By Patson Chilemba
My career is now a question mark, says Infrastructure minister Charles Milupi.
Speaking with Daily Revelation on the charges against him by Lumezi member of parliament (independent) Munir Zulu that he and his Finance minister colleague Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane each received $250,000 bribes from a named firm and the urge by President Hakainde Hichilema to the two to sue the Lumezi MP, Milupi said he and Dr Musokotwane issued statements about taking court action before the statement from the President, saying he did not want the narrative to change that they were doing what they are doing because of what the President said.
Milupi said it was not even a question of Zulu challenging him to go to court, arguing that he has made his reputation over many years in the corporate, parastatal and political world and raised the standing of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee during his time as the committee’s chairperson, fighting corruption and abuse of office.
He vowed that no one will ruin his life in the manner Zulu was suggesting, and therefore the suite is being instituted because the statement has injured his reputation with the people he deals with.
“There is now a question mark. My career is now a question mark of what sort of person I am on the basis of that. The only recourse I have is to take the matter to court,” Milupi said.
He said if Zulu has evidence he will have to produce it in court.
“I am not even talking to him. The statement is made and people picked it up. It’s all over in the press, social media and so on, which adds to ruining my reputation even more,” Milupi said, adding that his lawyers were already preparing the case as the issue was no joking matter
He said he also had a reputation of being a lay preacher for many years.
“When you come up with statements like that you can’t just brush them off and say well, you know, efyo fyaba (that’s how it is). No! The case is being followed to it’s logical conclusion,” said Milupi. “If there was even an element of truth, I myself would have stepped down from my position.”
Milupi said he could not lose his reputation or actions to low down the actions of the UPND administration.
