Lower Zambezi: More want HH to explain

MORE people have to joined the call for the UPND president Hakainde Hichilema to dispute the US$14 million he received through Afnat in the sale of his stake in the lower Zambezi, the now controversial national park mining project.

New Congress Party (NCP) president Peter Chanda told the Daily Nation in an interview that the exposure of Mr Hichilema’s involvement in the issue was a source of concern and it was only decent for him to personally come out and clear the air if he was innocent.

Mr urged Mr Hichilema to also use the opportunity to explain many pending issues, such as privatisation of State property which he had failed to clarify over the years.

He said it was disrespectful for the UPND leader to remain silent when there were serious allegations of national interest levelled against him.

“The people of Zambia want to hear from the horse’s mouth. Let Mr Hichilema clear the air and exculpate himself if indeed he is innocent,” Mr Chanda said.

He also commended Eastern Province Minister Makebi Zulu for being brave and bringing up the matter to the public’s attention.

Mr Chanda said the issue was of public interest and the people deserved to know the truth. “Mr Zulu is a gallant son of the soil and he’s indeed brave for bringing up this matter of greater interest in the country,” he said.

Mr Chanda has also challenged the law enforcement agencies to investigate the issue.

And National Revolution Party (NRP) Cosmo Mumba has warned that he would petition the Constitutional Court to stop Mr Hichilema from contesting the 2021 elections if he does not exculpate himself over the lower Zambezi issue and the privatisation services he rendered from the people of Zambia to others. Mr Mumba said with the exposure of Mr Hichilema’s involvement in the sale of the lower Zambezi, he could not be trusted as president. Mr Mumba accused the UPND leader of being power hungry and could accept anything to become president of Zambia. “People should be careful because he is in a hurry to become president and he knows that this is his last chance. If he fails, he’s no more, so he would accept things like gayism and anything else that could give him money to become president,” Mr Mumba said.

When contacted on whether Mr Hichilema intends to exculpate himself, UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma maintained that Mr Hichilema owed no-one any explanation, claiming he had nothing to do with the lower Zambezi issue.