TOURISM and Arts Minister Sylvia Masebo says former communication and transport minister, William Harrington should be charged with a criminal offence for allegations made before the Tribunal probing her conduct in the dissolution of the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) board.
Ms Masebo in her final submissions to the Tribunal said Mr Harrington’s allegations were malicious and that from his previous experience, the matter was not fit for investigation under the Code of Conduct Act.
She said people like Mr Harrington were abusing the Act by evoking to conduct general inquiries into minister’s decisions which in some cases was being used to wedge personal wars by certain interest groups including cartels.
She said Mr Harrington should be charged for his malicious conduct knowing from his previous experience during former communications and transport minister Dora Siliya’s Tribunal hearing where his allegations were not fit for investigation under the Act.
She said Mr Harrington’s invitation to the tribunal to make recommendations against her should be refused.
Ms Masebo said that section 14 (8) did not give the tribunal, unfettered discretion to make recommendations on anything just because it was raised in a complaint.
” It is our prayer that the complainant will now be charged with a criminal offence under section 17 of the Code of Conduct Act, as he clearly brought these allegations maliciously and knowing from his previous experience that they were not fit for investigation under the Code of Conduct Act” Ms Masebo said.
She said in her submissions prepared by her lawyers Simeza, Sangwa and Associates, Ellis and Company and Mulenga Mundashi and Company that Mr Harrington was not strange to the Act as he had instituted similar petitions against another minister and was aware of the outcome which was not in his favour.
Ms Masebo said the fact that he decided to raise the complaints in total disregard of the decision of the Supreme Court was clear evidence of malice on his part.
She said that most of the evidence from Mr Harrington’s witnesses bordered on differences of opinion on how officials from ZAWA would have wanted the tender process to run unabated through her lawyers.
Ms Masebo said that the complaints by Mr Harrington appeared to have been unfocussed and at large because he made far reaching allegations outside the scope of section (4) of the Act.
She said that the allegations by Mr Harrington that Ms Masebo abused the authority of her office or cancellation of the tender process whether in breach of the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) or other statute did not violate part II of the Act.
“Unfortunately a great deal of time and energy was spent listening to witnesses trying to prove that the minister did interfere with the tender process and that she did cancel the tender which was still in train”
On the termination of the five ZAWA top managers, Ms Masebo said the issue could not be brought before the tribunal because the affected persons were not public servants as they were not appointed by the public service commission but had specific written.
Biting back!
I think those drags are bad for human health.There is no sense in what the minister is saying.
What Masebo is actually saying is: that the charges against her, being the subject of the on-going Tribunal, must be directed at her President whom she alleged directed her to dissolve the ZAWA Board and fire the Directors.
Apparently, Masebo has gone mad/crazy because her President has publicly distanced himself from Masebo’s abuse of Office. If Masebo insists that she acted on Sata’s directives, that is a recipe for impeachment of the President. Masebo should have known that Sata is politically unreliable. She is now in a state of confusion – hence her waffling at the Tribunal with the danger of reducing her Lawyers as worthless in the legal profession.
The Hon. Minister for Tourism is feeling the heat. Be professional Minister and not getting miscalculated directives form Ghosts. You did that due to LOVE for Wynter & Guy who used you after failing to use Hon. Lubinda. I thought you were one of the principled MPs but alas you are……….
Bravo Hon. Masebo for your patriotism to your motherland. Genuine zambian should have stood for Masebo to protect zambian resources from plunder, that should have the bottom line. Those ZAWA managers were corrupt and self serving especially the former DG Matokwani, the anti-corruption must now move in and investigate him. The national parks are run down and the safari hunters have ripped off zambia. Hon. Masebo is trying to serve the country.
Typical cadre. Only in a PF government can people be summarily dismissed for being corrupt. And years later call for the Anti-Corruption Commission to institute investigations about the alleged corruption. Honestly, you PF people have No functioning brains.
Iwee it is not serve but save ule un fwa. you save wild life and serve food to people.
Masebo just wait for the ruling. Are you worried that things might go against you? You will see stars soon or later in 2016
Harrington is a failed politician, broke to the bone, always trying to find ways and means to earn a quick buck. He has used similar tactics before probably that how he gets his daily bread, pay-offs from the big boys in the background.
You are very dull. Honestly, do you think that someone can make money out ensuring that government leaders don’t break the law? You’re dumb.
So according to you it is okay for ministers to abuse their powers? Harrington is doing a great job by trying to bring some of these ministers to order. In a normal and working country the Ombudsman or Public Protector was supposed to do what Mr Harrington has done. But then Zambia being a banana republic I wonder if the office of the Ombudsman exists. If by a miracle it does exist then it is as impotent as the others; the ACC, DEC, etc.
nzelu zama dubai..atase..she knows she was wrong..shameless chap!@!Harrington..viva !!
ITS NOT FAIRTO CALL HARRINGTONE AS BROKE MAN TO THE BONE BEING USED BY BIG BOYS BEHIND THE SCENES. HARRY IS BIG AND OLD ENOUGH AND HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING. ASKING FOR A TRIBUNAL TO CLEAR THE AIR ON CERTAIN ISSUES OF PUBLIC IS VERY GOOD. IF HON MASEBO WILL BE CLEARED THEN THATS GOOD FOR HER. HARRY IS ONE OF THE MOST ENLIGHTENED CITIZENS PROVIDING CHECKS AND BALANCES TO OUR LEADERS. KEEP IT UP UNCLE HARRY. LETS BE OBJECTIVE WHEN PASSING COMMENTS ON SERIOUS MATTERS.
do unto others as they do unto you. HE THOT HE WAS SMART BY TAKING MASEBO TO COURT LET HIM BE CHARGED TOO, MASEBO IS INNOCENT AND VERY HARDWORKING MINISTER, SHE DOESNT BELONG TO THE USELESS MPS CLIQUE
#9,
Please remember that Sylvia has never been Patriotic but is a very greedy Bitch.Not long ago, she swore that Sata would never be President of Zambia.So what has changed? Look at how many political parties’ ticket she had stood before being rescued by the late PLM.She is just so corrupt and morally bankrupt. We all know what she did to GBM and she has no shame.Whatever happens, let her face the music but unfortunately the entire PF is corrupt starting from Plot one and they are all in it to make as much cash as possible.Chikwanda can not resign because he has been blackmailed to be prosecuted for corruption and so many others.You have a Minister of Sports who turn a golf course in Luanshya into his personal farm and the Cobra turns a blind eye.A farm in a residential area????
#9,
Please remember that Sylvia has never been Patriotic but is a very greedy B,,,h.Not long ago, she swore that Sata would never be President of Zambia.So what has changed? Look at how many political parties’ ticket she had stood before being rescued by the late PLM.She is just so corrupt and morally bankrupt. We all know what she did to GBM and she has no shame.Whatever happens, let her face the music but unfortunately the entire PF is corrupt starting from Plot one and they are all in it to make as much cash as possible.Chikwanda can not resign because he has been blackmailed to be prosecuted for corruption and so many others.You have a Minister of Sports who turn a golf course in Luanshya into his personal farm and the Cobra turns a blind eye.A farm in a residential area????
Masebo if feeling the heat, she has been caught with her pants down, she is currently feeling nickerless
Madam, your appeal for the law to defend the lawless and punish the whistle blower is like adding salt to injury. Or must we assume that you are just being humorous?