I AM fully aware of the PF machinations to arrest Hakainde Hichilema over the issue of Intercontinental Hotel, whose transaction was transparent and above board, says senior chief Mukuni.
Mukuni warned the PF government that, “We will not allow this…I am sending a categorical warning to the PF that the battle lines have been drawn, and my war shofar has been sounded.”
On Tuesday, chief government spokesperson Dora Siliya said the government had received with great indignation reports that Hichilema, the former chairman for the Zambia Privatisation Agency (ZPA) negotiating team was one of the key perpetrators of extensive abuse of the privatisation process.
Nawakwi has since last week been accusing Hichilema of impropriety in the privatisation process.
Many Zambians, however, have branded her a PF hired gun.
Siliya said the government was disturbed by revelations made by Nawakwi, a former minister of finance in the MMD government of Frederick Chiluba that implemented the privatisation of State-owned enterprises, that Hichilema, as chairman of the Privatisation Negotiation Team for the sale of Musi-o-Tunya Intercontinental Hotel, Rainbow Lodge and National Heritage Park, literally sold the entity to himself.
“Hon. Nawakwi, through her various media engagements, has categorically stated that Mr Hichilema failed to declare interest while presiding on the sale of public assets in which he had personal interest,” she stated. “Government finds Mr Hichilema’s conduct, if true, to be a clear case of corrupt practices, bordering on non-declaration of interest, in winning a bid. Government is, therefore, studying the matter and is following closely the reaction by the citizens who are the true owners of the property in question.”
But Mukuni, in a statement, says the main purpose of wanting to arrest Hichilema is very clear.
“It is to offer them an opportunity to detain him and compromise his health, by poisoning him, so that they completely eliminate him from the ballot box in 2021. We will not allow this!” he charged. “The whole scheme is nothing more than Hon. Edith Nawakwi’s Judas style agreement to betray Hakainde Hichilema as a sacrifice for their visionless party. Hakainde Hichilema is a Zambian citizen first, but he is also my subject. Arising from the two preceding factors, his welfare, and most importantly his safety and health are my concerns should they detain him. Therefore, I am sending a categorical warning to the PF that the battle lines have been drawn, and my war shofar has been sounded. We will defend Hakainde Hichilema with all our strength, and we will not allow this humiliation and this abuse of an innocent citizen go further than this. Why can’t you leave Hakainde enjoy his freedoms just like any other Zambian? Why can’t the PF concentrate on massive levels of corruption, the high cost of living and the runaway kwacha, and an economy that is in the ICU than direct their energies on one individual whose only offence is to aspire for public office? This kind of injustice must end and we will not allow it.”
Mukuni went on to invoke Thomas Jefferson’s words, “All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”.