State House staff in hot soup over leaked Presidential speech

THE probe into the leakage of President Lungu’s maiden speech to the ceremonial opening of the fifth session of the 11th National Assembly to The Post newspaper has been cast wide extending to State House staff and other Government employees.
State House permanent secretary Emmanuel Chilubanama said Government through its investigative wings has made headways in the investigations.
Mr Chilubanama said in an interview from Solwezi yesterday that the vigorous investigation is also a measure to curb similar incidents in future.
He said it is criminal for classified information to be found in possession of unauthorised hands and that the perpetrators will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law.
Mr Chilubanama noted that the leaking of secret documents has not been rampant in President Lungu’s administration and that State House will continue to endeavour and ensure it is not perpetrated.
He said the investigations will be conducted expeditiously before getting to the bottom of the matter as the stages through which the speech underwent are known.
“Let me take this opportunity to warn State House staff and Government workers in general against leaking secret documents because if they are found wanting, they will be dealt with severely within the ambits of the law.
“We know the stages it (speech) passed through and it is simple to get to the bottom of the matter and we have made headways after handing over the matter to the investigative wings,” Mr Chilubanama said

He said it is worrying that some sensitive Government plans and deliberations are sometimes leaked to the public before it is appropriate to publish them in public domain.
He said it is the responsibility of all Government workers to ensure that secret documents are safely kept within specified boundaries.
And Mr Chilubanama has dispelled rumours that President Lungu’s political adviser Kaizer Zulu has been suspended following reports in The Post newspaper that he fired shots from his pistol at Enock Kavindele Junior at Lusaka’s Chrismar Hotel.
On Tuesday, Inspector-General of police Stella Libongani said police have instituted investigations into the leakage of President Lungu’s speech to the ceremonial opening of the fifth session of the 11th National Assembly to The Post newspaper.

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