By ADRIAN MWANZA
CONSTITUTIONAL positions of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and head of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) should not be politicised because these are key positions that need impartial individuals of the highest level of integrity, says Raphael Nakacinda and constitutional lawyer John Sangwa.
This follows reports of a backroom arrangement where a consent order might be signed to abet criminals and people of questionable character to ascend and if possible be appointed as DPP.
Mr Nakacinda said the appointment of the DPP should not be politicised because it was a sensitive position which required someone with a sober mind and of very high integrity without the blemish of previous misconduct including corruption in the acquisition of privatisation assets, which cases were still in courts of law.
He said that the current DPP enjoyed security of tenure and that her conditions were almost as that of a judge and if she remained professional would retire at 65 years.
Mr Nakacinda said that the president needed to be careful because the same group that captured late Republican president Levy Mwanawasa had resurfaced and wanted to impose people with questionable character in such key positions.
‘’My call is that the president should be very careful and not politicise appointments of such offices maybe he has been hijacked by individuals that influenced the third republican president,’’ he said.
Meanwhile Mr Sangwa advised that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) top job is advertised to avoid bringing on board people with tainted pasts and skeletons in their closets.
Mr Sangwa has said that there is need to advertise and thoroughly scrutinise suitors before appointing anyone as Director General of the ACC to ensure that a competent person is selected.
These reactions follow a recording that has surfaced involving former ACC chief, Ms Rosemary Khuzwayo in which she was instructing her officers to prosecute then Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya despite the lack of evidence.
Mr Sangwa said that it was imperative for the President to consider advertising the job so that people with a clean track record could be given an opportunity to lead the institution.
Mr Sangwa said by so doing people would have confidence in the institution and the new Director General would have confidence in delivering their duties diligently.
“The President does not know all the competent people in the country, therefore if the position is advertised, you expect le cream de la cream to apply,” Mr Sangwa said.
He said that the problem with the ACC was not just the Director General but also the commissioners needed to be dealt.
Mr Sangwa said that the country could not develop with mediocre people at the helm therefore the need to bring in competent people that could steer the organisation to greater heights.
He said this was an opportunity for the New Dawn government to revamp the institution which many thought was inept by appointing people of high calibre.
And Mr Musoma said a person who was going to head the ACC should not be hand-picked.
He said no shady deals should be tolerated if a competent person to head ACC was to be found.
And Zambia Republican Party (ZRP) president, Wright Musoma said there should be no backroom deals and questionable consent judgements when it comes to the ACC top job.
“We don’t want to hear of questionable consent judgements and the next thing the same person involved is offered the top job at ACC,” Mr Musoma said.
