By Correspondent
New Labour Party (NLP) leader Fresher Siwale has alleged that President Hakainde Hichilema has vested interests in Grant Thornton, a firm Government has contracted alongside the PriceWater House to audit the defense forces in the country.
Siwale insists that if President Hichilema wants to run his private companies, then he better resign as Head of State.
But Development Activist Davies Mwashi Lupindula says there is nothing sinister about PriceWater House, the two foreign auditing firms to audit the Zambia Army, Zambia Air force(ZAF)and Zambia National Service(ZNS) because there procurements are international in nature.
Speaking in an interview, Siwale said President Hichilema was one of the Directors at Grant Thornton, the firm that was instrumental in the privatisation of Zambian companies but wonders whether the Head of State had relinquished his position in that firm.
“In line with principles of good governance, transparency and accountability, President Hakainde Hichilema must declare interest in Grant Thornton before it begins to do business with Government and that should have been done earlier when he was supposed to have declared his assets which he has failed to do up to now,” he said.
Siwale wonders whether the contract given to Grant Thornton and PriceWaters house was an open tender.
“Did other accounting firms bid for this tender and was procedure of accountability and transparency followed in awarding Grant Thornton and PriceWater house this tender?”
The opposition leader added:”It is not every Jim and Jack that can be given a contract to audit the security wings of Government. Hakainde (President Hichilema could have declared interest in Grant Thornton before allowing it to do business with Government,” Siwale noted.
He insisted that the Head of State is a servant of the Zambian people hence, he cannot do private business .