By SIMON MUNTEMBA
SENIOR Chief Mukuni should declare interest in matters surrounding the 1990s privatisation process as he is believed to have acquired shares in Sun International, Government deputy chief whip, Tutwa Ngulube has said.
He said the traditional leader should stop attacking the PF government unfairly when he was linked to the flawed privatisation process.
Mr Ngulube said in an interview that Senior Chief Mukuni had been viciously attacking President Edgar Lungu and the PF government because he was trying to defend his business partner, Hakainde Hichilema from being made accountable for his role in privatisation.
Senior Chief Mukuni of the Toka Leya people of Southern Province was at the weekend quoted in some sections of the media as having charged that there would be chaos in the country because of alleged rigging manoeuvres by the government.
But Mr Ngulube said the traditional leader was a known business partner of the UPND leader who should declare interest in matters involving privatisation.
He said it was surprising that Senior Chief Mukuni always attacked Government whenever the name of Mr Hichilema came under serious scrutiny over his role during privatisation.
Mr Ngulube, who is also Kabwe Central Member of Parliament accused the traditional leader of being bitter because he benefitted from privatisation through his business partner, Mr Hichilema.
“He ate with HH during privatisation. He owes our people an explanation,” Mr Ngulube said.
He said the only reason the traditional leader was misleading Zambians on the performance of President Lungu was because he had taken a partisan stance.
He said Mr Hichilema in his role as negotiating chairman for the sale of the Intercontinental Hotel Livingstone and the Rainbow Lodge selected the lowest bid by Sun International in exchange for shares in the company through his proxy, Senior Chief Mukuni.
“So what do you expect from a chief whose business partner is asked to state the role he played during privatisation?” Mr Ngulube asked.
DECLARE INTEREST, MUKUNI CHALLENGED
