By ANDREW MUKOMA and PETER SICHALI
THE UPND in Livingstone has branded the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) an incompetent institution which must be disbanded.
UPND youth district chairperson for administration, Gerald Kuyewana, and district chairperson for politics and security Philip Musela said there was lack of seriousness at ACC in prosecuting suspects.
The two UPND officials told the Daily Nation in Livingstone that Zambians had lost confidence in the ACC and that it must be disbanded or overhauled.
“What disturbs us Zambians is the lack of seriousness the ACC is attaching in handling the cases of highly politically connected persons, they need to have sufficient evidence and courage to handle such cases.
“Going forward, if ACC has no evidence or proper team to handle the case, let them save public resources by not attempting to push a failed agenda. In fact ACC should just be disbanded for incompetence,” Mr Kuyewana said.
He observed that cases must be well handled with a sober team that was courageous.
Meanwhile, Mr Musela added that it was a waste of public resources to pursue any matter in the courts of law without evidence.
Mr Musela added that clearly, certain cases were seen even by an ordinary citizen that they were not going anywhere.
The two were referring to the case involving Health Minister, Dr Chitalu Chilufya, who was acquitted by the Lusaka Magistrate Court on Wednesday after the ACC failed to adduce evidence in the matter.
Meanwhile, former Mufumbwe District Commissioner Masela Sekeseke Chinyama has said the ACC was now a giant organisation of rumour mongering focusing on witch hunting which makes it irrelevant and it should be disbanded immediately.
Ms Chinyama said it was disappointing that the ACC has failed to secure any conviction for high profile cases despite being given independence to operate.
“We all know that ACC has been allowed to carry out their duties without hindrance from anyone. The question is, why are they failing to obtain convictions for these cases they have been telling us about?” Ms Chinyama wondered.
Ms Chinyama said the ACC has become a danger to the nation and should be disbanded and reorganised.
“The ACC should be given an ultimatum otherwise it should be disbanded and reorganised,” Ms Chinyama said.
And the Zambian DNA said the fact that President Edgar Lungu allows ACC to probe his Ministers and take them to Court demonstrates his com- mitment to fighting corruption.
Zambian DNA spokesperson, Spuki Mulemwa said President Lungu had demonstrated his political will to fight corruption and that whenever ever it rears its ugly head.
And Transparency International Zambia(TIZ)Executive Director Maurice Nyambe has said ANTI-Corruption Commission (ACC) lack of pre- paredness to prosecute Health minister, Chitalu Chilufya has eroded public confidence in the institution.
He said the ACC should meticulously prepare for any case that they prosecute in order to avoid such incidences.
“We however wish to express our deep concern with lack of preparedness by ACC to prosecute this case, we want to underscore the fact that such actions tend to erode public confidence in important institution such as the ACC,” Mr Nyambe said.
Mr Nyambe said the ACC should introspect and learn lessons that the case has provided.
He has encouraged the ACC to remain resolute in in executing its legal mandate of fighting corruption regardless of who is involved in the scourge.
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