Nkombo gets PF challenge

Sun, 05 Mar 2017 10:06:35 +0000

 …Name corrupt ministers

By Oscar Malipenga

THE Patriotic Front (PF) has challenged UPND Chief Whip Garry Nkombo to report to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) all the corrupt minister he referred to in Parliament on Friday.

And the PF has charged that Mr Nkombo should stop dragging the name of President Edgar Lungu in his debates because his leader Mr Hakainde Hichilema has refused to recognise the Head of State as duly elected Head of State.

PF Lusaka youth chairman Kennedy Kamba said if Mr Nkombo had issues to do with corruption involving ministers or any party officials there were investigative wings in Zambia whose mandate was to probe such matters.

On Friday, Mr Nkombo who is Mazabuka Central UPND Member of Parliament, accused ministers of being corrupt.

But the Speaker of the National Assembly told Mr Nkombo that it was not fair and proper to make such kind of assertions because it was conclusive.

Dr Matibini further guided Mr Nkombo that before reaching a conclusive state, obviously, he needed to pass the evidence.

Reacting to  what happened in Parliament, Mr Kamba said Zambia had the ACC, the Police Service and the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) where Mr Nkombo could channel his grievances.

He said the law enforcement agencies were not political parties and that they had been in existence even before PF formed government.

“So if they have issues to do with corruption against our ministers or party officials let him report to ACC instead of seeking media coverage by dragging the name of the President into such issues.

“For us, as long the PF government under the leadership of President Lungu was delivering what we promised the people during campaigns,” he said.

Mr Kamba further charged that the UPND had nothing to criticise government in Parliament, adding that they were behaving like members who did not know why they were in Parliament.

He said it was evident that the UPND did not understand the role of members of Parliament and was why they were against their Keembe lawmaker for attending a State function.

Mr Kamba said the UPND was failing to provide checks and balances on the government.

He also demanded that Mr Nkombo should explain what he exactly meant when he said PF ministers were corrupt and provide evidence.