Court shows leniency to plunderers

The POST and the Times are carrying the story involving the conviction of former finance officers in President Chiluba’s government.

“LUSAKA High Court Deputy Director of Operations Edward Musona yesterday sentenced MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba and three others to five years imprisonment for corruption.Musona, sitting as a magistrate, handed Kalumba a five-year sentence with hard labour after being found guilty on one count of corrupt practices by a public officer.He sentenced former finance permanent secretary Stella Chibanda to five years simple imprisonment on five out of the nine corruption charges while Access Financial Services Limited (AFSL) directors Aaron Chungu and Faustin Kabwe were also jailed for five years each with hard labour.Magistrate Musona also sentenced former Ministry of Finance chief economist Bede Mpande, former finance ministry director of budget Boniface Nonde, former secretary to the treasury Professor Benjamin Mweene to five years imprisonment with hard labour but suspended for 24 months.”

While I welcome the success scored by the Task Force on Corruption in this case, I am rather disappointed by the leniency showed by the court to this bunch of selfish and unpatriotic Zambians. Lets be clear about one thing. As a result of actions by these plunderers, our schools went without teachers and desks, our hospitals had no drugs and doctors, communities were deprived of clean running water and other essentials of life. Funds that could have been used to uplift the living standards of our people were diverted for personal use. It is therefore rather disappointing that the court found that the stiffest sentence it could slap on these people is 5 years. They will probably be out tomorrow after launching an appeal. Look at Regina Chiluba. A convicted plunderer still enjoying her freedom and fruits of her theft!

The lawyer for Katele did not seem to realise how angry the people of Zambia are with the actions of his client by offering this rather pathetic plea.

“In mitigation Kalumba’s lawyer, Vincent Malambo, said Kalumba and his colleagues in the dock were not criminals but men to whom the country owed a debt for their contribution in addressing the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) completion point issue. Malambo said Kalumba was also a politician carrying the hopes and aspirations of thousands of his people in Chiengi and he was a man with health complications. Malambo said Kalumba was a consultant of international repute. Malambo said sending Kalumba and his friends to prison would be like imposing a death sentence on them. In passing sentence, magistrate Musona said no one could doubt the love that Kalumba had for Zambia and he had served the people in various portfolios. He said Kalumba was a sitting parliamentarian who served the country very well up to the commencement of the investigations.”

As a country we need to wake up and smell the coffee. We need to send a very clear message to all that theft of public resources will not be tolerated. The courts need to come hard on anyone convicted of this offence by imposing long custodial sentences. I know our prisons are full but surely there is always room for plunderers.

Now that Katele Kalumba has been convicted, I would expect the 'honourable' MP to resign from Parliament and as Secretary of the ruling Party.

The PANEL.

"It’s how we end that matters" by Martin Kalungu-Banda

I had an opportunity to review a brilliantly written book about the late President Levy Mwanawasa by Amos Malupenga last year. My only criticism of the text was that it was rather one sided except for the comments by Akashambatwa Lewanika.

Another book on Mwanawasa has been released authored by Martin Kalungu-Banda. I have not had a chance to read the book yet but below is a summary of Martin's Motivation for writing this book..


As we search for the right leadership, some of the questions that we have to grapple with include: How can you tell which person is likely to provide quality leadership? Can academic credentials alone prove suitability for leadership? Is the ability to speak eloquently a sign of leadership capacity? To what extent does a person’s external appearance or presentation help to show what kind of leader he or she would make? How can we pierce through the façade of a person in order to know who they truly are and what leadership they are capable of providing?The passing on of President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, Zambia’s third President, on 19 August 2008 reignited these and other similar reflections in many people’s minds. Thinking about President Mwanawasa led me to ponder on his leadership. I couldn’t find a better way of sharing these reflections than by writing down some of the stories that capture a side of his leadership that rarely came through in his public appearances. I am also convinced that we do teach one another as we share our stories. The ones in this book show how I saw him relate to other people and myself, and I hope that these tales will give an insight into the source of President Mwanawasa’s leadership style that he displayed in the seven years he led the Zambian nation. I use the term ‘source’ to refer to that deep-seated intention from which one’s values and actions spring. Otto Scharmer of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management says we can trace our life source by finding answers to these two questions: What is my ‘highest self, the self that transcends pettiness and signifies [my] best future possibility?’ and what is my purpose – what am I here on earth to do?The first question implies that I have so much potential that I can choose to be better than I am now – I can definitely choose to rise above being small-minded and I can create a vision in my head of the best that I can be. The second question reminds me that I am unique and must surely have a special role or roles that suit me best, and I can try to find them.


If have read the book, please let us know your views.

The PANEL

Time to resolve PF/UPND Pact leadership

The results of the last two bye-elections in Milanzi and Mufumbwe have clearly demonstrated why the opposition need to approach the 2011 general elections with a little be more creativity.

Had PF fielded a candidate in Mufumbwe, the ruling MMD would have carried the day. By the same token, the opposition would have won the contest in Milanzi had they rallied behind a single candidate. UNIP basically spoiled the race for PF. Perhaps it is time to welcome UNIP in the pact and ensure that the MMD fights a united front all the time.

I have always supported the pact and agreed to the decision to kick the leadership issue into the long grass when the alliance was announced. However, the time has now come for the leadership of the pact to be ironed out. In particular, the pact needs to resolve who its presidential candidate is going to be in the next general election. Time is running out and the constant rumours that RB is going to go for an early election makes this issue even more pressing. My personal opinion is that Sata should lead the pact for now and stand against RB as he is best placed to win the election. HH should then serve in Sata’s cabinet to gain some valuable government experience with the view to lead the pact after Sata retires. I am not a fan of Sata but sometimes one has swallow personal pride and principles for the good of the country.

The PANEL