By Kombe Mataka
KABUSHI PF member of parliament Bowman Lusaka says corruption charges slapped on him by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) will not deter him from contesting for the PF presidency.
And Lusambo yesterday conducted a one-man protest outside Hot FM Radio where visiting UK Minister for Africa Mary Ford was been featured.
Lusambo, who is currently fighting for his Kabushi seat in the Constitutional Court after his election was nullified by the High Court, said his name would be on the presidential ballot at the PF convention.
“What I am waiting for is to go to the convention and the party members will choose the next president of the PF. I have told Zambians that at the end of my tour of duty I will retire as the former president of the republic of Zambia,” Lusambo, currently before the Financial and Economic Crimes Court facing 10 counts of corruption related charges, told The Mast.
“I want to be a revolutionary president who can rebrand the party. PF has good policies for this country and we are still on top of things. If elected as leader of a pro-poor party, I want to uplift the living standards of the people. Continue creating jobs for our people. We will continue protecting Constitution from abuse. We want our people to get back to eating three meals a day. We want to promote businessmen and women. We want agriculture to create jobs not what is happening where we have a government in power that has no plan.”
Lusambo said he was not afraid of his competitors, most of whom are his seniors in politics.
“In the bible when Abraham was asked ‘how many righteous people could you have in your country’ he answered ‘if we have five righteous people, my family and I, we are here’. If they will be three I will be there. If there will be two, I will be there. If there will only be one, I will be the only one. That is the stance I have taken. If there will 10 giants, I will be there,” he e said.
“Being investigated doesn’t mean I am guilty. We are still waiting for the UPND government to tell us what we have stolen from the Zambian government and the answer is none. We have not stolen anything. The proceeds of crime word is a borrowed word. Very soon we will take it to parliament when constitutional reforms come up. It is supposed to go because it is just bringing divisions in the country and weak politicians like Hakainde Hichilema is using it to fight political opponents. The suspected proceeds of crime happen in countries where there are drug barons, where people can be having money whose source is not known. Zambian people have seen how Bowman has travelled, how he started his businesses. They know he can afford to buy a car and be president of a political party. That offence of suspected proceeds of crime is misplaced. Those are misplaced charges. How can you tell (Joseph) Malanji that his assets are proceeds of crime? Are you crazy? Malanji started business when Hakainde had not much money than him – a person who walking barefoot. It’s a joke naimwe!
What Hakainde Hichilema was supposed to do is to come to the people of Zambia and say ‘sorry people of Zambia, things which I told you about, these people that they stole is not true. They actually didn’t steal anything otherwise everything is intact and whatever they have, they worked for these things just like the way I seized my opportunities’.”
Lusambo said he has acquired his money through work.
“I have worked more than Hakainde Hichilema in the private sector. I was working for GTV, Cash Crusaders and Carnival Furnishers. I was working for nuclear sounds. And I was getting a salary and getting a commission and at the end of the day they gave me gratuity. When Hakainde was buying cows, we were buying blocks to build,” he said.
Lusambo revealed that former president Edgar Lungu had encouraged him and others to aim for the top position of the PF.
“My president has been encouraging each and every member of our party to work hard so that one day they could be the ones to govern the country,” he said.
And Lusambo yesterday caused discomfort among a delegation of the UK High Commission when appeared with a placard trying to seek Ford’s attention as she was coming out of the Hot Media building after featuring on Hot FM.
Lusambo, who failed to attract Ford’s attention as she went to the car, shouted “I am honourable member of parliament. I hope you can see this. This is the thing which is happening here. I hope you can see this. Hon minister, democracy is under threat …you take this message. This is the real thing. Take this message,” the placard carrying Lusambo shouted after Ford.
After failing to stop Ford, Lusambo flaunted the placard that read, “The Zambian Speaker is impartial. Parliament is not independent. Speaker is killing our democracy. There is no corruption fight but political persecution.”