By MILLENNIUM REPORTER
CHILUBI Member of Parliament Mulenga Fube has termed as selective the application of the rule of law in which there has been supersonic speed in clearing corruption allegations involving Cabinet Ministers as compared to those of the opposition.
Mr Fube’s comment comes in the wake of the recent pronouncement by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) that it had cleared two Cabinet Ministers, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, Finance Minister and his Infrastructure counterpart Charles Milupi.
This was after Lumezi Member of Parliament Munir Zulu alleged that the two ministers had received bribes from one of the construction companies as gratification to award the construction of the Ndola -Lusaka Dual Carriageway.
But Mr Fube has said the speed at which the two ministers had been cleared was confirmation that there were two sets of laws in Zambia, one for the opposition and another for the ruling elite.
He said the fact that President Hakainde Hichilema had cleared his ministers before the ACC could conduct its investigations could have instilled fear in some of the officers handling the case due the Statutory Instrument 18 which has placed the Commission under the Office the President.
And the Tom Shamakamb, the ACC director general has criticized people alleging that the Commission had failed to perform on the pretext that the commission was under State House instructions.
Speaking in an interview, Mr Shamakamba said even under previous regimes, the ACC was by statute under State House, adding that this could not come now because the commission had operated independently even if it was under the Office of the Preasident.
Mr Shamakamba said despite the Commission working under State House, the ACC had always operated independently and without any interference.
He said no head of State had issued instructions to interfere with the Commission’s investigations or operations but that they always encourage the ACC to be fair and just in its operations. Mr Shamakamba said that the Commission had made sure that all suspects, whether aligned to the ruling UPND or the opposition political party were investigated without any third-party interference.
He said those alleging that the ACC had failed its duty did not mean well in the fight against corruption as the commission was non-selective and would endeavour to serve its mandated duty of fighting and eliminating corruption.
