OUR DEMOCRACY IS UNDER SIEGE - KACHINGWE

DEMOCRACY is under siege in Zambia following the creation of institutions for “witch-hunting” such the Anti- Financial and Economic Crimes Commission and others which will gag the rights and freedoms of citizens, former MMD national secretary Richard Kachingwe has said.

Major Kachingwe said creating institutions that target people would be an assault on the freedoms of the citizenry as they would be conducting their businesses in fear.

He said the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) has already done more harm than good by labelling hard working Zambians as criminals before being tried in the courts of law. Maj Kachingwe said with institutions such as the Anti-Financial and Economic Crimes Commission, coupled with FIC, Zambians would not be able to freely invest and conduct their businesses with peace of mind for fear of being targeted.

He said the lack of economic freedom being witnessed in the country under the new regime was tantamount to democracy being under siege.

Maj Kachingwe said the government should not do things to hurt people’s freedom because some institutions that are being created will make people feel targeted.

He said in a democracy, the government is supposed to endeavour at all times to promote the social progress of the people by giving them freedom to operate freely.

“We’ve not had a very good history in targeting individuals, Zambia has had such institutions before,” he said.

Maj Kachingwe said the country has enough oversight institutions at the moment that can carry out the mandate that has been given to the newly created commission if they are strengthened.

He said the AntiCorruption Commission, FIC and the Drug Enforcement Commission are enough to deal with financial crimes.

Maj Kachingwe said creation of the Anti-Financial and Economic Crimes Commission questions the existence of other institutions that fight financial crimes.