Corruption allegations "It’s nonsense" says Kambwili

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:22:51 +0000

Roan Member of Parliament and Sports Minister Chishimba Kambwili has insisted that the ruling Patriotic Front was sitting on a time bomb because youths in the party were given the privilege to disown and disparage senior party officials.

He has described as “sponsored” and a deliberate diversion, allegations of corruption levelled against him after he spoke out against the use of youths to denounce and disparage leaders in the party.

Mr Kambwili said the decision by Kabwata youths to attack their area MP Given Lubinda was uncalled for and has since warned that unless this mess was sorted out the ruling PF would end up like MMD.

And suspended Lusaka Province PF chairperson Davies Chama has charged that Kabwata constituency chairperson David Silubanji has been compromised by the party’s Secretary General Wynter Kabimba in order to turn against his MP Given Lubinda.

Mr Kambwili said the accusation by Mr Silubanji that the Sports Minister was giving funds meant for empowerment to his girlfriends was nonsense and has since challenged him to report the matter to the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).

“This is a time bomb that the PF is sitting on and it will erupt anytime. We can not allow a situation where hired youths drive around the city to denounce senior party members.

“The scenario is embarrassing both to the party and its leadership and I challenge the Kabwata chairperson to report me to the Anti Corruption Commission if I misappropriated any funds,” he said.

He said for someone to say something like that, he must have someone that was backing him.

And Mr Chama noted that it was sad for Mr Silubanji to be used by one person in order to fulfil his ambitions.

He said that there was need for the party to discipline the junior party members so that others would learn to respect senior party officials.

“We know that Silubanji is compromised and because he is being told what to do by Mr Kabimba no disciplinary action will be taken against him.

“But as members of the PF we need sanity in the party and if Wynter Kabimba thinks he is right by harassing other senior party officials, well he is wrong. If he thinks he has power then that power is his and not to exercise on fellow party members.

“We wonder why Mr Kabimba has grown big headed by even lying that he had blessing from the President which is unfortunate and maybe Mr Sata is just taking his time to act,” Chama said.

He charged that for all the confusion that had rocked the ruling party, Mr Kabimba was using President Sata as a scapegoat and warned that it was time Mr Sata knew that his secretary general could not be trusted.

He said Mr Kambwili was the third minister that Mr Kabimba was attacking in order to push his agenda while President Sata remained mute on these confusions caused by his junior.