By ADRIAN MWANZA
GOVERNMENT should institute investigations in the uproar involving Foreign Affairs Ministers Stanley Kakubo for allegedly receiving what seems like a package from some Chinese who were with the Ambassador, former Defence minister, George Mpombo, has said.
Dr Mpombo said to restore confidence in the new dawn’s pledge to fight corruption all ministers must be seen to be acting above board.
Mr Mpombo said the uproar over what could turn out to be an innocent action, was a great source of concern and needed to be addressed seriously as it threw the government’s fight against corruption into a complete fiasco.
He said the minister occupied a senior position in government and therefore this development had raised serious political questions which unless addressed will completely unravel and upend the corruption fight.
Mr Mpombo said the issue remained a milestone around the neck of the new dawn administration unless they were addressed boldly without political semantics.
He said this was a real litmus test and if government fumbled and stumbled over this politically sensitive matter, it shouldn’t be surprised when Zambians begin to refer to it as “a new dawn administration of political impunity.
However Mr Kakubo has dispelled the allegations and said that he visited Sinoma as a private citizen to order pockets of cement and premix cement.
Meanwhile, New Congress Party leader Peter Chanda has called on President Hakainde Hichilema to be decisive when dealing with this matter because he had been categorical that his fight against corruption was not selective.
He said the pictures of the minister with a parcel in his hands were compromising and that this put the President in a very awkward position because the minister was seen to have been given what looked like a brief case.
“The President should show that the fight against corruption is not selective by showing leadership by acting on Mr Kakubo’s case,” Mr Chanda said.
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