By TIMES REPORTER –

.UPND

A foreign sponsored scheme has been exposed in which a desperate opposition Party is allegedly mobilising funds to give independent members of Parliament (MPs) to support the impeachment motion aimed at removing President Edgar Lungu from power pre-maturely.
An opposition Party is alleged to be offering US$1million to each Independent MP who will support the impeachment motion.
At a Press conference held at Chrisma Hotel in Lusaka yesterday, Mr David Silubanje, a Lusaka Resident, told the Press Conference that “as a law –abiding citizen, I have observed with regret the unfortunate development in the political arena. As a senior citizen, I feel duty-bound to make some remarks on the situation in the country”
He said a South Africa based Foundation had provided the funds for buying MPs and legal fees for any eventuality in the process.
He, however, could not mention the said Foundation.
“Two PF back-benchers are being targeted as well. I shall make a full disclosure of the bribery scheme once we re-examine the situation,” he said.
Mr. Silubanje said one on one meetings had been arranged by the said party to meet the MPs to sign up to the petition and receive down payment of US$250,000, another US$250,000 when the motion was tabled and the final US$500,000 if the motion succeeded.
“Elections are over and court cases over the petition are no longer before any court in Zambia. So we must allow the PF to govern as per its manifesto promises. Those who lost elections must go back to the drawing board and try next time instead of using divisive means to disrupt normal proceedings of Government and threaten our cherished peace and stability of the nation,” he said.
Mr. Silubanje also accused other political leaders of mounting campaigns to malign the Head of State to justify the allowances they allegedly collected from one Political leader.
However, opposition political parties contacted rubbished the allegations.
United Party for National Development (UPND) spokesperson Charles Kakoma’s initial reaction was: “that old man is running crazy” and that it was wild imagination for someone to pay US $1 million.”
Mr Kakoma further described the allegations as malicious and fake and challenged the police to arrest Mr Silubanje for alarming the nation and the Independent MPs should take legal action.
Speaking for UPND, Mr Kakoma said even if the UPND had such colossal sums of money with a potential to shake the exchange rate, it could use it for better purposes than on Independent MPs who had a duty to defend the Constitution.