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President Michael Sata has condemned the recent terrorist attack that killed 39 people near the Nigerian Capital Abuja on Christmas day.
In a letter to his Nigerian counterpart, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Mr. Sata expressed deep sorrow at the untimely demise of people in a terrorist bomb attack.
The President said his government condemns the outrageous and cowardly attacks on the Catholic Church by the radical Muslim sect, Boko Haram which he said is responsible for at least 491 killings this year alone.
This is according to a press statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations George Chellah.
“On behalf of the people of the Republic of Zambia and, indeed on my own behalf, I extend our heartfelt condolences to you, the bereaved families and those injured in the explosion,” the President said.
He assured President Jonathan that Zambia shares the burden of grief and pain with Nigeria and the bereaved families in particular.
‘It is our hope that the Almighty God will give these families comfort and guidance during this period,” Mr. Sata said.
Republican president Michael Sata has urged the people of western province not to resort to confrontation in dealing with issues surrounding the Barotseland agreement.
QFM News reports that President Sata said there is no need for the people of western province to be confrontation as they are on the weaker side.
The President has called for dialogue stating that government is willing to address challenges facing the western province.
The Head of state stated that the underdevelopment in western does not only affect that area, but most parts of the country.
He says government understands the challenges facing the province and is willing to take development to all parts of the country.
President Sata made the remarks when he met officials from Western Province at State House this morning.
And The southern Africa center for the constructive resolutions of disputes SACCORD has called for constructive engagement with the government.
SACCORD information officer Obby Chibuluma says that attacking the government in its first few months of its leadership will not yield anything.
He says that Zambia belongs to all Zambians and that they is need to engage the current leadership on constructive criticism.
And Mr. Chibuluma has observed that it is also important for the current government to quickly rectify problems that might arise. He says that being in government is a challenging matter stating that sometimes government can go in a wrong way.
POLICE Inspector-General, Martin Malama says law enforcers will soon make arrests of politicians and individuals who want to use underhand methods to ascend to power through the formation of an illegal parallel “cabinet” in Western Province.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister, Geoffrey Mwamba has said his ministry has started working closely with security wings to ensure that people planning the secession of Western Province from Zambia were brought to book with minimum delay.
Mr Mwamba said Zambians should be assured that order would be maintained in Western Province because it was part of the unitary State called Zambia.
Mr Mwamba said even though his ministry was not responsible for engaging with individuals breaking the law, the Zambia Army had an interest when it came to people talking about parallel governments as that bordered on the security of the country.
And Dr Malama said people who lost the September 20, 2011 presidential and general elections should realise that there was a new and democratically elected Government in place.
In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Malama said police had covered enough work through the cooperation of the people of Western Province to identify individuals behind plans to form an illegal cabinet, an act which was in breach of the Republican Constitution.
He said Zambia was a unitary State which would not be allowed to collapse into chaos and divisions and that police and other security wings would maintain their duty to protect the Government so that it could concentrate on delivering development for the people.
Dr Malama said a combined team of security wings was on the ground in Western Province and that a comprehensive statement would be issued through the Government soon.
President Michael Sata last week asked the defence and security wings to move in and check some elements in Western Province who were trying to form a State within a State.
Reports received by the President indicated that a prime minister had already been picked for the illegal government.
The Inspector-General said the police had established that the people of Western Province were generally peaceful but were being confused by a clique loyal to some losing candidates in the September 20, 2011 elections.
“They lost the elections because that is democracy and we shall protect the same democracy and the Government which is in place right now. We want the Government to implement development,” Dr Malama said.
“It was illegal in any democracy for losing candidates or sympathisers of losing candidates to sneak into Government through the backdoor,” Dr Malama added.
He said because the people of Western Province were against the illegal formation of a parallel government, they had been giving details about the identity of those planning a parallel government.
The general understanding of the role of the opposition was to propagate alternative policies upon which they could win support and not to form parallel governments.
Dr Malama said while a few individuals wanted to fan trouble in the province, ordinary Zambians in the area were concentrating on economic ventures such as agriculture and fishing because they were not interested in agitation for secession of the province.
FORMER Energy minister Kenneth Konga said he will cooperate with investigative agencies as he is a public figure who should be accountable to the Zambian people.
Mr Konga, who is Chavuma Member of Parliament (MP), said in Lusaka yesterday that he would be available throughout the process and defend himself of any allegations through his lawyer Sakwiba Sikota.
And police have intensified investigations against the former minister, whose hotel and other properties have been seized by law enforcement officers.
Police acting spokesperson Rea Hamoonga said security personnel were on the ground to establish how the Chavuma MP acquired property.
Mr Konga’s lawyer Sakwiba Sikota on Monday said the action on his client was a witch-hunt because the former minister was capable of raising money to buy property.
He said Mr Konga had been MP in Chavuma Constituency since 2006 and was entitled to a car loan from the National Assembly.
On reports that police also seized a farm in Chavuma, Mr Konga said he had never owned a farm in Chavuma.
Mr Konga on Monday appeared before a team of security officers in Lusaka’s Woodlands area where he was questioned in connection with the source of funds used to buy three motor vehicles, including a Hummer.
Mr Konga’s luxurious hotel, located near the Railway Systems of Zambia station in Lusaka, was seized under the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Act to facilitate investigations on corruption.
Other properties seized were semi-detatched flats in Kabulonga and a bulldozer in Makeni.
He was warned and cautioned for abuse of authority of office.
Other former leaders under probe are former president Rupiah Banda over the Mpundu Trust account that is alleged to hold US$1million, former Finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane, from whose residence 1,000 bicycles were seized.
The police have also questioned former Zambian high commissioner to Canada Nevers Mumba.
Dr Mumba is believed to have solicited for $122,000 from the giant mining company, Barrick Gold purportedly to finance a cultural event while he served as head of the mission in Toronto.
PRESIDENT Sata has relieved Secretary to Cabinet Joshua Kanganja of his duties following the expiry of his contract on November 30. Mr Sata commended Dr Kanganja for his valuable service to the nation during the time he served as Secretary to Cabinet.
In a letter dated December 20, 2011, President Sata told Dr Kanganja that should need arise, the State will call on him for his services. And Dr Kanganja confirmed the expiry of his contract and said he leaves the public service a happy man.
“I did my part to the best of my ability. I believe everything I did was for the good of the country,” Dr Kanganja said. He said in an interview yesterday that he is one of the privileged Zambians to have served under all four republican presidents.
Dr Kanganja said he has served the public service since he left university. He has written to President Sata to thank him for the opportunity to serve under his administration.
Dr Kanganja first served under First Republican President Kenneth Kaunda as permanent secretary and was appointed High Court judge in 1989, a position he declined.
He also served under President Frederick Chiluba as permanent secretary at the Public Service Management Division before he took over as Secretary to Cabinet from Mr Lesley Mbula in 2004.
Dr Kanganja said he served a big team and added that “not everyone is a Saint’. He said he received a lot of support from the public service and unions during his time as Secretary to Cabinet.
Dr Kanganja said the public service has a lot of experienced people he has left behind who will continue where he has left off.
“There are a lot of experienced civil servants who I believe will carry on from where I have left. I believe the public service has a good future,” he said.
Inspector General of Police Martin Malama: To issue Statement on Tuesday
INSPECTOR-GENERAL of Police Martin Malama says more former leaders will soon start appearing in court over the corruption cases under investigation. Dr Malama said in an interview yesterday that the police are grateful for the patience exhibited by members of the public since the investigations started.
“We understand the concern about delays in prosecuting the matters, which is genuine. There are many cases and some of them will be in court soon,” Dr Malama said in an interview yesterday.
He said police will not take the patience for granted, adding that the investigations have not been about parading people in the media.
He said all the people who have been investigated will be subjected to the criminal justice system, as and when evidence is available.
A combined team of law enforcement officers has interrogated former Finance and National Planning minister Situmbeko Musokotwane, former Mines and Minerals Development Minister Maxwell Mwale and former Education Minister Dora Siliya.
The team is made up of officers from the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Zambia Police.
The team has also interviewed former Labour and Social Security Minister Austin Liato and former Energy and Water Development Minister Kenneth Konga.
Mr Liato and former DEC chief Aaron Zulu are the only ones who have appeared in court. Mr Liato made headlines when K2 billion was dug from a concrete slab at his farm in Mumbwa and Mr Konga was warned and cautioned over the weekend concerning a number of properties he owns.
Mr Zulu is linked to the gold scam, in which gold, forfeited to the state following a court case, was sold to a Swiss national.
Zambia’s former High Commissioner to Canada Nevers Mumba has also been interrogated.
Lusaka lawyer Sakwiba Sikota, who is representing all former leaders under investigation, has called the investigations a ‘fishing expedition’.
Police have summoned former president Rupiah Banda’s spokesperson Dickson Jere and some Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) senior officials over the sale of gold to a Swiss national and some bicycles left over from the election campaign.
The DEC in July 2011 privately auctioned off seized gold to a Swiss official, at a whopping US$4 million. The gold was believed to have been undervalued.
Mr Jere was summoned over allegations that he helped to single-source the buyers of the gold. He reported to the team on Monday October 17, 2011.
In 2007, the DEC seized 119 kilogrammes of gold worth over US$7 million at the Lusaka International Airport (now Kenneth Kaunda International Airport) from two Zimbabwean nationals who tried to evade sanctions against Zimbabwe and attempted to re-export the gold through Zambia.
Former President Levy Mwanawasa moved former minister of Home Affairs Ronnie Shikapwasha to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting when it emerged that he had shown interest in buying the gold at “disposal value”.
The team also summoned Likolo Ndalamei, the former Secretary to Treasury, who authorised the sale of the forfeited gold.
Investigators have searched various homes and offices of senior MMD officials close to former President Rupiah Banda.
The team conducted a day-long search on the offices of Henry Banda, president Rupiah Banda’s son. Henry was a key figure in the MMD campaign before the September 2011 presidential and general elections, won by Mr MichaelSata.
Although Henry held no official position in the MMD Presidential Campaign Committee headed by prominent politician Dr Boniface Kawimbe, police believe he played a significant role in the sourcing of campaign funds for the MMD.
The team also confiscated 49 bicycles and two motor vehicles, a Toyota Dyna and Toyota Hilux, from MMD deputy national chairman Kabinga Pande’s home in Makeni.
Police seized over 1,000 bicycles from Dr Musokotwane’s home in Makeni.
And Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) president Reuben Lifuka says revelations of an ‘increased’ number of corruption and abuse of office cases involving former leaders vindicates his organisation which resisted the removal of the abuse of office clause by the former administration for self-preservation purposes.
Mr Lifuka said in Lusaka yesterday that the move was ‘a self-serving measure’ which in fact legalised abuse of office and shielded the offenders.
He was commenting on the increasing list of senior officials in the Rupiah Banda administration that has sucked in the former President himself and his close aides.
Mr. Lifuka said his organisation had vehemently opposed the removal of the clause for fear of wanton and unabated abuses and has called for authorities to cast their net wider and leave no stone unturned as they step up their investigations.
“The conduct of former cabinet ministers who have been caught up in conflict of interest cases should be investigated and appropriate measures taken. It is evident that other ministers could have used their positions of authority to cut deals for companies in which they were shareholders,” Mr. Lifuka said.
He cited the case of former Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane as an example saying clearly, more ministers are likely to have abused their positions of authority.
Mr. Lifuka said Dr Musokotwane’s actions were clear breach of Zambian law.
Mr Lifuka said Dr Musokotwane has not disputed the fact that he is a director of ZamBuild Investment Ltd – a company that supplied concrete building blocks to Varun Beverages, a company he admitted having authorised to take a K10.8 billion tax holiday or deferment.
TIZ is disturbed by Dr Musokotwane’s reaction that there was ‘no conflict of interest’ because he is just a shareholder and not in management of a company that supplied building blocks to Varun, a company he awarded a tax deferment.
“This conflict of interest does not become any lighter simply because he is just a shareholder and not in management. As a shareholder, it is in his interest that the company operates in an ethical manner and does not get involved in deals which drag his name into disrepute. The law is clear, the former minister should have formally written to the authorities declaring private or personal interest in the matter,” Mr Lifuka said.
Mr Lifuka said Dr Musokotwane, as a public officer who was instrumental in providing necessary support to Varun Beverages to invest in Zambia, should not have taken advantage of his unique position to conduct business with the same company.
He said it is important for Government to institute measures to strengthen the Parliamentary and Ministerial Code of Conduct Act and ensure that all declarations of assets and liabilities by the Vice-President, Cabinet Ministers and members of Parliament, are verified and all false declarations are penalised.
“It is clear that the definition of misconduct of elected public officials in the Act is limited and should be broadened,” Mr Lifuka said.
Mr Lifuka also urged Government to immediately institute measures to operationalise the Public Interest Disclosure (protection of whistle-blowers) Act.
“We are very confident that there are numerous whistle-blowers out there who are aware of the several indiscretions of the past administration and can provide useful leads to investigative agencies,” he said.
ANYONE calling for dialogue over the Barotseland Agreement is pushing an open door because Government has already instituted measures to find a lasting solution to the issue, Minister of Justice Sebastian Zulu said in Lusaka yesterday.
Mr Zulu said in an interview that the commission of inquiry which Government constituted on the Mongu killings has concluded its work and will soon present its findings to Government.
“Those calling for talks over the Barotseland issue are pushing an open door because Government is already looking into it through the inquiry that was appointed,” Mr Zulu said.
He said the commission has finished its work and is already compiling it before it is presented to President Sata.
“Government will find a way forward when the report is ready, so I don’t see any reason why anyone should say Government must dialogue,” Mr Zulu said.
He said the commission, which had been receiving views from members of the public, will recommend possible solutions to the Barotseland issue.
Foundation for Democratic Process executive director MacDonald Chipenzi has urged President Sata to call for a tripartite meeting on the Barotseland Agreement.
He said there should be a meeting involving the Litunga, former president Kenneth Kaunda and Mr Sata.
Mr Chipenzi said this in the wake of revelations by President Sata that a group of people in Western Province is attempting to form its own State within Zambia.
POLITICIAN Cosmo Mumba has advised elder brother Nevers to reconsider his political aspirations, saying many citizens do not subscribe to the values of the MMD.
Cosmo, who is National Revolutionary Party president, has also distanced his party and himself from the activities of Dr Mumba.
“I wish to distance our party from the political aspirations and activities of Dr Mumba, whose major objective is to rescue the MMD from its comatose,” Cosmo said at a press briefing at Taj Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka yesterday.
He charged that the MMD’s ‘distorted’ vision in the last 20 years the party had been in power only managed to kill the country’s economic aspirations.
He said Dr Mumba will have to rewrite the rules of political prophecy for him to resuscitate the MMD.
“The challenge is that Dr Mumba and his colleagues in the MMD tap into the same belief system and yet are members of different spiritual constituencies. Their world views are conditioned by different systems, deadly certainties and mystical orientations,” Cosmo said.
He said it is unrealistic for Dr Mumba, who has been out of the country for over two years, to just come back and venture into politics. Dr Mumba was Zambia’s High Commissioner to Canada until recently.
“To the contrary, we recall President Sata’s pledge to govern the nation based on the 10 commandments of the Old Testament. We hereby advise Dr Mumba to carefully scrutinise his facts to avoid the many errors of judgment he has exhibited in the three short months he has been out of his job as High Commissioner to Canada,” Cosmo said.
He said his party supports the establishment of the technical committee on drafting the republican constitution which will incorporate and reflect economic objectives, strategies and priorities which will be in tandem with national development plans.
He called on political parties to reflect on why they lost the elections and allow the PF to implement their manifesto.
Cosmo said his party will support the PF, adding that the ruling party has delivered on its promises to reduce the price of fuel and increase the tax threshold.
“The PF has inspired hope and confidence in the people by demonstrating its vision with practical policy options,” he said.
Cosmo also said former vice-president George Kunda is not the best person to champion human rights in the country. He accused Mr Kunda of showing no respect for the rule of law as “he only supported Rupiah Banda.”
“We wish to warn George Kunda and his surrogates that the people who voted for the PF are watching him,” he said. He also welcomed the ratification of Mutembo Nchito and Musa Mwenye as Director of Public Prosecutions and Solicitor-General, respectively.
Cosmo said his party will advise the PF constructively and quietly when it makes a mistake. He said he will work with the PF government in whatever capacity. He said current investigations into the alleged corrupt activities of former leaders in the previous administration must be extended to journalist Chanda Chimba, Committee of Citizens executive director Gregory Chifire, New Generation Party president Humphrey Siulapwa and Evangelical Youth Alliance pastor Moses Lungu.
Cosmo called on the people of the Western Province to be patient with the PF government, saying President Sata is yet to study the report by the Roger Chongwe commission of inquiry into the January killings in Mongu.
Meanwhile, THE MMD has started the process of appointing an eight-member committee to organise an extraordinary convention to elect former President Rupiah Banda’s successor.
The committee will include party national secretary Richard Kachingwe and national treasurer Mwansa Mbulakulima.
In an interview yesterday, MMD deputy national secretary Chembe Nyangu clarified that the former ruling party has not yet appointed the committee but is in the process of doing so.
“This committee will have men and women who are concerned about the welfare of the party. We want people who will perform and not individuals who do not have the interest of the party at heart. We feel that more women should be on the committee because we believe that they are good performers,” Mr Nyangu said.
He said the extraordinary convention will be held in accordance with the MMD constitution to avoid litigation.
He said other members of the committee will be named after consultations are concluded.
“We will hold the convention as soon as all logistics are in place and we hope to do that soon,” Mr Nyangu said.
On December 17, 2011, MMD spokesperson Dora Siliya announced that the MMD national executive committee (NEC) resolved that the party would go for a convention to elect the party president.
“Initially, we had allowed to field a new president through NEC after President Rupiah Banda announced soon after the elections that he wanted to retire. But the full NEC meeting has agreed that we should pick the president at the extraordinary convention,” Ms Siliya said.
FORMER Finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane should have declared interest in a transaction in which his company supplied blocks for construction of the Varun Beverages plant in Lusaka.
Justice Minister, Sebastian Zulu said the former minister should not have allowed a company in which he had interest to engage in a transaction with Varun, the producer of Pepsi drinks.
Mr Zulu said this in reaction to revelations that ZamBuild Investments Limited, in which Dr Musokotwane is a shareholder, supplied blocks for the construction of Varun Beverages in the industrial area.
He said the transaction raised issues of morality of a public officer, who was in charge of the Ministry of Finance and National Planning at the time Varun was getting established in Zambia.
And Patriotic Front (PF) national youth chairperson, Chishimba Kambwili has said revelations that Dr Musokotwane’s company supplied blocks for construction of the Pepsi plant in Lusaka showed that there was ‘recklessness’ in the handling of public affairs during the MMD administration.
Mr Kambwili, who is Foreign Affairs Minister, has since advised Dr Musokotwane to resign as Liuwa Member of Parliament (MP) on moral grounds.
He said the former minister should have declared interest in the matter given that he was Finance minister at the time Varun was getting established in Zambia.
“My only advice to Dr Musokotwane is that he should resign as MP because his hands are soiled. Law makers should be above board and as such, it will only be good if he resigns on moral grounds,” Mr Kambwili said in an interview.
Dr Musokotwane said ZamBuild could have supplied the bricks because they were of high quality and that he was only a shareholder in the company.
THE Government has advised former Republican president Rupiah Banda to choose between clinging on to the MMD presidency and losing out on his emoluments.
Chief Government spokesperson, Given Lubinda said Mr Banda should stop ‘shedding crocodile tears’ because he had an option of choosing between remaining in active politics or retiring so that he could access his benefits.
Mr Lubinda said it was a pity that despite being a president of Zambia for three years, Mr Banda could not correctly interpret the Benefits of Former Presidents Act.
The Act states that a former president who engages in active politics cannot be deemed to have retired, hence his benefits could not be paid.
Mr Banda on Sunday said it was not fair for the Government to discontinue paying him his emoluments, insisting that he was not involved in active politics.
He said he was merely holding on to the MMD presidency to facilitate a smooth transition while the former ruling party prepared to hold its extraordinary convention in April next year.
However, Mr Lubinda said it was shocking that Mr Banda could not interpret such a simple and clear law concerning his emoluments.
“He has to choose whether to give up politics and get his benefits or remain as president of the MMD and lose out because that is what the law stipulates.”
Veteran politician Vernon Mwaanga has observed that the fight against corruption embarked upon by the Patriotic Front government is on the right track.
Mr Mwaanga says the government has started well, stating that he is happy with the Michael Sata led government.
Mr. Mwaanga has however advised the government to ensure that people accused of corruption are not tried in the public but are taken to court to answer charges.
He says the situation where people are being prosecuted in the media should not be allowed.
He has further hoped that those who have embarked on the fight against corruption will themselves not be found wanting once they left there term in office.
And Chisamba MMD Member of Parliament and aspiring presidential candidate Moses Muteteka has applauded the Patriotic Front government for the stance it has taken on corruption.
In an interview with QFM, Mr. Muteteka says corruption must not be allowed to flourish in the country as it inhibits development.
Mr. Muteteka says he fully supports the stance by government adding that no stone should be left unturned on the crusade.
The Parliamentarian has further explained that fighting corruption should be broad based and not only targeted at perceived political opponents.
He says government should allow law enforcement agencies to carry out their investigations professionally without interference if the crusade is going to yield positive results.
Zambia’s 2012 Africa Cup Group C opponents Senegal have named their final 23-man team for the tournament.
Senegal will face Zambia in the two sides opening Group A match on January 21 in Bata, Equatorial Guinea.
Amara Traore’s team will have 7 strikers led by Demba Ba of Newcastle United in England.
The team will only have two home-based players both of them
goalkeepers.
They are Khadim Ndiaye from ASC Linguere and Pape Latyr Ndiaye of Ouakam.
Team:
Goalkeepers: Khadim Ndiaye (ASC Linguere), Bouna Coundoul (New York Red Bulls, USA), Pape Latyr Ndiaye (Ouakam)
The decision by Times of Zambia managing director Mr Godfrey Malama to demote some editors at Times of Zambia newspaper can only be regarded as witch-hunt and interference by the PF government in the affairs of public media.
It is not true that what information minister Given Lubinda says that the PF government will not interfere in the operations of the public media. This is happening day in and day out because Given is always giving instructions to the public media companies.
We were told that all those journalists who were pro-MMD at Times of Zambia will be fired. But the PF government has failed to fire them and gave instructions to Mr Godfrey Malama to demote them which is a shame.
Those who have been affected are Mr Enock Ngoma who was features editor and has been demoted to become assistant news editor to Mr Chishimba Chishimba who is now the new news editor who was once a reporter when Mr Enock Ngoma was news editor at one time.
Another person who has been affected in the exercise of with-hunt is Mr Charles Simengwa who was news editor but has not been demoted to be production editor which is similar to a position of assistant news editor.
The former assistant news editor Melody Mwala Chansa who was also regarded to be close to the MMD cadres has been taking to a new position which is not in the company hierarchy as assistant features editor in charge of entertainment.
Mr Ben Phiri who was dropped as business editor for incompetence has again been promoted to the same position. Instead of confirming Mr Michael Simbayi who was acting as Sunday Times Editor after Mr Austin Chongo retired Mr Malama has appointed Mr V. Mwansa to become Sunday Times Editor. This man is also not competent to be a full editor.
We don’t know what will now happen to Mr Patrick Phiri who was assistant political editor after they dissolved the section. The political editor Bob Siajalika has been given a post as assistant features editor under Miss Margret Mangani who has now been appointed features editor after many years of being ignored. This appoint is welcome.
The painful thing is that Mr Malama has only made changes to the editorial section when all other sections should be touched in one way or another.
We can assure Mr Malama that his close links to Mr Billy Wamundila to advise him on changes in editorial will make him fail. Mr Wamundila has misled the former Managing director mr John Phiri and he should be careful with this man in his dealings.
We also appeal to Mr Malama to do his work in a professional manner because by targeting some of the people his thinks were not with PF, he is wasting his time.
We are also doubting the value which Mr Malama’s number 2 Mr Nicky Shabolyo has brought to Times Printpak when he failed as a reporter at Zambia Daily Mail and engaged himself in public replations work. He has lost reality in the media sector.
We are a few days away from 2012 . 2011 has seen an improvement in the quality of Zambian music videos. They have been more creative and the general production value has increased . A good number of them are shown on Channel O and MTV BASE .
here are some of the best videos of the year , in no particular order ;
SLAP D LOOKING FOR LOVE
PAUL DA PRINCE FT MR.MIYAGI -BEST OF ME
MUTINTA STATE OF AFFAIRS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLThSsIMFDw JK- NAFIKILISHA
FORMER Minister of Energy and Water Development Kenneth Konga’s multi-billion Kwacha hotel under construction near Kamwala in Lusaka, which Police have seized
KENNETH Konga is the latest former Cabinet minister in the MMD government to be in police books after being warned and cautioned over a multi-billion Kwacha hotel under construction near Kamwala, a semi-detached flat in Kabulonga and mining equipment in Makeni.
The former Minister of Energy and Water Development in the Rupiah Banda administration is the owner of the plush hotel on plot 30778, Dedan Kimathi Road, near the Inter-City Bus Terminus, a bulldozer G9G parked at a private property on Makeni road, and a semi-detached flat on plot 50E, Sable Road in Kabulonga.
The current selling price of a brand new G9G bulldozer is US$1,000,000 (K5 billion) and the used models are approximately US$425,000 (over K 2.1 billion) exclusive of tax.
Police have seized the properties.
Police spokesperson Elizabeth Kanjela confirmed yesterday that Mr Konga was cautioned in relation to abuse of authority contrary to Section 99 Sub-Section 1 of the laws of Zambia.
And police in North-Western Province have confiscated assorted goods worth millions of Kwacha from Mr Konga’s home in Chavuma.
North-Western police commissioner Eugene Sibote disclosed this to journalists at a press briefing in Solwezi yesterday, saying the goods are suspected to have been unlawfully acquired.
In the Lusaka incident, Ms Kanjela said a combined team of officers will continue with its investigations regarding Mr Konga’s property.
Mr Konga, who is MMD Chavuma member of Parliament, was earlier quizzed by a combined team of law enforcement officers at the former Task Force on Corruption offices in Woodlands Extension in Lusaka.
He was accompanied to the Task Force offices by his lawyer ,Sakwiba Sikota.
When contacted, Mr Konga could neither deny nor confirm the seizure of his properties but referred the query to his lawyer. However, Mr Sikota said his client was being questioned over a Hummer vehicle that was bought for him by Parliament.
“It’s sad that police are pursuing him over a vehicle bought by Parliament and it’s up to you to decide whether it is a witch-hunt or not,” Mr Sikota said before he cut the line.
Meanwhile, Mr Sibote said all the items confiscated from Mr Konga’s Chavuma home are believed to belong to the former minister. “We got information that certain items were hidden in Chavuma and following the reports, our officers went there and conducted a search of certain premises where those goods were hidden,” he said.
Mr Sibote said the officers managed to retrieve 55 sewing machines, 14 boxes containing pieces for tables, 22 boxes containing pieces for stands, eight motor bikes, 80 bicycles and 135 boxes each containing 50 small winding radios.
He said the recovery of items was part of the on-going investigations which the PF government instituted after assuming power in September. “The goods are enroute to Lusaka. That is why we haven’t off-loaded them. I just wanted my officers to rest a bit before proceeding,” he said.
Mr Sibote said some of the items were recovered from Mr Konga’s home while others had been hidden at the premises of a Mr Mukwato, a local businessman. He said Mr Mukwato’s premises were allegedly hired by the former minister.
“The items are in two police trucks and two Land Cruisers which are full to capacity,” Mr Sibote said. He said police officers were dispatched to Chavuma on Friday and got the items on Saturday before returning to Solwezi on Sunday.
The trucks have been parked at Solwezi Central Police Station. A host of former ministers in the Banda administration have now visited security offices to explain their new-found wealth as the new PF government prioritises the corruption fight in a country that is potentially rich but whose wealth rarely trickles down to the masses.
President Sata has vowed to U-turn the mismanagement of the country’s resources, starting by cracking a whip on former leaders alleged to have looted State coffers.
