SINKAMBA WARNS GOVERNMENT OVER ALLEGED PLOT AGAINST ARCHBISHOP BANDA
Green Party President Peter Sinkamba has added his voice to growing concern over what critics describe as an escalating use of State machinery to pursue the arrest of Archbishop Alick Banda, warning that the matter risks undermining public trust in key national institutions and destabilising the country.
Sinkamba was reacting to renewed controversy surrounding a Toyota Hilux vehicle allegedly linked to the Archbishop and the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA), a matter that has resurfaced through media reports suggesting fraudulent procurement and disposal processes.
“This whole saga raises serious governance and institutional integrity questions,” Sinkamba said. “If the State is selectively reviving administrative issues to target a senior Catholic cleric, then we are heading into very dangerous territory as a country.”
The Green Party leader questioned why the alleged irregularities were not flagged in any Auditor General’s report since 2021, arguing that the timing of the renewed allegations feeds perceptions of political or institutional manipulation.
“If there was fraud, why was it not detected by the Auditor General? Are we now saying our audit systems are compromised, or is this a case of institutions being weaponised against perceived critics?” Sinkamba asked.
The controversy centres on claims that ZRA vehicles were disposed of through a fraudulent internal process, allegedly involving a former employee, Mulopa Kaunda, who critics say is now being pressured to admit that receipts were falsified in his name to facilitate the illegal sale or ‘gifting’ of the vehicle to Archbishop Banda.
Sinkamba warned that the implications go beyond the Catholic Church and touch the core of public confidence in revenue collection and governance.
“When citizens begin to suspect that institutions like ZRA can generate clean-looking but fraudulent documentation, then tax morale collapses,” he said. “That is how economies begin to choke.”
Catholic faithful and civil society voices have cautioned that continued pursuit of Archbishop Banda could provoke wider resistance, including calls for an independent forensic audit of ZRA operations. Some have warned that eroding trust in revenue institutions could affect tax compliance, triggering liquidity challenges for government and threatening essential public services.
Sinkamba urged the government to de-escalate the situation and prioritise transparency over confrontation.
“The Catholic Church is not an enemy of the State,” he said. “Government must resist the temptation to use coercive power against religious leaders because the political, social, and economic consequences would be severe.”
Authorities have not issued a detailed response addressing allegations of political motivation, while ZRA has previously stated that it operates strictly within the law.
As the matter continues to unfold, observers note that how the State handles the Archbishop Banda issue will be a critical test of institutional independence, democratic maturity, and respect for the role of the Church in Zambia’s public life.
Sinkamba is a political nonentity . He has been stammering his political absurdity throughout his brief but irrelevant political career dosed by the green leaf.