Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:44:44 +0000
President Michael Sata has allowed himself to be used by cartel that has agenda against former head of state Rupiah Banda.
According to Mr Yotham Mtayachalo,Copperbelt MMD publicity secretary,it was clear that the ACC was acting on instructions from Mr Sata because he said that the agency needed to get permission from him before it instituted investigations against a minister and what more with a former President.
He said Mr Sata should withdraw instructions to prosecute Mr Banda from the ACC immediately because it was a shameful precedent that this country had set to victimise former office holders.
He also charged that the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has lost credibility because it has allowed itself to be intimidated and to be compromised by politicians in government.
Mr Mtayachalo who is the MMD provincial publicity secretary on the Copperbelt said that it was shame a that institution like the ACC which were expected to operate independently were being used by individuals to breach the law.
He noted with concern that the decision by the agency’s director Rosewin Wandi to summon President Rupiah Banda was in bad faith as the former Head of State was still being protected by the law.
“Zambia should move away from the tendency of persecuting former Presidents because Mr Sata will also be a former President and this will also happen to him. Today RB is investigated and accused of corruption and Sata will also be investigated and accused of corruption and this is evident because he is abetting corruption amongst his ministers,” said Mtayachalo.
He observed that the move taken by the Commission’s chief Ms Wandi was shameful as she had failed to inform the nation on the findings on corruption allegations levelled against Wynter Kabimba (Justice Minister) and Geoffrey Mwamba (Defence minister) but instead obeyed people that were harbouring corruption by summoning President Banda.
The opposition leader advised President Sata that time to work is now on his promises to the Zambian people was now and that pursuing former Presidents may just be waste of time and resources as he had indicated when late President Chiluba was being persecuted.
“The MMD will stand by President Banda in all these tribulations because he is a great leader who has made tremendous contributions to this country as former President, as a minister and a diplomat.
“The people of Zambia should not allow politics of hatred and vengeance to pollute our political environment because the consequences can be very grave for the nation. “It is important that former Presidents are accorded the respect they deserve if we want foreigners to have respect for our country.
“The PF government has lost legitimacy to fight corruption because it is full of inconsistency as it is deceiving Zambians that it has the political will to fight corruption while on the other hand it is embracing in its ranks people appearing in court over allegations of corruption.
“President Sata should also realise that he will not be free from blame when he leaves office because he is just human who is bound to make mistakes and risks to be pursued equally once he leaves office. He should not allow People with hidden agenda’s deceive him by victimising RB while they settle their scores,” he said.
