By JOHN KOMBE
NO one must be shielded because they are aligned to the ruling UPND government, if the fight against corruption will be seen to be sincere, Green Party president, Peter Sinkamba has said.
In an interview, Mr. Sinkamba observed that there must be no sacred cows in the fight against corruption as this had a potential to undermine all the efforts that were being made to curb the vice.
He said that the vice cannot be curbed if some individuals were not being pursued or punished for allegedly being involved in corrupt practices.
Mr. Sinkamba urged President Hakainde Hichilema to emulate his Malawian counterpart, President Luke Chakwera who did not wait for any further investigations to act on allegations of corruption in his government.
He pointed out that President Chakwera had shown leadership by going against the average option of firing one person and leaving several to continue stealing.
Mr. Sinkamba said that such a drastic and prompt action should send a signal to other African leaders that people deserve better leadership which protects its citizens and not patronage.
He said that patronage had destroyed many African economies because leaders always felt a sense of allegiance to those who helped them ascend to power.
Mr. Sinkamba said that this culture must come to an end because it had destroyed many economies and left people in abject poverty.
He said the first duty of a President was to uphold the constitution and as such he insisted that President Hichilema must protect the constitution by acting against anyone who threatened the welfare of the nation.
Mr. Sinkamba emphasised that the government through President Hichilema needs to bite the bullet and act on any alleged corruption before it overwhelms the government.
He said that acting early was a true sign of leadership and must not be avoided in the name of protecting close associates such as alliance partners.
“Patronage must not come into play when dealing with corruption. The UPND government must not feel obliged to shield anyone because they helped them win the elections. This is time to deliver on promises,” Mr. Sinkamba said.
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