postzambia

LUSAKA lawyer Wynter Kabimba yesterday dared President Rupiah Banda's government to take Frederick Chiluba, the prime suspect in the Carlington maize scandal, back to court.

Commenting on home affairs minister Lameck Mangani's announcement that the Attorney General would advise the government on how to proceed with the Carlington maize scandal in which opposition FDD president Edith Nawakwi was implicated, Kabimba said Mangani was acting like a Rottweiler dog that had been unleashed by its master to pursue his political enemies.

“Mangani belongs to a group of coup plotters in the MMD that have actually hijacked the MMD using the advantage of ethnic numbers in the party. So he is really acting like a Rottweiler dog that has just been unleashed to pursue the enemies of his master,” Kabimba said. “He is not there to perform the functions of a Minister of Home Affairs. He is there for a specific purpose; to pursue the enemies of his master hence his unwarranted rantings.”


Kabimba challenged President Banda's administration to take Chiluba back to court if indeed their concern was about the money that was lost in the Carlington transaction.

“If Mr Mangani had been a genuine MMD member, he would have gone back to the record and realise that the prime suspect in the Carlington maize scandal is Frederick Chiluba, the man who is wining and dining with his master Mr Rupiah Banda,” Kabimba said. “And Edith Nawakwi was an agent, so how do you pursue Edith Nawakwi and at the same time rehabilitating Chiluba in the MMD? Chiluba had actually left the MMD purely on account that he was a suspect in the Carlington maize scandal in which Zambia lost millions and that money has never been recovered.”

Kabimba reminded Mangani that the Carlington maize scandal was even under scrutiny by the defunct Task Force on Corruption.

“On one hand you can see that they want to rehabilitate him Chiluba as a full member of the MMD with full privileges… attending all the state banquets, attending all the prominent funerals, attending on behalf of RB. And you want to pursue Edith Nawakwi who was sent by Chiluba in that transaction? What sense does it make to Mr Mangani?” Kabimba asked. “I challenge Mr Mangani that if indeed his concern is about the loss of the money, let them take Chiluba back to court because that matter was still under consideration by the Task Force, which they abolished.

“And if they find that Edith Nawakwi is the co-accused, then they can go to Edith Nawakwi as well. Otherwise, the only explanation left why Mr Mangani is doing what he is doing is that he is not there to perform the functions of a Minister of Home Affairs on behalf of the people of Zambia. He is there to silence the perceived enemies or political opponents of his master Rupiah Banda so that he continues in office unchallenged.”

Kabimba said Mangani was actually the worst Minister of Home Affairs that Zambia has ever had.

“But we also understand why he is doing that because he is not MMD. He just belongs to a group of people that has hijacked the MMD, that's what he is! So Mr Mangani should just own up. He should not waste our time. Every other day his statements are about Michael Sata, they are about Edith Nawakwi, they are about those that are definitely challenging the power of Rupiah Banda, that is all,” Kabimba said. “And nothing to do with internal security. It's a shame that we actually have such a man as Minister of Home Affairs. The route he is taking now is not in the interest of the people of Zambia. It is in the interest of Mr Rupiah Banda to remain unchallenged but we shall continue to challenge RB, and Mangani, at the end will be out of that office.”