ITS SCANDAL AFTER SCANDAL
It is evident that Mr Hakainde Hichilema is presiding over an extremely corrupt regime-the most corrupt regime in the history of this country.
We are not surprised with the everyday corruption scandals that are being exposed because this is what we have been saying for quite some time now. We say this because there is no decent or clean President who can preside over such a corrupt regime without being extremely corrupt himself. And it is very clear that Mr Hichilema is failing to deal with this corruption because it is his corruption – it is corruption coming from the works of his own hands. When it comes to fighting corruption, Mr Hichilema is paralyzed by the fact that he has no moral right to condemn or even take decisive action against his lieutenants in government because everyone is literally involved in some illegal activity in one way or another. The never-ending corruption scandals that have rocked this government are a reminder that the country is in very corrupt hands and needs a breather. It is evident that this is a government of the thieves, for the thieves, and by the thieves.
Mr Hichilema cannot be expected to genuinely fight corruption when there is vast corruption and looting surrounding him, and involving him. We have said before that any meaningful fight against corruption in this country has to start with an investigation of Mr Hichilema’s own dealings in almost every sector of our economy such as mining, fuel, fertilizer, insurance, grain imports and exports, property and real estate, construction and manufacturing, among many others. There is urgent need to investigate Mr Hichilema. Let him be made to answer questions about his own business dealings. Without doing so, the fight against corruption becomes deceitful, a facade and meaningless. We insist that any meaningful fight against corruption must start with an investigation of Mr Hichilema’s business interests.
It is no longer a secret that this is a tremendously corrupt regime. That is why even declaration of assets has become a problem because they don’t want citizens to know what they had before assuming office, and what they have now. In fact, Mr Hichilema’s failure to declare his assets, and disclose his business dealings and interests is a prima facie case for corruption. The truth is, the many business interests of Mr Hichilema that he has failed to publicly disclose, and let the Zambian people be aware of, is the source and incubator of all this corruption. Being in power has removed the virginity that surrounded him.
But sooner or later citizens will know everything they have been up to. In point of fact, the citizens are beginning to know quite a lot. Zambians are well aware of the corruption, embezzlement, cronyism, regulatory capture, lobbying and undue influence on policymaking and other crooked vices that are undermining democratic methods, compromising public interest, and hindering government’s capacity to effectively and efficiently serve our people.
It’s just a matter of time before all this turns into tears for all criminals. They can run but they can’t hide. All the pretense, lies and connivance with Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) to free or pay a blind eye to their corrupt lieutenants, is only delaying their end, which will still come anyway.
Aba bantu niba pompwe munshibila nsala. Ba mpelembe chibula matwi nangu mulande tabomfwa, pantu basenda ukwiba nge nchito, beba nakutulo!
Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party
ITS SCANDAL AFTER SCANDAL
