NCP chides tax-evaders

DISGRACED tax evaders who should be behind bars have no moral right to condemn the association of President Edgar Lungu and visiting former Prime Minister of Israel Ethud Olmert, the New Congress party (NCP) has charged. NCP leader Peter Chanda told the Daily Nation yesterday that it was sad that some certain individuals who were involved in dubious activities want to make an issue out a fitness run aimed at promoting good health and awareness involving President Lungu and Mr Olmert. The visiting former Prime Minister of Israel last week together with President Lungu took part in a sensitisation fitness run on the dangers of non-communicable diseases in Lusaka where they urged Zambians to participate in health activities and frequently exercise. Mr Chanda noted that some frustrated individuals who have questionable behaviour were trying to malign President Lungu by questioning his association with Mr Olmert whom they accused of being a crook and criminal. And Mr Chanda said Mr Olmert was neither a crook nor a criminal as purported by the tax-evader as he was cleared and acquitted in 2012 of a series of charges that included accepting cash-stuffed envelopes from U.S. businessman Morris Talansky when Olmert was mayor of Jerusalem and a Cabinet minister. “And I am urging the Zambians to ignore these people who are saying Mr Olmert is a crook, convict and criminal because the man (Mr Olmert) was actually cleared and acquitted in 2012 of all those allegations that were labeled against him. “So he is a free man and there is nothing wrong for President Lungu to cooperate with him for the good of the two nations more especially in the health sector where the two leaders were advocating for positive living among the people by taking health walks within their communities and participate in sporting activities,” Mr Chanda said. Mr Chanda said Zambians should be delighted to see the Head of state take a leading role in promoting health in the country saying such campaigns would reduce on the number of lives being lost due to non-communicable diseases.