PRESS STATEMENT BY ZAMBIA’S SIXTH PRESIDENT, MR EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU, ON PRESIDENT HAKAINDE HICHILEMA’S HANDLING OF FORMER FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER, STANLEY KAKUBO’S CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS, 27TH DECEMBER 2023 AT LUSAKA.
I am compelled to comment on Mr. Hakainde Hichilema’s continued shielding of his ministers and other senior government officials from corruption allegations while at the same time proclaiming that there will be no sacred cows in his fight against corruption.
Very serious allegations of corruption have been revealed against Kakubo whom he merely thanked for resigning his position after the allegations were made public.
Last year in April when Kakubo was first accused of corruption, Mr Hichilema – and not the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) – was the one who declared him innocent.
Zambians should question and denounce these continued double standards by Mr. Hichilema in the fight against corruption. For Mr. Hichilema, all former government officials and other opposition leaders are guilty until proven innocent while his ministers and other government officials are innocent until proven guilty.
What message is Mr. Hichilema sending to the Law Enforcement Agencies when he is the first one to defend his ministers accused of corruption? Mr Kakubo’s conduct, in his latest accusation, definitely raises more questions than answers. Instead of commenting on the allegations, or at least inviting the Law Enforcement Agencies to take interest in the matter, Mr Hichilema only heaped praises on Kakubo as a diligent government worker and leader who should continue working hard in his new role as a backbencher. How can a worker and leader who is always accused of corruption be described as diligent?
I am not implying that Kakubo is guilty. All I am saying is that if there are no sacred cows in Mr. Hichilema’s fight against corruption, Kakubo should be investigated and, if need be, be prosecuted and declared innocent or guilty by the due process of the law, not by Mr. Hichilema.
The first time Kakubo was accused of receiving huge bribes in envelopes from some Chinese businessmen and Mr. Hichilema was under pressure from the public to fire Kakubo, his response was that he had asked Kakubo for an explanation who explained that he only received a calender and not money. As Mr. Hichilema publicly exonerated Kakubo, he set the ACC on former ministers Bowman Lusambo and Ronald Chitotela whom he declared guilty of being in possession of property believed to have been obtained through proceeds of crime.
These are the double standards I am talking about. For Mr. Hichilema, all the former leaders are thieves who should be punished by the law. He has even directed the courts of law to try such leaders within five months so they can quickly be sent to prison. We are watching the space! Double standards.
But when the current ministers of Finance and Housing and Infrastructure were recently accused of some wrongdoing, Mr Hichilema was the first to defend the ministers and, in fact, asked them to sue their accuser. This behaviour by Mr Hichilema only serves to put the investigative wings and the courts in an awkward position.
When Mr Hichilema first exonerated Kakubo, the ACC were dead silent about it. This time when Mr Hichilema has let go of Kakubo after the latest corruption allegation, the ACC were quick to say they have taken interest in the matter and will pursue it.
Other ministers in the energy and health sectors have been accused of serious corruption and other malpractices but Mr Hichilema is mute in the midst of these allegations. This is surprising and shameful for a man who said he would not tolerate corruption from anybody. He failed even to seize the Kakubo incident to generally admonish his ministers and other government officials against engaging themselves in opaque transactions.
Zambians should now understand why the government is prosecuting the Airport Gold Scandal in camera. They don’t want the public to know how those close to the corridors of power are involved in this scandal.
So, Zambians should know that the so-called fight against corruption by Mr Hichilema is a sham. It is a smokescreen to persecute his perceived opponents and enemies while shielding his offending allies from facing law.
This must be condemned because the real fight against corruption has no eyes, it does not choose depending on one’s proximity, or the lack of it, to the corridors of power.
ENDS
Throw a stone if you’ve not done a similar thing, dear former president
Those that want to see who has not declared their assets, and are potentially corrupt.
https://acazambia.org/have-all-ministers-declared-their-assets-and-liabilities-in-accordance-with-the-law/
Corruption cases are starting with you very soon you will start complain.
Awe sure. Point at any one of your ministers who resigned because of alleged corruption.
If anything, the corruption in your government was stinking. You protected your ministers and even went to enter into some funny agreement with ACC to protect them.
Best you shut up. Zambians deserve better checks as opposition.
Your failure to accept that HH is the president will eat you to death
During your reign, you allowed chitotela and chilufya to continue in office with serious corruption allegations hunging over them and instead fired Kambwili. Weren’t those double standards? What are you telling us today? Just shut your mouth mudala iwe.
At time of PF administration you could not fire the ministers allegedly found wanting and they kept going to court being ministers. The honourable thing the minister did was to resign where your minister could not resign and you did not request them to do the honourable by resigning nor did you fire them
So you see how painful it is when you are out and the other guy is colluding and abetting corrupt activities. It is this clear if your eyes are from outside. This now shows you why you were beaten with one million votes. You were 400% worse than this shikulu. Had you won, HH would have died in Prison since you said he was going to be your first personally tried and convicted prisoner.
Welcome shikulu to “our Zambia” which YOU personally introduced to us. Brutal, ruthless, arrogant and vindictive.
You will see worse. Just keep thanking God he has not yet come for you….
Useless press conference otherwise that is private property
HH is above board in handling matters of corruption of his officials. These are allegations against Kakubo, and he was summoned by the president to explain, and he resigned.
This is as it should be. The investigation agencies will now investigate this matter and determine what course of action to take. Remember that this matter involves a private business transaction. It does not involve government money as was the case with ECL.
Further, unlike ECL who would ask citizens to provide evidence, this time, the law enforcement agencies will investigate. No one is being shielded. Nothing like mfwiti mfwiti here.
PF ministers were going to DEC, ACC and courts in ministerial vehicles with flags flying. This time it’s very different bwana. It’s comparing night and day.
Mr.Lungu , insoni ebuntu you have easily forgotten about the Fire tenders that were fraudulent bought.lf l were Lungu,l could not comment on some issues because of the nature of the cases.As for now let’s wait and see the outcome.
The level of politics these guys used to practice was so low that they are not coping. Ba ECL, be assured that if there is any wrong doing, ACC will get to the bottom of it. This private transaction involving a former minister is smelling corruption but keeping USD 400,000 in the house of a niece is NOT? That is not double standards?
Ecl should have a sense of shame. The man is as corrupt as they come and busy calling out bally. You are very lucky he didn’t come for you other wise you would be behind bars by now. Better you keep quiet and behave. You are so annoying.
gondwebenjamin055@gmail.com
You are so lost. Lungi is a citizen and has the right say anything on what is happening in the country.
Hmmmm ba ECL!!!!….. HH has shown you classic leadership .
Even in Developed countries that’s what is done. You summon the appointee and get side of the story then advise him what to do NEXT.
You allowed your wife, children, concubines and cronies to loot the treasury with impunity and today you even have the courage to open your mouth! This is sheer lunacy.
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry but if ECL is seriously talking about corruption, let him wait until all the corruption cases in court are concluded!
He should not forget that he himself is being investigated for corruption during his 7 year reign of Ubomba Mwibala! Those in glass houses should be the last to throw stones!
Bazaku dilinga boy ngati ulibe nzelu and timing!
You are stocking up your own flames of self-destruction!
Don’t you have juniors to do the commenting?
If you don’t understand Management Science, please keep your peace.
Time for impulsive and Emotional or wanya wanya style of doing things is a thing of the past!
Zambians don’t want Unstable leaders who use emotions to make national decisions!
Have you forgotten how you messed things up because of acting on impulse?
I am not a fun of HH but he has demonstrated he is a good Manager who has studied management.
“How to Manage People” is a key component in Management Science! A person who acts on impulse or out of emotions lacks Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and tends to mess up a lot of things!
Ba ECL, you lack EQ!
Anyway, you promised to arrest your friend after the 2021 elections but you lost power. If your friend was as vindictive as you are, he would have dropped on you like a tonne of bricks.
This time, if your friend decides to deal firmly with you, no one will sympathize with you. Even those you think are with you will run away from you the same way they did immediately you lost power! It’s just a pity that you ECL is easily cheated by those that always want to influence you!
In life, you need to always exercise independent judgement!
Awisi Tasila, ndiye cinji mwalankula apa? Mwewo a ministers banu enzo cokela mu ofisi yaboma kuluta ku court. Nkalani cete.
This man doesn’t think properly. I always wonder how we ended up having him as president of this country. He doesn’t have any sense of shame. Awe mwandini…
What’s the difference between HH and ECL? They are all criminals.
Another patriot that can see the wood from the trees.
Don’t worry ECl their time to face the law is soon coming, kwashala fye panono. It’s only a parent who has interest in the wrongs his child is doing, who fails to discipline the child! Nothing goes on forever , one day Upnd will be out of power and all the thieves in Upnd will face the wrath of the law! No one will be left untouched. They think they are very clever by being double tounged, they are just cheating themselves! They think they are very clever by being selfish, when they are just dividing and finishing further their already finished Upnd! Their cadres are complaining but they are busy amazing illegal riches day and night. Zambians were warned but they never listened, this is the outcome now!
ECL you are a wrong person to preach to Zambians, if we had to call a spade a Spade ECL should stand for Edgar Corruption Lungu. your family is facing serious corruption cases in court and some are still under investigation or have already been charged. Kakubo’s matter hasn’t even been investigated and you are busy jumping up and down. Kakubo resigned so he can deal with the allegations. So what’s your problem? HH accepted his resignation so that The LEa can deal with the matter without any undue influence and also to allow Kakubo to clear his name. You should be explaining to us how your wife gave her niece $400,000.00 double the amount in Kakubo’s business contract dispute. For you to open your mouth so fast, you are making it easy for people to see that this is a PF hatch job like the one being associated with the Sinazongwe MP. You have to remember this is a business dispute and you have no capacity to decide his guilt or innocence you crook. You actually came out of retirement because of the mounting corruption cases. Zambians are not stupid they can see through this. You should be the last person to talk about corruption. As a leader you violated the constitution which you were supposed to safe guard! Minister’s staying while parliament was dissolved drawing salaries and benefits, How were you sown into office in 2016? Second hand fire track for US$1M each *42???. You are very arrogant! People in your position should keep it shut.
Exposing one’s lack of wisdom huh! Remember “mfwiti, mfwiti”!
Ecl, the most corrupt Zambian is talking about a case yet to be determined and the said person has resigned. Bravo to that
Mr Edgar Corrupt Lungu, how much have you effing stolen from us?
Your family are as corrupt as you are!!
You will soon be in jail you chikala