The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has seized over 71 vehicles belonging to the Patriotic Front (PF). The vehicles which were given to party officials were impounded early this year and have now been formally seized for disposal, crippling the opposition party’s operations countrywide.
According to reports, ACC issued a Gazette Notice No. 604 dated 4th April 2022 notifying PF to claim 71 motor vehicles that the Commission has impounded failure to which the said vehicles will be forfeited to the state.
Reacting to the news of the seizure of vehicles, PF Acting Secretary-General Nickson Chilangwa informed PF members and the general public that the party is carefully studying the list of the impounded motor vehicles and shall vehemently contest all seizures of vehicles and any other properties that legitimately belong to the Patriotic Front.
Mr Chilangwa said that it is important to note that the Law is very clear that no person, institution or authority has a legal right to question a political party to disclose its source of funding, thus the party find the action of the Anti-Corruption Commission of Zambia and other investigative wings of Government to continue questioning and harassing members of the Patriotic Front with regards to the funding of the Patriotic Front to be utterly unconstitutional and absolutely ultra-vires.
Mr Chilangwa further said that it was equally strange that out of all the registered political parties in Zambia, only the Patriotic Front was being illegally questioned about its source of campaign funding and that only the Patriotic Front is having its properties being confiscated, and wondered why no UPND or any other political party’s vehicles are being impounded as we have not seen any disclosure of how they acquired their vehicles, and described the action as purely a witch-hunt and gross misapplication of the law.
“Honestly, how can anyone think that a Party as big as the Patriotic Front; a Party that has been in existence for more than 20 years; a Party that has been in power for 10 years cannot afford to own a vehicle or a property? What kind of warped thinking is that, ” Mr Chilangwa asked.
“The UPND is using state institutions and abusing state power to try to wipe out the Patriotic Front from Zambia’s political space. They are using and abusing ACC, DEC and other related Government institutions to cripple financially and materially cripple the Patriotic Front and to label and paint the entire party as a criminal and corrupt organisation.
“However, we will not cow down or falter in our efforts to pursue justice and reclaim what rightfully belongs to us.
“We have a solemn duty to protect and defend democracy and the rule of law and we will do anything within our powers, legally so, to defend and protect the Party and ourselves from this wanton abuse of state power.
“Instead of wasting taxpayers’ money and wasting man-hours of the innocent employees at DEC, ACC, Zambia Police and others, the UPND must concentrate on giving honest answers to the Zambian people concerning the Kakubo, Milingo scandals among many others.
“This Government of dealers are using the so called fake fight against corruption to try to distract the Zambian people from holding them accountable for their failure to deal with the many economic challenges Zambians are facing under their failed leadership. We challenge the UPND to concentrate on delivering the many promises they made to the people of Zambia and to stop using the Patriotic Front as a cover up for their failures,” concluded the statement.
Chipo matongo aka no corruption
Chip0 mat0ngo aka no corruption
Good work AVC! I trust one of the 71 vehicles seized belonged to Edgar China Lungu? If not, you can always seize the wheel barrow that the former corrupt president has been spotted with lately during one of his begging trips!
No customs duty was paid on PF registered vehicles or GRZ funds were used to aquire them…………
How can PF have property that has no trace of any tax paid ????
You closed the post newspaper for not paying tax , now you have to show your tax records……..
Other creditors owed money by PF like lawyers and music promoters………..
Must look at seizing that PF building and selling it………..
By the time GRZ finishes with the PF bill, which includes ZAF aircraft rides……….
There will be nothing left…………
All the cases of these PF cadres are unbailable as they dont ve have a single strength. Everyone Zambian is a witness against them cos they used to flash in the faces of each and every Zambian. So yes they ll cramble and very quickly. Be the way, Lusambo has opened the door of running away already,until now he is a refugee somewhere-if its here in SA i will fish him for Zambians. Dont worry or the South Africans themselves will do a Xenophobia on him.Hahahahahahahahahahahahah! Double trouble mwisho!
Guy Scott’s troubles started when he tried to stop PF using GRZ resources………
He was unceremoniously hounded out………..
PF selected a fraudster and drunk as their leader , who knew nothing about saving money or resourfullness …………Lungu was the worst thing that could happen to PF….
PF survived on GRZ resources and cuts from corrupt GRZ deals awarded to their cronies
And now you understand why chief PF paise singers are lining up to become Chief UPND praise singers…..Kelvin Sampa,Lusambo, Mawere Kampyongo..this will be the New look UPND
Let PF assemble good lawyers, this is a winnable case in court. UPND’s goal is to cripple the former ruling party so that they can have it easy in 2026 but we’re saying TWAKANA!!! Has anyone questioned BMW and his minions where they got money from since 1998 when UPND started?
MMD grabbed Unip vehicles, PF grabbed MMD vehicles and Upnd has done it. It appears there will be no end to this savagery. Those celebrating the efforts to annihilate the PF don’t understand democracy. Once Upnd destroys the opposition is when you will realize that it’s a mistake. The caderism you complained in the PF era will look like child’s play.
# 9 Mutulangóma, # 10 Deja vu
There is nothing sinister here…………..
This is GRZ trying to sort out none tax compliance and illegal use of GRZ resources…………
If PF are let off the hook for not paying their taxes and illigal use of GRZ resources……………
Then all individuals and companies penalised for none tax compliance and illegal yae if GRZ resources should also be excused………….
The first thing the new dawn GRZ did was secure all tax and RASTA records…………
Realising their predicament , Desperate people even tried to set fire to where the records and servers were kept…………….
They thought PF would last forever, and never bothered with paying taxes…………
A few clever theives had sharp accountants and tax advisors, the vast majority are just greedy theives , now scrambling to cover their tracks…………..
Forigne bounty hunters and bailifs , # a 25% recovery fee are going to smoke them out of their stolen loot hidden abroad……..if zambia can not recover that hidden money , it will be consumed by the bounty hunters.
Trying to silence opposition and turn zambia into a one party state. You won’t manage bafeekala
Now i understand why Edify Hamukale rejected a Toyota Landcuiser which he was given to him during campaigns but the same was instead given to Kebby Mbewe MCC who got two vehicles from state house. At the same time UPND should not witch-hunt but get guided by vehicle tracking records . This thing wont end, even PF got vehicles belonging to MMD. Ba Zambia twasebana the whole Africa thought Zambia is a model of democracy now we are busy doing the opposite. Nipano tuli
Since ACC now operates from State House we can state that State House has confiscated PF vehicles. Clever chaps in the PF don’t have to negotiate for immunity from prosecution like Milingo, they just defect to the IUPND and are thereby assured of immunity and will be embraced. No wonder some people are saying that the UPND fight against corruption is a joke
These ACC guys are funny. Where were they when these vehicles were acquired. We need institutions that work all the time and not when ruling party leaves office, you show your biting teeth. This means cannot act on UPND if acquire vehicles wrongly until they leave office. This way of operating must change. ACC is a shame. We need institutions that keep thier integrity all the time.
Just respond to ACC allegations and tell them how you acquired those vehicles including source of funding together with records of duties paid. If everything is in order they will be given back to you but if any vehicle was acquired dubiously then say bye bye to that one. This is how the law works and now you have realised you are no longer above the law.
So can all the political parties provide for their funds for the vehicles ? And why stop at PF only ?
This is “Asset Recovery” UPND talked about. However, as per decent rule, let PF prove with ZRA how much tax they paid for the vehicles seized.
PF has 3 months to prove with ZRA, pay the tax due or vehicles to be seized and auctioned to the highest bidders to raise money for medicines in clinics and hospitals.
Mr Chilangwa, don’t tell us what the law says, and don’t direct your problems to the Zambian people. And it’s Not UPND who got the 71 cars, talk to ACC, blame ACC and leave out UPND.
There is NOTHING to worry if you have your papers in order. Go talk to ACC, with your proof, you know what to do.
#11 Spaka I don’t expect anything different from you. If Half Half tells you to eat poison you will eat. Just go to one of your pre elections posts where you agreed with everything which Half Half said and after his failure to full fill how you are supporting the reasons given for failure.
#16 Monze….. everything will have to wait for 2026. But it will be difficult to pin anyone because they have seen what’s happening to their friends, they will have devised ways to conceal their misdeeds.
Rupiah Banda once said that the habit of harassing former presidents is very primitive and retrogressive. I tend to agree but how do you make sure a president doesn’t abuse his powers? A Zambian president has been given too much power that he’s just short of being a god. We need a Constitution that will allow the investigation agencies to probe and arrest a sitting president. These agencies should be accountable to the people. Whether someone likes it or not even HH could face harassment…. people are funny and good at creating cases against others… they can just pick up up one incident and turn it into a case.
#20Â Â Deja Vu
 April 21, 2022 At 6:03 pm
“#11 Spaka I don’t expect anything different from you. If Half Half tells you to eat poison you will eat. Just go to one of your pre elections posts where you agreed with everything which Half Half said and after his failure to full fill how you are supporting the reasons given for failure…”
All promises by UPND will be fulfilled………
You can count on that…………
And you Deja vu were in full support of PF and lungus illegality and tribalism……….
#23 Spaka…if you are a tribalist please don’t include me in that category. I have never been a fan Lungu and the PF. Personally I would have loved Guy Scott to succeed Sata. You promised to deliver within hours and now you are full of excuses. How do I know I will be there in five years to wait for you to full fill.
Hypocrites!
Simply hypocrites.
Oooooh I forgot, the ACC is in hhis pocket.
But the ponies need to be answerable one day. Days are numbered.
We will do things differently, said HH at inauguration.
Alas,upnd is doing exactly what PF did.
PF govt confiscated MMD vehicles but eventually lost the case in court as their is no law in Zambia that compels political parties to disclose the source of their funding.
But here we are again, the same script but expecting different results.
no person, institution or authority has a legal right to question a political party to disclose its source of funding,
Funding yes. But stolen cars can be confiscated-LOL
#24Â Â Deja VuÂ
April 21, 2022 At 7:05 pm
“#23 Spaka…if you are a tribalist please don’t include me in that category. I have never been a fan Lungu and the PF….”
Who are you fooooling ??
Your support for lungu and PF was subtle, none the less it was clear for all to see who you supported………..
Even now , your acquiescence support for lungu and PF is clear………
Hang all former PF officials by their necks til they die, except Miles Sampa
This should include everyone that served under PF, even those who resigned as the boat was sinking, they looted a lot!?
This is the cycle of life. MMD grabbed UNIP vehicles, later gave them back, pF grabbed MMDs vehicles later gave them back, UPND has done the same. Later they give them back.UPND vehicles will also be grabbed…This is the cycle of life….upnd is also in the cycle
#29 Spaka…. doesn’t matter who I support just like you are tribal party supporting member is your right everyone else has a right. Maybe you are not aware that ZAMBIA is a multiparty democracy? Maybe you think Upnd is the only legit party? If I deny that I don’t support PF, it’s only me who knows the truth…I could be lying I could be saying the truth.
GRZ is only advising PF to pay duty on the vehicles – what is wrong with that ? Thieves without shame – what are you made of ?
PF is a tribal party of thieves.