CHIEF Government spokesperson Mwansa Kapeya has said that investigations against Mr Mwamba should be allowed to proceed without undue interference from APNAC, or any other organisation which supports APNAC’s posturing on the matter.
In a statement made available to the media, Mr Kapeya said that the Executive was not involved in investigations against any citizens regardless of their social standing, or political affiliation in society.
“If the investigative wings suspect corruption, they are at liberty to institute investigations against anyone in line with their professional mandate,” he said
Below is the full statement
Republic of Zambia
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Services
STATEMENT BY HON. MWANSA KAPEYA, MP, MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING SERVICES AND CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON ON APNAC’S SLAMMING OF GBM PROBE
Government wishes to advise African Parliamentarian Network against Corruption (APNAC) Chairperson Cornelius Mweetwa to let the investigative wings carry out their work without undue criticism.
Mr. Mweetwa as a lawyer understands the separation of powers and should be the last person to accuse the Executive of having a hand in the probe of former Defence Minister, Geoffrey Mwamba.
Mr. Mweetwa should not view the probe against GBM as persecution and a selective application of the law to harass the former Minister. As Chairperson of the Parliamentary Network which champions the fight against corruption and promotes integrity among law makers, the statement coming from the learned lawyer makes sad reading.
Having said this, Government does not in any way imply that Mr. Mwamba, or his family are guilty; rather government will allow the investigative wings to conclude their work.
The Executive is not involved in investigations against any citizens regardless of their social standing, or political affiliation in society. If the investigative wings suspect corruption, they are at liberty to institute investigations against anyone in line with their professional mandate.
[pullquote]“If the investigative wings suspect corruption, they are at liberty to institute investigations against anyone in line with their professional mandate,” he said[/pullquote]
The investigations being undertaken on Mr. Geoffrey Mwamba should be allowed to proceed without undue interference from APNAC, or any other organization which supports APNAC’s posturing on this matter. The Anti-Corruption Commission upon completion of its investigations will inform the nation on the outcome of the investigation.
The only role that the PF Government plays under the able leadership of President Michael Sata in the fight against graft is to provide leadership and the political will.
Government wishes to further dismiss with contempt remarks by the Forum for Development and Democracy, FDD that they will not participate in the forth coming Katuba by-election because of too many by-elections.
FDD must know that by-lections are occasioned by many factors such as death, as in the case of Katuba, and nullifications due to electoral malpractices. Whether this situation brings about numerous by-elections or not is no justification for denying people representation in Parliament in a constitutional democracy.
If FDD are unable to field a candidate in the Katuba by-election due to reasons best known to them, they should not give baseless grounds for staying away from participating in the by-elections. It is after all their democratic right to contest or not.
Hon. Mwansa Kapeya, MP
MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING SERVICES AND CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON
7th February, 2014
The truth is that Hon. Mwansa Papeya is not sincere and his own heart bear witness. The police are not acting professionally, but under instructions. Now that GBM is no longer in government, the government want him probed. Double standards. Then it is true that the government shields ministers and other people connected with powerful people in government who are corrupt. So Hon. Papeya is saying ACC is incompetent and ZESCO Board is also corrupt like GBM and the government cannot be trusted in fighting corruption. PF hate for GBM would do everything in it’s power to find him corrupt. The almighty PF is not even ashamed fighting one man for having made a right decision to give up a ministerial position. PF Gov. has started destroying GBM business. APNAC should talk about it openly.
Where did this comedian even come from. This is what you get when you bring in OLD Comedians to run government.
Mwansa Kapeya, this is serious business and not IFYABUKAYA, do you understand. Stop wasting our space and time.
This corruption fight is useless,why probe someone when he is out of government?ACC can’t tell me today that all the information they have today about GBM,was not available when he was in Grz.
I wonder how many ministers are still in Grz and still have contracts,and other corrupt benefits,but just because they are still in grz,they can’t be probed.
These are things that are really frustrating the Zambian people and if this trend of witch hunting continues,then we have a long way to go.
This is my first ever comment on such fora, but with due respect to the minister, I think the tasks of the office you hold and the work for as an official government are well beyond your skill set. In short Dishonorable Kapeya you’re under qualified and do not possess the bare minimum qualification to hold that office. Therefore due to the above stated all statements coming out of your office will be disregarded because you’re not qualified to hold the priveledges of that office.
….and may be your last. Make a point man. I think the report is well written. It’s concise, well constructed and reasons for doing so clearly labelled. Yes, officials close ranks and protect themselves when they are involved in some malpractice. It happens in politics and the forces. Real graft happens at government level. GBM will be ok if he had remained clean during his time at the helm of national defence. It’s a lucrative position! We are talking about billions of kwacha rebased worth of contracts here. Certain positions are hard to resign from without passing the file back to state properly and I think it would be prudent for him to walk away from the party too. National defence chief means you have a file on the president and all the national security secrets, weaknesses and all
I think Kapeya has evaded to answer crucial points in his statement.
1)Why is GBM being investigated now ?
2)Why was he not investigated when he was minister if GRZ had the facts which they say they have now?
3)How many more ministers need investigating?
4)How many will be investigated when they become like GBM?
5)Was GRZ right to send Sibongile to Botswana?
This will get interesting,under pressure people come out,we are waiting for GMB to also say something.
Mwansa Kapeya
Elders without wisdom.Always it’s this and that. Tribal Clique ,Troublesome, Sarcastic parent without knowledge to teach us young ones.TOo Villagized & Zambianized
this is unbelievable! this goes to show why people will cling to a ruling party only and only for one reason – protection from prosecution!
Pliz this gvt is full of comedian how can u expct ba kapaya to come out with something when all along he was on ifyabukaya trying to make us enterted today he is the rubbish
Ba Chilolo ba Kapeya Why are you investigating him only after he has annoyed King Cobra? What kind of laws do we have?
PF is preparing to fix GMB so that he won’t have a chance in the coming Kasama Central by-election after he has been expelled from the party. That is Sata and Kabimba for you, the untouchables!
Those two guys are looking frail. They wont have the energy to do that to GBM.