By Charles Ngoma
The United Party for National Development (UPND) and Alliance New Dawn government was usured into office by the people of Zambia to execute their manifesto. Politics is about promises and assurances that meet the aspirations of the people. The UPND and Alliance promised several things, among which are free education. The opposition have been quick to taunt the new government about free education, cheaper fertiliser, appreciated Kwacha and so on.
The Patriotic Front (PF) must have read the UPND manifesto because they sneered at it, saying that it was plagiarised and that the UPND over promised. If they read it well, they will find that on page 16, under the heading ‘CORRUPTION,’ the UPND promised the Zambian people to ‘Launch “Operation Recovery”, to ensure public money corruptly obtained is returned back (sic) to the public. The Zambian people liked this. They are also waiting to see ‘government officials declare new wealth annually’ and the conduction of life style audits with any civil servants found wanting being suspended until a court ruling.
Operation Recovery must search for any stolen money and resources where ever they were stashed. If the trail leads to the former President Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, it must get there and bring HIM to face the law, without fear or favour. I find the writing of Ambassador Emmanuel Mwamba really misguided. It is not the pursuit of former Presidents that is retrogressive. It is the illegal activities of former Presidents while they were in office that is retrogressive. Dr Kaunda served for 26 years, but left office with almost nothing but a taxi fare to a well wisher’s home. The same cannot be said of the calceophilic shoeaholic sneakerhead Frederick Titus Jacob Chiluba. Though he was never found criminally culpable, he was found in the London High Court to have defrauded the Zambian people of more than $40 million with his tandem of thieves (to borrow The Post newspaper’s phrase). Judge Peter Smith said Zambians should know that when the former president appeared wearing his trademark designer clothes, they were paid for with public funds (BBC).
It was President Rupiah Banda who saved Chiluba’s skin when his government failed to register the UK judgement in Zambia. History is repeating itself. President Chiluba used a ‘race’ card to spite the London judgement. Now people are using the ‘tribe’ card to pre-empt the fight against corruption. It will not work. There is no smoke without fire. Corruption did take place in the Lungu government. President Lungu himself acknowledged as much. He wondered about the huge amounts of money that were being banked and even promised, ‘Very soon, I will be firing some ministers.’ Unfortunately, the axe only fell on the one who had ambitions for the king’s crown. At a time when the economy was in the doldrums, Lungu enhanced his portfolio by leaps and bounds, from about K1 million to more than K20 million in 17 months! He needs to share this ingenious wealth creation method with the people!
The calls to prosecute former Presidents FTJ Chiluba and Rupiah Banda were muted. They came from a small part of the public. Most people did not think much about it. The surprising thing now, is that the calls against President Lungu are deafening. Lawyers will say, ‘It goes to character, your honour!’
No. Zambians want justice. If it means stripping Lungu of his legal immunity, so be it. Let us follow the money and let him have his day in court.
“….Lungu enhanced his portfolio by leaps and bounds, from about K1 million to more than K20 million in 17 months! He needs to share this ingenious wealth creation method with the people!…”
To start off proceedings……….
I agree completely with Charles Ngoma in this article. I do believe that then Magistrate Jones Chinyama’s judgement was interfered with by some powerful people to stop Chiluba going to jail. In that judgement the magistrate convicted those who gave sworn testimonies who were co-accused with him but freed Chiluba who didn’t speak under oath. Wht kind of judicial conduct is this?
ECL’s immunity won’t be lifted through lengthy articles. This topic has been adequately debated, so it’s not necessary to continue to repeat what has already been said. The procedure to move a motion to lift the immunity of a former President is well spelt out in the statutes. There’s no one that has stopped the UPND or indeed any aggrieved party to follow the route. If you’re not willing to do what’s required then don’t waste our time. It’s as simple as that
Edgar China Lungu is not stup!d. Nor are his corrupt PF cronies. They surely will have found a way to hide their monies. By giving away the monies temporarily, or let someone else being responsible for the crimes committed. ECL as the most watched person in the country will not have stolen money himself, he has his friends to do that for him. Therefore you must be really sure about what you are doing before you lift the immunity. Don’t forget ECL is a lawyer……..
#3 Ayatollah
November 19, 2021 At 7:50 am
“ECL’s immunity won’t be lifted through lengthy articles……… If you’re not willing to do what’s required then don’t waste our time. It’s as simple as that.”
Ohh , don’t worry , procedure will be followed in lifting his immunity……
What the article is telling you people who are saying leave the immunity issue alone and concentrate on manifesto promises is that ……
” investigations and return of stolen money”
Is part of the UPND manifesto…….
Now if those investigations prove lungu stole , his immunity will be lifted…….
Make no mistake about that…..
#4 No Corruption Zambia
November 19, 2021 At 7:57 am
“Edgar China Lungu is not stup!d. Nor are his corrupt PF cronies. They surely will have found a way to hide their monies. …..”
His $2.3 million after 18 months in office is the main problem for lungu……..
This probe will open up a whole drum of worms for lungu……..
The investigation will create will create a tsunami
Principles of rehabilitative justice, reform of the carceral state, and liberalized criminal justice evaporate when UPND cadres and surrogates demand harsh prison for their political adversaries. Mr Ngoma if I may ask; why has the UPND government gone quiet on the 48 houses? Why has the government gone quiet on the money K65 million confiscated from Faith Musonda? ACC and DEC can’t fight corruption especially when they they are putting tribal lenses. President Chiluba’s immunity was removed with fake charges in Parliament; they were not the same charges presented before the courts of law. What about the inquiry on privatisation of state assets in the 1990’s: don’t you think Zambians want to know the real beneficiaries. Selective or sectarian justice is taking Zambia along the paths…
Very true and accurate, we just cannot ignore wrongs committed by former presidents just because it is expedient or, as some claim, it discourages future leaders from giving up power. If leaders don’t want their immunity lifted then they should just do the right thing for the people of Zambia, very important! the sooner we start electing leaders that understand that our resources should be used prudently and not for personal enrichment and entertainment like taking hundreds of musicians and cadres to New York for partying, the better for all of us Zambians. That’s why I still have faith in Bally despite a few missteps here and there, he means well ultimately.
#7 Yiluma Francis
November 19, 2021 At 8:10
“…… liberalized criminal justice evaporate when UPND cadres and surrogates demand harsh prison for their political adversaries. Mr Ngoma if I may ask; why has the UPND government gone quiet on the 48 houses? Why has the government gone quiet on the money K65 million confiscated from Faith Musonda ?…….”
1) who said UPND are demanding harsh prison for their adversaries ? If found guilty, they will face prison like all other criminals……
2) the investigations into the 48 houses and the k65 million are on going , and looks like people right at the top of PF will be implicated………
3) FJT had properties confiscated which his estate could not account for……could have been much more had it been not for the goverment…
This is becoming boring. If this so called goverment has nothing to show for their promises and instead of barking like toothless bulldogs, let them investigate and arrest one Edgar Lungu, cinvict him, imprison him so that we forget about him. Then find another deflection.
Too many styopeti posts here!
Just to help ba Ngoma, there’s no court on earth that ever found FTJ guilty of any corruption or stealing money from Zambia. The late Judge Smith found FTJ with a case of fiduciary duties negligence. Because Zambians we are so carried with media reports we use them to form opinions about individuals. Was there’s corruption during FTJ’s rule? YES. Was there corruption during Mwanawasa’s rule? YES, infact more than what happened during FTJ’s rule as per auditor generals reports for Levy’s tenure. The Kapokos of this world are a good example. Was there corruption during ECL’s rule? YES. We are waiting for HH to reveal the extent and not media propaganda. As we have seen the owners of the famous 48 houses changed, 42 fire truck and forest reserve stories etc are dead. Was there…
When Edgar Lungu issued his now famous rallying call “ ABABOMBA MWIBALA,BALYA MWIBALA,his Ministers and cadres went out did just that .Not a month went by without a Scandal,from the Social Cash scandal to spending $300 million dollars on that Private Jet.
He turned State House into a Cesspit of Corruption,South Africa just locked up Zuma, France’s former President has just been sentenced to 3 years,just to mention a few former Presidents
DRAIN THE SWAMP LEFT BEHIND,WE GOT TO DO THE SAME
President Lungu is as innocent as a second old baby and whiter than KK’s handkerchief. UPND are just playing tribal politics.
You have to seriously check your integrity standing to support Lungu on corruption. Some of us who used to drink with him at Club Mlamu in Kabwata were so shocked he became President. We knew there and then we lost it as a Country. As far as I know and he knows it he left unpaid debts many bar owners there.
Money meant for the Lusaka City Council generated by assets such as Kulima tower bus station, intercity bus terminus and Soweto market bus station was going into private pockets and some want that to be forgotten about. And with such sins against the people of Zambia and, PF wants to bounce back in 2026.
Charles, corruption is a real vice which goes beyond trial by media. It requires a route and branch approach and should be exclusively be overseen by the statutory agencies and not by every Jim & Jack whose only argument resource is “reasoning “ by hunch. The scope of investigation should include beneficiaries of corruption . For example, did we deserve the higher scholarship awards we got? Did your President act as an honest broker in Chiluba’s sale of the family silver?
Think man, keep to your “ medical” or rather doctoroid lane.
Ask Sean tembo why he stopped pursuing HHs declaration of assets being made public ????
Tembo was told the ECZ has that info as per presidential candidate election rules , including lungus declared assets as of now…………
If the assets of HH were to be made public , naturally so too would those of lungu……..
Some Very sensitive information that would inflame the suffering Zambians country wide would be revealed regarding lungu……..
All this information will be made public once the cliques and their supporters are under control…….
HEHH has stated things are done in a meticulous way with him………….
Arrest author of this article.
Zambia is not afghanistan.
@Dominion, read the article again. ‘Though he was never found criminally culpable, he was found in the London High Court to have defrauded the Zambian people of more than $40 million with his tandem of thieves (to borrow The Post newspaper’s phrase). Judge Peter Smith said Zambians should know that when the former president appeared wearing his trademark designer clothes, they were paid for with public funds (BBC).’
Mulebelenga bwino!
@5 Spaka, galu iwuwa siiluma. You can’t go about shouting Edgar is thief the whole day for the 1st 100 days in power like lunatics. If you can’t arrest ECL then shut up or book yourselves into Chainama. We saw what ECL was capable of, the guy languished in prison until Patricia Scotland came and pleaded for his release. Anyway the UPND is shocked to discover that governance isn’t for kids. It’s you begin to prepare to go back to opposition politics
20 Ayatollah
HEHH will compete his 2 terms…….
Infact Zambians will be clamoring for him to go beyond 2 terms……
PF is dead and will be buried soon , most of their MPs will be regular court attendants…
From K1m to K20m ? Corrupt Lungu is as guilty as sin and he belongs to Mukobeko prison his future home.
So what’s the problem? If ECL is as guilty as sin, let upnd go to parliament and ask Mps to lift his immunity. The procedure is there in the constitution.
We are tired of this noise and lengthy articles. Fyatendusha nomba!
Where is that foolish Kaizer Zulu? Aleya aleshima panono panono
@Ayatollah I rhought you were better than Lungu
@Issacher- No one forces you to read.
The article by Mr Ngoma makes interesting reading in that it exposes the lack of meticulous execution of the UPND’s manifesto in their first 100 days in office. The party made so many promises to the people of Zambia which convinced all of us that they (UPND) were the Mesiah! Promises such as Fertilizer to cost K250, the dollar to drop drastically (they found it at about $15 but now it is at $17), Mealie meal to cost K50, to scrap the position of DCs, to employ all doctors that are not employed (doctors are now protesting demanding jobs because they were promised), to deal with youth unemployment (the youths are now complaining because old people are the ones being appointed), etc, etc,.
Now, how can you start tackling a promise in your manifesto that is on page 16 (corruption -…
You talk of ECL moving from K1million to K20 million in 17 months but you are dishonestly forgetting that HH moved from a salaried partner at Grant Thornton to the richest man in Zambia with few years of selling Zambia’s assets. Who was depositing money for HH in his offshore accounts. Can you walk to any bank in Zambia and find transfers from proceeds of cattle sales to these offshore accounts? Please when people are quite don’t take them for fools. Zambians voted for HH to create employment and bring development not be a policeman to arrest perceived criminals.