries to justify the removal of that clause,” he said.
“President Rupiah Banda, Vice-President George Kunda and their lieutenants are certifying corruption and legalising abuse of office.”
He said the abuse of office clause was in the ACC Act to prevent corruption in public office, and President Banda’s team should not have removed it.
“The removal of the clause can only mean that they are supporting abuse of office. Otherwise of all the clauses in the ACC Act, why pick on the abuse of office?” asked Kabimba. “I read some of the debating in Parliament, saying that ‘why are you discriminating against those serving in public sector?’ Of course we have to discriminate because they are at the service of the people. So they can’t go out conducting themselves like anybody else on the streets because they are entrusted with the confidence of the people to serve Zambians. That is the difference.”
And TIZ executive director Goodwell Lungu said civil society members were disappointed with the debate and decision of Parliament.
He said it was not true that the clause was retrogressive as proponents for its removal claimed.
“This will have a negative effect on the fight against corruption; we will not lose hope. We will embark on a campaign to collect signatures to petition the President not to assent the bill,” Lungu said.
He said despite President Banda justifying the removal of the clause, TIZ and the civil society organisations were hopeful that he could change his mind.
“It’s not too late for the President to make a U-turn and we will commend him for that,” said Lungu.
During deliberation in Parliament on Wednesday, opposition Alliance for Democracy and Development Luena member of parliament Charles Milupi raised a point of order on why the Minister of Home Affairs had mounted a garrison of police officers at the Parliament gates to monitor unarmed opposition members who were picketing.
Milupi also questioned the minister's double standards by trying to frustrate the picketing when only about two weeks ago another group of people was allowed to picket against one member of parliament.
Making a ruling, National Assembly Speaker Amusaa Mwanamwambwa said the question of people who were allowed to picket over two weeks ago was a dead issue.
On the police officers’ presence, Speaker Mwanamwambwa ruled that the home affairs minister was in order to keep law and order anywhere including the precincts of Parliament.
And later when the Anti Corruption bill came up for committee stage there was a show of supremacy from the MMD parliamentarians who, through Vice-President George Kunda rejected every amendment the opposition tried to push in.
Vice-President Kunda who often smiled mockingly whenever opposition members read out their amendments dictated the mood for the ruling party as everyone seemingly looked up to him for direction.
Despite the opposition members' hard push for the reinstatement of the abuse of office offence, they could not change the status quo as they were outnumbered by the MMD who had teamed up with some 'rebel' Patriotic Front parliamentarians to out vote them when the matter came to a vote.
Whatever amendment was proposed by the opposition at every stage of the bill was rejected first by Vice-President George Kunda and then the other MMD parliamentarians followed suit.
And later justifying the government's removal of the abuse of office offence after Itezhi-tezhi UPND parliamentarian Goddfrey Beene moved an amendment to have the clause re-instated, Vice-President Kunda argued that the law was targeting civil servants who were also voters.
“This particular clause Section 37 of the ACC Act was debated. And we have argued that this law is outdated, it's archaic and it's backward because it's targeted at civil servants. Why are we targeting civil servants? Why are we targeting such voters?” asked Vice-President Kunda. “We should encourage people to earn extra income. And if we keep that law we could be encouraging a police state where people will be pursued even for allowances that they have worked for.”
But Kabwata PF parliamentarian Given Lubinda cautioned Vice-President Kunda against thinking that he is the only Zambian who has studied law.
“I'm very surprised by people who think that they are the only ones who went to school to study law. They are not the only ones who have studied law,” debated Lubinda as deputy National Assembly Speaker Mutale Nalumango cautioned him against debating individuals.
Zambezi West UPND parliamentarian Charles Kakoma argued that police had no capacity to fight corruption as could be proved from history.
Roan PF parliamentarian Chishimba Kambwili reminded the MMD that posterity would judge them harshly for abolishing a good law.
The number of opposition members defending Section 37 of the ACC Act was too few, hence the bill went through committee stage and will only come up for report stage before going for Presidential assent.
Labels: ACC, CORRUPTION, LEVY MWANAWASA, RUPIAH BANDA, TIZ, WYNTER KABIMBA
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Don’t steal Levy’s praises
By The Post
Sun 31 Oct. 2010, 04:00 CAT
It is easy to make oneself warm on a cold day for a few minutes by peeing in one’s pants. Urine is warm and will keep you warm for a few minutes, but soon you will realise the folly of what you have done as the wet pants start to make you feel cold and the spectacle of your stupid act begins to cause embarrassment.
There’s nothing wrong with somebody wanting to feel warm on a cold day. In fact, it is a natural reaction of a body to seek warmth when its cold. But not every method of seeking warmth is proper, sustainable and acceptable. It is also natural for human beings to desire the approval and affirmation of other human beings.
Again there is nothing wrong with this. But there is something wrong when people go to any lengths and do all sorts of things to obtain the approval and affirmation of others. It is more disastrous when those who seek such affirmation resort to lies, manipulation and other forms of self-deception in order to feel a sense of being accepted and respected by others. Indeed it is said that the worst form of deception is self-deception. This is because chances are that a person who deceives oneself is likely to land in unmitigated disaster. This is what we see with Rupiah Banda. The vanity of power has engulfed him in such a way that he believes what he says even when he knows that facts may be different. Rupiah has began to believe that he can change facts and have them be what he wants them to be. This is a classic symptom of megalomania.
Rupiah seems to be getting used to reaping where he has not sown. It seems this is his way of life. Yes, in many cases - and big ones for that matter - Rupiah has reaped where he has not sown. For instance, Rupiah got the presidency on a silver platter, without having invested much in it politically. And he thinks everything in life, including praise by Transparency International, can go to him in that same style and fashion. There’s nothing wrong with Rupiah wanting to be praised, but surely to try and accept praise for doing nothing or the opposite of what one is seeking praise for is asking or expecting too much from others. But this is what happens when people live on a staple diet of lies, half-truths and other concoctions that are removed from honesty. Rupiah wants to build his presidency on a base that is nothing but cheap propaganda, lies, calumny, deceit and manipulation. The people around him know this and they think that this is their job, this is what they should help him in doing. And this is why Rupiah’s office was quick to try and hoodwink the public that Transparency International had praised Rupiah’s leadership in the fight against corruption. Everybody knows that Rupiah has been marching backwards in the fight against corruption. Levy Mwanawasa took the fight against corruption to very high heights and Rupiah has brought it down to the lowest levels. It is only the other day that Rupiah did away with the law which prohibits public officers from abusing their offices for personal benefit. Rupiah has been at the head of fighting for the right to acquire inexplicable wealth using public office. By this single act, Rupiah has fought to legitimise corruption and wanton plunder of public resources. He has managed to emasculate the Anti Corruption Commission Act in order to remove the threat of being held to account for the wealth that he, his family, friends and minions are questionably acquiring since he came to power.
From the time that he came to power, Rupiah has made it very clear by his words and his actions that he does not care about removing corruption and improving the governance of our country. Everything Rupiah has done so far moves him away from the fight against corruption into defending the corrupt and corruption. There’s no better defender of corruption in this country today than Rupiah. Rupiah is not only enacting laws that make the fight against corruption difficult, if not impossible in some respects, but he is also making sure that his friends who were charged for corruption under the Levy government go scot-free to enjoy what they had stolen. The case in point here is that of Frederick Chiluba. Rupiah has not only ensured that Chiluba is acquitted, but he has also ensured that there are no appeals against the questionable judgments that he has secured for his friend. Surely, how can such a man be praised for leading the fight against corruption? How can it be possible for Rupiah to be praised by the corrupt for defending them and ensuring that they go scot-free and at the same time be praised by those who wanted to see them nailed to the cross for their corruption, by those fighting corruption? These two are mutually exclusive - one can only either be for corruption or against corruption, and not both. In this situation it is not possible even for the most greedy, for the worst gluttons to eat with two hands. It is therefore difficult to understand how Rupiah would think or dream of praise coming from Transparency International. What he would have reasonably expected from Transparency International is denunciation over his destruction, over his reversing, of Levy’s genuine efforts at fighting corruption.
But why was Rupiah so quick to tell the nation that Transparency International had praised him? If Rupiah was living in a normal world and thinking as he should, praise from Transparency International should have come as an absolute shock. He should have stopped to understand why people who should be condemning him were praising him. But his behaviour was typical of dishonest people. This behaviour is similar to a man or woman receiving a medal as best athlete in a race that they never took part in. It will be like Michael Sata accepting an award from FIFA for being the best football administrator. An honest person would simply say thank you for the honour but ‘I have neither been an athlete nor a football administrator to receive this accolade; maybe this honour belongs to my brother Rupiah who once was a football administrator’. This is how an honest person will respond to such an error. But from the time Rupiah came, he has been trying to benefit from Levy’s legacy without being prepared to do Levy’s type of work. Rupiah is busy inaugurating projects that Levy was able to start because of his strong stance against corruption, without fully acknowledging Levy’s role. An honest person would always be starting such inaugurations with: ‘I wish my brother Levy who started this project was here today to officially open it and hand it over to you.’ But for Rupiah, everything starts with himself: ‘I have brought you development; I have built this and that for you; it’s me who has done this or that in my two years in office. Extend my mandate for another five years so that I can do more.’
Rupiah does not understand that with the corrupt style of governance that he has brought back, they will not be able to service the projects that Levy left that they are now inaugurating. There will be no money because their corruption will sweep government coffers clean. We saw this under Chiluba. A government that started with a lot of international goodwill and support drove our people to some of the worst levels of poverty we have ever experienced. Rupiah should not brag about these projects while forgetting that those who drove these projects were able to do so because they took a stand against corruption and wanted our natural resources to be available for national development. Rupiah’s government has been working to minimise Levy’s achievements in the fight against corruption. They have even gone so far as to work with those who have been insulting Levy’s efforts against corruption by giving them back what they had stolen, protection and allowing them to use state-owned media for their propaganda to try and launder their tattered images.
Only a shameless man can try to steal the accolades of a deceased colleague who is not there to accept praise and recognition for work done when he lived. This is what Rupiah is doing. Levy is not there to accept the accolades from Transparency International. And instead of Rupiah accepting those accolades on behalf of Levy, he has in the most shameful and despicable way tried to appropriate for himself praises that he knew would be meant for Levy. This can only come from a corrupt, callous and insensitive person. We say this because taking that which is not yours, that which does not belong to you and making it yours amounts to corruption, theft, banditry. If Rupiah had any dignity and respect for Levy’s memory, he would apologise for this callous act. But we do not expect Rupiah to apologise for trying to steal from his dead master because this is not the first time that Rupiah has taken something from Levy’s legacy without caring to acknowledge it. Again, this is dishonesty, this is corruption, this is theft. If Rupiah wants to be praised, he should work in a way that deserves praise. If he wants to be honoured, he should behave honourably. If he wants to be praised for fighting corruption, he should join the fight against corruption and stop defending and protecting Chiluba and his tandem of thieves and their loot.
Rupiah cannot continue to preside over a kleptocracy and expect the praise of Transparency International. This is like Zaire’s Mobutu expecting praise from Transparency International! How can that be possible?
Labels: CORRUPTION, LEVY MWANAWASA, RUPIAH BANDA, TRANSPARANCY INTERNATIONAL
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Magande discusses how Levy wanted him to be his successor
By Chibaula Silwamba
Fri 03 Sep. 2010, 03:59 CAT
NG’ANDU Magande has revealed that four ministers serving in President Rupiah Banda’s Cabinet had informed him in 2008 that then president Levy Mwanawasa wanted him to be his successor but wondered why these people had not publicly explained the matter.
Featuring on Frank Mutubila’s Frank Talk programme on ZNBC television on Wednesday night, Magande, who is also MMD national executive committee (NEC) finance chairperson and the party’s Chilanga parliamentarian, extensively explained about Mwanawasa’s intentions to have him as a successor in 2011.
“I can confirm as having been told by those who were told. One time we were talking, he Mwanawasa said ‘I wish I could have somebody who could continue where we are when I leave’ and I said to him, ‘it’s up to you to choose, but whoever you choose you have to subject them to people. The people will have to agree with your decision’,” Magande explained.
“Then he said at that moment, ‘how did you know? There are actually three names I am considering and I want to tell you that you are one of them’. And I said to him, ‘thank you very much.’ After sometime, again we had these personal discussions and he told me, ‘I have reduced the number to two’.
I said, ‘am I on that list of two?’ He said, ‘yes you are’. Then I said, ‘when will you have the list of one?’ Then he said, ‘I will not tell because if I tell you then you will start behaving like you are president. I want you for now to behave and continue behaving as a minister of finance. There is still a lot of work to do there’.”
Magande said in June 2008 when Mwanawasa was in Milanzi campaigning for now late Reuben Chisanga-Banda in the parliamentary by-elections, before his Magande’s departure to Egypt, they had a lengthy discussion.
“I was supposed to join the team which was going to the AU in Egypt and as usual, I normally said goodbye to my boss and he said, ‘what do you want to go and do?’ So I had a long two and half hours conversation on the phone with him. The president was in Eastern; we discussed everything. I was privileged to discuss with the president anything I wanted and he would never say I have no comment,” he explained.
Magande explained that on that day, he even discussed with President Banda the problems of Zambian Airways.
“I told him ‘tomorrow the following day, when I am leaving I am writing a letter to the ministry of communications proposing that they defer the debt of Zambian Airways to National Airports Corporation’ and he said, ‘if that is what you think.’ That is how he took it normally when I convinced him that, ‘if that is what you think go ahead’,” Magande explained.
“As we were discussing agriculture, I remember him saying, ‘I want you to make sure that this fertilizer programme succeeds. You must increase the number of beneficiaries.’ And then he said, ‘by the way, I have heard a rumour that you are after all one of the candidates in 2011 presidential seat.’ Then I said, ‘Mr President if you have heard that rumour I am most grateful.’ Then we laughed it off and then I left.”
He explained that other ministers also informed him about Mwanawasa’s intentions to have him as his successor.
“When I got to Egypt there were already a lot of friends who were there. One of them took me for breakfast early in the morning and he said, ‘I want to tell you that while you are here the President wants to talk to you’. I said, ‘about what? We discussed before I came. The President is still in Zambia.
I left him there.’ He said, ‘no! I had a conversation with him; he is talking about you perhaps being one of his successors when he leaves in 2011’. This is a friend who is still in Cabinet. Now, if he was telling me a lie, I didn’t ask him but he has not been able to come out and say, ‘yes, the President Mwanawasa told me this’,” Magande explained.
“When I came back, three ministers came to our house. For two of them because I thought they were so friendly to me, my wife was in attendance and they told us that the day before president Mwanawasa left for Egypt, the night before, they had a meeting at State House and he was telling them, ‘look, I am not feeling extremely well, I don’t know if I will get to 2011 but if I do I want to have a smooth succession.
I am looking for a successor. As you come back from Egypt, those who are going and when I come back, I want you to help the minister of finance to start understanding the people in Kalingalinga, the people in Chadiza, the people in Shang’ombo.’ And one the ministers said, he asked him, ‘why?’ He said, ‘because I think he has achieved a lot and I would like the people to know him. I would like you to help him; if possible in 2011 to campaign for him’.”
He said he did not solicit the information from the three ministers.
“They came to my house. They are all in Cabinet, by the way. So all I have to say is that I believe in God. The truth one day will be told,” Magande explained.
He said it was still possible for him to become president of Zambia.
“If I were to go to the MMD convention, I want to assure you that you will not use that word ‘impossible’. I think it will not be impossible. I believe in hope. I hope that it will not be impossible,” responded Magande when Mutubila asked him about what he would do if it became impossible for him to stand on the MMD ticket.
Magande added: “I still want to serve the Zambian people. I have been minister, I have been an economist, I know this country and I still can provide some services, I will find an avenue to go to the people. The Constitution says, ‘to be a presidential candidate under the party, you just need support of a party.’ There are a lot of parties, which are there. That for me is not impossible to get myself supported.”
He said he had been an effective minister and parliamentarian in the MMD government.
Magande also said the MMD adoption of presidential candidates in 2008 where he lost to then acting Republican President Banda was his first attempt but he hoped to do better next time.
“What I saw during those presidential candidate adoption elections, I leave it for me to perhaps explain in my memoirs if I have the opportunity. As you recall, as we were coming out of the hall, I was asked the question, ‘how were the elections’ and I said, ‘they were democratic, free’ and someone asked me, one of the reports, ‘are you going to say anything more?’
I said, ‘no!’ I have kept my mouth shut since then,” said Magande. “The elections at that time did not give me an opportunity to explain to the members of NEC, who I am, what I am and where I have come from. This time around I am prepared to come before you the Zambians and present myself.”
Labels: LEVY MWANAWASA, MMD, NG'ANDU MAGANDE
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Mwanawasa doubted he would reach 2011-Magande
Thursday, September 2, 2010, 16:04
Former finance and National Planning Minister Ng’andu Magande has disclosed that late President Levy Mwanawasa once told his cabinet ministers during a meeting where he anointed him as his successor that he doubted if he would reach 2011. He recalls that before the late president left for Egypt for African Union summit, he had a meeting with cabinet ministers on his choice for the presidential candidate.
Mr Magande said some cabinet ministers in the current government are aware that late president Mwanawasa wanted him to be the presidential candidate for the ruling MMD.
He added that one of the cabinet ministers during the same meeting asked the president why he had chose him to be the presidential candidate, to which he responded that he was not feeling well and doubted if he will reach 2011.
The Former Finance Minister said the late president wanted a smooth transition, hence he decided to choose a person who he thought had achieved a lot.
Mr Magande noted that it is a pity that the cabinet ministers who he did not mention have remained mute on the matter.
He explained that during the meeting the late president told the ministers present to help him understand how to run the country.
Mr Magande has since expressed confidence that the truth will come out sooner or later.
He also has expressed shock at some MMD members from Lusaka province who are de-campaigning him.
Mr Magande said it is quite surprising that the people from his own party are busy telling people that he is a failed Member of Parliament.
He pointed out that he has done so much for Chilanga constituency and that it would not be possible for people to de-campaigning him to succeed.
Mr Magande said this last evening on Frank Talk hosted by Frank Mutubila on national television.
[ QFM ]
Labels: LEVY MWANAWASA, MMD, NG'ANDU MAGANDE
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