Friday, March 29, 2024

Lifting of RB immunity should not be seen as a way of settling old political scores-TIZ

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President Rupiah Banda address a public rally at Mulambwa Ground in Mongu
File: Former President Rupiah Banda addressing a public rally

Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) has cautioned that the removal of former President Rupiah Banda’s immunity to answer corruption allegations should not be viewed as a way of settling old political score.

In a statement released to the media by the Zambia Chapter President Lee Habasonda, TIZ welcomed the lifting of Mr Banda’s immunity  , adding that it would provide him with an opportunity to be heard and clear his name of any allegations of corruption.

Below is the full statement

Transparency International Zambia Welcomes lifting of former President Rupiah Banda’s Immunity

Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) welcomes the lifting of immunity of former President Rupiah Banda but wishes to caution that this should not be seen as a way of settling old political scores. TIZ notes that the lifting of former President Rupiah Banda’s immunity will provide him with an opportunity to be heard and clear his name of any alleged wrong doing with regard to the many allegations of corruption, abuse of office and money laundering that have been levelled against him.

TIZ urges the former president to cooperate and allow the due process of law to take its course. If his actions were legitimate we believe he has no need to fear but utilize this chance to give his side of the story.

TIZ would also like to use this opportunity to remind the PF government and President Michael Sata in particular that the lifting of Mr Banda’s immunity should serve as a timely lesson that there is need at all times for leaders to respect and protect public resources on behalf of citizens who entrust them with authority and power.

We want to reiterate that the Zambian society needs leaders that plant seeds of integrity, accountability and transparency and not dishonest. We wish to add that TIZ will continue monitoring PF leaders and will not hesitate to support any efforts to ensure that any leaders who do not show good stewardship or fall short of the values relating to integrity, accountability and transparency are made accountable and face the law.

We also hasten to note that the lifting of immunity of a former Head of State is a very serious measure. To this end, we implore investigation agencies to ensure that this undertaking does not become an exercise in futility and neither should it be seen to be a political tool to victimise the former Head State.

We expect the cases to be on firm grounds given the attention the matter has received and further urge that the investigations should be done with the highest professionalism and seriousness they deserve. We have learnt lessons from the late Chiluba cases and these require to be taken into account this time around.

Lee M. Habasonda
Transparency International Zambia Chapter President

75 COMMENTS

  1. ba TIZ mulifipuba..summer kamimba and GBM has serious allegation but you didn’t act,this is when you want to show that you exist *****s.mulelwafye impiya ishama donors ba baboon

    • This man must have sold our country ,who gives an unsecured Loan of such a substantial amount.Let him tell us how easy it is to get a loan so we call all get loans.I want Robin Trust to take care of me in my old age.

    • I AM SO HAPPY THIS THIEF RUPIAH BANDA IS NOW UNDER INVESTIGATION. IN TWO YEARS ONLY MANAGED TO STILL WHAT EVEN CHILUBA COULD NOT DO FROM 1991 TO 1995. I WILL BE HAPPY TO SEE THIS MAN HUMILIATED AND HIS CHILDREN BROUGHT TO ACCOUNT ESPECIALLY HENRY BANDA. I AM JUST HAPPY SATA WAS VOTED DESPITE MASSIVE FUNDING FROM PUBLIC FUNDS BY THIS CRIMINAL. ALL THOSE WHO ARE SORRY FOR RUPIAH SHOULD LOOK AT 2008 TO 2011 CRITICALLY IN TERMS MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC FUNDS BEFORE HE CAME TO POWER AND AFTER. HE IS SO RICH AND HIS CHILDREN OWNS MASSIVE PROPERTIES NOT ONLY IN ZAMBIA BUT ALSO IN PLACES LIKE BAHAMAS. I CANT WAIT TO SEE HIM IN COURT. R.U.B.B.I.S.H. THANKS MR PRESIDENT AND MPS WHO SUPPORTED OUR GOVERNMENT.

    • Sure this is a blessing in disguise.It will give the man the much needed chance to clear his name.Well said Transparency international.

    • @maxwell,, you having been born with juju aid from a witch doctors shows from you comment. I will only give some good free of charge life advice the day you stop being a gay prostitute in UK.
      Anyway ACC did not clear them,, ACC was ordered to clear them… i know your twisted juju head won`t understand the difference.

    • @ndobo you are a juju fantasising chap; funny chap you think homosexuality is a pastime that chaps can give up overnite you dullard. ACC cleared those honourable men why can’t that sink in your thick cast iron dome.

  2. TIZ are partisan. You should be talking of Wynter, Trafigura, GBM and Zeasco contracts. This is on going looting which you are accomplices to by your silence. You are irrelevant to the Zambian people.

    • IF YOU HAVE NEW EVIDENCE AGAINST GBM, KABIMBA, MUTEMBO PROVIDE IT TO THE ACC. IF YOU HAVE NONE THEN SHUT UP. DO NOT BE FILLED WITH VENGENCE. EACH CASE SHOULD BE TREATED ON ITS OWN MERITS OR DEMERITS. DONT CONFUSE THINGS BABA. RB WAS STEALING MONEY AND BYING FUEL FROM NIGERIA. THE PROCEEDS WERE DEPOSITED IN SINGERPORE BY HIS SON HENRY AND THEY WERE ON RAMPAGE WITH K21BN. HIS SON HENRY IS FACING OTHER CRIMINAL CHARGES AND EVEN SAKWIBA HAS RUN AWAY FROM DEFENDING HIM. LOCCI HAS BECOME STATE WITNESS AGAINST HENRY. WE ARE ASKING RB TO APPEAR BEFORE THE ACC LIKE KABIMBA AND GBM DID. ON THIS ONE BABA HEADS WILL ROLL. THE STATE HAS A GOOD CASE AGAINST THESE CRIMINALS. AND THE POOR OPPOSITION HAS SHOT ITSELF IN THE FOOT. IT HAS BECOME EVEN MORE DISCREDITED. GOD BLESS ZAMBIA.

  3. Unless you are not zambia or you were born in 90s not to know the stone hearted we have for a president.
    And today we a hear a compromised if not corupt TIZ making noise in support of questionable Kabimba in crucifying RB.
    This govt nids a tougher govt after they leave power so that all them could be locked up. 3/4 are very corupt.

  4. Mind you the 8000 km contract was single sourced & facts are there. Wait until the whole govt is matched straight to chimbokaila from govt.

    • If you have facts produce them! Don’t just tell lies! The issues that caused RB’s immunity to be removed are actually minor to others that he will face.

    • General Miyanda you have lost my vote for 2016. Are you talking against lifting of immunity just to be heard that you are still around? I regarded you the most sober-minded politician who lacked the luck and charm of becoming a president. RB could not have stolen but certainly and apparently he mismanaged the Treasury, and we the people want to have his truthful and humble-pie explanation to clear himself. What is wrong with suspecting that he could have stolen and we want him to prove himself innocent like my name.

    • Ba Miyanda kuti naimwe. Not with his personal to holder Heritage Party. He might make a good President, yes, but he is too big headed. I do not support HH, but he stands a far much better chance than Ba General pa sankho !!

  5. Fellow Zambians, are you aware that General Miyanda was the only minister who used to retire his imprest correctly and take back any change to the accountant when he returns from tour that time he was Education Minister under Chiluba? That’s why they hounded him out of the party fearing that he was going to be togh if he became president. Let us give him a vote in 2016.

  6. By my recollection the MoJ did in fact turn up at ACC. Unfortunately he was like a hip hopper with hype men and press and wanted to have a big ol’ press partay up in da house. WK Diddy forgot he has a real day job where he can’t get jiggy like that. On the other hand RB was like an OG playing Godfather – “You wanna talk to me on the day of my rise to bigger platforms…”

    Neither provided an example of honest integrity for young people to see as an example of ownership of a problem. Taking a responsible stance means you stand up and shame your critics by stepping up to the plate alone and show you want to be ‘transparent’ and not play hide and seek like guilty kids when you are innocent til proven guilty.

  7. T.I.Z is a pf branch.even from the language in the article you can tel that they have alread found rb guilty.ati we shal keep monitoring pf leaders,are they teling me that they started working after rb lost imunity?before rb lost the imunity,the folowing cases were loud-14bilion owed by the god of sata,winter vs gbm,judge chikopa etcT.I.Z was all mute on these isues.mwandi rb don’t wory because you were not born with imunity.you only need God’s protection.sata has imunity but wil die earliar than you as was the case with LPM.why ma patient presidents like removing imunities and die early leaving behind those without imunities.be like others-obama didn’t go for bush,zuma for mbeki,cameron for blair,x for wada of senegal.zambians are just too dull,sata should have first given us the…

  8. I can sense Dora being used as a state witness,will Rupiah have any friends apart from his sons..? Would be plunderers take notes…

  9. Another Bwinjimfumu NGO and vuvuzela told what to say,when to say it.Typical of Bwinjimfumu Government.

  10. Those who support this rogue govt shud not complain of zambian poverty.Things are worse off than when RB left but this stupid govt is preoccupied with persecuting individuals.Only selective justice in zed bcoz Mmembe & Kabimba are untouchable and they can ruin zambian economy at will.Time for a coup in zed,seriously.

    • Zambians have very short memories.

      1.This RB is the same RB that directed whoever to prosecute Chansa Kabwela for showing woman giving birth on the pavement. Today nurses cannot go on strike, MCS has sorted them out, ask them!

      2. This is the same RB that only showed himself and his vuvuzelas on ZNBC, siliya, daka and tuma chiefs. Now you can watch ZNBC news and see HH, Nevers and the rest talking rubbish! Give credit where it is due.
      And you think MCS is worse than RB. That will never be. RB was vindictive, hired CC3 just to demonise his enemies. Thanks God RB is out, 2016 was goona be a really long way. As for your HH, I wish him luck, no vision and so full of hate. Whose cadres were harassing journalists today? Mapatizya formula. Last saw MMD cadres doing that in 2011…HH…

    • @Na Mpundu,,, MCS is worse than RB. I know are a worshipper of MCS and i donot expect you to agree with me.But i want you to know that you won`t worshipper you idol MCS for long. Your man sold his soul to the devil to become president and the devil want what is due to him from your MCS. i would give it up to july-angust this year … watch it

  11. I thank God the Almighty for blindingfolding the minds of the MPs for the two sister opposition political parties and drove them out of the August house so that the immunity debate and voting could move smoothly.
    I know, God Almighty that the MPs are saying they have learnt a lesson from that such that next time they would stay on in the house. But they are forgetting that, you also will use another formular to confound their scheme of opposing for the sake of opposing.
    May your name be glorified. A God of justice indeed. You are God who does not acquit the guilty.

    • Imorgen, you are a hypocrite. Have you forgotten that Sata had actually promised that he was going to free Chiluba if elected president. So you knew that Sata was a… when he supported Chiluba? Sata only hated Chiluba after Chiluba decided to support Banda. Your opinion is very confused. You go through all the statements Sata made about Chiluba prior to their fall-out, then you will realise that Sata does not believe in what he says.

  12. It’s not about settling old scores. This is called justice!!! It’s like a thief who comes in the night to break and enter your home, stealing then getting an insurance policy to protect himself. i don’t think so RBish you are in hot soup!!!!!!

  13. Dogs have barked as expected. this organization is serving no purpose for the zambian people. there is a lot of wrong doing in the current opresive regim but u r quiet about.wyyy?? wy are u quiet abt GBM’s corruption?? wy are u quiet abt Kabimba’s corruption?? you can fool some zambians but definately not all the zambians. well meaning zambians like me will understand that your utterances are just meant to provide you with food for bellies and nothing else. we are aware of your double standards…

  14. Passage of time has a lot of answers to various problems. Its now time for RB to exonerate himself. There are quite many things he misdid. Zambia became a brown envelop republic. So many became just too corrupt. It was follow the leader! Get rich quick mentality, mambala. So many street kids, many people of different incapacities, like the blind, crippled, elderly people, so many unemployed, so many school, college and university drop-outs, so many young men and women, all these people languishing in poor state of human existence and you, the head of state chose to misuse, misapply, misappropriate the funds that could have improved the livelihood of your fellow country’s poor population! Come clean or payback or suffer the consequences of your poor judgement.

    • Pay the gatekeeper and carry in a brown envelope. Wouldn’t it be nice if the hands that stuffed the envelopes were not afraid of losing the advantages gained and came clean. Endemic corruption is hard to track unless whistleblowers toot. I would imagine there is a rumble of honour amongst thieves drowning out the conscience of many but reality bites so who knows what will come out in time. Must be a lot of people being nicer lately knowing what they boasted about could be exposed by their own down the line.

  15. WHO EVER IS IN LEADERSHIP WATCHOUT. IF YOU DECIDE TO STEAL YOU WILL ACCOUNT FOR IT. I HOPE ALL AFRICAN COUNTRIES TO PRACTICE THIS. NA BA SATA NGA BAIBA HIS TIME WILL COME.

  16. IT IS A FIRM WARNING TO THE WOULD BE PRESIDENT.BA KABWALALA KULABAKAKA EPAKUTI TU KABWELE KU ZAMBIA THOSE OF US WHO ARE IN DIASPORA

  17. I hope aba bonse baSakalanyongo won’t force their way into UPND in 2016 olo Ukwa nga adeda before 2016. Pantu tukamipepeka bonse bangusu!

  18. Have the cases that mwanawasa left been exposed off or are still in courts?The cases of Kateles,chuungus,chilubas,mweenes etc, i mean high profile cases

  19. Enough talking has been done concerning RB, let’s now have the proceedings on his allegations started. Get on with it!

  20. IF WE HAVE ANY USELESS ORGANISATION IS THE TIZ.THIS IS THE ORGANISATION WHICH IS THERE TO FOOL ZAMBIANS
    CAN TIZ ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS UNDER PF?

    1.WINTER AND GBM CANNOT BE INVESTIGATED UNLESS WITH PERMIT FROM PRESIDENT IS THIS TRANSPARENCY?
    2.ABUSE OF GOVERMENT VEHICLES DURING CAMPAIGN AND PRESIDENT TREATING ZAMBIAS.IS THIS TRANSPARENCY?
    3.COME TO NORTH-WESTERN PROVINCE UNDER KWAMBULA PROGRAMME FROM KASANSHI,ALL NORTH-WESTERNS ARE LEFT OUT ONLY BEMBAS ARE PICKED AT SOLWEZI TRADES,IS THIS TRANSPARENCY?
    4.NCHITO,MEMBE OWING ZAMBIAN BILLIONS,BUT THE GOVERNMENT IS QUITE.
    5.JUDGE CHIKOPA WAS SINGLE SOURCED,IS THIS TRANSPARENT?
    6.THIS IS SHORT LIVED GLORY FOR PF AND THE SICK SATA.
    PLEASE SATA WE WISH YOU GOOD HEALTH SO THAT YOU SEE THE COUNTRY UPTO 2016 TO LOOK AT YOUR FAILURES

    • MR SUNDAN. YOU HAVE MOVED IN WITH LOTS OF PREJUDICES:
      1. WINTER & GBM WERE INVESTIGATED EVEN BEFORE THE PRESIDENT MADE THAT STATEMENT BTHAT HAS BEEN MISUNDERSTOOD.
      2. ABUSE OF GRZ VEHICLES IN CAMPAIGNS CANNOT BE PROVED. AND IT WAS RAMPANT IN THE DAYS OF RB.
      3. DONT TELL LIES ABOUT KWAMBULA PROGRAMME. CAN YOU MENTION THE NAMES OF ALL THE BEMBAS WHO HAVE BEEN PICKED AND ALL THE NAMES OF OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN LEFT.
      4. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT NCHITO & MEEMBE OWS ANYONE MONEY. ZAMBIAN AIRWAYS BECAME BANCKRUPT AND NOT NCHITO OR MEEMBE PERSONALLY
      5. SELECTING OF A JUDGE ON THE TRIBUNAL BY THE PRESIDENT IS THE PRESERVE OF THE PRESIDENT ONLY.
      6. SATA WILL FINISH HIS TWO TERMS UNTIL 2021. THE VICTORIES IN THE BYE ELECTIONS ARE TESTIMONY TO THIS. UPND & MMD WILL CONTINUE TO LOSE MPS, MEMBERS…

  21. Very well said, this is what i have been trying to explain to some people on this blog, thankx very much some people even called me names, otherwise, lets not stop with RB, this should extend to everyone found wanting,whether in the current GRZ or just a labourer elsewhere, It’s the fire which will keep wild wolves away!

  22. When did Lee Habaasonda left SACCORD and became TIZ president? Always talking but no targible results from these NGO’s and civic organization to show Zambians what exactly they stand for.

  23. well said but i see a lot of trying to settle old scores
    we need to watch the current PF more, i hope they have
    a good case and not assumptions and stories
    because the courts close examines all evidence

  24. This is a futile exercise and a waste of public funds.It will costs the govt more money paying lawyers than what will be recovered.It will take years before any case is concluded.FTJ`s case took over 10 years and nothing came out of it.The focus should be on ensuring that there`s seperation of powers.GBM and Kabimba had their cases frivolously dropped because of political interferance.We need to strengthen our laws to avoid theft and corruption from taking place.Otherwise,we`ll always be reactive instead of being proactive.Yesterday,it was FTJ,today it`s RB then tomorrow it will be Sata.When is this going to end?

  25. This TIZ of nowadays is a sham itself. It is already clear that this whole thing is about politics not national interest. How can they ignore the contradictory and mad behaviour by Matibini the illogical speaker as regards the court order.

    Further, Mmembe and DPP Nchito have cases pending in court but PF is silent. Kabimba and GBM counter accused each other of being corrupt but nothing was done. Currently, PF is busy abusing authority through real use of force on all political opponents and creating unnecessary bye elections. This PF is abusing resources by endless appointment of deputy ministers and so on. Given this kind of leadership, we cannot expect them to have the best interest of our country at heart let alone to give RB even the slightest chance of a fair trial. How abt…

  26. Continued:

    These idioooot in PF are spending huge sums of money on the Malawian Chikopa for nothing but insanity of the highest order. In Banda’s the FSP worked and there was excess maize production but not anymore. These are the issues they should have prioritised than spending on worthless bye elections and this immunity nonsense. PF has no idea whether they are alive or dead, standing or sleeping but only transmitting HIV through Homos like Mmembe and fooooools like Kabimba.

    How on earth can Kabimba table a bill in parliament on alleged corruption when he does not respect the ACC? Will ACC stop investigating Banda if he goes with cadres to their offices? How even did they conclude investigations on Banda who has hitherto been immune to such?
    Please God take Sata, Kabimba,…

  27. TIZ’s statement not categorical enough. Up and until they mention specific abuses currently obtaining in PF like the 3 mother bodies did 3 days ago, their statements will be viewed as hollow. Not just say we also monitoring PF. This sounds like TIZ are retrospective oriented because of fear of serving regimes. You only wait for a government to lose power then purse them. By the way, what happened to TIZ’s bellicose stance by Goodson Lungu on his tribes man RB?

  28. @15.1 Ganja Farmer, Don’t put your words into my mouth. M’membe and whoever you may have in your mind are mortal men like u and me. I can not worship them.
    Read again my payer, I used divine attributes, such as “blindfoldining the minds”. Can man have such powers? I am right to have used capital “G” because I am addressing the Almighty God, the Creator of the Universe and all that is in it, unending u, myself and the M’membes.

  29. Please lift the immunity, I believe every man has an obligation of accountability for actions in a superior role. I believe that when all the dots are linked, there will be fire, bank transfers, withdrawals, payments, receipts, assets and so on, we’ll see.

  30. It’s pity and shameful that people who were in the forefront calling Banda the most corrupt leader Zambia has ever seen, today the very same people are turning round and calling the immunity removal unfair. What is unfair about it,let him go and answer for the charges, if he is innocent our courts are capable of releasing him.
    Inconsistence that’s what we are,all the leadership in opposition used to call RB very corrupt and kamwendo mujila,why the Uturn now, is it about to capture votes from Eastern or just to confuse poor innocent Zambians.HH,Milupi,Miyanda etc be consistence.

  31. Presidents don’t even need immunity.Let them make be accountable the way Italy does it.Otherwise if we keep letting them free, resources will be abused by their relatives and friends.Actually for me it’s a good idea to remove immunity of the president.Even Sata’s should be removed in future if he’ll be accused of stealing govt resources.People should not steal ,otherwise Zambia will remain poor.Why should the president enjoy stolen money?Ala Ba HH grow up and stop people from abusing resources.RB was involved in a lot of scandals. If we start behaving like that every president will be stealing.This trend of removing president’s immunity should continue even in future.Bravo MPS!

  32. TIZ do really know the LAWS of Zambia next time as you comment check with Law of Zambia. Stop witch hunting .

  33. Yes TIZ, we pat you for these well spoken words. Let each president be prosecuted just like common people if suspected to have stolen. As for RB , it is clear that He and his children corruptly obtained the wealth they have now. Let us investigate them. The same applies to PF and Sata that if they are stealing our money we shall prosecute them. Period.

    Peace and Prosperity to Mother Zambia.

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