Prosecution Must Follow Chilufya Dismissal
The dismissal of Dr Chitalu Chilufya as Minister of Health in relation to the HoneyBee scandal has been widely welcomed. The Minister has long been shrouded in controversy and the subject of various allegations in the recent past, having previously been subject to arrest by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in relations to allegations that he was in possession of property reasonably suspected to be the proceeds of crime.
While Dr Chilufya was acquitted of previous charges, those relating to the HoneyBee scandal have proved convincing enough for President Edgar Lungu to finally remove the now former minister.
However, dismissal is not enough. A growing number of civil society and opposition figures are calling for his prosecution as a matter of priority.
Prosecution, they argue, is essential for two main reasons. Firstly, to recover misspent funds so they can be rechannelled for the benefit of the nation. In this case millions are a stake at a time when the country badly needs funds for its health sector in order to respond to the Covid pandemic and save lives. Secondly, to send a clear message that corruption will not be tolerated and that any officials found to be involved in such acts will be held fully accountable.
Among those to call for the former minister’s prosecution are the opposition Socialist Party. “The termination of Dr. Chilufya’s appointment is... not sufficient. All the money spent on this procurement must be paid back to the people of Zambia. Criminal prosecution must also be initiated against the entire team that was involved in this procurement. This includes the suppliers of the fake medicines and defective supplies,” the Party has stated.
Meanwhile, Alliance for Community Action (ACA) Executive Director Laura Miti has called for the additional removal of the ministry’s permanents secretaries, ZAMRA and Medical Stores boards and management in response.
The UPND has criticised the slow response by the President, pointing to the “string of unending corruption incidences at the Ministry.”
The party’s presidential spokesperson Anthony Bwalya criticised the “established pattern and culture of unhindered, sponsored criminality against the Zambian Republic by agents of the PF, for the benefit of the PF and President Lungu.”
Moreover, UPND President Hakainde Hichilema has called for justice for those citizens who were victim to the scandal.
“It saddens us greatly to learn that even our health workers who are working very hard sacrificing their lives have also been put in harm’s way by this regime that gave them defective personal protective equipment. This action by the PF government is not only reckless, but criminal as it amounts to crimes against Zambians,” Hichilema has previously stated