Transparency International Zambia (TI-Z) would like to welcome the decision by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to arrest Minister of Health Dr. Chitalu Chilufya. It is our fervent hope that the necessary ground work has been done and there is a good basis to pursue this course of action. We do recognise henceforth that Hon Chilufya now has an opportunity to mount his defence before the courts of law and seek to clear his name. This decision, like many others in the past, should be in the furtherance of the ideals of entrenching transparency and accountability in the discharge of public service. We will continue to prod the ACC to continue to discharge its duties without fear or favour and to focus only on serving national interests and nothing else.
In order to ensure that the prosecution and conduct of this matter is above board, we again call on President Edgar Lungu to consider relieving the Minister of Health of his duties and allow him first and foremost, to focus on his defence and secondly, to insulate his own government from unfortunate distractions which this case may present if the said Minister remains insitu in his office. We do not agree that President Lungu should limit himself to doing only what is legally provided for when making such a decision, but he should also do what is morally right. President Lungu has to strike a balance and ensure that the ACC does its job as independently as possible, while protecting the presumption of innocence of Hon Chilufya. Asking his Minister to step aside, is not to prejudge him, it is to protect the integrity of the investigative process.
As TI-Z, we will follow this case with keen interest and we hope that the ACC will be allowed to prosecute this case to its full conclusion.
Reuben L. Lifuka
TI-Z Chapter President
