A Mockery of Justice is probably a wrong title for the 288-page latest release by Richard Lazalous Sakala, a former Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations for Zambia’s second President Frederick Chiluba.
The book should have been titled A Fall from Grace as the author ably chronicled his life from driving an E260 Mercedes Benz to his prestigious office at State House to being “squashed in the back of the truck” with over 200 prisoners as one of the suspected “plunderers” of national resources.
The book is divided into six parts, each with sub-chapters of his experience as an “enemy of the State” following his eviction from State House after the 2001 general elections which saw the end of President Frederick Chiluba’s 10-year reign.
Sakala was one of the key players at State House and his book is full of reminders of how the anti-corruption crusade was started and later hijacked in the process by a group of lawyers and journalists who were initially against the election of President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, SC.
Sakala names these people in the book.
It is a book depicting a Head of State – Mwanawasa – under siege, held to ransom in exchange for political favours and economic licences.
“The President was forced, for political expediency, to accept an offer he could not refuse. Post Editor Mmembe and his lawyers and business partner Mutembo Nchito offered him ‘leadership’ of the ‘anti-corruption’ campaign, which they had enhanced using secret information from the Zambia Security Intelligence Services…” Sakala begins the book in his preface.
The author’s former boss, Chiluba, who opened the foreword, attacks from another angle, describing the anti-corruption crusade under his successor as a Western-sponsored scheme.
“This book is an effort to provide an objective critique to the paternalistic politics of so-called donor governments which have continued to dictate the pace of political and economic development of their former colonies,” Chiluba says in the typical style of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
“The so-called crusade against corruption is basically the pursuit and perpetuation of politics of calumny to force regime change in the Third World.”
A seasoned journalist in his own right, Sakala is a former president of the Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) and director of the once prestigious Africa Literature Centre in Kitwe which trained a chain of Zambian and other African journalists.
Using his journalistic background, Sakala takes on The Post newspaper, accusing the publication of throwing ethics out of the window, preferring to settle scores.[quote]
For example, Sakala questions the logic of Fred Mmembe’s travel to London to testify as a State witness in a case against Chiluba but at the same time wanting to pretentiously pose as an objective journalist when covering the same case.
“The journalism profession on the other hand demands a high professional ethic that should ensure moral neutrality, accuracy, truthfulness, fairness and balance,” Sakala lectures to The Post newspaper.
“The Editor of The Post as a prosecution witness cannot be expected to serve an impartial and objective role given their own commercial as well as personal interests. Sadly, the public cannot distinguish when The Post is posturing for self-interest and when it is genuinely presenting an objective fact – this being the result of professional compromise.”
Away from The Post, Sakala attempts to show in the book a number of glaring financial irregularities in the Taskforce, including the lack of tender procedures when awarding contracts.
“The Taskforce has been prosecuting cases concerning non-adherence to tender board procedures and yet the audit report is replete with cases where it abused the system,” Sakala writes.
He, for instance, gives an example where a UK firm was awarded a contract for a monthly fee of US$90,000 but the figure was revised to US$150,000 without the approval of the then Zambia National Tender Board.
The firm eventually was paid a whopping US$2.4 million! The book details several other irregularities which qualify to be called scandals of the Taskforce.
Further, the book chronicles the fights within Government over the legal status of the Taskforce – he uses documents and inside sources – to reveal that current Vice-President George Kunda, SC, was against the Taskforce being legalised as a distinct institution.
But, according to the book, he was overruled by Mwanawasa despite him being the Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs at the time.
At most times, Kunda was not privy to the work of the Taskforce as he was completely sidelined. The Taskforce was answerable to the donor community and, occasionally, to the President.
It is public knowledge that the author was sentenced to a jail term of four years with hard labour for abuse of authority and theft of a motor vehicle.
Sakala argues his innocence even now and blames Zambia’s legal system for his sentence. He equally blames the judges and the tedious legal procedures, which he said cannot guarantee justice for a man without a lawyer.
Sakala writes: “I found to my dismay that using lawyers was not only expensive but very frustrating. The legal fraternity has created for itself a structure and framework that bears little resemblance to reality, the multiplicity of forms, submission procedures and archaic language seem designed to dissuade any ordinary person from seeking redress.”
Sakala then turns to the Law Association of Zambia (LAZ), accusing the body of abdicating its responsibility of providing counsel on key issues of national importance.
For instance, he tabulates how the former director of public prosecutions (DPP) Mukelabai Mukelabai (late) had sacked Mutembo Nchito from prosecuting him but the DPP was overruled by Mwanawasa even when it was clear that Mukelabai was not subject to the direction of any authority.
And LAZ kept quiet when the Constitution was being mutilated. Thus a sub-title of the book is – “Rule without Law Legacy 2001 – 2008” – the term served by Mwanawasa.
The book is well thought-out although written for a Zambian audience with current affairs acumen. It is easy to read for those who follow events reported in the Zambian media.
In fact, many passages and references in the book can only be understood by ardent readers of The Post.
For instance, some names drop without giving background of what they did for them to appear in the book. On one instance, Dora Siliya’s name appears as an example but the author fails to give background as to who Dora Siliya is and what she is alleged to have done for her to be used as an example.
The book is worth reading for those interested in Zambia’s public affairs. It is a fair account of a man who enjoyed much influence when he was at State House but was reduced to nothing by the very system he once worked for.
[Zambia Daily Mail]
From this book review, am really tempted to read this book. Where can i get it. Is it there in Bookworld>?
This would make a good reading,hope i lay my hands on it soon enough..from the review so far,the man is trying to gather whatever little credibility he could have remained with,unfortunately he will never accept that he dipped his fingers in other peoples’ money
Am sorry but these too many bodies of this and that. You surely are bound to have a lot of comfusion. In one ministry these like 1million posts haibo. this one says this the other one says that by the time it reaches the boss he/she has already made his/her own decission. Is there anything that realy works pa zed other than finger pointing?????
Sounds very interesting…….”It is a fair account of a man who enjoyed much influence when he was at State House but was reduced to nothing by the very system he once worked for.” Brilliant.
it sounds like a good reading. Everybody trying to justify themselves ne? I shall read it.
I hate Richard Sakala and am glad he was sent to jail and served time, but I have to agree with his quoted statement in the story. The Law in Zambia is achaic and just aimed to enrich lawywers than save the common man. Why is the language so achaic? And why is it that ALL lawyers have real estate obtained from some liquidation of this or that , especially in Lusaka. Looks like Lawyers really had a field day during LPM era. No wonder they even thought they could run an Airline. Something must be done to make the law make sense to a common man on the street the law of natural justice demands that. The lawyers don’t exist to confuse the masses and enrich themselves. They exist to ensure justice and truth prevails. Lawyers out there redeem yourself. You have also R A P E D Zambia
From the book review, this book does not deserve a tittle becouse it has no issues. This thiefe does not sound like a repentant thief. This is an assualt on Zambians. Becouse he is and was guilty, he has failed to articulate why and how he found himself in jail. Let alone articulate how he could have appealed and indeed have his sentence reviewed for compansensation if he was wrongly sentenced. This thiefe wants to potray The Post and its editor as evil. Futher portry LPM as evil only to potray this zombi- George Kunda as a Saint, what a SHAME! This sharp must be asking for our forgivness than saying all this crap. Am sorry that this book is not worthy the paper its printed on. This is in collaboration with Chiluba to clean their mess.
There’s always 3 sides to a story, “your side”, “their side” and the “truth”. We know their side, and will now get to read Richard’s side……but I dont think we’ll ever get to know the truth
Rubbish book by an accomplice of the plunderer.
This is a story of a frustrated man. Am tempted to read this book though.
Forewoed by Chiluba! These guys worked togather to rap.e the country and plunder it’s resources. They miss Mukelebai because he wanted to let them off the hook by entering nolle proseque for them. Shame on you.
Sakala should realise that he is an ex convict period.He filed an appeal which he withdrew.He then appealed to Parliament.There is no such procedure and parliament rightly rejected his request.Whatmakes him think that he is now going to re write history?
What is sad is the revelation that LPM ursuped the powers of the DPP thus violating the consititution of the country and sadly the legal fratenity LAZ especially was quiet about it. This is certainly not part of the famous phrase of “country of laws and not men”. Whether Richard Sakala was a thief or not, should not lead to ignoring the provisions of our laws to satisfy a certain position. Was the Post alive to this fact, they too kept quiet simply because it was a person they did not favour on the spot and their Lawyer friend stood to lose if sacked. Very very sad indeed. Such should never happen again.
this book review was done by a daily mail reporter so obviously biaseness should be expected in the article. it is best to read it then get a clear picture
Power politics at play. I dont totally agree with Sakala, his prosecution (good or bad) at least put to check those who like abusing public office. It not a secrete that Sakala did not properly use the powers the Zambian pipo vested in him and his boss. At least, in future, those in powerful positions should learn.
my main concern however, is the position of lawyers in this country. Are these guys the only educated pipo we have. Look at all important institutions, they are by law supposed to be represented, are all of us daft???why do we spend so many years in university only to be controlled by lawyers? look at the Non Practice allowance in govt, surely the lawyer’s prowess needs to be checked. They tailor everthing to suite themselves, they have breached our trust, lets change…
good on ya tricky ricky. i guess you gotta start of somewhere. one thing i’ll say is, us africans don’t write. so, i appreciate any journalistic efforts. that’s why our history is as told by our former masters.
Richard Sakala,our very own tricky dick,got his just dessert.He had better count himself lucky that he found himself in Zambia and not some western African country 30 years ago after a coup de tat because he would have faced a firing squad.I somestimes feel he and FTJ and Xavier Chunga and all the other scum that took turns raping the good zambian people deserved capital punishment.HE DID THE CRIME,DID HIS TIME NOW CAN HE PLEASE SHUT UP!
That Sakala as the then PR Guru to Kafupi ,was the man who should have advised his friend Titus Mpundu not to dish out public funds from the so called presidential fund with out any accountability.
From the review..I can tell that there is a lot of dust under the carpet……These politicians are really dirty monsters…
I am attempted to blame Sakala and his friends. Sakala, has dug a grave for himself because the next Govt may decide ask him to a/c for evidence he is given.
Lawyers must be croped
I smelt trouble when i first read this review, i am not surprised the book now takes him back to court courtesy of Nchito, but for the Zambians this is good news as more dirty work is going to be rervealed. hurray!
Let Richie write the book,so that the upcoming politicians can read and learn from his mistakes.I think it’s a good idea.
Richie served his term, though I believe it should have been more. I now look forward to KAFUPI’s incarceration. Can’t wait for the change of Government in 2011. LONG LIVE THE PACT. Kafupi, your FREE days are dwindling by the day.
I hope Dickson Jere has started writting his book already. ba makaka bonse ni mpumpu