[By Edwin Mbulo and Chambwa Moonga]
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu should be magnanimous and take over the bill of ministers that remained in office after dissolution of parliament in 2016, says Michael Kaingu.
Meanwhile, former Western Province minister Poniso Njeulu asserts that he is paying back to the State by Tuesday next week.
On Monday, the Constitutional Court issued an ultimatum to 63 former Patriotic Front cabinet ministers and their deputies to pay back money they illicitly acquired for illegally staying in office prior to the 2016 general elections.
The court ordered that the K4,266,664.10 Ngosa Simbyakula and 62 others are required to pay back to the Treasury for the period May to July 2016 should be repaid by January 5, 2021.
Kaingu, who is former Mwandi member of parliament and higher education minister, owes K60,434.87
In an interview, Kaingu said the ministers would not have remained in office if President Lungu had not said so.
“It is by his decree that we stayed in office and now that it has come out in this manner he must help us. According to the way he interpreted the Constitution himself, there was nothing wrong with us staying in office, so we stayed in office because of the President’s decree. You realise that we are appointees of the President. The President allowed us, we wouldn’t have stayed in office if the he didn’t say so,” he said. “We remained in office because of the statement he made and he assured us that there was nothing wrong. For me I don’t think I am asking for too much. I plead with him to help us with this bill. After all he has even said that he is donating 20 per cent of his salary to the State, maybe this is the time when that 20 per cent will be used to help. And this one cannot be coming from me asking the President, he must be magnanimous himself, magnanimous to say ‘ look, I am taking over the bill, pass it to my office and I will settle it’.”
Kaingu wondered how former ministers who are not employed would be able to pay the bill, adding that those who have been retained in Cabinet have an income.
He said the Head of State has the pleasure to hire and fire and so those that remained in office did so on his assurances.
And Njeulu has dismissed the assertion of him being broke and asserts that he is paying back to the State by Tuesday next week.
Some quarters have been touting Njeulu as being financially ruined.
Between 2011 and 2016, Njeulu served as Sinjembela Constituency (now Shang’ombo Constituency) UPND member of parliament.
He was co-opted in the PF government by President Michael Sata where he served as information deputy minister before President Edgar Lungu made him Western Province minister in 2015.
He now owes the State K57,811.38.
Asked about how he received the Constitutional Court final ruling, Njeulu indicated that the ruling was non-appealable, for it came from the last court.
“You cannot appeal. So, I’m going to pay. Actually, I’m going to Lusaka this Sunday, so that I can pay by Tuesday [next week]. We have to respect rulings of the court,” Njeulu said in an interview from Mongu on Tuesday. “Yes, we worked during that time and we signed a lot of protocols and you can imagine that during that time I even travelled to China for something, on behalf of the government of Zambia. I also went to Angola for sign stuff for the Livungu-Shang’ombo canal and the canal is now working – trade is happening.”
He, however, reiterated that since there was a ConCourt ruling, he had no option but to pay back.
“An amount of money has been put against my name and I have no option but to pay back. You can’t argue about that ruling,” he stressed.
On whether or not he was broke, Njeulu responded: “well, Avic International is working on water reticulation in Mongu and the President attached me to that contract.”
“I’m part of that contract and I’m paid every month. So, how can I fail to pay K57,000, when I have a contract running? I’ll pay back! I’m paying back by Tuesday,” Njeulu said. “By the time the 30 days given are over, my name will be among those who would have paid. So, that’s what I can tell you; I’m paying back. I’m not what you are saying (being broke).”
Meanwhile, Njeulu noted that he is “the sole parliamentary candidate” for the PF in Shang’ombo Constituency in 2021.
“Actually, I have just arrived in Mongu from there (Shang’ombo) where I went to monitor the registration of voters. People there are regretting [voting me out],” said Njeulu. “Come 2021, I’m standing as member of parliament in Shang’ombo for the PF.”
According to the amounts of the salaries and allowances tabulated by the court, Simbyakula will have to pay back K57, 510.23, Richwell Siamunene (60,434.87), Davies Mwila (60,434.87), Joseph Kasonde (57,512.88), Harry Kalaba (60,434.88), Chishimba Kambwili (58,681.80), Margaret Mwanakatwe (57,512.88), Jean Kapata (58,679.16), Fackson Shamenda (58,681.80), Christabel Ngimbu (60,434.87), Emerine Kabanshi (60,434.88), Yamfwa Mukanga (58,681.80), Nkandu Luo (58,681.80) and Vincent Mwale (60,434.87).
Others are; Joseph Katema (58,681.80), Stephen Kampyongo (60,434.88), Greyford Monde (60,434.88), John Phiri (57,512.87), Christopher Yaluma (60,434.88), Michael Katungu (60,434.87), Given Lubinda (56,226.92), Alexander Chikwanda (58,681.80), Dora Siliya (59,980.27), Kapembwa Simbao (61,756.74) and Esther Banda (56,058.30).
The list includes, Nicholas Banda (57,811.38), Gerry Chanda (56,058.30), Dr Chitalu Chilufya (56,058.30), Danny Ching’imbu (57,811.38), Obius Chisala (57,811.38), Ronald Chitotela (57,811.38), Lazarous Chungu (56,058.30), James Kapyanga (56,058.30), Panji Kaunda (54,889.38), Berina Kawandami(56,058.30), Dorothy Kazunga (57,811.38), John Kufuna (56,058.30), and Lawrence Evans (56,058.30).
Josephine Limata (57,811.38), Joseph Lungu (57,811.38), David Mabumba (57,811.38), Rayford Mbulu (56,057.43), Christopher Mulenga (57,811.38), Sydney Mushanga (56,058.30), Richard Musukwa (56,058.30), Christopher Mvunga (54,889.38), Mutaba Mwali (56,058.30), Alfred Mwamba (57,811.38), Davies Mwango (57,811.38), Patrick Ngoma (57,811.38) and Maxas Ng’ona (57,812.38) are also on the list.
Others are Lawrence Sichalwe (56,058.30), Forrie Tembo (57,811.38), Charles Zulu (57,811.38), Davies Chisopa (57,811.38), Dawson Kafwaya (57,811.38), Benson Kapaya (56,058.30), Mwimba Malama (57,811.38), Malozo Sichone (57,811.38), Nathaniel Mumbukwanu (57,811.38), Mwenya Musenge (56,058.30), Poniso Njeulu (57,811.38) and Chomba Sikazwe (57,811.38).