A Zambian citizen, Abraham Alinaswe Simpamba, has written a heartfelt letter to President Hakainde Hichilema, urging him to protect whistle-blowers in the fight against corruption. Mr. Simpamba’s letter has resonated with many Zambians, who are increasingly frustrated with corruption in the country.
In the letter, Mr. Simpamba expressed disappointment that the President has not taken a keen interest in serious allegations against Dr. Musokotwane and Hon. Milupe, despite his commitment to fighting corruption. He wrote, “On principle, whistleblowers must be protected, instead of protecting Munir Zulu and taking keen interest to know what really transpired and questioning your ministers, instead you are fighting and intimidating Munir Zulu. Should we assume that you have an interest in the matter because it doesn’t make sense to protect such serious allegations?”
Mr. Simpamba also raised concerns about missing evidence, such as trucks laden with sugilite, which vanished from a police station under the watch of police officers. He wrote, “What happened to the alleged 3 million from Black Mountain which was supposed to benefit 24 wards in Chililabombwe? Which has vanished under the watch of Paul Kabuswe, your mines minister.”
The letter highlights the urgency of the situation and the need for the President to take strong action against corruption. Protecting whistle blowers is an essential step towards achieving this goal, and it is hoped that the President will take Mr. Simpamba’s concerns seriously and act on them accordingly.
Mr. Simpamba’s letter has been praised by many Zambians for its courage and honesty. One citizen, Nkumbu Mwaba, said, “Mr. Simpamba has spoken for the voiceless in our country. We need more people like him to hold our leaders accountable and fight against corruption.”
Another citizen, Gift Sakala, said, “The letter is a wake-up call to the President to take action against corruption. We cannot continue like this. We need our leaders to be accountable and transparent.”
The letter has also drawn attention to the upcoming by-elections on April 20th. Mr. Simpamba urged Zambians to vote wisely, saying, “Ours is citizens first leadership of the people by the people for the people.” Many Zambians are hoping that the upcoming elections will lead to positive change and a renewed commitment to fighting corruption in the country.
The letter is a timely reminder of the challenges facing Zambia and the need for strong leadership to address them. As Mr. Simpamba wrote, “If our forefathers died fighting for the independence of our country from the hands of the ruthless colonial masters, the ones you are trying to embrace now like angels, who are we to escape that? Though it’s a pity because the battle is amongst ourselves. Mr. President, don’t expect great men to come from heaven to sort out the challenges affecting us but ourselves.”