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President Hakainde Hichilema’s action to dissolve the ACC board is a ruse aimed at covering up a bigger crime, not fighting corruption says Citizens First president Harry Kalaba.
Mr. Kalaba said if the ACC is as ‘rotten’ as President Hichilema believes to the extent that it warrants total dissolution, it must say a lot about the character of the President himself since it falls under his office.
“When Mr Hichilema assumed the presidency, he acted with haste to place the ACC and DEC among other crucial offices under his direct supervision,” Mr. Kalaba said, “the reason he did so was to ensure total clean oversight so if the institutions are corrupt, it means the President is either corrupt himself or complicit to the corruption.”
Mr. Kalaba said he is certain, “nothing happens, goes in and out of ACC or DEC, without President Hichilema knowing. Therefore, forcing the DG Thom Shamakamba to quit and dissolving the Musa Mwenye led board is cosmetic and grandstanding perhaps he is hiding something.”
The former Minister of Foreign Affairs said, “If President Hichilema wants to prove to Zambians that he is serious about fighting corruption he must do the following in three simple words—declare his assets.”
Mr. Kalaba said short of declaring his assets as called for by the citizens and the US Embassy, the head of state is paying lip service to the corruption fight.
“Mr Hichilema is playing to the gallery. There is NO way Mr Hichilema will fight corruption without declaring his assets and opening himself up to greater checks and balances…it’s a total mockery to tell Zambians and the western donor community that you are fighting graft when you are hiding your assets.”
Man up and declare your assets,” Mr. Kalaba urged.
The CF President expressed suspicion that Mr Hichilema decided to sack the only ´whistleblowing´ board which sends fears to other oversight bodies such as DEC that they will be dissolved if they blow the whistle.
He said constituting a new board is like, “covering bandage on a festering wound, it doesn’t treat the wound and in this case without declaring his assets, Mr. Hichilema is like the wound himself.”
Mr. Kalaba said the graft that has been exposed in ACC is but a tip of the ice berg that reflects the leadership of the office of the president because the commission falls under him.
He added that in terms of diversion and saving face, the cosmetic dissolution of the board is effective but does not fool many astute and intelligent Zambians. Why dissolve a ´whistle blowing board?.”
“Why throw Dr. O´Brien Kaaba under the bus instead of giving him a medal? What message is the President sending to whistle-blowers?”
I’ve said it here before that wholesale decisions aren’t a mark of good leadership. Muchima recently revoked the land agency of Kafue council because of a problem in a small area of the entire district. HH has dissolved the whole Board of the ACC just because Shamakamba has been accused of receiving kickbacks and shielding people he’s supposed to arrest. Why can’t that problem be isolated and dealt with? Whom is he trying to deceive? We want Shamakamba and his cohorts arrested. Don’t shield them like you’ve done with kidnappers of Jay Jay Banda
You can moderate but the truth still remains the same.
Indeed.
Lusaka Times is now muzzling us.
Afraid that the truth we speak will hurt.
Why did the president decide to bring the ACC under his direct supervision? So can he also take blame for the corruption going on at the ACC? Is he not the supervising officer?
El Chapo.There is nothing wrong with a President dissolving an entire board he himself appointed if he later finds it questionable. That acts to maintain your own integrity.
The declaration of assets issue has already been dealt with and is a dead issue even among the embassies you talk about.You however, are a “person of interest” by the same foreign embassies because of your business association with members of the Mnangagwa circle
Why did he move the ACC to sa be reporting to him? Now he has failed to supervise it. Infact it is shows how the president himself is involved in the corruption.
L0yd.All investigative wings are under the executive (the Presidency) of governments.It doesnt matter which building they are located in.
Only those formed under the constitution like ZP fall directly under the president. Those formed by Acts of Parliament like ACC, DEC & RTSA don’t and that’s why they have Boards. When it comes to law enforcement, Zambia Police is superior to all these because its existence is enshrined in the Constitution
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I’ve said it here before that wholesale decisions aren’t a mark of good leadership. Muchima recently revoked the land agency of Kafue council because of a problem in a small area of the entire district. HH has dissolved the whole Board of the ACC just because Shamakamba has been accused of receiving kickbacks and shielding people he’s supposed to arrest. Why can’t that problem be isolated and dealt with? Whom is he trying to deceive? We want Shamakamba and his cohorts arrested. Don’t shield them like you’ve done with kidnappers of Jay Jay
upnd cannot continue ukushinga butter on pipo’s faces. Pipo can see through you chaps & your end will be bad. Bitterness & vengeance always lose
Iwe ka Harry Kalaba walaba, can you tell us what happened to Sata in that hotel in New York when you took a literally dying man to address the UN? Ulindoshi wena Kalaba.
Boss declare your assets 2. Yes it is your prevue to dissolve any Board you constituted but have a plan B quickly replace do not leave a vacuum as is the case in Central Province who is the Minister or you have forgotten too much pressure?..when is your next trip for shopping abroad? Have a good Friday we are in Black
Did you guys expect 7 years of rampant corruption under PF and Lungu to be eradicated withing 3 years.
Corruption is part your average Zambian DNA.
Most Zambians and other Africans natural instinct is to steal, lie, cheat and this ultimately leads to corruption.
This is the reason that your countries are dirt poor.
Kalaba with his track record is no one to talk.
President Hichilema is trying but he has an uphill task.
Corruption is practiced daily at different levels, just go to that Polic check point on Mumbwa road just 30 km out of town and see the tonnes of money that change hands with no receipts issued between motorists and bandits in uniform
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