Published on 2007-05-08 |
| TIZ REACTION TO THE CHILUBA JUDGMENT |
Our reaction to the judgment in the Zambia Vs Meer Care and others which includes former President Chiluba is mixed. Firstly, we are glad that this judgment has finally come and it is a victory for the fight against corruption. The Judgment emphasizes the fact that those among us, who elect to lead lives under the veil of criminality, will some day meet their waterloo at the foot of justice. That the London Court has found these high profiled individuals liable is an important step as we proceed in returning this country back to sanity. |
Let this judgment help in restoring confidence in the fight against corruption which currently has been dented by continued revelations of colossal losses of public funds. Our second reaction is one of serious trepidation at the levels of impunity that that Chiluba and his cohorts exhibited in handling public resources. The judgment categorically highlights the fact that self aggrandizement and not public service became the guiding philosophy in the previous regime. It is disgusting to see how public money was wantonly abused and splashed around with careless abandon like confetti. It is annoying that while public money was being frittered on suits, shoes, jewellery and champagne, the majority of Zambians had lost all forms of dignity and humanity due to heartrending poverty.
The sad question is how many innocent lives have we lost due to lack of drugs in hospitals and medical staff, how many people remain illiterate on account that the schools have remained limited in most areas – and yet some among us had the unimaginable miracle to live their lives with their hands stuck in the public till?. This judgment should serve as a clarion call to Zambians to never ever again allow our country, our resources to be stolen by anyone just to bolster their self image and greed. We should demand from our leaders – utmost accountability for every coin.
We should not forgive any leader or government official who steal even a single ngwee from the Zambian people. We should also follow up on all other scams today and in the past which have been used as a conduit for siphoning public resources. We should follow up on the Cobalt scam – where is the money and who benefited. Zambia ’s reputation lies in tatters and we need to work hard to restore this country to its former glory.
To President Mwanawasa and the current leaders, we ask you to take heed and learn from this experience. Posterity will not spare you. They will not be charmed by a single inflation digit or economic boom if in the process you equally help yourself to public resources. Zambians will not allow you to turn this country into a family Tea Cart or Bottle-store. You hold public office in trust and guard this trust jealously. We appreciate the role that President Mwanawasa has played in this case, and his courage in exposing these ills but we wish to remind him that there are allegations of corrupt practices even in his administration and the people shall find him culpable if he fails to act now and decisively.
RUEBEN L. LIFUKA
CEO
Dialogue Africa
Suite 2, Plot 1311, Lubu Road , Longacres
P.O. Box 31447
LUSAKA |
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