Lusaka – UPND Media Director Mark Simuuwe has called on Lusaka Archbishop Alick Banda to allow the law to take its course and seek justice, cautioning against the politicisation of matters that are criminal in nature.
Mr. Simuuwe said the Toyota Hilux currently under investigation is not registered in the name of the Catholic Church but in the name of Archbishop Banda as an individual, making it a personal matter rather than a church issue.
He explained that government has established procedures for the disposal of state property, including public auction or other lawful means, and that investigations are intended to establish how a government-owned vehicle was allegedly registered in an individual’s name.
Mr. Simuuwe stated that the purpose of the investigations is to determine how government property ended up under individual ownership and said the process should be respected.
He further noted that the position of Archbishop is a senior office and said investigators are seeking clarity on how such a transaction may have occurred.
Speaking during a Christian Nation FM radio interview, Mr. Simuuwe said some members of the Catholic Church had declined to be drawn into political debate surrounding the matter.
He also referred to provisions of the Societies Act, which require organisations, including churches, not to sponsor or participate in political activities.
Mr. Simuuwe said discussions on the matter should be based on facts and the law. He reiterated that Archbishop Banda remains innocent until proven guilty in a court of law and called on all parties to allow law enforcement agencies to carry out their duties without interference.
Did he also explain how some companies the government was privatising in the past ended up being owned by some of those who were carrying out the privatisation program. Are they also going to be called to account?