By CHILA NAMAIKO  –
VICE-PRESIDENT Inonge Wina has said the Government has not diverted from its stance of fighting corruption and there will be no sacred cows in the bid to achieve zero-tolerance.
Ms Wina said the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has political support from the Government to fulfil its aspirations to the people of Zambia to ensure thorough investigation of corruption cases.
She told Parliament yesterday that the ACC had developed a new strategic plan to boost its capacity to detect, investigate, prosecute and prevent corruption.
She said the desired outcome of the plan was for the ACC to mitigate against corruption, instil integrity and sustain public confidence and trust in the organisation as a leading agency in the fight against graft.
Ms Wina said to achieve the desired plan, the ACC would require political and other support to execute its objective in order to fulfil the aspirations of citizens of a corruption-free nation.
“Chairperson, this commitment to continue strengthening the operations of institutions such as ACC demonstrates clearly that the Patriotic Front (PF) Government has not diverted from its stance of zero-tolerance to corruption,” she said.
Ms Wina said this when she delivered a policy statement on budget estimates for the ACC of K85 million for 2018.
She said the Government was committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in all systems and for the ACC to enforce more punitive measures to realise zero-tolerance of corruption.
She cited the need for revision of the laws and financial regulations to bring to an end pilfering of public resources.
Ms Wina urged the institution to continue reinforcing programmes to see reforms in fighting corruption.
From the total budgetary allocation, more than K25 million would be channelled to the operations of the Commission.
Debating the ACC budget, UPND Nkeyema Member of Parliament (MP) Kapelwa Mbangweta challenged the ACC to carry out its mandate without what he claimed as being used to fight political opponents.
Patriotic Front (PF) Kanchibiya MP Martin Malama urged the Commission to remain aggressive in its efforts to eradicate graft, especially that the PF was a pro-poor Government.
As PF Roan MP Chishimba Kambwili was debating the ACC’s budget, which he supported, Copperbelt Minister Bowman Lusambo was ejected from the House by First Deputy Speaker Catherine Namugala for allegedly passing commentaries.
Higher Education Minister Nkandu Luo encouraged the Commission not to be derailed by some quarters from its mandate of fighting graft regardless of the person found wanting.
Defence Minister Davies Chama urged Zambians to remain supportive of the of the ACC, saying the institution could not work in isolation.
He dismissed claims that President Edgar Lungu’s Government was corrupt and called for proof to that effect.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya clarified in the House that the commemoration of the World AIDS day was postponed from December 1 to 11 to allow for wider participation.
Dr Chilufya said the decision was arrived at after wider consultation with all stakeholders and that the Government was demonstrating political will in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
He was responding to a question for oral answer from UPND Lukulu East MP Christopher Kalila, who sought clarity on why the Government had not facilitated the commemoration of this year’s World AIDS Day which falls on December 1.
The minister also said the country had adequate stocks of Antiretroviral (ARVs) in the country.
He was responding to Luena MP Mulonda Kundoti on whether postponement of World AIDS Day commemorations was on account of the reported shortage of ARVS in some health facilities.