Africa-Press – Zambia. A Lusaka clergy and media magnate, Pastor Kennedy Mambwe, has questioned the government’s decision to provide former vice presidents Enoch Kavindele and Reverend Nevers Mumba with monthly salaries while denying the sixth President of Zambia, Dr. Edgar Lungu, the same privilege.
Mambwe said if the reason for halting President Lungu’s monthly payments, withdrawing state security, and other privileges is because he returned to active politics, the same reasoning must apply to Reverend Mumba and Mr. Kavindele.
“Pastor Mumba, whom I deeply respect, is the president of the opposition party MMD. I feel compelled to publicly declare this.”
Mambwe argued that if the reason for halting President Lungu’s payments, withdrawing state security, and other privileges is his return to active politics, the same reasoning should apply to Reverend Mumba and Mr. Kavindele.
“Why do you deny President Lungu his pay because he returned to politics, but you pay two ex-vice presidents who are both active politicians?” questioned Mambwe.
The pastor and influential media operator appealed to President Hichilema to revisit the situation and even put in place a law that makes it legal for ex-vice presidents to receive payment because now there appears to be none. Ostensibly, this means Mr. Kavindele and Mr. Mumba could be receiving illegal salaries in exchange for praising President Hichilema, whose administration’s popularity has declined due to the high cost of living.
“It’s a travesty of the natural laws of justice to award Mr. Kavindele and Pastor Mumba, both well-known politicians, while punishing the only surviving former President of Zambia.”
The government has not responded to queries on why the payments of retired officials are going on selectively after President Lungu lost his constitutional retirement package. Conversely, during the same program on KBNTV, Ambassador Anthony Mukwita advised state police to swiftly arrest President Lungu and charge him with a crime. This advice comes after a walk in the CBD that brought traffic to a standstill last week, instead of deliberately targeting people close to him.
“My humble advice is that police should move in quickly and arrest President Lungu for any suspected breach of the law when he walks or runs around town,” said Ambassador Mukwita.
“It’s unfair to threaten him or his handlers every time he tries to exercise his right to freely associate and freely assemble because the precedent being set for future retired Presidents and how they are treated is bad,” said Ambassador Mukwita.
“Arrest the former President if you, police, believe he has committed a crime against the state by walking in the city,” said the former envoy and author.
For More News And Analysis About Zambia Follow Africa-Press
