Friday, 20th February 2026
The shock announcement that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has halted or “cleared” senior cabinet ministers and government officials that were under serious investigations requires immediate action.
Our immediate call is to the cooperating partners to halt funding and technical to the ACC as doing so is empowering an institutions that has been weaponised and has degenerated to harm the fight against corruption, the rule of law, the demand for transparency and accountability and democracy.
It is on record that the United States Government provides substantial support through existing Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) focused on strengthening governance and transparency, the United Kingdom, which contributes via initiatives such as asset recovery programs managed through the British High Commission and Multilateral institutions like the Organizations like the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the European Union (EU) that collaborate on specific anti-corruption and public financial management projects and the European Development Agencies which has been giving historical and ongoing support, have been provided by agencies such as Sida (Sweden), Danida (Denmark), Norad (Norway), and GIZ (Germany) to immediately suspend funding to the Anti-Corruption Commission.
ACTIONS THAT HAVE HARMED THE FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION
As soon as President Hakainde Hichilema dissolved the Musa Mwenye Board that was demanding for equal treatment of corruption cases both old and new cases, as provided by the law, President Hichilema’s surprise reaction was to dissolve a credible board that was demanding accountability.
The Musa Mwenye Board had demanded action against corrupt ministers and senior officials such as Solicitor General Marshal Muchende.
President Hichilema refused to suspend these officials and allowed them to continue to occupy their offices despite the serious allegations against them.
The crisis was compounded by the appointment of retired Supreme Court Justice Evans Hamaundu and Mrs. Daphne Pauline Soko Chabu.
Daphne Pauline Soko Chabu is currently serving as the Director General of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
She aspired to stand a member of parliament under the UPND. She is highly partisan and her actions in the office of Directore General has demonstrated so.
Further retired Judge Evance Hamaundu, whilst serving the Supreme Court, was accused of receiving a bribe and taken to the Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC).
Therefore, the news that the Anti-Corruption Commission has cleared senior government officials who were accused of corruption and fraud confirms long-held fears that the two can not fight corruption.
The other cases that the ACC has dropped include the public investigations against mining giants Glencore and First Quantum Minerals regarding suspected and irregular donation of $3million to the former ruling Party, the Patriotic Front, and alleged similar donations made to the UPND during the same period.
It is clear that Justice Hamaundu and Mrs. Chabu are not fit for purpose and are incapable of fighting corruption and have betrayed the Constitution.
They have instead used their positions at the ACC to abuse the law and to abandon credible investigations, an act of favouritism,.promotion of lawlessness and corruption.
The decision to drop the corruption against the senior government officials raises outrage as it has not been done on merit but as a political favor to President Hichilema and to save their corrupt friends.
Zambia has a shrunken democracy with law enforcement agencies weaponised against political opponents and with the executive controlling wings of government and toiling the line set up by President Hakainde Hichilema.
President Hichilema has turned the fight against corruption as a vicious fight against political opponents, critics, and rivals.
Similarly, even the so-called recoveries are a joke as they are a product of targeted and selective justice.
Similarly, the setting up of the Economic and Financial Crimes Courts has degenerated into a special court against former government officials instead of a court against prosecuting or pursuing economic and financial crimes.
It has become an enabler of selective Justice, a process starting from the ACC.
The perversion of the ACC, such a critical constitutional body, will leave lasting damage to both the fight against corruption, the rule of law, and democracy and cooperating partners must not facilitate an institution pervading the fight against corruption.
Funding and technical support must only resume when a credible board and a professional Director General are appointed and when President Hakainde Hichilema stops his interference.
It is imperative that cooperating partners are not seen to empower a vicious tool, that is damaging the fight against corruption and the rule of law.
Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba
20th February 2026
Ba HH muyankeni mufana uyo. Amisapulula. Let’s hear your side of the story. Corruption is an ugly mole that can’t just be ignored
Why are you constantly publishing this type of baseless nonsense by this person.
We need a response not a lament
Who pays for this morons fugitive hiding in the US?
These goons must have stolen big to keep themselves out of reach of the law’s arm.
It’s sad that our security has always been so porous especially under one Jack Mwiimbu. We need a younger and more active home Affairs minister in our next term.