By Merlyn Mwanza
Ministry of Information media director Thabo Kawana says the $130,000 for his kidney treatment in India was arranged by his friends, with former National Planning minister Alexander Chiteme contributing $80,000 and former president Edgar Lungu $10,000 from their personal monies.
Featuring on the Hot Seat programme on Hot FM this morning, Kawana said he has noticed the narrative about him having been taken to India for treatment, saying the contributions of his friends in the PF administration made it possible and not the PF administration per say.
He said he was grateful to Chiteme whom he said does not even mention about the matter, including president Lungu for contributing towards the undertaking.
He said the total cost of the medical bill cost over $130,000.
And Kawana claimed that the ongoing arrests of opposition leaders was enhancing democracy as it was able to show that all the people were equal before the law, saying police was not following up people in their homes to arrest them but people were commiting these offences by themselves.
He also said that as opposed to the “parte after parte ” syndrome during president Lungu’s administration, the mantra was now “work, work, work” under President Hakainde Hichilema.
Kawana further said he should not be accused of being part of the PF lawlessness as he left the party when he realized it was not fashionable for him to remain there.
“Ki masholi (Thieves), I said I can’t be part of this theft,” he said.
Kawana has been accused of storming radio stations hosting those critical of the UPND administration, but he argued that he has been storming lies as opposed to storming studios to dispel the “lies” which he accused people like former Ambassador to Ethiopia Emmanuel Mwamba and Raphael Nakachinda of spewing.
He said he could not be accused of getting involved in partisan politics as a civil servant because as he was simply offering the government position as he did not even involve himself in campaign politics as opposed to some “ambassadors” who would literally camp in the country for campaigns whenever there were elections.
