IN ZAMBIA CORRUPT PEOPLE ARE GLORIFIED
…and those that fight corruption
are fought, observes Masebo

IN ZAMBIA CORRUPT PEOPLE ARE GLORIFIED
…and those that fight corruption
are fought, observes Masebo



By Kholiwe Miti( The Mast)



IF we are going to expect President HH is going to clean corruption like one person then we might as well forget the fight, says lands minister Sylvia Masebo.

“It is only in Zambia where corrupt people are glorified and those that fight corruption are fought,” she noted.

During questions for oral answer in parliament on Friday, Shiwang’andu PF member of parliament Stephen Kapyoungo asked Masebo when issues of land in Kafue district will be permanently resolved as they have been recurring.

“Thank you so much Mr [Second Deputy] Speaker [Moses Moyo],  I think mine is a rider on the question posed by the MP for Chasefu. Kafue District Council has been having these challenges, problems for land administration for some time now and it’s not the first time the delegated authority to the Minister of Lands is being suspended. I do recall when I served in the Ministry of Local Government they had to face the same challenge. Honourable minister what are you permanently doing because if you hear the honourable MP several occasions it’s this issue of illegal land allocations and she’s now being accused of being a demolisher of properties,” said Kampyongo. “I don’t know what authority you would use to demolish them. So what are you going to do permanently in order to ensure that Kafue District Council adheres to the guidelines in performing their delegated functions of the Minster of Lands. I thank you Mr Speaker.”

In response, Masebo said it would take all Zambians to fight corruption “together and not to politicise it”.

“I think first of all it’s to appreciate that districts like Kafue, Chilanga, Chongwe they have become very vulnerable because of the proximity to Lusaka city and also take into account that Lusaka city does not have any more land to allocate. So there is a lot of pressure in these surrounding districts and we also know very well where we are coming from. The levels of lawlessness were very high and as the honourable MP who has been there before has indicated that Kafue was one of those councils that frankly speaking were not following the guidelines of administering land. But the facts are that you know issues of indiscipline, corruption, cannot die in two years or three years or four years or even five years. It will take time. It will in fact take both the right and the left (government and opposition) speaking one language when the story of corruption comes. When the story of corruption comes and we politicise it it will never finish corruption in this country,” said Masebo. “I have always stated that it is only in Zambia where corrupt people are glorified and those that fight corruption are fought. And so the challenge of Kafue is really an issue of abuse of office, corruption. That is what it is and until we can all work together as Zambians to clean this country, if we are going to expect President HH is going to clean corruption like one person then we might as well forget the fight. It requires all of us to work together and to be honest with each other. If I become corrupt and you are sure I’m corrupt report me and the law takes its course and the next person is not corrupt and even if they belong to a different party you stand by them but immediately a country begins to politicise corruption it is a recipe for failure. The problem for Kafue like many other councils, it’s not just Kafue, maybe Kafue has overdone it, this problem is with many councils today. We have problems Mr Speaker in Chongwe and sometimes I just say God help this country.”