Lungu wins APNAC support

THE African Parliamentarians Against Corruption (APNAC) has challenged Patriotic Front (PF) leaders alleging that there is corruption in the ruling party to disclose the names of corrupt members days after Home Affairs Minister Edgar Lungu made the first major call since the debate commenced.
APNAC Zambia Chapter secretary general Chungu Bwalya said PF leaders making such allegations should tell the nation the names of corrupt members so that the law can take its course.
Mr Bwalya, who is PF Lupososhi member of Parliament, said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that now is the appropriate time to name corrupt, tribalistic and indisciplined elements in PF and clear the air once and for all.
“Speaking as secretary general of APNAC Zambian Chapter, I’m appealing to those who are saying there is corruption in PF to help law enforcement agencies to investigate the allegations by providing evidence,” he said.
He said party members making such allegations are committing an offence by not revealing the names of corrupt members.
“As APNAC, we are keenly following these debates of corruption and we will continue advocating for fair play. We will collaborate with various law enforcement agencies to ensure that we provide an oversight role.
“President Sata cannot fight corruption alone, he needs support from all stakeholders irrespective of people’s political, social, regional or tribal inclinations,” Mr Bwalya said.
He also appealed to Minister of Home Affairs Edger Lungu, who is also chairperson of the PF disciplinary committee, to take the allegations seriously and provide protection to whistle- blowers as stipulated in the ACC Act of 2012.
Mr Bwalya commended Mr Lungu for calling on people alleging that there is corruption in PF to come out in the open and name corrupt PF members so that they can be investigated.
Meanwhile, Open Society Foundation executive director Sunday Chanda has commended Mr Lungu for asking the party leadership to name and shame corrupt PF members.
Mr Chanda said in a statement that it is only logical that such allegations are substantiated unless they are intended to serve as mere political blackmail.
“The challenge by Honourable Lungu is not asking for the impossible, unless people are playing to the gallery,” he said.
Mr Chanda wondered why Dr Scott and Mr Kabimba have found it difficult to name the people they are calling tribalists and corrupt elements.
He commended Mr Lungu for saying, “You can’t hunt with fox and play with hare” when he made the first major statement on the matter that has virtually ground the PF to a stand-still and virtually divided the party into two.
Mr Lungu said the allegations have greatly ‘exposed’ the ruling party to the enemy and provided ammunition for the opposition to punch holes in the ruling party in the absence of names.
Meanwhile, UPND president Hakainde Hichilema has written to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) director-general Rosewin Wandi to find out what measures ACC is taking over corruption allegations in PF as reportedly said by Dr Scott and Mr Kabimba.
“We note that the last few weeks and months, Vice-President Guy Scott and Minister of Justice Wynter Kabimba have placed themselves on record in the media saying there are corrupt elements in the ruling party.
“It is against this background that we write to inquire on measures your office is taking to follow up these corruption allegations,” the letter dated October 21, 2013, reads in part.