By Daily Revelation Editor
Cornelius Mweetwa is saying that Zambians must demand for change in laws in order to compel President Hakainde Hichilema to declare his assets annually.
Mweetwa was reacting to the urge from United States Ambassador to Zambia Michael Gonzalez who during the Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) 2023 Anti-Corruption Commission conference in Livingstone last week urged Hichilema to declare his assets annually, saying the purpose of asset declarations was to prevent corruption by public officials and make it easier to hold those who do engage in public corruption to account.
We are very sure if this was something that wasn’t inconveniencing on Hakainde, a way would have been found already to enact a law requiring Hakainde to declare his assets.
Cornelius is talking about the removal of the defamation of the President clause from the statute books as an example of a law that was changed after public demand. In effect the removal of that law has not achieved anything in that one with even harsher penalties in the Cyber Security Act is still in effect. Again that is one law Hakainde vowed to remove from the statute books as one of his first to do acts on assuming office. We are heading into year three of his administration now and nothing is happening on that. The only results Zambians have seen from that end is the arrest of oppostion leaders on the same law. We don’t know if Cornelius is also waiting on Zambians to demand for the repeal of that law, which Hakainde himself committed to in the first place.
And we are wondering which Zambians Mweetwa is referring to as needing to call for the enactment of a law requiring Hakainde and his permanent secretaries to declare assets annually, because Ambassador Gonzalez was simply reinforcing that which many Zambians have been calling for.
Cornelius is simply trying to provide cover for Hakainde. He is not being honest in his arguments. The best he can do is simply to tell Zambians that that law cannot be enacted because it is inconveniencing on the President. It is public knowledge to all that Hakainde promised to anchor his administration on transparency and accountability. If so why can’t a President who promised so much deliver little or nothing on the matter?
We are of the firm belief that if someone is really interested in something, they should be the ones to provide initiative, not so?
The fact is that Hakainde simply isn’t interested in being transparent about his own activities in public office.
Hakainde has declared that he’s presiding over the fight against corruption in the country. We thought if someone really means what they say that he would have led by example to show how transparent he is with his own activities, before looking at removing logs in other people’s eyes.
If you are not willing to be transparent, why should you demand the same from the others? Zambians need Hakainde to be transparent about his life in public office so that they can keep track and raise questions if his resource accumulation shows some red flags.
As for Cornelius’ argument that Zambians should push for the enactment requiring Hakainde to declare assets annually, we don’t know whether he lives in Zambia or some other planet because this is something Zambians have advocated for from time immemorial, the more reason he and the UPND promised the same when they were campaigning to get into power.
Now that they are in office and beginning to see how glittery it is to be in office the language has changed. Typical of politicians. Their words are always hollow and not backed by any substance. They promise heaven but often deliver hell.
For those still holding to the belief that their talking will yield any results on Hakainde enacting a law that will require him and his permanent secretaries to declare assets annually, forget it. That will not happen. At least not from a Zambian politician.
Related
By Daily Revelation Editor
Cornelius Mweetwa is saying that Zambians must demand for change in laws in order to compel President Hakainde Hichilema to declare his assets annually.
Mweetwa was reacting to the urge from United States Ambassador to Zambia Michael Gonzalez who during the Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) 2023 Anti-Corruption Commission conference in Livingstone last week urged Hichilema to declare his assets annually, saying the purpose of asset declarations was to prevent corruption by public officials and make it easier to hold those who do engage in public corruption to account.
We are very sure if this was something that wasn’t inconveniencing on Hakainde, a way would have been found already to enact a law requiring Hakainde to declare his assets.
Cornelius is talking about the removal of the defamation of the President clause from the statute books as an example of a law that was changed after public demand. In effect the removal of that law has not achieved anything in that one with even harsher penalties in the Cyber Security Act is still in effect. Again that is one law Hakainde vowed to remove from the statute books as one of his first to do acts on assuming office. We are heading into year three of his administration now and nothing is happening on that. The only results Zambians have seen from that end is the arrest of oppostion leaders on the same law. We don’t know if Cornelius is also waiting on Zambians to demand for the repeal of that law, which Hakainde himself committed to in the first place.
And we are wondering which Zambians Mweetwa is referring to as needing to call for the enactment of a law requiring Hakainde and his permanent secretaries to declare assets annually, because Ambassador Gonzalez was simply reinforcing that which many Zambians have been calling for.
Cornelius is simply trying to provide cover for Hakainde. He is not being honest in his arguments. The best he can do is simply to tell Zambians that that law cannot be enacted because it is inconveniencing on the President. It is public knowledge to all that Hakainde promised to anchor his administration on transparency and accountability. If so why can’t a President who promised so much deliver little or nothing on the matter?
We are of the firm belief that if someone is really interested in something, they should be the ones to provide initiative, not so?
The fact is that Hakainde simply isn’t interested in being transparent about his own activities in public office.
Hakainde has declared that he’s presiding over the fight against corruption in the country. We thought if someone really means what they say that he would have led by example to show how transparent he is with his own activities, before looking at removing logs in other people’s eyes.
If you are not willing to be transparent, why should you demand the same from the others? Zambians need Hakainde to be transparent about his life in public office so that they can keep track and raise questions if his resource accumulation shows some red flags.
As for Cornelius’ argument that Zambians should push for the enactment requiring Hakainde to declare assets annually, we don’t know whether he lives in Zambia or some other planet because this is something Zambians have advocated for from time immemorial, the more reason he and the UPND promised the same when they were campaigning to get into power.
Now that they are in office and beginning to see how glittery it is to be in office the language has changed. Typical of politicians. Their words are always hollow and not backed by any substance. They promise heaven but often deliver hell.
For those still holding to the belief that their talking will yield any results on Hakainde enacting a law that will require him and his permanent secretaries to declare assets annually, forget it. That will not happen. At least not from a Zambian politician.
Related
You can share this post!
Some MPs want power on CDF usage, yet insult govt – PF-sponsored Mayor
HH will not declare assets by wishful thinking of individuals – Mweetwa
Related Articles
Matambo and alleged bribery by some Mopani officials
Public tenders and ruling parties
Is your life better today than it was…