By Isaac Zulu
Charles Kabwita has challenged President Hakainde Hichilema to arrest Shiwang’andu member of parliament Stephen Kampyongo over the fire tenders if he is serious about fighting corruption.
Reacting to President Hichilema’s statements earlier today that the PF government entered into a K2 billion contract on feeder roads with a 20 percent upfront payment with people who had never even held a shovel before, Kabwita charged that the President Hakainde Hichilema has failed to live up to his word on the fight against corruption, except making pronouncements.
“I think PF is clean. President used to talk so much about the fire tenders and Kampyongo. Kampyongo is a member of parliament… he is not dead. I challenge him to arrest Kampyongo. I am giving him 24 hours,” added Kabwata. “100 days plus have passed. Who has Hichilema arrested for corruption? Tell him to work.”
Calling in to Daily Revelation, Kabwita, who is faction NDC interim secretary general, said whilst in opposition President Hichilema promised the Zambian people that the UPND administration would fight corruption once it forms government; but this is not what is currently obtaining on the ground.
“I now feel that Hakainde Hichilema lied to the Zambian people when he said that he will come and fight corruption. He lied to the Zambians with impunity because he knew that Zambians were interested in a person who will come and fight corruption. But Hakainde has proved that he cannot fight corruption,” said Kabwita. “Today he is telling us that ba PF signed for contracts worth billions of Kwacha on a pretext that they were going to do feeder roads and yet that was not the situation. He is the President. Why should he be lamenting like me? I am tired of of his lamentations! It’s like Hichilema does not understand governance. This is not how you run government.”
Kabwita continued.
“Mr President, can you now start to take action. If there are PF officials who are corrupt, the Anti-Corruption Commission is there to prosecute corruption in Zambia. We cannot be going to India to ask for a leeway to have their officials investigate corruption. Corruption is in Zambia and not in India. This cannot continue. The President is on record of having said that he will come and fight corruption. Ninshi batubepelefye ubufi (Does it mean that he just lied to us)?”
Kabwita further charged that, by not taking action against individuals perceived to have been engaging in graft during the PF administration, President Hichilema will lose his relevance.
“The President said there were PF officials that are corrupt. But why is he taking long to take action? He is now losing relevance. I mean, I no longer appreciate statements coming from the UPND and Bally that they are fighting corruption. They are merely talking. The people of Zambia did not elect him to talk! Balamusula! Hakainde should not be crying like a baby… he is the President of this country,” stressed Kabwita. “I am now getting worried. I have now lost hope. Hakainde just lied to us so that Zambians can give him a vote. If I was him; by now everybody that was involved in corruption would have started giving back what they got to the owners – the Zambian people.”
