By Patson Chilemba
Stephen Kampyongo has told the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to call Sylvia Masebo to exonerate herself over fresh remarks by TFM Holdings executive chairman Mcebisi Mlonzi that the health minister has failed to sue him 11-months after she threatened to do so over bribery allegations.
Speaking with Daily Revelation on TFM Holdings executive director Mcebisi Mlonzi who said his allegations against Health minister Masebo are true as 11-months after she threatened to sue him for alleging that she solicited R2 million bribe and a Mercedes Benz in order for him to win the $100 million contract to construct hospitals, Kampyongo said the failure to call Masebo to exonerate herself is the reason why Zambians are questioning the genuineness of the fight against corruption under President Hakainde Hichilema.
He wondered why it should
be so difficult for senior public officials in President Hichilema’s government to exonerate themselves before law enforcement agencies, when it was easier to do so during Edgar Lungu’s administration.
“You are trying to show that these ones can’t make themselves available. I think that is where the problem is. Because as it is no one is above the law. We are all subject to the same laws,” the Shiwang’andu member of parliament and former Home Affairs minister said. “So basically the only way they could close this matter up is to get to hear Mr Mlonzi on hand and hear the minister so that she exonerates herself, and the other gentleman also. Because you see things like this don’t go off by wind. They never go off by wind.”
He argued that the silence from the ACC, one year after the allegations were made, goes to show how the investigative wings were treating whistleblowers, wondering how they would fight corruption if they were being selective in the manner they treat whistleblowers.
“You have got someone volunteering information, very strongly so and you ignore it. So at what point does it become valuable to pursue information that comes from whistleblowers?” Kampyongo asked.
He said the challenge from Mlonzi for Masebo to sue him shows that the business executive feels strongly about his allegations, and that the ones who should have taken interest even before the minister, were the law enforcement agencies.
“The allegations are bordering on abuse of office, bordering on corrupt activities, so why are these agencies quiet? Why don’t they call Mlonzi and find out what it is he is talking about? Because daring the minister to sue him is just one thing, he is just saying look, I am ready for this,” Kampyongo said. “But then if he is ready for this and the minister is not ready to sue him, what happens next?”
Daily Revelation has made efforts to talk to the minister herself but she had a bereavement in the family, but ACC is yet to respond to a Daily Revelation query, given the surprise from Mlonzi that the ACC has shown no interest in following up on the matter one year after his company filed the complaint with the commission.
Speaking to the same issue, Kampyongo said that was where the problem lies, wondering if the ACC was going to exhibit the same inertia if it were a former minister being accused in this manner.
“These are things that you should probe. The man has made his point and he is saying look, here I am, approach me. I will avail you all the necessary information and people are holding back. And you hear people saying that there is a selective fight in all these vices,” Kampyongo said. “Probably this is the reason why people are skeptical about the genuineness in the fight against these vices.”
Kampyongo said if not too long ago, the ACC was able to visit serving ministers, he does not understand why it should be a problem now, referring to Chishimba Kambwili whose cases he said have not been proved up to now, including arrests against Dr Chitalu Chilufya and Ronald Chitotela.
He said the opposition have done whatever is required to make Masebo accountable.
“No one would be pleased to be going for questioning whilst they are serving but they were compliant. They were cooperative. And the President said, look until they are proven otherwise let them continue serving,” said Kampyongo. “And so it could be done the same way. But what is important is to make people not seem like they can’t cooperate with law enforcement agencies when they are serving, when they are in office. All of us have had allegations against us.”
