By NATION REPORTER
CALLS for the dismissal of Mines and Mineral Development Minister Paul Kabuswe have intensified with the latest coming from Davis Mwila who has accused the Minister of abetting and or participating in corruption scandals in his ministry.
Mr Mwila, the former Patriotic Front (PF) secretary general has asked President Hakainde Hichilema to dismiss Mr Kabuswe because according to him, the Mines Minister was allegedly involved in corruption.
Mr Mwila said there were a lot of scandals happening in the Ministry of Mines under the watch of Mr Kabuswe ranging from the Sugilite, the allegations of UPND members invading at Sacko Mine in Mkushi, the supremacy of UPND cadres at the Black Mountain and the complaints coming from North-western Province which President Hichilema should be concerned with.
He said it would appear that Mr Kabuswe was either abetting corruption in his ministry was an active participant in the vice which he said should warrant President Hichilema to take action.
He said President Hakainde Hichilema should fire Mr Kabuswe because his silence could be interpreted the head of State was protecting the minister which he said was going to compromise the fight against corruption.
“The entire UPND has interest in the mines and if they are not checked, all the minerals and precious stones will be smuggled out of the country,” Mr Mwila said.
He said in September last year, President Hichilema fired the Permanent Secretary at the ministry of mines, Dr. Sakwiba Musiwa and appointed Mr Mooya Lukamba who has also been fired barely months without giving clear reasons.
Mr Mwila said the silence by President Hichilema over the continued scndals and corruption exposés raised more questions than answers as to why the controlling officers were being sacrificed leaving the minister as the main man at the ministry calling all the shots.
He said the minister of mines was mismanaging the Black Mountain to an extent of bringing people outside the Copperbelt province to come and do mining leaving out the local people of Wusakile from the equation.
Mr Mwila said the sooner Mr Hichilema takes action against Mr. Kabuswe the better because the mining sector has really suffered under his watch.
“If permanent secretaries are being fired, why leave Kabuswe the one who is in charge of offering policy direction,” he said.
