A THIEF IS A THIEF EVEN IF HE IS A GENEROUS THIEF
One of the difficulties of being Zambian is dealing with people who have refused to use logic and reason instead they prefer to think based on who is being mentioned and not what is being mentioned.
For instance, whenever Hakainde Hichilema is mentioned his minions though known as Praise Singers jump up to react to each and every criticism of the man, calling everyone who says anything negative about Hichilema, bitter and a Job seeker who failed to get a job. What these shallow minded people fail to grasp, is that any right-thinking Zambian cannot possibly have time to hate a President just because he is president and it is not possible for all Zambians to be employed by the government.
Zambians must get serious and migrate from such primitive behavior where something is only good if it benefits you and bad if it doesn’t benefit you.
Joseph Malanji, a former Foreign Affairs Minister often Dubbed “Bonanza” for his flamboyant distribution of wealth, has become a symbol of unchecked corruption and the betrayal of public trust. His conviction for orchestrating what can be described as one of the greatest thefts in Zambia’s history, $11 million (approximately ZMW 270 million) in cash withdrawn from a bank in Turkey is mind boggling by any standard.
Malanji’s nickname, “Bonanza,” was not born in a vacuum. During his time in power, he was known for his lavish generosity, distributing cash and resources to allies, associates, and even communities. To some, this made him a folk hero—a Robin Hood figure who, while dipping in the public purse, shared his spoils with the less fortunate. But this narrative crumbles under scrutiny. The money he so freely handed out was not his to give. It belonged to the Zambian people—intended for schools, hospitals, and infrastructure, not for personal aggrandizement or political patronage.
Can generosity with stolen wealth absolve a thief? The answer is a resounding no. A thief remains a thief, regardless of how they spend their ill-gotten gains.
Those who benefited from Joe Malanji have been all over social media platforms saying things like he was a good man he donated this and that. One facebook user Kanina Ka Mano kz posted “(When you are good u are good) this man helped a lot of people including me and my brother Godfrey Mwiza Silungwe. He helped a lot of us through empowerment money which he used to donate in his former constituency’s kabala area in kitwe. He by using public money, contributed to where we are right now as a country. Thank God for his life. He does not know me, but I know him. Thank you so much sir, may the good Lord see you through and speak for you.’
Maybe the question to ask Kanina is, was it his money? Or may be, is being generous a reason for people not to be convicted?
Malanji cannot be innocent just because he helped a few individuals after looting the country’s resources. Just like we warn Ministers Like Makozo Chikote and others, Malanji was warned, but at the time he was in power and all warnings fell on deaf ears.
Supporters within the PF and some opposition circles have cried “political persecution.” The evidence presented in court leaves little room for doubt. This was not a politically motivated witch hunt but a judicial reckoning for a crime of unprecedented scale. The attempt to frame Malanji’s conviction as persecution is a distraction from the undeniable truth: $11 million of Zambia’s money was stolen, and Malanji was at the center of it.
A thief is a thief, even if He is a generous thief. The details of Malanji’s crime, as revealed in court, read like a script from a crime thriller. In an act of staggering boldness, Malanji and his associates walked into a bank in Turkey and withdrew $11 million of Zambia’s public funds in cash. This was not a sophisticated scheme involving hidden accounts or complex financial maneuvers—it was a blatant, over-the-counter withdrawal, executed with the kind of impunity that suggests a deep sense of entitlement. The bank, unprepared for such a massive cash transaction, reportedly struggled to process the request, forcing Malanji and his team to wait for hours as the money was being counted.
Malanji allegedly used a Zambian Presidential plane to transport the stolen funds, raising serious questions about the complicity of higher authorities. Who authorized the use of state resources for this criminal endeavor? The investigation revealed further audacity: Malanji deposited $100,000 daily for 14 consecutive days, a reckless display of confidence that underscores how comfortable he had become with his loot. Yet, only about $5 million of the stolen funds have been traced or recovered, leaving millions unaccounted for.
“A thief is a thief, even if he is a generous thief” finds its perfect embodiment in Malanji. Generosity with stolen goods does not erase the crime; it merely compounds the injustice by masking it with a veneer of benevolence. The $11 million Malanji stole could have funded critical public services in a country where poverty remains rampant, schools are underfunded, and healthcare is often inadequate. His actions deprived millions of Zambians of a better future, no matter how many hands he shook or how many gifts he bestowed.
The Bible, a moral compass for many Zambians, is unequivocal about theft: “Thou shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15). Scripture further instructs that a thief must make restitution, often paying back double or more for what was taken (Exodus 22:4). If we are being honest, Malanji’s four-year sentence is lenient, looking at the gravity of his crime. In a country where a person can face five to seven years in prison for stealing a chicken out of desperation, the disparity in sentencing raises questions about justice and equality before the law.
Malanji’s actions challenge Zambia’s moral fabric. The defense of his “generosity” echoes the flawed logic of those who justify wrongdoing with good deeds.
John 8:32 “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Get in touch with us on WhatsApp +263786654620
#zambianwhistleblower #zwb
©️ Zambian Whistleblower
Some thieves, like Malanji and Lusambo, stole and shared with Zambians, while investing in Zambia.
Other thieves, like the conman, steal and share with freemasons, while investing in Panama.
REJECT TRIBALISM, CORRUPTION AND OPPRESSION.
VOTE FOR CHANGE IN 2026.
Iwe ka Tyrol Malanje and Lusambo stole cement for building schools,clinics, nurseries,and bridges for thousands of Zambians just to satisfy you alone.Why can’t you get that in your bustard head
That “thief” asked anyone who had proof that he stole to report the case to the police so that he could be arrested if he did any wrong, but not even one came forward. In fact, he even went further and offered his house to a person who would do so but still no one came forward, which means the man is innocent, but since you have no evidence except illogical accusations about someone who has succeeded beyond what you can even do for several generations, so I understand the pain the pain you go through when you think about it.
From the judgement availed what I see is USD 4.6Million withdrawn, USD 1.1 Billion used for the intended purpose,
USD3.5 Misappropriated.
Can someone tell me where the USD 11 Million is coming from?
Where there some other transactions?
Or it’s the usual over valuing of assets.
Where a Property is valued at an exaggerated amount.
$3.5 Million is peanuts , compared to the holy thieves who completely Stole Zambia’s industrial and commercial base…Lima Bank Assets, Luanshya Copper Mines, Hotels.. completely making Zambia Destitute… Billions of Dollars of Assets, into their pockets, and became Billionaires overnight .
The Holy Thieves named in Panama Papers
are still running riot filling their pockets using proxies , fronts and shell companies.
Ask me who should be serving time at Chimbokaila Prison or Mukobeko, joining the Unholy Thief Joe Malanji, and I will point at the Holy Thieves.
So now it’s not that you shouldn’t steal, but comparing to see who stole the most, and making up lies to excuse PF theft.
These two deeply stupid PF clowns are jokers. The IdiotTyrol and One thousand endless diatribe of lies.
Just F off with this nonsense logic.
Keep putting these thieves in jail for robbing Zambia of millions, if not billions, of dollars.
@ Sarah
Am not excusing the theft of Hon Joe Malanji. All am saying my sister is that all thieves should be answerable for the Theft of our public resources.
Both Holy and Unholy Thieves should be taken to account. A Thief is a Thief whether in jail or outside. Deep down the hearts of holy and Unholy Thieves, they know they Stole at one time…
And you know where Thieves belong my dear Sister? In Jail , and not in Corridors of power. Do you find this comment offensive?
It seems you don’t comprehend what you write. Let me refresh your memory, “$3.5 million is peanuts , compared to the holy thieves who completely Stole Zambia’s industrial and commercial base…Lima Bank Assets, Luanshya Copper Mines, Hotels.. completely making Zambia Destitute… Billions of Dollars of Assets, into their pockets, and became Billionaires overnight”.
If this is not justifying theft, then you don’t understand what you are saying. By the way, you forgot to include one lawyer on the list above who became president of the this country. I’m told is the one who sold Zambia Cold Storage limited, but I hear he drunk all his paycheck, and did not invest like the others you mentioned.
@Straight Forward
Am sorry if an impression was created in my comment that am justifying Hon Joe Malanji..Am not.
From the bits I have read on the judgement, he stole our money, and it serves him right to be where he is.
My point brother is that we need strong institutions such that both Holy and Unholy Thieves face the full force of the Law without exception..They shouldn’t be anywhere near the corridors of power..They belong to the Jails.
No wonder the late Edith Nawakwi stated that the cherished house someone owns is a Proceed of Crime.
There are known Lima Bank Assets which were appropriated by Holy Thieves..and Hotels too, and a lot of other Assets..and we know the Tricks they used. Declare the Asset Unprofitable, Under value the Asset, get the Asset using proxies, and resell the Asset, or confuse the Share holding with a Web.
Inside Trading is a key component of Organized Criminals – the Holy Thieves. It’s not about a pay check my brother, it’s Clear Theft Zambia was subjected to during Privatisation.
What is disheartening is that Known Proxies, Fronts and Shells who were part of the Matrix of Thievery, have become very active again, filling their Insatiable pockets.
Analyze that Multi Million Dollar Environmental Management Consultancy Contract given to a known Proxy… MILLION DOLLARS transferred to one of the 3 Musketeers without any government oversight on the usage..and the Rot currently going on in the country.
Look at the FIC reports documenting USD3.5 Billion dubiously externalised from Zambia. Who are the people behind such huge Deals in Zambia?
We live in Zambia my brother, and we have seen how Huge Sums of money are being splashed around by people who were Paupers before 2021. In four years, they are able to buy a Chicken at K100,000.00
A politician my brother is potentially a Thief, especially those who claim not to draw salaries.
Strong Institutions are required so that both Holy and Unholy Thieves are brought to book.
Thank you.
Malanje and Lusambo were accused investigated and hard evidence presented before being jailed.HH was accused and investigated by Mwanawasa,Sata and Lungu but no hard evidence has ever been presented . What is left is malicious rumours and innuendos
HH’s financial dealings were found to have been above board but PF thieves ,no matter how intricate their financial dealings,the paper trail stinks up the DEC’s nose
On issue of the need to have strong institutions, I agree with you 100%. We need to build institutions of governance that are stronger than individuals, no matter the office they hold, that way, leaders can be held accountable for their actions. Unlike the case is where individuals are more powerful than institutions. In fact, for me, this is one of my most paramount issues I want to see this administration in government or any other administration should strive to achieve, otherwise, any achievements without this will be negated once irresponsible individuals are given the power to lead our wonderful country.
NB: You seem to be a reasonable person judging from most of your writings which is unusual for most PF supporters, so I fail to understand how you support PF, and even sometimes tend to believe some illogical things said by PF members because frankly speaking, most of the time the things they say don’t make any logical sense to a logical person.
PF was parte after parte, thief after thief.