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Zambian Airways directors’ ultimatums are absurd, Government

By editor
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Chief government spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha
Chief government spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha
THE Government has told Zambian Airways directors and

other interested parties not to give ultimatums to investigative wings probing the financial irregularities into the operations of the airline.

Chief Government spokesperson, Ronnie Shikapwasha said this in an interview in Lusaka yesterday.

Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha said it was absurd that directors and interested parties were calling for the speedy completion of investigations of financial irregularities in the operation of the airline which suspended operations in January.

He said it was imperative that people exercised patience with the investigative wings because there were many cases being investigated and no similar demands had been made.

“Many people in this country are investigated for whatever they have done and there has been nobody giving an ultimatum as to when the investigations should be concluded.

“Similarly, the investigations regarding Zambian Airways are being handled by the investigative wings and they should be allowed to do their job without any deadlines,” Gen Shikapwasha said.

Gen Shikapwasha, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services minister, advised the directors of Zambian Airways to be patient with the investigative wings, especially that they considered themselves to be innocent.

“If they are innocent, they should wait until the investigations are over because there is no investigative wing that will be given an ultimatum.

‘‘Investigative wings have their own rules and time table to follow and all those giving an ultimatum are doing so out of ignorance,” Gen Shikapwasha said.

The Zambia police, Drug Enforcement Commission and the Anti-Corruption Commission instituted joint investigations into the financial irregularities of Zambian Airways.

Efforts to get a comment from Inspector General of police, Francis Kabonde failed as he was reportedly out of the country.

[Times of Zambia]

editor
editorhttp://www.lusakatimes.com

90 COMMENTS

  6. What are they rushing for?They want the investigations to be speedy, so that some of the irrugularities may be omitted or left out……no way,no stone should be left unturned!!

  9. Goverment should for once concetrate on matters affecting the nation! Its very sad to note that 99% of time is being spent on fighting a few individuals! Why cant they talk about the ever increasing mealie meal prices, the job losses and the like?

  11. There is always an end even to the most beutiful song. I hope this does not apply to Membe, he has sung us a very wonderful song over the years with a strait language in it suitable for both mature and urban audience. after the demise of levy and the victory of Bwezani Banda he stamped the parental advisory stamp on his editorial cover. its yet to be seen if he will still sell with this stamp or he will have to revert to his original mature audience. Bwezani Banda has unfortunately commernced criminal proceedings against our lovely singer and bankers are sriping his assets one by one without even a mention in Membes songs as he has concerntrated on a ‘hit-em up’ on his enermies.

  14. Bloggers i wonder if Dora had given Zambian Airways the favours Magande was promising if there would have been a tribunal?

  15. Look who is talking. Why can’t Hon Shikapwasha just keep quiet on this Zambian Airways saga, like his friends who previously were very vocal on the matter. He is talking about patience! Why didn’t they exercise patience when they made this whole issue become of public interest by publicly (without waiting for the commecement of investigations and acting on the results of the said investigations) undressing the directors of the airline that they had pocketed collosal sums of money. People became interested and started following it. Now, looking at the way things are turning out, it is clear that someone very honorable somewhere lied about the whole issue. That is why pipo are impatient – they want to know the truth, hence giving ultimatums to the investigating wings who suddenly are slow.

  17. Point, shikas but you should be well informed that justice delayed is actually justice denied. I smell something in the tone of your statement since you re a crooked crook in my view. Stop making noise as well and let investigations flow without you or your gang poking your selfish noses in the affair. >:-<

  18. Goodmorning everyone.
    I totally agree with #9 Baby C, too much time & energy is being wasted on persecuting a few suspects instead of investing in ways and means to overcome the difficult times that the entire nation is facing.

  19. ILIKKO BAD PA ZED. Let me finish my work before I knock off. I’ll discuss these issues at my drinking place. They keep me busy when drinking but I dont take them seriously.

  20. Nine Chale and Baby C please do not forget that it is in public interest that such cases are followed up. It is also the public that demands transparency. I think it is very much okay that time and energy is invested as this alone defines the effectiveness of our judicial system. These cases set an example and are used as warnings to those who think they are above the law.

  22. I have always been saying Zedians you stick to some words like glue first anything that came out its was always corruption on peoples lips. The new word now is ULTIMATUM everyone has it magande,sata,rb,post, and now the investigating wings yangu

  23. they may be busy planting evidence i bet so that when they resurface, they will say aha, this is what we said, but nowadays issues of planting incriminating evidence are so tricky

  26. In a civilized society, progress on cases of national interest is shared to keep the public informed of the current state of affairs. As for deadlines, these should be set by the investigators themselves and there is nothing wrong with them sharing their progress if at all forthcoming. After all evidence is factual, if you have it say it.

  28. CIA i am not a profession of vindictive behaviour being shown by our leaders. so much vendeta amongst our pipo. the moment we know that zambian airways has no incriminating evidence, the more we will help the situation. mind u these problems started before levy died and so rb knows such but the problem is even when the president is wrong no one can sue him. this is the weakness in our constitution where the presido has more than necessary power. do you know that even in chilubas case, he was not supposed to be paraded as we have seen and he could be the only former president who has had his immunity removed. any way am not condoning ubupupu, if ftj has stolen, commit him to the jele

  29. #9 Baby C & 17 Nine Chale, what are you refering when you say govt should concentrate on mealie meal, job losses and investing in ways and means to overcome hard time Zed is going thru? So in your view, corruption should not be dealt with? Forgeting about cases like Ms Siliya’s, Mr Xavier Chungu’s, FTJ’s, Regina’s, mismanagement of fertilisers programme? So govt should just focus on reducing mealie prices to 2pin and zed will be heaven. OK. But I suspect you are trapped in a CGKM-syndrome, I mean chiwamila galu kuluma mbuzi. Crime is crime, kusecha mapoketi KMB, kushoka mwanalume na saladi, kuba nkhuku yaneba, or using umuzulu meant for investing in an airline for personal gratification, zonse nimilandu.

  30. I told you guys that us Chelsea will beat liverpool. And you saw it,that was fantastic football.Viva Drogba,Lampard, Essien,Ashly cole,Solomon Kalu, Malouda,Terry, Alex etc.You guys Hiddink is a man, Liverpool thought they could beat us just because they crushed finished man united.But they were amazed.Bola ukulowa mwe banthu eee.

  31. #21 iwe C.I.A tautamba ama filimu? have u ever heard of bamukobeka amala yambushi mwi koshi proverb? this is real pal. some people languishing in zedian prisons never were at the crime scene but they are serving the terms other hard cores shud be serving

  32. strange, how come mutembo nchito is zizzzizi? ba loya kabili, twebeni ifyo mwachita. prove to the masses you are innocent and tell the masses that business rise and fall just like supreme furniture and anglo american company

  33. With our current form we are able to lopola any team that comes our way.I love chelsea just like the way i love PF and Sata.

  34. “For the first time, the Peruvian justice system rose to the occasion in this historic fight against impunity,” said Gisela Ortiz, whose brother was killed at La Cantuta University in 1992 as Fujimori’s squads hunted for presumed leftists.
    yaba FTJ shud be scared stiff of this latest where a democratically elected presido is in for 25 years. viva peru justice

  35. They’re absurd when they come from the accused,but okay when it’s bwezani urging the same wings to speed up investigations. Chiwamina galu kuluma mbuzi not…….

  36. When Banda made the allegations of theft at that ‘press conference’ ( I have been unable to come up with a suitable name’ he said he had evidence of the theft. I thought all the investigations had been carried out and it was just a matter of bringing the culprits to book. Did the president make unimformed accusations. If someone calls me a thief, they better have the proof to back it up. You don’t first call me a thief and then go look for the evidence afterwards. That is why someone suggested they are planting evidence.

  37. Chewe

    How are you mudala Ala Iam still celebrating unfrotunately Rashid Jones lelo has not even emailed me coz Man U is in hot soup while Chelsea is mumabwenge.

    Have a great day Man.

    Matworld

  38. I think as Zambians we like talking a lot, Pipo who know real issues about Zambian Airways r Zi, the President said that Zambian Airways and its directors needs to pay the $30, now the price has reduced to $1.7 dollars, Pipo… y kn’t we ask the president y the amount has reduced to $1.7 dollar, which Fred and Mutembo kn pay, If the same Fred invested $3M in Zambian Airways, what kn b difficult in paying $1.7? As other pipo r saying they a lot of issues that government needs look which r important as at now… am sure u know about the floods in the western province, mealie meal prices, job losses ( KCM is cutting close to 1,300 as of today these pipo have kids to look after. Even th Zambian Airways issue the Zambian Government has no evidence to show… t

  39. #36, your gravatar is cool but #35 if thats your dental formula then awe mwe!. On the topic….its bla bla bla self preservation in Zed politics.

  40. #39 Engine Bbuloko. Any idea about the whereabouts of Wala Wala? Last time I spoke to him he was supposed to be in Aussie.

  42. Who has been giving the ultimatums over legal investigations? What a joke. Must be individuals with something to hide. Jamaco and Kamunyama, great observations. Unfortunately, that’s the attitude of most Zambians here- if the Government left corrupt cases to fall through, people would be crying foul on here about how it doesn’t focus on real issues. When it starts to look into the irregular dealings of their beloved Post, then there are more important things the government should be doing. Don’t take what the Post says as the gospel, people. They have personal interests in seeing the investigations collapse, and it is not to YOUR benefit as Zambians. This is not just a case of ‘fighting a few individuals” – there are systematic and serious allegations that must be looked into.

  43. Imagine if RB was involved in a similar scandal, and there were all sorts of people making ultimatums. The Post would be leading all the naysayers on LT in saying no one should impede legal investigations. Same hypocrisy, different day. If the government is wrong on this one, that will become evident in due course, but don’t let the accused start rushing the investigative process. If they are innocent, they’ll be vindicated in due course.

  44. #39,at least im OPEN about it! You’d be (or we’d be) shocked what sort of D.F’s there are out there if bloggers were required to have gravatars about their teeth.I’d look like the good guy in a dracula movie!

  45. Most of you guys with the tuma flag from Zed are from the post i have come across a few people like mesrto hehehe but even he sometimes compromises with the blog. But you guys systematically lay out your arguments and never moved seriuosly do you ever consider presenting both sides of the story or at least be neutral in some regarding politics and government???

  47. #20 Jamaco & #29 kamunyama
    Not that I want to belittle crime or that I don’t see the need for transparency but what do we achieve by pointing fingers at someone the whole day?
    The blame game is easy and that’s what keeps most unproductive people occupied. But I, as a progressive citizen, wish to leave “imilandu” to the courts and proceed with biulding the nation.
    If we are looking for “cases that smite” , there are several smiting cases from the political archives to choose from. Cases like “Watergate”, “Monica Lewinsky” or “The Contalgan Scandal” will make our cases look like Sunday afternoon picnics.

  48. The story does not say who was asking for the investigations to be sped up and Lt should have made an effort to get in touch with the Nchito’s and M’membe to get their side of the story instead of talking about trying to reach the inspector general of police. Investigations should not take cares if they have evidence.

  50. #45&46,us ma guys with tuma flags twapa zed see whats on da ground every day.On my way from ndola to lsk the other day i saw the COBUSU guy who walked all da way 4rm kitwe to state house to present his petition about all those students with bursaries.We also see when Teta withdraws offer letters for the allocation of stalls at new soweto market because he thinks its pro-PF.We also see when multi-million dollar roads like the Lusaka-Chirundu get washed away becoz of sheer incompetence! Mealie meal prices sky-rocketing,smuggling back,of course we’ve got every reason to be biased!

  52. #10 Kadoyo, thanks for the Easter wishes. You are one of those moving with the right tides. Best wishes to you too.

    Ilyashi ya ZA. bonsefye abali invoved ba pupu including Dora.Corruption is the only hinderance in this issue. Dora should be out of office pending tribunal outcome. …period.

  53. #49 you have all the right to read whatever media you feel comfortable with just i also feel the post is the paper i will never stop reading. Its too much of this government peddling on issues that draws back the country in the economic recovery. Too much witch hunting in Rb’s govt.

  54. Yeah Ronnie,you have a valid point there but then again such cases have a tendency of taking up unnecessary time…longevity at the expense of other vital issues that need serious executive attention i.e. issues such as those mentioned by Baby C #9. The FTJ case (s) is still languishing in courts yet other cases enjoyed speedy Judicial attention. It’s less than 24months before the next elections…therefore, these cases should be wrapped up SAP.

  55. Bushe ba Cutey ba yakwisa kanshi? Ati nikwisa mwaya nda mumising,a imwe.Matworld am good thanx.Am so happy to see my chelsea back to form.

  56. #48 you are missing out .its meembe who has been asking for speedy investigations,for the past few weeks the man has been running editorials about nothing but trying to prove himself inocent and accusing the investigating wings of dragging there feet.This is the same crook who every time chiluba says something about his case his words are ;dont interfire with our compitent investigators and courts of law.atekanye fye they are still compitent

  58. But what is even more absurd is for you clowns to make accusations you cant support with evidence which you loudly proclaimed you had!! We will patiently wait.

  59. 45 C.I.A thanks for recognising the truth about me. I am not biased, but present my views in the interest of the whole Nation. This is the reason why I go out of my way to give any one more information about my posts.

    My belief is that we need to give credit where it is due while we maintain constructive criticism where necessary to help all of us to be transparent in our dealings and improve our status in education: both formal and informal.

  60. #55, ba Chewe ,
    Mwansekesha sana, ala ne mbafu shakalipa, nala nwako na ka 1 glass of red fimo fimo nomba ka!!!. Bushe mwaile kwisa?? Ine nali chinja ishina publicly, pantu insele shalichililemo kuli ba Anonymous. Ba Mr Stevens ba lefulwa sana. Alale nangula twachinjishe ishina tapali ifisuma iyoo, Insele no ulunkumbwa/jelous filifye mbwee, awee mwee, nshikwete amashibwi ayengi. Kanshi nga mwamona Thenjiwe Stevens ninebo cutey/wifey….A VERY GOOD HAPPY EASTER TO YOU BA CHEWE FIMO FIMO….

  64. Thanx Ba Chewe,
    Happy Easter again. Iam celebrating Easter in my own way .. got a big break from work….
    bye for now…

  66. very ironical clowns……all of them!they said they had evidence but Y should they again say “we wait patiently”……..kapena banapeza ati nabeve benangu bazake balimo(maybe they jst discovered that even their close friends are involved too?????)

  67. GUYS, have you all forgotten RB said when he was addressing his carders over the Zambia Airway scandal at state house. He said, “the post and Nchito.m has pocketed $30m which belong to the zambian people and I ‘ll do everything possible to get it back”. He went on to say, “I have all the evedences”. NOW GUYS LETS BE REALISTIC. Why should it take long to investigate the matter which you even know the person who has all the evedence? Besides, the one in possesion of the evidence is the complainant. DON’T FORGET THAT AM A LAYMAN IN THE MATTERS OF LAW.

  70. #67 Background,that’s wat am talking about!
    RB please give your so called evidence to the inv.wings ASAP.
    Its EITHER they are planting fake evidence as they go OR they have just discovered that few other pipo amongst themselves were also involved in the scam.

  72. Am I alone here?awe kanshi naya ine men and gentleladies!or or or first let me check out the other threads

  74. matworld shimikeni ilyashi boss tumfwe.I was checkin out the other thread on “underage alcholics” …….mwandini its really sad.I think maybe we introduce sharia law…….mulemona shani??

  75. Shikapwasha seems to be in a good mood cos loserpool was bruised by chelsea ,sorry i meant liverpool .HAPPY EASTER to all the LT family, remember to enjoy responsibly .

  77. there’s 2 much comedy+drama+nonsense pa zed.Thiz politicians want 2 “get-rich-kwik” coz they know they will be kikt out kam 2011.whoever voted for them must have done so out of sympathy.but now 2011 out they go………bapompwe!…right now MMD internally is a deep mess…

  78. by the way my name has got nothing to do with the “F” word.
    My full name is Farah Qumed Azim.
    Just call me “far-Q” and please NOT F**K you!

  80. You are right Far -Q pa Zed shairia law is needed pantu ubushilu bwafula.Lets find ways of adding it mu costitution.

  82. Tell us the truth and not lies. Where is the evidence that made kick start the cases? Don’t you have rules for regulating businesses? Couldn’t you foresee a problem if this industry was struggling? Why wait if you had facts that were endangering the lives of innocent passengers? Learn to be constructive and not distractive as leaders. You are setting a very bad precedence for your children who may suffer heavily once we vote you out after net year. Watch out and learn to manage and not wallow in lies and deceit.

  83. sambman

    Thanx for responding my point being a coin has 2 sides in my opinion when you have a warn and caution from the police and you response is exactly the editorial the following day you question. The way he spoke to those officers is unacceptable but i give him a benefit of a dought to rush investigators to clear your name is not logical. If he thinks his innocent let him wait for the day yhey take him to court if it ever happens. Remember he has repeatedly said this to the many people standing trial so why should it be any different for him. I also have to say that RB was wrong in the way he brought this matter out in the open to cadres i can always lead to disaster and embarasment
    Maestro Hhehehehe its no problem at all

  86. CIA You know that the GRZ was using the ZA saga to hit back at the Post especially viz aviz the Silya case. And am sure you know that inkongole tabakaka. If indeed there was a case the President did not need to reveal that case to MMD cadres. And am sure you are educated enough that this was merely party politics and even Shikas knows it deep down

  89. Agreed CIA. why the hurry by post and his axis…? Are they anxious about what else the police may discover? Just wait like anybody else who has been investigated before.

  90. Much as we appreciate the investigations being carried out by our compentent investigative wings in our country, the point is they are carrying this investigations in an awkward manner in that their Commander in Chief as already found the Directors of Zambia Airways guilty of stealing $30million. The investigators will do everything possible to impress their Boss. Rupia Bwazenimaproblems is not doing us any good. We are just waiting for 2011 to remove him. We are in a Global Crunch as they call it and our President seem to fight with few people instead of find means and way to put the country on a right track.

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