Thursday, March 28, 2024

Stop Harassing Former Presidents

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By Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba

The tendency by new ruling parties or new Presidents in Africa to persecute their predecessors is extremely retrogressive.

There is a pattern that has emerged where new Presidents engage in trashing the legacy of their predecessors, accuse them of massive acts of corruption, prosecute them while seeking to consolidate their new power gained.

For any students of history, you immediately recognise that this is a well-trodden path – burn and destroy the legacy of your predecessor and rise on their ashes!

We have seen this tendency in the sub-region where former Presidents have been targeted, nations have been divided, supporters pitted against each other in the name of fighting corruption.

What this does is to scare leaders to leave office when their terms come to an end. We have seen in Africa where Presidents begin to engage in processes intended to unconstitutionally extend their terms, fearing what would happen if they left office.

Offcourse my strong take has always been that leaders, whilst in office, must use the time to promote national development and stay away from pilfering or plundering national resources.

However, pursing them after they have left office is a sheer waste of valuable time, valuable time that should be used on implementing policies that promote national development and national unity.

While cooperating partners may cheer us on, and even deploy resources in the so-called fight against corruption, they never do this in their own countries, never arrest their former Presidents or Prime Ministers for perceived crimes done while they held office.

Coming to Zambia, we saw this with; Frederick Chiluba pursuing Kenneth Kaunda, Levy Mwanawasa pursuing Frederick Chiluba, even Michael Chilufya Sata pursuing Rupiah Bwezani Banda.

These so-called anti-Corruption exercises ended up in utter failure because they were implemented in a targeted manner, were selective and were done for purely political expediency to promote parochial, narrow and political interests.

If we are serious about fighting corruption, let us strengthen anti-corruption institutions, deploy preventive mechanisms, plug leaks of public resources, implement annual recommendations of the Auditor General and Public Account Committee, review the procurement laws and regulations, and strengthen oversight institutions.

We can’t concentrate on one single aspect of fighting corruption-prosecution only- to secure public resources.

It has to be a comprehensive approach.

It is in this light that the manufactured calls to have the constitutional immunity of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu must be rejected as they will do nothing to advance the cause of national development, national unity and the very fight against corruption.

The approach is designed to punish the former President for political purposes only.

As we have seen in the region, this approach has not yielded anticipated results but divided public perceptions about the true intention of pursing former Presidents.

We have walked this path before.

In the past we wasted precious public resources and destroyed institutions instead of building them.

We had officers travel to USA, England, Switzerland, Dubai, Belgium, and other countries pursuing “stolen public resources.

To recover stolen resources, we engaged FBI, Scotland Yard and others, and these yielded acres of news articles but no resources were ever recovered.

Infact what happens is the corruption occurring during this period, is let to pass and measures to secure current public resources are abandoned.

We are walking the same path.

I am not saying let’s not fight corruption. I am saying let’s fight corruption in the correct way, and in a comprehensive manner including prosecution.

Fighting corruption must not start and end with prosecutions.

My appeal to the new government in Zambia and to His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema is to focus on pursuing national development, creating employment, dismantling the debt burden, resolve bottle-necks hindering rapid economic growth and promote national unity.

44 COMMENTS

  1. When you promise the world to people and then fail to live up to your promises, eventually you are going to start harassing former leaders to divert attention from your failures to other things.

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  2. If Edgar China Lungu would be innocent, he would offer to give up his immunity voluntarily. But he won’t do that because he is guilty as hell.

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  3. PF HAS GONE NOW
    LET THE PEOPLE TALK
    AFTER ALL ITS THEIR COUNTRY AND THEY VOTED IN THE PRESENT REGIME
    FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION HAS ARRIVED

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  4. No wonder Africans are poor…..instead of using that time to go look for work and provide for their families they’re busy wasting time with things that won’t help them and their families…..I thought you wanted jobs,good health care facilities, stable economy…electricity 24 hrs…cheap fuel…stable US dollar…free education etc….how does removing Lungu’s immunity come in…..

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  5. Why does this foooool still calling himself Ambassador? He has no shame at he used his foreign positions just for that diplomatic passport and to further personal business ventures. These are the guys who came back in July to assist PF media team in campaigning …everything he writes should taken with a pinch of salt. Lazy Lungu you are protecting didnt even trust you with a position in Lusaka because he too knows you are snake.

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  6. Saulosi – The world is not going to stop just because your Lazy Lungu’s immunity is being lifted…if there is tangible concrete evidence connecting him I see no reason why it shouldn’t be lifted.

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  7. “……While cooperating partners may cheer us on, and even deploy resources in the so-called fight against corruption, they never do this in their own countries, never arrest their former Presidents or Prime Ministers for perceived crimes done while they held office……”

    That’s because they have strong systems of governance and civil societies ……..

    We all saw how lungu corrupted and destroyed all normal systems of governance and brutalised civil societies into submission………

    Infact , we need a law that encurages ex presidents to willingly encourage investigations into their dealings while in office so as to enhance transparency…….

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  8. Solution apa iliko simple: Just remove immunity for ex-Presidents so they fend themselves after leaving office. This idea of subjecting MPs to tussles each time there is a change of government must come to a stop. Also, when citizens are subject to so much suffering their first inkling is that mwenze kuba… Funsani uyu citeni Sangwa to put some law together for legislation. Talema nazo.

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  9. If only presidents would do their job and not be corrupt we wouldn’t be reading such useless articles. We would be focusing on their development projects. Donald Trump is not in Africa. He will be persecuted because he was corrupt. He tried to persecute Obama but Obama was protected by the US constitution. What lessons are there for Mwamba? 1 This kind of act is not an African thing all humans are vengeful2 so have outstanding presidential candidates 3 and protect them by laws

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  10. This man is very sick, people demand justice and you say it is harassment. Go away, we don’t need you. Do you know how many people he harmed, misuse of resources, etc. There needs to be consequences for any injustice on the nation

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  11. The correct way is what people want. Who are you to tell us we are not doing it correctly, when people’s wounds from the former regime are wide open. Shut up at go away!

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  12. There are a lot of questions and it’s important for Lungu to answer most of them after leading the most corrupt government in Zambian history. Further, we need to know why he did not give up power to the speaker in 2016 in accordance with the constitution. This is not harrassment let if Lungu is clean his immunity will be restored and I will be the first to speak against anyone seeking him. Only after proper answers are provided with evidence through the courts of law

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  13. Not sure why this Emmanuel Mwamba vainly tries to position himself as an expert on many issues that he least understands. If you are persecuting for justice, then persecution is the way to go. However, one can only lift Edgar Lungu’s immunity if one has tangible evidence. To say there was corruption during his rule is not tangible evidence. To say he directed ministers to stay in office after dissolution of parliament when he knew very well that ministers were appointed from parliament may be tangible evidence especially when you demonstrate what method or where he signed.

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  14. Mwamba, Mwamba please give us a break. What we’re you doing during elections as a civil servant – campaigning for who?
    By the way what was your involvement in Regina Mwanza’s money laundering investment in Finland?
    Any way you not the right person to advise on how corruption should be dealt with, just wait for your turn to answer.

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  15. Appears UPND cadres asking for ECLs immunity to be lifted don’t have guidance. Their message should be asking that ECL be investigated especially that there were a lot of vices reported using ECLs own government agencies when he was in power, and also his miraculously movement of his net worth from 2 million to 22 million in one year. Once investigations are done and you have some strong evidence only then can you ask for his immunity to be lifted. Procedure wise you don’t start with lifting of immunity, you start with no partisan and fair investigations. If UPND caders feel strongly that ECL needs to be investigated on a fair basis, then PF cadre Emmanuel Mwamba should be ignored as he is normally not objective

  16. I ALWAYS THOUGHT MWAMBA WAS AN INTELLIGENT FELLOW. IF CORRUPTION IS THE DISHONEST OR or FRAUDULENT CONDUCT BY THOSE IN POWER, TYPICALLY INVOLVING BRIBERY THEN HOW CAN WE DEVELOP IN THE FIRST PLACE. DONT
    YOU THINK WE NEED TO “MEND THE HOLE” IN THE BUCKET WHICH IS CORRUPTION, FOR EFFECTIVE DEVELOPMENT TAKE PLACE. RESOURCES MEANT TO BUY CT AND MRI SCANNERS ARE USE TO BUY A LUXURY JET WHILE MORE CITIZEN’S ARE DYING OF CANCER ETC.

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  17. Edgar Chagwa Lungu was the epitome of corruption,decay and unbridled abuse of power.Pursuing him and others is the right thing to do unless you shared in his looting.

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  18. No one is above the Law, just ask Trump. A guy who tries to go for a third term even when the law doesn’t permit, must have committed some serious crimes.

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  19. Iwe #3 ichi Kaizar Zulu that also applies to PF they promised lots of lies in 2011 and never delivered. LOOK IN THE MIRROR you HYPOCRITE.

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  20. ” I am not saying let’s not fight corruption. I am saying let’s fight corruption in the correct way, and in a comprehensive manner including prosecution.”
    Amb. Mwamba, so to you the correct way will be to leave the entire PF thieves alone, without prosecuting them? Or the correct way for you means NOT prosecuting LUNGU? If above is corrent,YOU ARE DOING INJUSTICE to ZAMBIANS, why protect a hieve of MWANKOLEs enjoy what they looted from Zambians?. Your suggestion will NOT prevent future government to be corrupt if they know they will NOT be prosecuted after their tenure. Why are you fighting this cause, if you know, Lungu is as clean as crystal ball ? My suggestion is: ensure the Security wings have solid EVIDENCE, before demanding to remove immunity. The calls for imunity waiver are…

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  21. Let’s not use emotions to deal with this matter. I sympathize with Emmanuel Mwamba because of what he experienced as his former boss was being pursued by LPM. He seems to suggest that Presidents must never be made to answer for their crimes. This will promote impunity. An African President is a very powerful individual and institution. One way of making the occupant of that office is never to grant him any immunity. We used to fraternize with Edgar at Klub Mulamu but he was turned into a demigod the moment he became President. Why should that be so? He’s not a saint. Now you see where he’s left us?

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  22. If I was a former president who ruled according to the Rule of Law and I know I did nothing wrong, I would welcome removal of my immunity. After all those same courts that heard ” politically inclined” court cases and passed judgments in my favour should be trusted to rule objectively as they did during my reign – not so?

    It is said that : He who is already on the ground habours no fear of falling down.
    Tieni nayo nayo

  23. ir you putt that former president must not be prosecuted then i awe wil stand iin 2026 and and i will be sure to win. the first important thing i will do is to a ensure that i bring back CADRERISM, i reinforce corruption, particularparticularly in police service and civil service. these practices will help me to amass great wealth for myself within a very short time just like what some past presidents had done. i will in no way be afraid of possible consequences or prosecution in for presidents and former presidents will be set apart as sacred cows. what a great opportunity but THAT WOULD A RUBBISH AND STINKY DREAM AND ARRANGEMENT

  24. When the US President, Joe Biden, addressed the UN’s general assembly this year praised the Zambian youths for turning up in large numbers to vote out what he termed ”corrupt regime” and our delegation (HH’s) clapped and nodded their heads in agreement. In the meantime, while he was busy using the UN’s podium to open his mouth and call Hichilema’s predecessor corrupt his own predecessor, Donald Trump, has gone down in the history of the USA as the most corrupt President. Some of Trump’s corrupt activities included inside-trading by his companies, his hotels increased business activities with state institutions and agencies, Trump hired thugs (his cadres, as we call them here) who attacked the US capitol on January 6 in order to overturn democratically held election results that…

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  25. Trump hired thugs (his cadres, as we call them here) who attacked the US capitol on January 6 in order to overturn democratically held election results that saw Biden himself win. Infact, these cadres wanted to slaughter US Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker Nancy Pelosi. All these facts are in public domain in the US and Biden himself is aware of them. However, in his maiden speech to the general assembly he mischievously chose to attack corruption in Zambia leaving his own country’s corruption and a near coup de’ ta orchestrated by Trump’s cadres at the capitol.
    The English taught us that corruption, as a word, has only ONE meaning – whether committed in Africa, Europe or indeed in America, it still remains corruption. Biden was just being a ”patriot” for not calling out…

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  26. I call upon the current President to be more PATRIOTIC and STOP washing dirty linen in public because there is dirty everywhere in America, Europe, Asia, etc. Conduct these corruption Investigations thoroughly well and prosecute ALL offenders without exception now that all these investigative agencies are under your office. But please do it quietly. No need to be sensational.
    The election promises you made to the Zambian people are too many for you to waste time on these matters, you have only about 4 years 8 months left on your term,, so I suggest you get down to serious work if you have to achieve even half of your promises. Please.

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  27. This is a useless article. If you don’t prosecute presidents for corruption crimes committed while in office, how are you going to deter future presidents from engaging in corruption too? It’s the Zambian people’s resources that were stolen. So the will of the Zambian people MUST prevail. And the Zambian people’s will is to see that the person that stole their resources, not only pay back what he stole, but go to prison for the crime of stealing. If he’s innocent, he has nothing to fear. The truth will set him free. It’s only the guilty that are afraid.

  28. Leave President Lungu alone, he left us a country to live another day. The fact that he handed over power peacefully, all is forgiven. Let him employ Zambians with his stolen money it’s okay. Go after the big boys who are stealing from you big time with your eyes open. Even your relatives in your village are being evicted from their own land by foreigners and you are busy Lungu, Lungu. We are seriously cursed as a nation.

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  29. WHEN I BECOME A PRESIDENT I SHALL NOT CARE . AFTER ALL I SHALL BE LEFT ALONE FREELY Even AFTER STEALING 75 PERCENT OF NATIONAL RESOURCES And ABUSE OF OFFICE

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  30. What is this liar telling the Nation ? “Ubomba mwibala alya mwibala” – Which President said these words ? Yes we know he favoured you but he stole from us…….

  31. Ooooh it is you Emmanuel Mwamba? You well know why you are writing this misleading article…. Because you were part of the looting vanquished Party of Thieves … PF.

    We are not harassing Lungu… we want to know how he became the richest Zambian in the 7 yrs he ruled fr a presidential salary…so let him not hide behind the immunity if he has nothing to hide

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  32. THIS GOVERNMENT IS NO DIFFERENT FROM THE LATE PRESIDENT CHILUBA’S GOVERNMENT,WHEN MMD CAME INTO POWER THERE AIM WAS TO GET RID OF ANYTHING THAT KK DID FOR MOTHER ZAMBIA IN THE NAME OF FIGHTING CORRUPTION!,WHERE DID THEY LEAVE ZAMBIA AFTER?,IT BECOME THE MOST POOREST COUNTRY IN THE SOUHTHERN REGION!,INSTEAD OF CONTINUING WITH THE DEVELOPMENT THEY STARTED WASTING RESOURCES ON MATTERS THAT NEVER MATERIALISED INTO ANYTHING THAT COULD BENEFIT THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA.*SO PLEASE STOP THIS POLITICS OF FOLLOWING PEOPLE IN THE NAME OF FIGHT CORRUPTION,DEVELOP ZAMBIA INSTEAD,PICK-UP DEVELOPMENT FROM WHERE PF LEFT OF!,BELIEVE ME,PF WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR A VERY LONG TYME,BECOZ IT WAS ONE OF ITS KIND!”I WAS PERPLEXED WHEN I HEARD THE VICE PRESIDENT SAY,”JUST WORK PROFESSIONAL,ITS NOT YET TYME TO FIRE…

  33. Kikikikikiki ba Kaizer! still living in dreamland. You can’t break anybody’s face without consequences. The days of Kafue bullying are over. Wake up and smell the coffee. Its a new dawn. Let Angwa China Lingi face justice.

  34. How do you hope to stop HH from misbehaving if you don’t ask Lungu to account for his nasty behaviour. There should be consequences for abuse of office

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  35. The Patriot, you have deliberately missed the important point I am addressing in my article. Anyway, it is typical of moronic people.
    No where in my article have I suggested that the corrupt must not be brought to account, infact, I have encouraged that ALL those found guilty must be prosecuted without exception. Read the article please. You and me have a moral duty to ensure that our president succeeds in delivering on his campaign promises. If he will succeed it means that all of us Zambians will benefit from the successes. There is absolutely NO need of being political about this. President HH was voted into office, unanimously, by 2.8m Zambians. So let us all help him succeed (personally, I have absolutely no doubt in the capability of the man to succeed). Let us all support the…

  36. Mulandu siuola even if happened 40yrs ago it will still come back so zambians be considerate when you rise some issue because we have issue pending way back which needs attention but we cant just be talking about same things day in day out.Let UPND DELIVER please.

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