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FILE: UPND President Hakainde Hichilema with Miles Sampa
The Patriotic Front Central Committee has resolved that members who have applied for readmission into the party have to wait for at least three years minutes in line with the party’s constitution.
Former Matero MP Miles Sampa is one of the high profile politician who has publicly applied to rejoin the PF.
But in a statement issued by PF Secretary General Davies Mwila, the Central Committee which met yesterday at State House reiterated the provisions of the PF constitution in article 74 sub-article 16 which states that a person who resigns from the Party shall not apply for re-admission within three years from the date of resignation,
The meeting which was chaired by President Edgar Lungu resolved that that all former members that desire to rejoin PF are expected to comply with this constitutional provision.
The meeting also unanimously endorsed the Candidature of Kitwe Mayor Councillor Christopher Kang’ombe for the position of President of the Local Government Association of Zambia.
“Hence the Party expects all PF councillors to vote for Councillor Kang’ombe and thereafter, offer him necessary support to succeed in his work bearing in mind that his success would be the success of the PF as a whole. Finally, we wish to inform our members that the Secretary General and selected members of the Central Committee will soon embark on a programme of visiting party officials in all provinces as part of a long term project to strengthen our Party,” Mr Mwila said.
President Lungu delivering his address during the official opening of parliament
By Sean Enock Tembo
RESPONSE BY THE INTERIM PRESIDENT OF PEP TO THE PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH MADE ON THE OCCASION OF THE OPENING OF THE FIRST SESSION OF THE 12TH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
1. Our policy as the Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) is to provide a response to to any official speech made by the Republican President at specific important occasions. Such response has been and shall continue to be provided within 24 hours of our coming into possession of the said full speech. The purpose of our response to a Presidential speech shall be to outline the extent to which we agree or disagree with the sentiments of the Republican President as well as provide or reiterate our position on specific issues of national importance.
2. As regard the Presidential Speech delivered at the occasion of the opening of the first session of the 12th National Assembly, our position is that overall the speech was well written, articulate and coherent. Compared to the last Presidential Speech that was delivered to the National Assembly sometime late last year which was haphazard and incoherent, there is indeed a marked improvement in both content and grammar. The shortcomings that we noted in the Presidential Speech are in two categories. The first category is consistency and clarity of presentation and the second category is substance as outlined in greater detail below:
3. In paragraph 15 of the Speech, the President says
“THE APPROACH TO MY ADDRESS THIS MORNING, IS MOVING AWAY FROM THE USUAL THEMATIC LINES BASED ON STAND ALONE SECTORAL APPROACH, TO AN INTEGRATED MULTI-SECTORAL APPROACH, WHICH ENDEAVOURS TO BUILD SYNERGIES ACROSS SECTORS. THIS IS WITH A VIEW TO ENSURING THAT DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOMES MUTUALLY REINFORCE EACH OTHER”.
This statement is incoherent because it starts by talking about the President’s approach to his “address” and yet the substance refers to the President’s approach not to his “address” but to the nation’s economic development. Therefore, the correct statement should’ve been
“MY APPROACH TO THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE NATION IS MOVING AWAY FROM THE USUAL THEMATIC LINES BASED ON STAND ALONE SECTORAL APPROACH, TO AN INTEGRATED MULTI-SECTORAL APPROACH, WHICH ENDEAVOURS TO BUILD SYNERGIES ACROSS SECTORS. THIS IS WITH A VIEW TO ENSURING THAT DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOMES MUTUALLY REINFORCE EACH OTHER…”
4. In Chapter 16, the President seeks to explain his rationale for creating the Ministry of Development Planning that its main purpose is to supervise and coordinate other Ministries. However, from a practical point of view, we doubt that one Ministry can actually supervise other Ministries unless such a Ministry falls within the Presidency. At some point, President Chiluba had a Ministry of State President which was based at State House and which we believe was occupied by either Eric Silwamba or Derrick Chitala. That was a better attempt at trying to supervise other line Ministries than the current attempt of establishing a Ministry of Development Planning. Besides, development planning is better done by a standing committee of technocrats representing different line Ministries than by a designated line Ministry.
5. In paragraph 16 of his speech, the President says
“MY ADMINISTRATION WILL CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE SECTORS WILL SIMULTANEOUSLY WORK TOGETHER TO RESOLVE DEVELOPMENTAL CHALLENGES SUCH AS YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT AND HIGH LEVELS OF POVERTY, BY HARNESSING OUR YOUTHFUL POPULATION INTO A PRODUCTIVE ONE. THIS ENTAILS THAT THE YOUTHS MUST EMBRACE INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENUERSHIP, ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES AND ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE ECONOMY”.
Our position is that this statement is a fallacy. Firstly, when the President talks about “Sectors”, what sectors are these? Is he referring to sectors of the economy such as the Agricultural Sector, the banking sector, the mining sector etc? If so, how can sectors “work simultaneously” to resolve the country’s development challenges such as poverty? Is it the responsibility of a “sector” to reduce poverty? Isn’t the reduction of poverty in the nation the responsibility of the President? Why is the President abdicating his responsibilities to “sectors”? Isn’t the President aware that the sole objective of any sector of the economy is to maximize profit and that other peripheral objectives may only be pursued insofar as they compliment the key objective. Therefore, when a corporation makes a donation of second hand clothes to the needy in society, they’re doing so not because they’re naturally good hearted no. They’re doing so in order to increase their level of endearment from among the population so that they may sell more of their products and/or services. That is why corporations will spend twice the value of whatever they’re donating on media coverage so that the entire world may see that they have donated even if they donate second hand underwear. Therefore, for the President to abdicate his responsibility of reducing poverty among the citizenry to “sectors” is the highest level of irresponsibility on his part.
6. On the same paragraph 16, the President goes on to say
“…THIS ENTAILS THAT THE YOUTHS MUST EMBRACE INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENUERSHIP, ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES AND ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE ECONOMY …”
How can we the youths actively participate in the economy when public procurement by the government is reserved exclusively for PF cadres to the exclusion of everyone else, despite the fact that the money being spent is taxpayers money which is collected from everyone else? It is not fair for the President to pretend that he supports entrepreneurship when as a matter of fact he only supports cadrepreneurship. PF cadrepreneurship to be specific, which has recently given birth to several millionaires despite their evident lack of business acumen. The rest of the Zambians who faithfully toil are not able to reap a fair reward of their sweat because they’re crowded out by PF cadrepreneurs.
7. In paragraph 18 of his speech to the first session of the 12th National Assembly of Zambia, the President says
“… MY ADMINISTRATION REMAINS COMMITTED TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE VISION 2030 OF ZAMBIA BECOMING A PROSPEROUS MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRY…”
Well, there is no way in heaven or hell that we are going to come anywhere close to becoming a middle income country if the economy is going to continue to be mismanaged by the President the way it has in the recent past. If in the middle of the largest fiscal deficit that the country has ever faced, the President sees it fit to charter a private jet to take him and other PF cadres to New York for the UNGA, when people like President Jacob Zuma who’s country is the second biggest economy in Africa flies commercial on SAA, then we are headed nowhere as a nation Mr. President. Perhaps vision 2030 must be revised to read:
MY ADMINISTRATION REMAINS COMMITTED TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF ME BECOMING THE RICHEST MAN IN AFRICA BY 2030…”
because you’re the only one Mr. President, who seems to be doing well in the current economic climate as evidenced by your ability to double your wealth from last year to this year.
8. In paragraph 19 of the speech, the President says
“…I NOW WISH TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE ISSUES AFFECTING OUR COUNTRY. IN DOING SO, I WILL OUTLINE KEY POLICY MEASURES AND PROGRAMMES THAT MY ADMINISTRATION WILL PURSUE NEXT YEAR AND BEYOND. THESE WILL BE OUTLINED IN GREATER DETAIL IN THE SEVENTH (7TH) NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2017-2021), WHICH I WILL SOON…”
It is well and good that you’re talking about NDP7 which will run from 2017 to 2021, but don’t you think that now would be the right time to talk about the extent to which NDP6 and RNDP6 were attained, or more specifically, not attained? The truth is that plans are not respected by the PF govt, everything is done in a haphazard manner with only political and not development considerations at play. We cannot even respect the annual budget and budgeted items end up not being funded and unbudgeted items end up getting all the funding. It is therefore recommended that NDP7 be thrown in the dust bin as soon as possible before we spend our treasured breath talking about it.
9. In paragraph 20 of his speech, the President says
“…MY GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO UNDERTAKE AUSTERITY MEASURES TO STABILISE THE MACRO ECONOMIC SITUATION AND BUILD GREATER INVESTOR CONFIDENCE. FURTHER, WE WILL ENSURE THAT OUR MACRO ECONOMIC POLICIES ARE CONSISTENT AND PREDICTABLE, TO ENABLE THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR PLAN EFFECTIVELY IN THE MEDIUM AND LONG-TERM…”
Well, it is encouraging to note that His Excellency has finally added the term “austerity measures” to his vocabulary. That’s a step in the right direction, albeit small. It is also encouraging to note that His Excellency is aware that his government’s policy direction is haphazard and confused and he intends to do something about it going forward.
10. In paragraph 21 of his speech, the President says
“…IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THE BROAD MACRO-ECONOMIC OBJECTIVES OF MY ADMINISTRATION WILL INCLUDE ACHIEVING DOUBLE-DIGIT GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT GROWTH, ATTAINING SINGLE-DIGIT INFLATION RATE AND INCREASING AND BROADENING DOMESTIC REVENUE COLLECTION…”
This reminds me of some of the job interviews that l would conduct. A candidate walks in and his CV says he has been unemployed for the past 6 years and you ask him what his goals in life are. He then confidently tells you that he wants to be the richest man in Zambia by next year! In the back of your mind you’re thinking, okay, isn’t that a little over ambitious?
We shall be dealing with 10 points per article until we finish providing feedback on the speech delivered by His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu on occasion of the opening of the first session of the 12th National Assembly of the Republic of Zambia.
The Author is the Interim President of an Organisation Called Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP)
“Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him.”
(Genesis 26:12, NIV)
Wear Your Blessing Well
One time Isaac was in a famine. There was a great drought in the land, but Isaac went out and planted crops right in the middle of that famine. It didn’t make any sense, but somehow in that same year of drought, the scripture says, “Isaac received 100 times what he had sown because the Lord blessed him.”
What’s interesting is that when Isaac got blessed, the people around him, the Philistines and his friends all of the sudden got jealous of him. They were fine as long as he was broke. As long as they were at the same level, it was no big deal. But when he stepped up to a new level, when he began to wear his blessings well, the scripture says, “The Philistines hated Isaac.”
Maybe you’ve noticed this in your own life. When you start to do better, the people around you don’t celebrate. They become jealous. But you can’t allow the attitudes of others hold you back and cause you to live in mediocrity. Instead, when you’re blessed, brag on God! Shake off the criticism of others and receive His blessing. Wear it well because when you honor Him, He will continue to increase and promote you all the days of your life!
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for every good and perfect gift that You have poured out on my life. In humility, I choose to wear my blessings well. I won’t shrink back at the criticism of others; but instead, I will walk forward with You into the life of blessing You have prepared for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Bottom of the log and winless Mufulira Blackpool battled to put on hold their pending demotion away at Nkwazi.
Blackpool did not win in Lusaka but finished 0-0 to avoid confirming their Division 1 ticket on Saturday for at least 24 hours on 11 points with six games left to play.
They now await to hear how Green Eagles fare on Sunday against 3rd placed Power Dynamos in Choma.
Eagles are one place above the bottom four relegation and are one point below the 29 point threshold that will end Blackpools their interest in the FAZ Super Division.
Meanwhile, the status quo prevailed in the bottom three for two other club’s.
Second from bottom Lusaka Tigers lost 2-0 away to Red Arrows at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
Festus Mbewe converted a 41st minute penalty to record his fifth goal of the season.
Forgotten man Dube Phiri scored the final goal in the 59th minute for 6th placed Arrows.
Tigers remain second from bottom on 21 points and Arrows stay put in 6th place on 40 points.
And Lumwana Radiants beat third from bottom Lusaka Dynamos 1-0.
Edward Sinyangwe headed in the winning goal in the 42nd minute to see Beston ‘Quicksilver’ Chambeshi’s side jump from 13th to 9th on 33 points.
Striker Evans Kangwa on Saturday opened his account at his new club in Turkey after inspiring Gaziantepspor to their second league win of the season.
Kangwa scored a brace and had one assist in Gaziantepspor’s 3-2 home win over 3rd placed Bursaspor.
He was on target in the 60th and 79th minutes after setting up the game’s opening goal for Algeria striker Nabil Ghilas in the 31st minute.
Kangwa, who arrived in Turkey from Israel in the Summer, played the full 90 minutes for 10th placed Gaziantepspor in what was his fourth game for the club after six rounds of matches.
The Football Association of Zambia has revealed how it will share the cake from its K42.8 million 2016 budget.
The budget was unanimously adopted at the deferred FAZ annual general meeting held at the Government Complex in Lusaka on Saturday morning after it was earlier rejected at the elective AGM in March because it did not have a breakdown of any allocation for referees.
The equivalent of US$100,0000 from the US$1 million SuperSport TV deal will go to referees officiating in the lower leagues.
Meanwhile, Division 1 teams will get K268,800, K480,000 will go to Division 2 sides , Division 3 teams will share K 303, 200 while the women’s league will be allocated K98,000.
And FAZ says they hope to have the amended constitution ready by the next AGM in March, 2017.
One of the items will be to reduce the electoral college from 300 to 100.
“We made a presentation to FIFA they have given us an extension of up to match next year,” FAZ president Andrew Kamanga said.
“By Monday next week, we should be able to send the draft constitution to the councilors for feedback so that we can send the recommendations to FIFA.”
Government has reiterated its call for people to stop discriminating against the old in communities.
Eastern Province Permanent Secretary, Chanda Kasolo, explained that old people feel neglected in society a situation that has put them at risk of depression and social isolation.
Mr Kasolo said this in a speech ready for him by Assistant Secretary, Royd Tembo, during the commemoration of International Day for older person’s held in Chipata today.
Mr Kasolo said old people who feel they are a burden to their families may also perceive their lives to be less valuable.
He said government was committed to ensuring that senior citizens in the country are accorded the necessary respect that they deserve through the Public Service Pensions Fund (PSPF).
Mr Kasolo said government was aware that pensioners were not receiving adequate monthly pension but assured that government was working with the PSPF to ensure that pensioners are re-numerated better than what they are getting now.
He said the challenges facing the aged who are pensioners can be reduced by paying them a reasonable pension until their end of life.
And PSPF Board chairman, Moses, said old people should be given a respectable position in every society as they are assets.
Dr Banda said old age is a natural process and everyone has to go through it as old people have just retired not tired.
He explained that PSPF is currently serving more than 58 000 old people throughout the country.
Meanwhile Zambia National Pensioners Association National Trustee, Shadreck Daka, has urged government to adequately fund PSPF so that it can also increase the monthly pension as some pensioners are getting as low as K 300 per month which is not enough.
This year’s international day for old persons was commemorated under the theme “take a stand against ageism”.
Youth, Sport and Child Development Minister, Moses Mawere, says there is need to continue equipping youths with the necessary skills for them to effectively contribute to the country’s economic development.
Mr Mawere has observed that if youths are empowered with skills training, it will enable them to contribute positively to national development and also uplift their living standards.
The minister said this when the International Youth Fellowship delegation from South Korea paid a courtesy on him.
He said the delegation is visiting the country to check on the progress on the construction of the Youth and Sport Development Centre which they pledged to establish in Chilanga district.
Mr Mawere stated that the centre will house various components and facilities for skills development, education and sporting activities.
He said the delegation will also visit the Copperbelt University to orient first- year students on mind-set education which has been introduced as a under the department of humanities.
Mr Mawere said government is happy to partner with such organisations that aim at building capacity among young people in the country as this helps to uplift their well-being.
GREEN Party Presidential Candidate Peter SinkambaGreen Party President Peter Sinkamba says the creation of new Ministries is ill-timed considering the economic hardships that the country will have to endure.
Mr Sinkamba said the President will start the journey to 2021 on a wrong footing with a bloated cabinet when the country should be serving.
He said creation of new Ministries is imprudent considering that the country’s economy has shrunk by by about US$8 billion in one year.
“On ministries, our take is that the creation of new ministries has made cabinet to be too bloated. From the bloated cabinet, it is very clear that President Lungu is starting the journey to 2021 on a very wrong foot. It is very clear that President Lungu is inconsiderate of the economic fundamentals that he set himself to achieve
” With an economy that has shrunk by about US$8 billion in one year, we the Greens find it extremely imprudent for President Lungu to create more ministries. From all angles, creation of ministries appears to have nothing to do with actualization of the Industrialization and Job Creation Strategy and Youth Empowerment Action Plan, which primarily form the cornerstone of PF economic growth agenda. It is now very clear in our minds that President Lungu will run a highly consumptive government, and a management approach certainly runs afoul of IMF austerity regime. The future looks bleak,”he said.
He wondered how the PF government will achieve its macroeconomic objectives for 2016 when it failed to achieve an annual real GDP growth rate of 5.0% last year.
“Take for instance the macroeconomic objectives for 2016. First, his government has failed to achieve an annual real GDP growth rate of 5.0 percent. In 2015, GDP shrunk by US$4.9 billion, and is set to sink further by about US$3.3 billion by the end of 2016; government has failed to increase domestic revenue mobilization to at least 20.4 percent of GDP from 18.1 percent of GDP projected in 2015. It is unlikely that revenue collections for 2016 will exceed 15 percent; government has failed to reduce the budget deficit to 3.8 percent of GDP from 6.9 percent of GDP projected in 2015.
“Deficit is expected to 10 percent of GDP; government has failed to limit domestic borrowing to 1.2 percent of GDP. Domestic borrowing is in excess of 3 percent of GDP; government has failed to maintain single digit inflation with an end-year target rate of no more than 7.7 percent. Inflation is now hovering around 19%; government has failed to accelerate the diversification of the economy, particularly towards tourism, energy, agriculture and agro-processing as there has been nothing tangible to show for 2016; government has failed to maintain international reserves at no less than 4 months of import cover. The cover is less than three months,” he said.
He also said pronouncements on job creation has been mere rhetoric as there is nothing to show for all the strategies on job creation.
“Government has failed to create employment opportunities through accelerated implementation of programmes such as the Industrialization and Job Creation Strategy and the Youth Empowerment Action Plan. Up to this point in time, these strategies are mere rhetoric as there is nothing tangible to show at the close of 2016,” he said.
Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary, Bright Nundwe, has commended the Cross Border Traders Association (CBTA) for opening an information desk at Nakonde Border Post.
Speaking when he officiated at the launch of CBTA information desk, Mr Nundwe said that Nakonde border is extremely open with numerous undesignated points rendering revenue collection a daunting task.
He said the coming of CBTA information desk must contribute to educating citizens from both Zambia and Tanzania to appreciate crossing the border at designated pointMr Nundwe urge the CBTA information desk to help cross border traders to shift from conducting informal trade to formalised cross border business through sensitisation.
And CBTA Chairman General, Charles Kakoma, said the association is set to supplement government’s effort in curbing smuggling in all border areas of the country.
Mr Kakoma challenged all well-meaning stakeholders to support this initiative as it provides for enhanced trade flow, reduce poverty, and create an enabling environment for collection of statistics which are vital for the government economic planning.
And Nakonde District Council Chairperson, Patrick Mungoi, applauded Tanzanian authorities who came to witness the launch of the information desk by CBTA.
Mr Mungoi observed that there is need to sensitise both Zambia and Tanzanian traders on the importance of the information desk that will operate at the border.
He has since appealed to the Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry to devise a mechanism with Zambia Revenue Authority (RZA) to see to it that small scale traders do their business in a more user-friendly manner.
Former National Treasure of MMD Elizabeth Chitika has involved a road accident after she tried to run away from the MMD Task Force in charge of collecting party vehicles.
The Task force tried to impound the car she is alleged to have been illegally using since the convention that saw the coming in of a new MMD National Executive Committee (NEC) under the leadership of Felix Mutati who is now Finance Minister under PF and Raphael Nakacinda.
Ms Chitika who had refused to return the two vehicles she got when she was still Party National Treasure was cornered at UNZA research center in Chadliegh area as she headed home around 14 hours yesterday.
She ,however, managed to force her way out and drove up to Kaunda Square in Munali area, where she hit into a reversing canter loaded with sand.
Ms Chitika who escaped the accident without any injury was taken to PHI Police where she was detained for some hours for causing an accident.
The MMD Task Force Chairperson on the collection of party property Mr Dauzen Tembo, said the move will serve as a lesson to all former leaders holding on to party property.
“If they think they can be using our party property to be mobilizing UPND programs they must think again. I found this lady driving our vehicle majestically from ordering things for her shops with a party vehicle, in fact we have heard these people have put our vehicles on ranks,” Mr Tembo said.
Government has hailed the long, stable and mutually beneficial relationship that has existed between government and Barrick Lumwana Mine over the past seven years.
Kalumbila District Commissioner, Robinson Kalota, says the mutual relationship has yielded fruitful achievements that have benefitted people around the mine area.
Speaking during the handover of a K125, 000 Manyama water kiosk to the Manyama community yesterday, Mr Kalota said it is government’s hope that the water supply system will contribute to improved accessibility to portable water for the community.
And in a speech read for him by Sustainability Manager, Christopher Mukala, Barrick Lumwana Mine Senior Corporate Affairs Manager, Nathan Chishimba, said the gesture is the mine’s commitment to improving lives of people in Manyama through the provision of portable water.
Mr Chishimba said Manyama has been confronted with the challenge of inadequate water supply due to the influx of people hence the mine’s decision to put up the kiosk to help address the problem.
Manyama Village Water, Sanitation and Health Education (V-WaSHE) chairperson, Kennedy Mbambe, thanked the mine for the gesture, saying it will not only provide safe drinking water but also reduce the risk of waterborne diseases in the community.
The water kiosk has a 10,000 water storage capacity tank, solar panels and a solar submersible pump.
FILE: Zambia Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda receives a cheque worth of K10 million Eight Hundred Twenty Eight from Zanaco MD Dick Bruce as a 2013 Divedend Payment to Zambia Government; the ceremony took place at the Ministry Boardroom in Lusaka.
Zambia’s largest commercial bank by assets, ZANACO has announced that Mr. Hendrik Gezienus Mulder has been appointed as the Managing Director of the Bank with effect from 1st November 2016.
This follows the retirement of Mr Bruce Dick who left the bank on October 30th 2016.
In a statement, the Board thanked Mr. Dick for his dedicated service to the Bank and in helping shape the new direction that the Bank has embarked upon and wished him the very best in his future endeavors.
The new Managing Director Mr Mulder is the former Managing Director for Rabo Development in the Netherlands.
With a career spanning over 34 years, Mr Mulder is a Law graduate of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and has extensive experience in banking. His functional expertise is in strategic management, credit risk, treasury, investment and retail banking.
He started his career in 1982 at ABN Amro Bank where he served in various roles in the Netherlands, India, Brazil, Indonesia, Colombia, Romania and Saudi Arabia.
He also served at PT Bank Rabobank Indonesia as CEO for five years before joining Rabo Development.
The Board said it is confident Mr. Mulder will further add immeasurable value to the Bank’s new initiatives.
Drug Enforcement Commission
The Drug Enforcement Commission through its Anti-money Laundering Investigations Unit (AMLIU) has arrested a female banker and two of her relatives for money laundering involving over Three Million Kwacha (K3, 000,000).
Jessie Bwalya Kayelata Tapalu, 34, a Banker of Plot No.223/23 Kabangwe in Lusaka has been arrested on counts of fraudulent false accounting, theft by servant, forgery, uttering of false documents and money laundering contrary to the Laws of Zambia.
Also arrested in connection to the money laundering offence are Leo Tapalu, 37, a businessman and husband to Jessie Tapalu of the same abode, and Emely Matongo Mweene, 63, a house wife and the mother-in-law to Jessie Tapalu of Plot No 156180/80 Kamwala South in Lusaka.
It is alleged that Jessie Bwalya Kayelata Tapalu on dates unknown but between 1st May 2014 and September, 2015 jointly and whilst acting together with other persons unknown by virtue of her position as a bank officer at a named commercial bank with intent to defraud did steal money amounting to K3, 069,779.10 from her employers and then made money transfers to her husband Leo Tapalu amounting to K405, 470, to her mother-in-law Emely Matongo Mweene K 314, 830 and other monies to friends and close relatives.
Jessie Tapalu did engage directly or indirectly in money laundering activities by instructing people who were receiving money to deposit the said money into a joint account for her and her husband domiciled at a different bank in Lusaka.
The proceeds of crime that were realised by the accused persons were later used to invest into movable and immovable property such as motor vehicles and buildings which have since been seized as part of money laundering proceeds.
The three accused persons have been released on Police Bond and will appear in Court soon.
This is according to a statement by DEC Spokesperson Theresa Katongo.
