PRESIDENT Banda has said he will not shield any councillor or local authority engaging in illegal land allocations and other vices.
The President has also challenged those with information about any scandalous MMD-led local authorities to come forward and report them to relevant institutions.
The President, who was speaking in an exclusive interview with Zambia Daily Mail in Lusaka, said he will not tolerate any local authority that wants to take advantage of the people.
“Let them come forward and tell us the local authorities involved. We don’t just want local authorities to take advantage of the people we are supposed to serve. I will not shield anybody either in MMD or otherwise,” he said.
President Banda said no-one is above the law.
“It is not like when an MMD member steals, then they will be shielded. No-one will be shielded, a thief is a thief,” he said.
And MMD acting national secretary Chembe Nyangu welcomed the President’s statement saying there should be no sacred cows in the matter.
“Everyone must face the law whether in MMD or in opposition parties,” he said.
[pullquote]“It is not like when an MMD member steals, then they will be shielded. No-one will be shielded, a thief is a thief,” he said.[/pullquote]
Meanwhile, Mr Nyangu has demanded that investigations instituted at LCC following reports of illegal land allocation be handled expeditiously so that the culprits can face the law.
Mr Nyangu said almost a week ago, the MMD dared Patriotic Front (PF) spokesperson Given Lubinda and his colleagues at the suspended LCC to come out clean over the land scam.
“We note that Mr Lubinda has attempted to implement some cheap political spin over this enormous scandal at the LCC, which his party and their pact partner, the UPND, who jointly run the council, are deeply involved in,” he said.
Mr Nyangu described Mr Lubinda’s statement during his recent press briefing, that plots at Lilayi Housing Project were given to certain offices at the council because of the pressure exerted on them by the public, as cheap and insincere.
[pullquote]Mr Nyangu reiterated MMD’s call on Mr Lubinda to shed more light on how many plots he personally has since he became member of Parliament for Kabwata on the PF ticket in 2006.[/pullquote]
“It’s very clear that as one of the councillors at LCC charged with the responsibility to safeguard the interests of the people of Lusaka, Mr Lubinda has opted to tell his version of the story in the most irresponsible and illogical manner. Mr Lubinda is better off keeping quiet than always having something to say,” he said.
Mr Nyangu reiterated MMD’s call on Mr Lubinda to shed more light on how many plots he personally has since he became member of Parliament for Kabwata on the PF ticket in 2006.
“Can Mr Lubinda deny ever personally requesting the council to give him eight plots; can Mr Lubinda tell the public about the position he took during the full council meeting, which resolved to discipline two erring officials allegedly involved in fraudulent land allocations, and can he convincingly distance himself from the Lusaka land scam?” he said.
“As somebody who has been issuing unsubstantiated statements against our party and President Banda in particular where the fight against corruption is concerned, we expected him to furnish us with convincing reasons over the land scam at LCC but he has failed. This in itself is a serious indictment on the leadership of the LCC and Mr Lubinda in particular as African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption president,” Mr Nyangu said
[Zambia Daily Mail]
Mr President.
We know you shield people within MMD from being put in jail for cheque bouncing but for you to say you don’t shield thieves is the biggest joke around.
we all laugh at YOU!
Thieves. A thief is a thief. PF has the biggesst mouth. PF is full of thieves. Cage them. bamambala!!!
efyo ilefwakwa bwana president baifolesha sana impanga.
Sounds so good. I almost praised him for taking a strong stance on corruption, but then I realised that H.E the president is only talking because it’s a PF council involved. This man is not ashamed to be associated with FTJ, and Chungu, how can he talk about corruption in the councils? He is standing on a sinking ground, and he lacks the moral authority to speak about corruption. His government is one of the most corrupt governments in Africa (TI,2009). Anyway, it is always right for dog to bike a goat, and not vice vesa. Shame on LCC, and shame on all corrupt leaders including those pretending to be angels today.
There is no point in the government acting like they don’t know that their MMD cadres have been allocating plots for as long as they have been in power. An example is the farming area lying between old Mumbwa Road and New Mumbwa Road that their cadres have allocated in exchange for cash. They are so arrogant to extent that they ask who you are to question their actions. I would to see the Lusaka City Council and Ministry of Lands to move in and remove illegal land occupiers. The Ministry of Local Government and Housing and the Minitsry of Lands are both swift to reposess legally allocated land from lawful land owners. Why can’t these two Minitsries take action against illegal land allocators that belong to MMD. The MMD government has failed to take action against it’s own cadres.
Uleikala fye nga taukwete ifya kulanda
RB tells too much lies. I dont like him. he shields FTJ and manages to aquit Regina that even if she was found with a stolen TV there is no complainant. Now as someone has said Mr. Chungu Xaviour is in his campaign team. AAaah. I’m tired let me go back to sleep kuti waponta.
Allocating plots because of pressure exerted by the public? Oh yes, I can see it now. People marching in the streets and villages demanding our civic leaders be given land (lots and lots of land) just because…. well because they should.
Really, if these members can’t resist whatever this “pressure” is to allocate plots, then why are they so good at resisting pressure to end corruption, clean up the city streets, improve street lighting, and other things a city council should be concerned with?
Lazo against Lazo and we all know who the chief Lazo is>……….
Lubinda asapuka!!! the president of Adrican parliamentarians agaisnt corruption,, is involved in a corruption scandal. he needs to step down on moral grounds.
No sacred cows for illegal land acquisition but there are sacred cows for corruption, money laundering ect
This Lilayi land has been in the news even in the time of LPM (MHSRIP). LCC and PF should be made to pay especially Lubinda\:d/
has Sata commented on this issue ? Brace your selves for more scandles on the mismangment of LCC. So now we are hearing funds have been realised for drinage ? PF Kaponyas what have you got to say ?. As HERB says MMD has nothing to hide, expose irregularities if you have info.
What sacred cow are you talking about Mr RB, you only rush to act when its not MMD but there has been alot of wrong doings in MMD that you have given a blind eye. You must learn to apply law equally tomorrow you might be out of power and people will treat you badly watch you steps.
Is President Banda aware that his unfair application of justice is building a momentum for Zambians to mount a Tunisia’s type of setting up independent institutions like the ECZ, ACC and DEC?
This unfairness will create resentment against the MMD and a perception that there is no fair justice in Zambia.
If President Banda had and can allow the police and the ACC to prosecute all the corrupt MMD councils and Ministers like Dora and Changwe like he is doing unfairly to the LCC, MP George Mpombo, that will be fair to us Zambians.
President Banda, this is your chance to leave a good legacy in Zambia, set up true Independent Zambian institutions (ACC, DEC and ECZ).
Don’t be misled by people like Jere, Mumbi and Lifwekelo who is bent on just chewing just our hard earned tax…
#13 kc,
Have you been sponsored where you are through the infamous ZAMTROP account? Hope you can see unfairness in the treatment of LCC and George Mpombo!!
Zambians wants fair justice to be applied to all Zambians regardless of the status of someone.
what about a chief who expects ‘something’ in brown envelopes before anything is said or done?