The opposition Patriots for Economic Progress (PEP) has challenged opposition UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema to explain how his wealth accumulation coincided with the privatisation time where he was entrusted to value and sale some government-owned companies.

PEP President Sean Tembo said that the challenge posed to Mr. Hichilema by FDD President Edith Nawakwi who was Minister of Finance during the privatisation process deserves legitimate answers and not counter-accusations on Social media.

Mr Tembo said that the allegations have not just been made by an ordinary Zambian but by a person who was Minister of Finance at the time of privatization process, and who therefore has first-hand knowledge of the events that took place, adding that the allegations are very serious and deserve a proper detailed explanation by the UPND President.

In a statement to the Media, Mr. Tembo said Ms. Nawakwi’s testimony can be admitted as evidence in any court of law because it is a first-hand account and not hearsay. He said his party believes that anyone who aspires for Zambia’s Presidency must be ready and willing to be subjected to vigorous scrutiny by Citizens.

Mr. Tembo said this is because when an individual ascends to the Presidency their actions and decisions will impact their party members, supporters or those that voted for them.

He appealed to Zambians to ensure that they embrace individuals who are not only willing to be held accountable but also transparent if the country is going to make progress.

Below is the full Statement

1. As Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP), we have noted with interest the ongoing debate that has been raging for the past few days regarding allegations of improper conduct leveled against the main opposition UPND President Mr Hakainde Hichilema, which is said to have taken place during this country’s privatization process in the late 1990s. These allegations have been leveled by the then Minister of Finance, Honorable Edith Nawakwi who is currently the Party President for the opposition FDD.
2. Our view on this matter is that the said allegations are very serious and deserve a proper detailed explanation by the UPND President. It is not enough for Mr Hichilema to seek to allay these allegations by posting a few Facebook and Twitter memes. It must be noted that these allegations have not been leveled by just any ordinary Zambia. To the contrary, they have been leveled by a person who was Minister of Finance at the time of Zambia’s privatization process, and who therefore has first-hand knowledge of the events that took place during Zambia’s privatization process. As a matter of fact, Honorable Edith Nawakwi’s testimony can be admitted as evidence in any court of law because it is a first-hand account and not hearsay. It is therefore up to Mr Hichilema to substantively rebut Hon. Edith Nawakwi’s allegations in the same detailed manner that she presented her public testimony against him, and not through Facebook and Twitter memes.
3. As Patriots for Economic Progress, it is our long held position that anyone who aspires to run the affairs of this Republic as President, must be ready and willing to be subjected to vigorous scrutiny by the people of Zambia. It must be emphasized that any Zambian, including another aspiring Republican President, has a right to scrutinize any aspiring candidate. That is because when an individual ascends to the Presidency of this Republic, their actions and decisions will not only impact their party members, supporters or those that voted for them. To the contrary, the actions and decisions of a Republican President impacts, whether positively or negatively, on every citizen of this Republic. That is the reason why every citizen must have an unfettered right to scrutinize any aspiring candidate to the Presidency of this Republic.
4. As Patriots for Economic Progress, we have noted that in her testimony last week, Hon. Edith Nawakwi posed a challenge on Mr Hakainde Hichilema to explain how he became rich and why the accumulation of his wealth exactly coincided with the period that he was entrusted with the responsibility to value and sale some government-owned companies, as part of Zambia’s privatization process? Our view is that these are legitimate questions which deserve legitimate answers and not counter-accusations or Facebook and Twitter memes.
5. As Patriots for Economic Progress, it is our considered view that if Mr Hichilema has already previously answered these questions regarding the source of his wealth, then he must forgive the Zambian people for having a short memory, but he must answer again. As an aspiring Republican President, one cannot get tired of answering questions simply because they answered a similar question last year or the previous year.
6. As Patriots for Economic Progress, we are cognizant of the fact that one of the main challenges that the Zambian people have had in the recent past is to hold their leaders accountable. It is worth noting that accountability can only take place where there is transparency. For example, up until now, President Lungu has refused to explain how his net-worth exponentially grew from about K1 million in 2015 during the presidential election declaration of assets, to about K21 million in 2016 during a similar declaration of assets for the presidential election. It is such resistance to transparency that births lack of accountability and by consequence, corruption.
7. As Patriots for Economic Progress, it is our strong view that when we change from one President to the other, it needs to be an opportunity to make progress in the governance of the nation and not stagnate or regress. In this regard, Mr Hakainde Hichilema’s resistance to explain the source of his wealth, which coincidentally exponentially grew during the period of Zambia’s privatization, is not very different from President Lungu’s resistance to explain how his net-worth exponentially grew from about K1 million to about K21 million within a year.
8. Our appeal to fellow citizens of this Republic is that if we are going to make progress as a nation, we need to ensure that we embrace individuals who are not only willing to be held accountable but are also willing to be transparent so as to facility their being held accountable. Indeed, obscurity has no place for those holding or aspiring to hold public office.

Thank You and May God Bless the Good Citizens of the Republic of Zambia and Our Ailing Nation.

Police in Lusaka says they are investigating a scheme in which some people mostly in high-density areas are said to be receiving as much as K1,600 through mobile money after registering their personal details with unknown people.

The unidentified people in Lusaka are currently getting personal details of citizens such as NRC Numbers, Phone Numbers, and Full Names with a promise of sending them K1,600, claiming that it is an emergency Covid-19 Cash Transfer Programme being implemented by the government.

So far, the suspicious registration exercises have taken place in Linda, Matero, George, Kalingalinga and Kabwata and other compounds.

The registration exercises have been attracting huge crowds and one of the ladies found collecting people’s details confirmed that the exercise is from the government.

“We collect batches of 20. As you can see, so far, all the four sheets I had been done, I am now doing my last sheet. I have registered more than 200 today and we will continue tomorrow,” she said.

Some people have confirmed having received K1,600 two weeks after registering and they cashed in their reward at an MTN Mobile Money booth.

Lusaka Police Commissioner Nelson Phiri confirmed that police are investigating the matter and details will be availed later.

Health Minister Dr. Chitalu Chilufya has disclosed that Vice President Inonge Wina has tested negative to COVID-19. This month, the Vice President tested positive for Coronavirus.

Speaking during the Country’s update on COVID-19 situation, Dr. Chilufya said the Vice President is at home after testing negative to COVID-19 and is in stable condition.

“Her Honor the Vice President Inonge Mutukwa Wina tested negative to COVID-19 and has been discharged from our care and continues to be attended to at home. She is stable and is recuperating very well under our care,” he said.

And the Health Minister says the COVID-19 relief package that is going around on social media is a scam.

“COVID-19 relief package is a scam. The COVID-19 relief package by some unscrupulous people calling on you to pay a certain amount for you ta access that package is a scam. Should you come across such individuals you should report to the police. And we disassociate ourselves from the package,” he added.

Meanwhile, Zambia has recorded 123 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours out of the 1, 171 tests done.

Dr. Chilufya said unfortunately, one person has died of COVID-19 and the country recorded 147 recoveries.

He further added that this brings cumulative cases in the country to 11, 902 including 284 deaths and 11. 092 recoveries.

President Edgar Lungu has again asked the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to take interest and find out how contracts are being awarded by government institutions.

Speaking yesterday when he inspected Mwenda Secondary School in Chipili District in Luapula whose works have stalled since 2017, President Lungu said that the request does not mean that he is interfering with the work of the ACC.

President Lungu said that he will not shy away from telling the Commission to fight all forms of corruption as opposed to concentrating in one area.

The President said that he was disappointed that construction works have continued to be given to private companies when there are government wings such as the Zambia Army and Zambia National Service that can do the works at lower costs.

The President observed that the tendency to give expensive contracts that can be executed at a lower cost is motivated by greed and corruption and that this must be investigated, before adding that the Zambia Army and Zambia National Service can deliver quality works at a lower cost compared to private companies.

The President called on officers to treat government projects as their own if the people are to benefit and questioned why the Ministry of General Education has not completed the project in a phased manner so that people can start using the facility. The President has since directed that the school be completed in a phases.

Speaking earlier, Housing and Infrastructure Development Minister Vincent Mwale said the government will practice the model that is being used to construct schools in Zambia by the World Bank. Mr. Mwale said the government will be using internal engineers to work on projects. He said it is 70 percent cheaper to use internal government engineers to work on projects than engaging contractors. Mr. Mwale said the model which had so far worked on 15 schools countrywide will help the Government to complete schools on time and save on resources.

And General Education Minister Dennis Wanchinga said he will ensure key infrastructure is completed at the school in the next few months. Later, President Lungu held a meeting with chiefs and village headmen. Speaking during the meeting, President Lungu said money for the construction of key roads has been found. He said works on the roads will start in the next few days.