Former Finance Minister in the MMD government Dr Katele Kalumba says Zambia has investigative wings of government capable of investigating the role UPND President Hakainde Hichilema played in the privatization exercise.
Dr Kalumba said the matter of Mr Hichilema’s involvement is of public interest and that answers ought to be provided to the questions from Zambians about the sale of state assets.
Dr Kalumba, who featured on Hot FM’s Red Hot Breakfast said the Zambia Police Service, the Drug Enforcement Commission and the Anti-Corruption Commission can handle the matter without unnecessarily spending additional resources on the investigation process.
He said he does not support calls to institute a Commission of Enquiry on the issue especially that Zambia has a number of economic issues required attention.
On the insinuations that government officials were sleeping during the privatisation process, Dr Kalumba said nobody was sleeping and “nobody was awake than others”, but emphasised that privatisation is a moral question that demands a “yes or no” answer.
When reminded that Mr Hichilema has decided to remain mute on the matter and instead is demanding $3 million from FDD leader Ms Edith Nawakwi who challenged him to explain his role during the privatisation programme and how he personally benefited from it, Dr Kalumba said the public has a right to seek Mr Hichilema’s answer as a government consultant.
He stated that government officials relied on the advice of experts engaged by the Zambia Privatization Agency and that consultants had a duty of care to protect the interests of the nation.
“Zambians are just demanding for answers from Mr Hichilema. No one is out to kill him. The questions are simple in the case of Intercontinental Livingstone Hotel, did he declare interest before advising the government on this transaction? If he didn’t, then it becomes a moral and possible criminal issue.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Whip Tutwa Ngulube has said that UPND Leader Hakainde Hichilema has a duty to explain his role in the privatisation of national assets.
Mr. Ngulube said that Mr Hichilema has for years been calling on others to account for their actions and that it should not be difficult for him to do the same.
Mr. Ngulube said that if Mr Hichilema does not account for his actions, Zambians will have no choice but to take what Forum for Democracy and Development -FDD- leader Edith Nawakwi said as the truth.
Mr. Ngulube told ZNBC news in Lusaka that anyone who seeks public office should be ready to account for their sources of wealth.
He said accusing the Police of trying to arrest him is one tactic the opposition leader is trying to use to avoid responding to questions that have been asked by the FDD President regarding his role in the privatisation of national assets.
And, Nominated Member of Parliament Raphael Nakachinda says the government should be decisive and investigate if there was misconduct on the part of the UPND Leader when he took part in the privatisation of government assets.
Mr Nakachinda said that if serving Ministers can be made to account for their action by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Mr Hichilema should not be treated differently.
He told ZNBC news that Mr Hichilema will do well to offer an explanation so that the matter can be put to rest and has since commended government for releasing the financial intelligence Centre (FIC Report, adding that much as the report contains information, which is not fully investigated, its release shows that government is fighting graft.
Hh is scared of his own shadow. This is what happens when you do evil things and think you can get away with it. Many people are suffering because of what people like hh did. By now we would have had 100s of billionaires in Zambia had these crooks not stolen and sent money to offshore accounts. Bally is a lazo. I can’t respect a thief
Zambians should be very very worried about the ARROGANCE which HH is showing now when he is NOT in power. He must be humble and explain his wealth coz he is a public figure who is aspiring for the highest office in the land. He wants Zambians to entrust him with the public purse, so his finances become a public matter too, and he must convince us that our national resources will be safe in his hands. You cannot come from UNZA, build a house in Kalingalinga, put it on rent and become a BILLIONAIRE, NEVER!!! Not even those with several houses in Kabulonga on rent for decades have become billionaires. Who’s HH fooling? You open up or ship out of politics – Simple!
Please HH, the answer to HOW DID YOU ACQUIRE YOUR WEALTH cannot be THEY’RE TRYING TO KILL ME, or they IMPRISONED ME WITHOUT…
He does not want a commission of Enquiry because knows that he and a lot from MMD government will be implicated. He knows this could open the Pandora’s box.
HH ni Kawalalalalal . . . .#BarryNiLazo
The MMD prefer the investigative wings because they will target one individual, HH. A commission of inquiry will be the best route because it will scrutinize each privatized company, who was involved and how they benefited. That is why amai Sausages and mfiti cant call for a commission of inquiry
All we need are answer from ichilema. Every time he is questioned he becomes very emotional and cries murder. He was asked even by independent media in South African a simple question. “Did you become rich over night?”
Time wasters at it again! It is election time, this is just cheap politicking; let us talk about issues that will bring development to Zambians, issues that will aspire confidence and hope in our youths, issues that will help us restore our stable electricity supply, improve our educational & health systems, eradicate poverty and rampant corruption, etc. Why do you like distracting the voters from real issues – we are tired of boot-leakers with no moral substance at all. We need to build a better and prosperous Zambia, free of greedy and corruption, for all the peace loving people of Zambia. One Zambia one nation. God bless Zambia!
Iwe kachik4l4 ka wiso bwelela mukulowa makaka wambwa
HH has been challenged to come clean but as usual, the man will duck and dive and then send his henchmen to throw more accounting jargon thinking everyone is dumb as he put it. Give us your version kaili. We want to know how you dribbled the Zambian people so that we can prepare a better defence in 2021. To be honest, any other party other than UPND or PF will do because the competition to steal between these two parties is scary. HH should appear before a select committee to answer for his role in the privatization scandal. Zambia needs answers to close this chapter once and for all.
Katele can never like a commission of enquiry for the privatization because he knows that it would open a lot and implicate many who were in MMD then. All those accussing HH know that its just politics (including Nawakwi). No one wants a commission of enquiry.
CC was told to account for his wealth, he humbly went to court and the case is history. Why can’t HH do the same? Instead Chief Mukuni is the one defending him. Hh is on record accusing PF of corruption, looting without evidence, but when he is accused, he is annoyed and rushes to court. Let him stop pointing fingers at PF. Hh is at crossroad, if he talks about corruption, PF will talk about his involvement in privatization.
This wizard was dancing for the end of mining in Zambia.
Zambia was poorest of the poor just to please IMF
How is Hades Dr Kalumba?
Welcome back to life. Looking for Veep position as well?
Why should I explain to the people about my business , that’s foolish,my business is business,
Its sad that Katele Kalumba and Edith Nawakwi, both broke former Finance Ministers (they were actually admired at one point, very clever) can sink to the level of Chilufya Tayali and sell their stories for a bit of pocket money from a PF boat that is sinking fast.
Hichilema please answer the questions, ufisanji mambala?
These dudes are already late to the party, the Dj has even left the party, right now its reflections and kulondolola.
@ ILLOGICAL LOGIC. This case will be before Courts soon for the accusers to bring forth evidence as the prosecuting team have already indicated they will present their own facts. I am not reading your logic in your posting Mr Illogical?
I know for a fact that most of the victims of both privatization and liquidation started asking for this account way back when the exercise was underway. Why was this not done then? Some MBOs that were excluded from participating in the privatization — even when they had the financial and management muscle to do so — cried foul but were hounded, some to their graves. This is a national moral question that, like most things in this country, were pushed to the back burner for heaven knows what purpose. Mwe mashilu mwe. Plus Zambians DO NOT READ. READ a mambala imwe! READ!!!! FFS.
This fire will engulf many and others will be consumed and Zambians will see nakedness of lies by former government ministers. How was privatisation managed by the government of the day and why inform Zambians now since privatisation was done 15 years ago.
This probe into HH is illogical because he has never held any GRZ post.
Dr Kalumba as a former Minister of Finance doesn’t know what he is talking about. An Advisor can give advice to a Policy Maker and that Advice can either be accepted or rejected by the Policy Maker. The Advisor cannot be held accountable for a Decision made by the Policy Maker/Decision Maker. The Minister once he has accepted the advice and implements a Decision based on Advice given, takes full Responsibility for the Decision made. A Valuer once he has finished his Valuation Report hands it over to the Minister who decides whether or not to accept the Consultant’s Recommendations. If the Minister accepts the Report and implements the Consultant’s Recommendations and the results are negative the Minister cannot seek compensation from the Consultant. The Minister (s) of Finance…
Dr Kalumba or WitchDoctor Kalumba?
What are you talking about Mr, ..Ooh Dr Kalumba ? You ran out into the Bush when requested to appear before the courts following your theft cases.
It was OK for you and others should not be scared ? Awee kwena.. you really hate this man or you are being paid to talk this way.
Simple questions…..Where did you get the money stashed in foreign banks?
How did you end up with so much cattle?
How did you end up shareholder and Director of Livinngstone Sun Hotels?
From what resources did you build your new Kasama s UPND State house?
NO ZAMBIANS ARE DEMANDING ANSWERS FROM THE PF !!!!!!!!!! WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ALL THE BILLIONS BORROWED ??? YOU HAVE BORROWED AGAINST BETTER ADVICE AND WE ARE NO A SINKING SHIP WITH NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TELL US WHAT YOU HAVE DONE WITH THE MONEY
Hw do u ask an independent contractor to explain and not decision-makers? It’s too one-sided this matter. Wht did other consultants do? Did HH decide the entire privatisation programme?
Zambia needs to be probing Lungu and not HH
MMD MINISTERS LIKE KATELE CAN AS WELL EXPLAIN WHO SOLD ZAMBIA AIR WAYS?
WHAT HAPPENED WITH SUPERSTAR FOOTBALLERS DYING OFF THE COAST OF GABON? WHERE IS THE REPORT WHY IS IT HIDEN UP NOW?
WHO WAS THE CUSTODIAN OF THE ZAMTROP ACCOUNT AT THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE?
WHEN MINES WERE SOLD WHERE WAS ZCCM INVESTMENT HOLDING?
AND BY THE WAY AFTER FEATURING ON A RADIO PROGRAMME WHICH IS NOT OFFICIAL CAN START SEEKING ANSWERS FROM SOMEONE IS THAT THE NEW WAY OF DEALING WITH ISSUES IN ZAMBIA.
What a country! The guys who actually presided over decision making are passing the buck to a consultant… who was really in charge?
Lungu has hired a consultant company from France to advise him on debt restructuring… who is actually in charge?
What a country this is… Lungu and his minions stealing in broad daylight and then telling the country to blame everything on a consultant to the privatization program that happened 30 years ago. The people who actually stole the likes of FTJ and his minions never saw jail time.
By the way what happened to the Carrington Maize scandal?
Kalok, too many people, u included don’t understand liquidations. They’re nasty especially if insolvency is the cause. It basically is converting all illiquid assets into cash and pay the creditors. This is where it gets nasty. Asset book values are often just that, book values. Market values are something else because buyers don’t care wht the book value is. The truth is such assets are often sold for less than their book values, especially if u’re selling in a depressed economy. Whn u consider asset disposal expenses, then u realise the nightmare that liquidations are.
One can think they are smart now by engaging in deceit. But its far much beter to be honest with ones conscience. u live only once. Use yo life well. It looks like the guys in pf think there wd be no life for them if they ar out of power. So sorry…the desperation is just too extreme..
If a 30 year old HH had $6 million to buy the hotels, then he was already rich! $6 million in 1979 was a lotto money.
If a 30 year old HH had $6 million to buy the hotels, then he was already rich! $6 million in 1997 was a lotto money.
A dead HH is no good to anyone. We just want to know if you dribbled the Zambian people while you are still alive. The case is simple, did you declare your interest in the sale of Zambian assests, yes or no? if you have a case to answer then you will see how dumb the Zambian people are. We shall protect you from witchcraft because we need you to be alive when answering these allegations.
A company is a separate entity from a shareholder or director. HH did not buy the hotels as HH, an individual even if he was a shareholder in the company that won the bid. By the same token, as a Zambian citizen he was also a shareholder of the State owned companies which were using his tax. Edith Nawakwi is thinking with her heart but she has no locus standi at law. She will be shocked. The law is a donkey. Reference: Salomon v Salomon & Company Ltd [1897] AC 2
A thief cannot bring prosperity to the country just like the current crop of thieves have proved. There are a lot of Zambians who are not thieves!
Kalumba, we have load shedding how are you managing your laptop with no power at all the whole time. Advise NAPSA as well they stop work if power goes out! You can make some money as a consultant in this field. Just inform ZAFFICO that you need to use some of their products in national interest.
It’s good to see Katele Kalumba back with a bang!! Go deeper Papa, am sure you have more info on bally.
This year a gold mine was sold at $2.5 million and Nawakwi is not talking about it. Under our noses the mine has been sold at a give away price
HH should just explain to zambians how he instantly became a billionaire. There is no smoke without fire that HH took part in plunder of the countrys wealth . I have noted that it is mostly his party and tribal *****s who are siding with him on this blog that he never stole any money when he was a privatisation consultant and adviser.You weren’t there ,so let him answer for himself. Some UPND tribal fools like Mwaliteta have even pledged to die for him.HH also thinks the government want to kill him .We are going to hear the truth of what happened during privatisation now. Dont hung your self HH, we need you to answer some key questions regarding your role as privatisation chief.Just be strong .Fisanga abaume
I don’t think Dr. Kalumba is a daft fellow but his understanding of the role of a hired consultant is very bizarre. A consultant’s report can either be accepted or rejected by management. Management takes responsibility for any action taken based on a consultant’s report.
I support the idea of going to court in this case because after the court ruling the case will be closed to those who want to say things that are contrary to the court decision.
Zambia is an interesting project. We have people who have become rich in 3 years and still running on the streets and we are now debating a person who was an employee of a company that was hired by govt to execute cabinet decisions. Political power, fear, poverty and plain hate of an individual is really a disease we must get rid off in our country if we have to progress as a nation. Please explain to me what is the logic behind this probe. Let’s get real.