I’M NOT SCARED – KAMPYONGO

By SIMON MUNTEMBA

MACHINATIONS to arrest us on trumped up charges will not yield any results because personally, I never abused authority while in office, former minister of Home Affairs, Stephen Kampyongo has said.

Mr Kampyongo, who is also PF member of the central committee, said the politically-motivated arrests aimed at silencing and discrediting PF officials was an exercise in futility because they were ready to face them.

He said in an interview that he was aware that more PF officials including himself would be summoned and arrested anytime on trumped up charges, but that did not bother him because he never involved himself in any criminal activity. 

He indicated that he was ready to be held accountable if he did anything wrong while in office, but not on politically-motivated charges.

“We are not above the law, neither were we above the law when in office. We are ready to face justice if indeed the people of Zambia think we did something wrong.

“Yes, there could be some machinations to come for us, but let them come for us not because of our names but what they think we did wrong. And if indeed arresting us will bring down the price of mealie-meal, pay farmers K250 per 50 kg bag of maize as promised during campaigns, we will gladly accept it,” Mr Kampyongo said.

He also advised senior Government officials to avoid using their offices to fix political opponents because they will not occupy their offices forever.

“What they should know is that it’s a circle, just like we inherited those offices from others who left, they will also leave those offices they took over from us. What goes round, comes round.

“No one should attempt to think that when they have an opportunity to serve the people, they own these state institutions,” Mr Kampyongo said.

He also emphasised that some politicians should not create an impression that certain individuals were untouchable during the PF regime, when the opposite is true.

“There was no time when the police couldn’t touch certain citizens, not even myself who was minister of Home Affairs was above the law. If I did something wrong, I should have been visited by the law,” he said.  

On Tuesday, Police in Lusaka picked up and detained former Defence Minister and PF vice-chairperson, Davies Chama together with his former security officer, Brian Dumisani Nyoni for alleged attempted murder.

The two were on Sunday transported to Sesheke where they are reportedly going to be formally arrested.