Expedite privatisation probe – Kalumba

EXPEDITE investigations into the privatisation of parastatals, veteran politician Katele Kalumba has demanded.

Dr Kalumba said the process was important for the healing of the nation to forge ahead peacefully.

This follows Special Assistant to the President for press and public relations, Amos Chanda’s call on authorities to investigate how parastatals were disposed of during the privatisation process.

Dr Kalumba told the Daily Nation yesterday, that the call should not be ignored and that the process should be expedited.

He said that speculations about ‘ who squandered funds during the process’ would only be exposed or put to rest after an investigation.

Dr Kalumba said it was important for the inquiry not to only be mere rhetoric from State House, but that action must be taken.

And Dr Kalumba advised that the privatisation probe should not only target certain individuals. He pointed out that ministries, government agencies and individuals were involved in the process and that it was important to fish out all who were involved in the plunder. “The process must be expedited so that the matter which has been going on for a long time must be put to bed. This issue is very dynamic, many people were involved so the probe must thoroughly done and ascertain who were involved in the misuse of funds,” Dr Kalumba said.

Meanwhile, Dr Kalumba, who is former Minister of Finance hailed the AntiCorruption Commission (ACC) for probing erring officers. He said the commission should be bold enough to go after perceived ‘ big people’ as long as wrong doing was suspected.

Dr Kalumba also urged the commission to continue with the same spirit to completely eradicate corruption in the country.

He said the mandate of the ACC was to ensure that erring officers, including corrupt individuals faced the wrath of law.