Fri, 22 Sep 2017 12:32:19 +0000
By Oscar Malipenga
THOSE tasked with the responsibility to investigate must show interest in the outcry about the recently acquired fire trucks, President Edgar Lungu has directed.
And President Lungu has said that he is not corrupt and will not be intimidated by accusations of corruption as he does his work.
Speaking when he addressed Zambians based in New York on Wednesday, Mr Lungu explained that State House does not procure equipment.
He said ministries procure equipment through tender procedures and contracts.
“We are not involved so I am interested in finding out if there is smoke or fire also and if there is a fire obviously those charged with the task of bringing culprits to book will do so but I cannot promise anything more than that,
“Because ministries run according to procedures and the president’s office also runs as a big ministry. I can know they are buying trucks but how they acquire them it is the ministry’s job and the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA),” President Lungu said.
He said those who were charged with the task of fighting corruption should be alive to the sentiments which were going on.
“If people say this is wrong they should take it upon themselves and bring the culprits to book,
“I can tell you that I am as blind as you in terms of whether there is truth or not because what trends on social media sometimes there is truth in it sometimes there is no truth so I do not believe in social media but when you insist that fire tenders were bought at an exorbitant price, tender procedure was not followed then those tasked with the responsibility of investigating should take up the matter,” Mr Lungu said.
President Lungu said Zambians who had evidence of wrong doings based on corruption were free to go to the Anti-Corruption Commission to report for investigations.
He said he had never defended any single person nor intimidated any official in government who was pursuing crime, fraud or corruption.
“But if people are going to make wild allegations on social media without evidence and the responsibility of reporting to concerned offices, I cannot do much apart from saying I have also head what you have heard but if there is truth in this I will ask my people to follow it up.”
Recently, government through the ministry of local government procured 42 fire trucks at the cost of U$S42million which raised corruption suspicions.
Meanwhile, President Lungu recalled that there was a time when his ministers were so scared of working because they were being accused of corruption.
