By Agness Changala
Corruption activist Reuben Lifuka says President Hakainde Hichilema cannot be seen to be applying double standards in dealing with allegations of impropriety or corruption involving his ministers.
And Lifuka has called on the government to urgently present a bill in the next sitting of Parliament, to revise and amend the Parliamentary and Ministerial Code of Conduct Act to expand its scope, provide for verification of all assets and incomes declarations, introduce a stiffer sanction regime for any violations, as well as extend the coverage of the law to include lifestyle audits.
Meanwhile, Lifuka says the allegations of impropriety made against Kakubo, are not only worrying but concerning that the UPND government leaders are seemingly taking the same path as their predecessors where personal and illicit enrichment was prioritized over all other matters.
Commenting on the resignation of Kakubo following his alleged involvement in illegal acquisition of cash and property on Tuesday, Lifuka said the exposes of scandal and impropriety on the part of some serving ministers and senior government officials should serve as an acid test of President Hichilema’s resolve or lack thereof, to comprehensively address political and public corruption.
He further said President Hichilema cannot afford to dither in these matters, but that he has to take decisive and timely action to stem the growing propensity for wrongdoing among some of his ministers, senior government officials and even his own Members of Parliament.
“He cannot be seen to be applying double standards in dealing with allegations of impropriety or corruption involving his minister. The sad culture of “it is our turn to eat” will be the undoing of the UPND. The buck stops at President Hichilema’s desk to talk less and crack the whip-clear the deck if need be of all bad eggs,” he said. “President Hichilema should not be seen to be keeping in office those who have elected to serve personal interests and invest more time in deal making as opposed to addressing the myriad of challenges that the people face.
“It is equally timely that the government urgently presents a bill in the next sitting of parliament, to revise and amend the Parliamentary and Ministerial Code of Conduct Act to expand its scope, provide for verification of all assets and incomes declarations, introduce a stiffer sanction regime for any violations and extend the coverage of the law to include lifestyle audits.”
He further said, the revised law should update and provide for an expanded Conflict of Interest regime- clearly, as matters stand, few if any of the cabinet ministers, whose private companies have dealings with the government even declare such conflict of interests.
Lifuka also said the former minister’s resignation gives him an opportunity to mount his defence without the encumbrance of holding public office.
He also said the resignation should serve an opportunity for investigative agencies to probe any associated wrongdoings in his dealings.
“Hon Kakubo’s matter should not end with his resignation but should serve as an opportunity for the investigative agencies to probe any associated wrongdoings in his dealings. He is equally free to use this opportunity to mount his defence without the encumbrance of holding public office,” Lifuka said.
He said Zambians expected a turnaround from the dark days of corruption and it was disappointing to hear of such exposes which suggested that corruption was well and alive under the UPND administration.
Lifuka said while Kakubo’s decision to resign was welcome, there are questions abound which needed urgent answers.
He said the allegations of impropriety made against Kakubo, are not only worrying but concerning that the UPND government leaders are seemingly taking the same disastrous path trodden by their predecessors where personal and illicit enrichment was prioritized over all other matters.
Lifuka said in the case of Hon Kakubo, while his decision to resign from his ministerial position was welcome, there were questions abound which needed urgent answers.
“It has to be said that there has been an apparent acquiescence by successive heads of state from 1991 onwards, for serving Cabinet ministers, while maintaining a full time position in Cabinet, to equally engage in their own private business activities,” he said. “It will be pretentious to argue against what individual Cabinet ministers including senior government leaders, do in their free time, or even try to regulate or prohibit that- these individuals should be at liberty to run legitimate business and pay relevant taxes, and most importantly, declare all assets, incomes and liabilities arising from these different economic activities.”
Lifuka said the problem however, lies with how some decisions made in such private business dealings negatively impact on the standing of individuals who also serve as Cabinet ministers or senior government officials and the operation of the government.
“For example, a minister or government official who acts crookedly in his private dealings cannot be expected to assume a different personality of a clean ethical leader in public office. This really will be expecting fish to fry itself. This is the ethical dilemma that Hon Kakubo finds himself in- his private dealings have made him fall on his sword in his official capacity as Minister,” said Lifuka.
