By NATION REPORTER
PLANS by the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) to report the newly launched Edgar Lungu Foundation to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) are nothing but schemes to continue harassing and maligning former President Edgar Lungu, Patriotic Front (PF) national chairperson Davis Chama has said.
Mr Chama said it was shocking that some people harbored so much hatred for the former head of state to an extent of even trying to stop him when he was just trying to do charity work.
He said that it was for this same reason that the office of the sixth president had not been funded by the current government because they had so much resentment for him.
“I cannot believe it that people still want to persecute the former head of state even when he was not even in active politics,” he said.
Mr Chama said the problem was that there was too much mistrust and people thought he was trying to campaign when in fact not.
Meanwhile, some PF members including Mutotwe Kafwaya, the PF Lunte Member of Parliament said it was worrying that the UPND supporters were planning to report the Foundation to the investigative wings for purposes of scrutinising it.
Mr Kafwaya said reports that UPND youths in Lusaka were planning to report the Foundation to the ACC and DEC for what the governing party cadres purported to be for purposes of scrutinising the NGO were a cause of concern to the former ruling party.
He said the precedence that was being set was bad and that had allegedly been set by the ruling party cadres who had developed the habit of reporting their perceived suspects to law enforcement agencies.
He said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Lilian Siyunyi was currently appearing before the Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC) after some UPND cadres, the DEC and the MMD lodged complaints against her.
Mr Kafwaya stated that it was the UPND cadres that reported PF member of central committee in-charge of information Raphael Nakacinda to Solwezi police for allegedly defaming President Hakainde Hichilema.
“We are worried about the UPND youths plans to report to DEC and ACC the newly launched Edgar Lungu Foundation for scrutiny. Our worry is because of precedence created over the past few months concerning reports and or complaints made by UPND supporters. The following are some of the examples of action arising from UPND supporter complaints:, magistrates were transferred out of Lusaka, the DPP is appearing before JCC, Mr Nakacinda was transported to Solwezi and Chilufya Tayali was transported to Lukulu,” Mr Kafwaya said.
He explained that the examples above including many other incidents demonstrated how much power UPND supporters wield on Zambia’s institutions of governance.
He wondered as to what could have suddenly changed about the reported former President Lungu to ACC when not long ago, the commission and DEC had informed the nation that they had nothing on the former President.
Recently, the UPND Lusaka youths announced that they were in the process of reporting the newly launched foundation by former President Edgar Lungu to investigative wings because according to them, the foundation is just a mask to be used for corrupt activities.
Author
