Stop demeaning law enforcers - Chikuse
FUEL tankers that were marooned at various crossing points follow ing the expiry of SIs 5 and 77 on fuel import waiver, have finally started rolling in after Government through ZRA ex tended the two instruments.
OIL Marketing Companies Association of Zambia presi dent Dr Kafula Mubanga who confirmed the development said all issues have been re solved and that the fuel tank ers have started entering the country.
Dr Mubanga said the fuel tankers have since started landing meaning there will be no fuel shortage in the country.
“Yes, I can confirm that Government has responded positively and as an associa tion, we appreciate the effort by the Minister of Energy to have the issue addressed through ZRA to avert a fuel shortage in the country.
He explained that following expiry of tax waiver on fuel import, Oil Marketing Com panies were left without any option but to put their fuel procurement orders on hold, awaiting government policy direction on import waivers.
Dr Mubanga also said the
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) officials should confess and bring back what they stole from the Zam bian people instead demean ing the authority of the law en forcement agencies through accusations of harassments, the UPND Alliance has said.
Alliance spokesperson Les lie Chikuse urged PF officials being sought by the Anti-Cor ruption Commission (ACC) to defend themselves if they were innocent without demeaning association is happy that gov ernment has found a perma nent measure that will lead to stable fuel supply and en hance service delivery in the supply of fuel.
On Friday, ZRA reconfig ured its customs systems to continue granting tax waivers to importers of fuel products while awaiting measures to be put in place to create an enabling environment.
ZRA has encouraged all oil marketing companies to work with the Zambia Revenue Au thority officers to ensure that all hurdles are addressed so that there was no disruption in the fuel chain supply. security wings for carrying out their duties.
Mr Chikuse said in an in terview that allegations from some PF members that they were being harassed by ACC officers in the process of car rying out their duties were not justified because they could not be sought after if they didn’t do anything wrong.
“Those who thought there would never be a time when the long arm of the law would take its course would not com plain because they were of the view that justice would never prevail, the truth of the matter is institutions of governance are operating independently,” he said. He said no amount of intimidation would compel the law enforcement agencies to operate unprofessionally because they had become free to operate independently.
Mr Chikuse said even if peo ple who were being sought by the ACC cried the loudest, the law enforcement agencies would always operate independently.