Stiffen graft laws, demands Tonga

STIFFENING laws on corruption is the way Zambia can completely defeat the scourge, Third Liberation Movement (3rd LM) Party President Enock Tonga has said.

Mr Tonga said the levels of corruption in Zambia had increased and needed to be addressed urgently.

He has since urged Parliament to therefore move a motion with an intention to initiate the enactment of non-bail- able law on corruption.

He also suggested that punishment for those found guilty of corruption should be life imprisonment, 50 years or more jail sentence and execution or death sentence by hanging.

The opposition leader said this when he made a submission of his petition to initiate enactment of stiffer penalties on corruption cases to the Parliamentary Committee Legal Affairs, Human Rights, National Guidance, Gender Matters and Governance yesterday.

“Corruption is a death sentence handed-down onto the lives of the people of Zambia for crimes they did not commit. As the case is in Zambia, in my irrevocable position; I can attest to the fact that corruption remains a very serious threat to Zambia’s peace and stability if left undefeated, as it is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode and destroy many more lives and properties,” Mr Tonga said.

Meanwhile, Mr Tonga said there was need to detouch the presidency from institutions that dealt with corruption such as the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

He said appointments of directors of these institutions by the President made it difficult for them to operate effectively.

He recommended that Parliament instead be in charge of appointments of directors institution handling corruption cases.

“The Director General who is the chief executive officer for the Anti-corruption Commission, for example, is appointed by the President and Parliament is there only to ratify the appointment. This clearly means the director general owes it all to the President and remains subjective in his or her decision making,” Mr Tonga said.