Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Dora Siliya has said that any calls for the removal of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) Director General Mary Tshuma only be dealt with by the Ministry of Finance.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka, Ms Siliya, who is also Chief Government Spokesperson, said that as a result she did not have any information on whether the FIC Director General will be dismissed or the board dissolved.
Ms Siliya further added that the intention to create the Financial Intelligence Centre was not that it should unnecessarily alarm the public through publication of raw intelligence data. Government position was that when raw intelligence data is gathered by the centre, it should be given to the relevant government agencies.
There has been calls from some PF members to have the FIC board disolved and the Director General Mary Tshuma fired. The PF has insisted on calls to have FIC Board dissolved and the arrest of its Director General on claims of professional misconduct.
The uproar about FIC came to the public attention when National Restoration Party (NAREP) embarked on collecting signatures from Zambian people in order for people who plundered public resources, citing the FIC report, to be brought to book.
According to the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC)’s 2017 Money Laundering/Terrorist Financing Trends Report released, Zambia incurred losses last year linked to financial crimes such as corruption and tax evasion among others amounting to K4.5 billion.
The NAREP leader Elias Chipimo said his party was disappointed by FIC’s disclosure, and urged well-meaning Zambians to append their signatures in protest against indiscriminate money laundering linked to financial crimes such as corruption and tax evasion in 2017 in the country.
Mr. Chipimo echoed with the FIC director-general Mary Tshuma saying corruption is sky-rocketing in Zambia.
According to Mr. Chipimo, the trend of this laundering is connected to politically-exposed persons being involved in suspected corruption.
“The revelations by FIC that K4.5 billion was laundered in Zambia makes sad reading. Let us stop the rot. Our party has come up with the petition collecting signatures from people in order to bring the perpetrators of public resources to book,” the angrily Mr. Chipimo said.
He said the battle against corruption in the country would not relent as innocent citizens were made to suffer and meaningful development could not be attained because of corrupt people.
Mr. Chipimo observed that future FIC reports will be irrelevant if no prosecutions on the reported cases of corruption to relevant law enforcement agencies were executed.
Attorney General Likando Kalaluka who was the guest of honour in launching the report said government was deeply concerned with the increase of financial and economic crimes currently being recorded in the country.
Mr. Kalaluka who is also Anti – Money Laundering Authority Chairperson charged that the fight against money laundering and terrorism related financial crimes calls for concerted efforts by all stakeholders.
He said that government has provided the legal and institution framework in which those charged with responsibilities of fighting financial crimes could carry out their mandate.
And Recently, National Democratic Congress NDC Consultant Chishimba Kambwili threatened to protest naked along Cairo road should Financial Intelligence Center Director Mary Tshuma be fired.
Mr. Kambwili told Journalists that he was ready to undress and protest along Cairo Road if the PF government disbands the FIC.
He said FIC is one of the few remaining governance institutions and needs to be protected from such attacks.
Mr Kambwili said demands by the PF to have the FIC Board dissolved and its Director General fired and prosecuted vindicates stakeholders that have been revealing alleged corruption in the public sector.
Meanwhile, the Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP), has said that it will stage a protest against what it has described as the continued harassment and intimidation of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) and its Officers by the Patriotic Front for simply being resolute in carrying out its primary mandate.
Party president Sean Tembo said that he has since notified the Zambia Police Service regarding the protest, in compliance with Section 5 subsection (4) of the Public Order Act, Cap 113 of the Laws of Zambia.
Mr Tembo explained that the protest against the harassment and intimidation of the FIC will be staged on Wednesday, 27th June 2018 starting at 10:00 hrs.
Mr Tembo added that Protestors will assemble at the main entrance of parliament buildings and thereafter proceed with the march to Ministry of Justice, where a Petition will be presented to the Minister of Justice or his
Right decision as well
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BB2014,2016
Stop lying Dora ….probably that is what çabinet processes and procedures require but we know state house can remove FIC anytime. I am tired of this cheapening of our reasoning … if Finance Minister can be removed by Presido it means by extension can also remove FIC board and boss.
FIC will be useless if Mary Tshuma is removed, it seems PF cadres are already running the show by dictating Tshuma dismissal. FIC will be useless if the future report should be given to the relevant government agencies before the public is made aware. if the same people are cited in the report, how do you expect them to fix corruption? Mary Tshuma deserves to remain in her position. The government should focus on dealing with culprits involved in corruption and not be focussing attention on firing Mary Tshuma.
As usual, UPND, is quiet, when they are supposed to be speaking out on such matters. Defend Mary Tshuma. Reacting after she is fired will be too late. UPND lost the dialogue process theme, which was their flagship, they are losing Corruption theme too.
Nice opinion, Kanyenye. But what does the Act of Parliament that established the FIC say about what Mary Tshuma did???
D”ickh3ad @Zambian Citizen,
I would have loved to respond to your question, but will not do so for reasons you already know.
I know, your brain is so small it overheats when you try to think. You would rather spew rubbish and insults when hit with facts the whole day, Kanyenye.
In 1911, the Britons made a grave mistake of merging N/W Rhodesia to N/E Rhodesia. We have different morals, different ethics. People from N/E Rhodesia are dishonest & shrewd like Congolese.
It’s like siamese twins, one is a lazy drunkard, a womanizer, the other twin is a sober, hard-working born again Christian.
1st siamese twin gets loans from Chinese & Europeans to buy tiles for his side of the bed, buys himself an iphone & drinks Champagne everyday instead of building a workshop to bring in long-term income & provide employment to themselves & their kids. He ends up bringing in thousands of Chinese into the house. Then he loses the bedroom, then living room, then the kitchen to the Chinese after failing to pay back the loans. The money is finished now both twins have no food,…
CONT’D..
no employment, no house despite borrowing billions.
As long as we are conjoined to cr00ked N/E Rhodesia, our children, grand-children will live short miserable lives of poverty & hunger.
@Maloza-It’s just a shame that the N/E power bloc has dominated you sorry a.r.ses. for more than a century now. Using slanderous bigotry will not change your lot. It’s just a fact that the N/E peoples are healthier and are more than your rigid tribalists; They excel in the academics and arts hence their dominance; They are more productive hence their hold on power. It’s just reality!!!
@ Zambian Citizen, go to YOUTUBE & search for “SANTIAGO CHILE” and see what good leadership can do with copper, NOT these crooks that you worship & dance for just because they are your tribesmen.
Chile is also a copper producer, same population, almost same size as Zambia but the difference is quality of leadership.
KK rode on the backs of popularity from N/E Rhodesians & misruled the country for 27 years. We rebelled as early as the 70’s and even had Mushala a rebel leader.
FTJ, & today even your PF are shamelessly busy looting & indebting the country without even hiding because they know they’re shielded by popularity from your N/E part of the country.
To you dominance is like a Man-U vs Chelsea game. To us it’s poverty, illiteracy, unemployment & death. Maybe your…
CONT’D..
Maybe your tribe is immune to hunger, mine is not.
The FIC have water-tight evidence against some officials. In my view Mary Tshuma and John Kasanga (our (John Gitongo) have done sufficient work. It’s up to law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to do the rest. I see a sham prosecution started and then the DPP will enter a nolle and that will be that. This one is too hot to handle.
Water tight evidence or raw intelligence??
Evidence, evidence there it is! Now you *****’s don’t like it, Zambians are sharper than you think.
So, the government would have turned raw intelligence into tight evidence? Honestly?
There are institutions within the government that are inscribed in the CONSTITUTION that are mandated to turn the raw intelligence into evidence after investigations and have the power to prosecute. ZP, ACC or DEC are such institutions. The amended constituiton 2016 also added the PUBLIC PROTECTOR if it involves public servants.
Fakers…..giving themselves thumbs up.
I don’t do that. Either you agree or you disagree but faking is a criminal case. It’s a shame. No wonder you are dull, you fake your life all the way.
Loser, trying to feed people your lies and bitterness. Chilanga has surely made you BP shoot up…kwekwekwekwekwe!!!
…… you just corrected your fake voting just here, iwe. What lies and bitterness? You had (-1) for UP and (6) for Down. After my comment, changed to (0) Up and (11) down. No evidence is evidence to you!!!.
You fake even where it’s not necessary.
And that has nothing to do with Chilanga. And I personally, has nothing to do with Chilanga. I never vote. The more you comment, the more you are exposing yourself.
It’s amazing, you are even laughing at your own sh..i..t. God Bless you man !!! Now go and fake those thumb down, if it makes you feel okay
Liar and loser, total waste of time, can’t put up an objective argument.
@ zambian !mbecile
When you are going to take break from sternum l!cking and d!ck 5ucking?
Are you shameless son of many fathers?
Go and crap in your executive pit-latrine instead of pretending to be knowledgeable as my gluteus maximus
Zambian Citizen: Yes, it’s water-tight evidence and that is why the attorney-general saw it fit to attend the dissemination meeting. The LEAs now have to rise to the occasion. Mary Tshuma and John Kasanga have delivered. The FIC was created by order of the people who run the world; those who set up the international system after world war 2. They are watching every step Zambia takes. It reminds me of the Bemba song of the 1980s by the Masiye Band. The words are chalo chaba na bene.
@Chanchima: Water tight?? You see, that is the problem we have in this country. We got so hooked on the Mwanawasa/Post/Nchito method of fighting corruption. But statistics from that era shows a very low rate of convictions because it was fuelled by rhetoric to impress the public while breaking laws to isolate opponents. Perceived opponents were accused, prosecuted and judged in the public sphere of opinions but failed to yield convictions in the courts. And the protagonists of that era are the same NGOs and their allies shouting the loudest today. It’s all too familiar and destined to fail once more.
The PF cadres wanting FIC dissolved and Mary Tshuma prosecuted have been hired by the corrupt top PF leadership; it shows what I have been telling you that PF leaders are thieves; this is why Lungu says that as long as he lives, he will make sure that HH does not get to state house because he is afraid of his corruption; how can we have a country under Lungu where the corrupt are protected and those revealing corruption are prosecuted?
‘Government position was that when raw intelligence data is gathered by the centre, it should be given to the relevant government agencies’- SO THAT IT CAN BE DOCTORED-SILLY DORA-WE ARE NOT FOOLS TO BE FOOLED ALL THE TIME.
‘There has been calls from some PF members to have the FIC board disolved and the Director General Mary Tshuma fired. The PF has insisted on calls to have FIC Board dissolved and the arrest of its Director General on claims of professional misconduct’. SO BEING PROFESSIONAL IN ZAMBIA IS PROFESSIONAL MISCONDUCT, HOW CAN WE PROGRESS AS A COUNTRY WHERE THE WRONGS ARE SEEN AS RIGHTS.
Lungu show us you are not a corrupt theif as alleged by standing up to protect whistle blowers
Hh and ecl must NOT be allowed to stand in 2021
If you love Zambia you will agree with me
Lungu has always asked people for evidence of corruption. It’s presented to him but he wants to fire the boss of FIC. Which evidence do you want then?
No evidence is evidence for PF.
That was a gimmick to deter people. FIC will be made dormant just as the ACC is now…toothless. They are silencing the organs that are by law supposed to provide evidence while expecting a poor Tom & Jack to provide evidence. WHAT A JOKE !!!!!
Engaging someone who supports hh and upnd is a waste of time. No matter how much you guide them to think like humans theyd rather respond with insults than reasons. In simple terms mary shuma leaked what’s known as rumors with no evidence whatsoever, whereby if sued she has no grounds or proofs to defend herself. It’s the same as guilty before proved otherwise. It’s the same as saying that your neighbors wife is pregnant because you saw her buying baby diapers.
@OVAL HEAD,
No one is insulting you if you don’t insult others. If you are referring to my earlier comment to one of the guys here, he knows very well, why I reacted that way.
Therefore, do not use that as a reason not to aire your objective disagreement. We can never agree on all points, and its only normal to debate on those points in an educated way. So please feel free. That guy it’s a different case. Again, I am not an affiliate of any Zambian Party, what I write here is purely my opinion and not influenced by favouring any party.
Noone is arguing about the FIC report. My understanding is that FIC is an intelligence gathering organisation which is supposed to pass its reports to law_ enforcement wings of government like the DEC, ACC or indeed the police for investigation and possible prosecution. It is certainly not its mandate to convict people before they are tried by the courts of law. By publishing unverified reports to the public, FIC is doing just that and no sane government can allow. It is trite law that a person is presumed innocent until proved guilty by a court of law. No shortcuts , sir/madam.
“…..is supposed to pass its reports to law_ enforcement wings of government like the DEC, ACC or indeed the police for investigation and possible prosecution. ..”
Errrrr……42/42 ?
The past 2 AG reports of abuse of public funds ???
@kanamaso kakubeka,
You have a short memory, you read through the media just for the past 6month, then come back and comment here.
This incident is similar to the Cuban ambassador who breached diplomatic rules. Every institution has guidlines and rules which its members are suppose to follow. The usual and regressive tactic Zambians have gotten used to of isolate and attack using media, NGOs and opposition while ignoring laws to disparage their opponents is not developing this nation in its quest to enhance democracy and anti-corruption. Just because the matter was raised by PF doesn’t change the fact that the FIC DG and board acted acted outside their mandate and disciplinary procedures in the Act will put them in their places. This is not to say the FIC work should stop, other capable Zambians MUST continue to run without fear or favour within the confines of the law!!
Guidelines to steal.
Zambian people are too weak. It seems they enjoy living in poverty while few people enjoying life. The Tonga opposition is itself corrupt. Kambwili corrupt, mulyokela mad and Chishimba made, and others homosexuals. No bright future for Zambia.
It seems to you, Zambia is made up of the Tonga, Kambwili, Mulyokela and other homosexuals.
Where is PF in your statement, which claims 6 provinces?
That is huge and disqualifies your contribution.
I only tend to agree with your first sentence “Zambian people are too weak”
Judging by comments of some of the bloggers i make my own conclusion that the theft of plunder is huge in Zambia. How can any normal thinking Zambian support the dissolvement of FIC for revealing to us the people of the plunder and looting going on in our country . Many of you supporting this move are beneficiarys of this crime of plunder. PF is a party but remember ZAMBIA is a country our country. Well done Mary you probably were tired of reporting to the relevant organs with no action taken by them
And then those supporting corrupt leadership are saying that CK makes false accusations against those believed to be corrupt.Surely,, CK provided even was it investigated and proved indeed it was false?No wonder he had difficulties in making that apology! It is difficult to pin down these corrupt government officials as evidenced by calling for dismissal of Tshuma,director of FIC.God help us stop this rot!!!!
The FIC was mandated to collect raw it is a intelligence unit hence it’s name. These Upnd dunderheads are trying to support an illegality all in the name of gaining support it won’t work ! What Mary Tshuma did was wrong and I am surprised upto now she hasn’t issued a statement to apologise for the leakage
Why is Dora praying to have Financial Intelligence closed? She and her PF thieves MUST leave the Agency alone because it s through them we have known how much corrupt PF is. Wikesha Dora trying other things not that agency. The guilty are always afraid even your lips can tell that you are covering up something. Stop the nonsense of frustrating corruption fight.
1. Just disgusted with PF cadres meddling in matyers that they know little nothing about, in short absolutely ignorant about. Can HE Excellency President Lungu tame these cadres please, let them concentrate on h.h, suits them better because likeh.h, all they have to do is yap yap.
2. The launch ofthe FIC report was graced by guest of honour the Attorney General Likando Kalaluka, so there was nothing wrong with releasing the report. Ars you gonna fire the AG too if you fire the good lady Tshuma?
3. Madam Director General Mary Tshuma, keep up the good work, you have the support of all well meaning majority Zambians, including myself who has no fear or favour (unlike the h.h cadre jj who seals his lips when h.h f,arts from his mouth).
4. And this honourable Dora Siliya, is she a minister…
Contd
4. And this so called “honourable” Dora Siliya, is she a cabinet minister or government official? Looking at her poor dressing, she looks like from hollywood or nollywood. Kampamba Mulenga was very decently dressed, beautiful lady-like not this dressing from Dora. Mr President, is it a violation of human rights if you guided your cabinet minister? I am disgusted like many other Zambians I think.
5. But upnd don’t get me wrong, I am not in any way or even remitely suggesting that underfive h.h is the better option, he is as empty and as absolutely directionless as they come.
Poor Zambia! What has really happened to that country of intelligent and well reasoning citizens we knew a couple of decades ago? The question we should be asking ourselves is, “what are the Financial Intelligence Unit’s Terms of Reference?”. I have never heard of an intelligence unit that operates as a whistle-blower. An intelligence unit’s role is to gather data quietly and diligently, analysing the data intelligently and passing on the results to those that are tasked with using the data (prosecution units, etc.), without anyone knowing that the intelligence unit had a hand in the process.
In this case, the intelligence unit is putting its work and staff at risk by irritatingly exposing themselves to the public. I sense serious immaturity in the people tasked with running this…
It could also mean that FIC has seen that government officials don’t take action on their reports, so this time they opted to report directly to their real and ultimate employers, we the Zambian people.
Leave Madam Mary Tshuma alone! And you Dora, don’t be suggestive! You don’t have to yap yap even on what you are ignorant about, why not leave everything to the good Honourable Minister of Finance if that is where the good lady Madam Mary Tshuma reports to?
It’s very sad learning and observing comments from both local politicians and others The communication by Chief Gov spokesperson is timely and very informative of Gov support towards the FIU establishment
It’s clearly seen that in the disclosure and operational analysis of the ACTUS REUS ,there has been some questionable issues about the FIU and its role .
Clearly she failed in her operational analysis and disclosure of those ACTUS REUS in her FIU report and impliedly unnecessary assisted those with clear ACTUS REUS for prosecutions by competent authorities
It should be immediately be known and seen that FIU is a part of the Intelligence system…
As government spokesperson, this honourable Dora Siliya just misrepresents or even just inflames citizens with her misguided, ill informed comments. Better to keep quiet about complex matters, leave them to qualified ministers or the Attorney General or other experts.
Dora is like that fellow something Kapata of Zesco, usually clueless but yapping loudly and happily all the time.
RECEIVING,ANALYSING AND DISSEMINATING of those Illicit Financial flows and other Illicit flows such dissemination only to COMPETENT AUTHORITIES
Dissemination to competent authorities must be carefully chosen, worded and timed and made to ensure ultimate prosecution in the most expeditious manner , swiftly without much noise that makes illicit money and assets to move and revert assisted by such disclosure That is why the emphasis is to report to competent authorities first and the case is established were there are material reasons to avoid being seen as trading in influence also and for self-protection
The dissemination has not been handled well and will impact negatively the…
Which competent authority? can you name one sir?
I do not see any reason to fire those officers and their boss , they have started well however they should be given some training so that they could do a good job in future ,they should be given the necessary tools for the job .
There is no way you can just fire them , you dont kill your child if it falls on the first step on learning how to walk , dont threaten the lady just encourage her to investigate more before publicising the un finished work .
You will find some mistakes in her findings but there will also be facts in some findings .
….not forgetting Amos Chanda, Sunday Chanda, and the loud mouthed but empty Antonio Mwanza.
the FIU and its processes and clearly the madam has failed in her role as FIU head to receive analyse and disseminate complex global affecting Financial crimes and must be assigned somewhere else and also the Pastor in the news is not healthly helping her
The Civil society are wrong also on the issue of FIU and must take time to see and support the competent authorities to receive analysed and confirmed ACTUS REUS from FIU and its partners for as established
Peer review may be a ka blind pear review is important to ensure completeness ask Dr Stuart formerly of CBU okay
Its like when integrity is impaired and brought to question in the lime light It must be very uge and difficult to repair
I have been trained in FIU reviews and analysis including dissemination and participated in the Namibian peer review where i saw that name from CBU Dr Stuart as team leader It was many case studies over Certain information was still kept confidential as it still under camera and sometimes the source is not open even on concluded matters reported to the depository or made public
UPND is quite because they are also sighted in the report as money launders… satunia issue and externalizing money outside Zambia.. So they cannot speak!!!LOL
kambwili protesting naked, cant wait to see that
Cadres run thus country huh how can a president let a cadres issuing statements everyday.
That is fine! We had SITET before and leave Tshuma alone please.