By Isaac Zulu
Academician Dr Sishuwa Sishuwa has decried what he describes as high level corruption and tribal appointments in President Hakainde Hichilema’s administration, saying Hichilema has gone against his own promises
Speaking during an interview via phone on Hot FM Radio, Dr Sishuwa said President Hakainde Hichilema has demonstrated commitment to fight corruption that is alleged to have occurred in the past, but his administration is failing to fight corruption in the UPND government, especially in the procurement process.
He said the UPND administration’s good governance record in its two years of being in government has been disappointing and hard to take.
Dr Sishuwa said President Hakainde Hichilema pledged transparency and accountability in the running of public affairs and wondered why he is failing to honour that in the fight against corruption.
He also said the continued interference in the fight against graft by State House officials is defeating the fight against corruption.
“President Hakainde Hichilema has to date failed to disclose the value of his assets. This is lack of transparency and accountability on the part of the President. And we have also noticed that there is continued interference in the fight against corruption by State House officials. There is high level corruption in the UPND administration, especially in the procurement of public tenders. This is very disappointing,” Dr Sishuwa said.
He said there is lack of ethnic diversity in the appointment of individuals to serve in public offices.
Dr Sishuwa observed that President Hakainde Hichilema promised a departure from the Edgar Lungu “era of appointing Judges and Electoral Commission of Zambia Commissioners, but he is doing the reverse.”
“I expected the UPND administration to bring in structural reforms that would promote transparency and accountability in governance institutions. President Hakainde Hichilema promised a departure from the Edgar Lungu era in the appointment of individuals to serve in public offices, including Judges and Electoral Commission of Zambia Commissioners. But what we have seen is that he has just changed the people heading those institutions. Democratic institutions have remained susceptible to manipulation by the Executive,” he said. “There is lack of ethnic diversity in the appointment of individuals to serve in public offices. The people heading the Zambia National Service, Zambia Air Force, the Attorney General, the Chief Justice are coming from one half of the country. The ministers of labour, education, home affairs and defence are all coming from North Western, Southern and Western Provinces. These are ethnic and regional appointments. And this is what President Hakainde Hichilema condemned when he was in opposition. This is big and people are not happy about this and are now complaining.”
He also accused the UPND administration of violating citizens’ liberties by abusing the Public Order Act to stop opposition political parties from holding public meetings.
“There is now abuse of the Public Order Act, curtailing opposition political parties from enjoying their freedom of speech and assembly. Civil Society Organisations and Western actors have been compromised for reasons best known to themselves,” Dr Sishuwa said.
He said for UPND to redeem itself, there is urgent need to address the “dire youth unemployment and high cost of living, saying the UPND has committed economic genocide against the poor people in Zambia.”
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