By Daily Revelation Editor
State House spokesperson Clayson Hamasaka, and his colleagues in government have continued shielding President Hakainde Hichilema against public demands for him to declare his assets, by stressing that there is no law that compels him to do so outside the general election period.
However, that’s just about how far these officials have gone in responding to this matter, in this government that claims it has launched a campaign to rid the country of corruption. No one is actually suggesting alternatives in terms of how we can get the President to declare his assets, because definitely, there is a higher possibility that his asset ratio is increasing, and for transparency’s sake, those assets need to be accounted for given the very powerful position Hichilema holds as Republican President.
We know that his officials may not be brave enough to advise him on the importance of him declaring the assets, but we urge him to, especially as an anti-corruption campaigner he says he is. Only former Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) chairperson Musa Mwenye was brave enough to urge him on doing the same. But they surely can’t continue shielding themselves under there being no law compelling the President to do the right thing. If there isn’t one, then let them quickly suggest coming up with one, and work themselves towards speedily enacting that law.
It is actually in Hichilema’s best interest to set himself up as the best example in this anti-corruption fight, by presenting himself as a clean man whose assets are not tainted, and therefore empowered to get on with this anti-graft drive.
If you are referring to others as dirty and corrupt, at least the least that is expected of you is to show how clean you are by genuinely justifying your pronouncements. By openly declaring his assets in between general elections, the President will be setting a worthy precedent in this country, as it will set a noble standard for future occupants of State House. It will be a standard that will be held against them by Zambians in this country where corruption has become endemic.
Therefore, rather than dismissing the calls urging Hichilema to declare his assets, the President and the people surrounding him are urged to embrace such calls, as the same would help this country greatly in terms of holding their presidents accountable.
Hamasaka, in responding to Socialist Party leader Dr Fred M’membe who urged Hichilema to emulate Liberian President Joseph Boakai, who recently suspended senior government officials for failure to declare their assets within the required timeframe, said the law in Zambia did not provide for the same.
However, it is important to always learn the best practices from what the other countries are doing, as that is how societies grow. The law they have in Liberia and other countries is definitely positive, which we in Zambia must emulate and enact in our own statute books.
You can subscribe to read all our past and latest ePapers, plus all premium content at only K22 weekly and K65 monthly on this link https://dailyrevelationzambia.com/membership-account/membership-levels/
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By Daily Revelation Editor
State House spokesperson Clayson Hamasaka, and his colleagues in government have continued shielding President Hakainde Hichilema against public demands for him to declare his assets, by stressing that there is no law that compels him to do so outside the general election period.
However, that’s just about how far these officials have gone in responding to this matter, in this government that claims it has launched a campaign to rid the country of corruption. No one is actually suggesting alternatives in terms of how we can get the President to declare his assets, because definitely, there is a higher possibility that his asset ratio is increasing, and for transparency’s sake, those assets need to be accounted for given the very powerful position Hichilema holds as Republican President.
We know that his officials may not be brave enough to advise him on the importance of him declaring the assets, but we urge him to, especially as an anti-corruption campaigner he says he is. Only former Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) chairperson Musa Mwenye was brave enough to urge him on doing the same. But they surely can’t continue shielding themselves under there being no law compelling the President to do the right thing. If there isn’t one, then let them quickly suggest coming up with one, and work themselves towards speedily enacting that law.
It is actually in Hichilema’s best interest to set himself up as the best example in this anti-corruption fight, by presenting himself as a clean man whose assets are not tainted, and therefore empowered to get on with this anti-graft drive.
If you are referring to others as dirty and corrupt, at least the least that is expected of you is to show how clean you are by genuinely justifying your pronouncements. By openly declaring his assets in between general elections, the President will be setting a worthy precedent in this country, as it will set a noble standard for future occupants of State House. It will be a standard that will be held against them by Zambians in this country where corruption has become endemic.
Therefore, rather than dismissing the calls urging Hichilema to declare his assets, the President and the people surrounding him are urged to embrace such calls, as the same would help this country greatly in terms of holding their presidents accountable.
Hamasaka, in responding to Socialist Party leader Dr Fred M’membe who urged Hichilema to emulate Liberian President Joseph Boakai, who recently suspended senior government officials for failure to declare their assets within the required timeframe, said the law in Zambia did not provide for the same.
However, it is important to always learn the best practices from what the other countries are doing, as that is how societies grow. The law they have in Liberia and other countries is definitely positive, which we in Zambia must emulate and enact in our own statute books.
You can subscribe to read all our past and latest ePapers, plus all premium content at only K22 weekly and K65 monthly on this link https://dailyrevelationzambia.com/membership-account/membership-levels/
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