Daily Revelation Reporter
Hakainde Hichilema has failed to declare his assets to the Zambian people and therefore, has no moral right to pursue others.
Commenting on Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) chairperson Musa Mwenya’s sentiment that it is not normal there is no single statutory requirement for the president to declare assets annually, Changala said Mwenye has valid observations.
“Now Mr. Hakainde Hichilema is a businessman who has changed no single law that made PF look like the most corrupt government in Africa. The reason is because he was admiring and envying what the Patriotic front was doing,” he said. “And even if there is no law that compels him, this is a man who is in the forefront of seizing and restricting people’s properties on mere suspicion of failing to disclose the source of their income.”
Changala said President Hichilema belongs to a group of people who have never disclosed the source of his income and has no moral right to pursue others.
“My take on Musa Mwenye’s observation being the chairman of the Anti-Corruption is Mr. Hakainde Hichilema must feel ashamed and the reason is anchored on fact that Mr. Hakainde Hichilema might be getting government favors in many tentacles of his business connection and yet he has blatantly refused to declare his assets because there is no law,” he said.
Changala said President Hichilema and his administration are the ones who are supposed to put up such a law.
“That’s where he has messed up and it is very clear that he is not fighting corruption. The only corruption that he upholds and hates is the corruption of his political opponents. Anything else that goes wrong in his administration is okay. He has even failed to comment on the matter that involves his own Solicitor General (Marshal Muchende),” Changala said. “The investigations are directed at his own solicitor general and he cannot cheat this country that he is a genuine fighter of corruption. If anything, I can squarely say without fear or favour, that he could be a suspect in the near future when he has no state power. He could be a potential suspect because he hasn’t behaved and acted well in national interest.”
Changala also said the Head of State cannot fight corruption without certain structural changes to the law especially the Anti-Corruption.
He said if President Hichilema was honest, he was going to lead by example by going to Parliament, change the law and make the President, permanent secretaries and everybody in public service who handles huge procurement requirements to declare their assets.
Changala said UPND came to power on the platform of change and the restoration of the rule of law.
He said UPND came to power to fight corruption and that it was an agreed position while in opposition that when UPND forms government, there would be commissions of inquiries on various concerns such the 7-year rule of the PF, how the police usurped and became the law unto themselves, and to how the cadres started wielding state power, none of the things they said they will do has been done.
