AN old adage ‘There is no smoke without fire’, has never been more relevant than now when so many cases of the alleged maladministration by the former ruling party are being unearthed.
A number of Patriotic Front (PF) leaders such as former Cabinet ministers, business colleagues, special project coordinators and in some cases relatives to some PF members, have either been summoned by investigative wings such as the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), the Zambia Police or are already answering to criminal charges in the courts of law.
Clearly, something must have been found amiss by the current Government for it to start going after the former office bearers suspected to have played a role in the plundering of the nation’s resources in one way or the other.
The UPND, from the word go, has swung into action by bringing to light a lot of alleged dirt that was being swept under the carpet by the previous regime-the question that is now begging to be answered is –Who is going to be answerable for these criminal acts?

We have former ministers appearing in courts of law for being in possession of multi-million Kwacha mansions and other property suspected to be proceeds of crime, even when the affected individuals had literally nothing before they became law makers tasked to represent the wishes of the owners of the country, the people of Zambia.
We are of the same mind with everyone that every person or suspect should be treated as innocent until proven guilty by the courts of law. This we know is a fundamental right that every Zambian should enjoy but again, with the shocking exhibition of such selfishness by some ex-leaders, it is so tempting to put one and one together by concluding that there was utter self-centeredness without any thought for an ordinary Zambian interest by some former leaders of the past regime.
Every Zambian has the right to opinion and our opinion is that, it is evident enough that there are so many vices that the former ruling party should be answerable for. Guilty or not!, the zeal that was started by the late President Michael Sata, the father of the PF to uplift the lives of the ordinary Zambian, had somehow been derailed along the way by some selfish people who jumped on the band wagon of the party.
Every other day, a fresh scandal is brought to the fore and in the axis of it all, is some former leader in the PF.
The sparkling new one being the FJT University scandal where a disclosed amount of US$33 million dollars meant for the erection of the much-talked about higher institution of learning in Mansa, Luapula Province is alleged to have suddenly grown legs and disappeared.
What is more outrageous is that part of the money which is reported to have been sourced as a loan for the project is said to have been paid to some contractor but hitherto, there’s nothing to talk about home when it comes to the varsity being built even half way or should we just say quarter way.
It is no surprise that Chief Government spokesperson Chushi Kasanda has strongly warned that no amount of politicking will sway her Government from cleaning up the alleged mess of the PF.
Ms Kasanda who is also Information and Media Minister said the New Dawn Government would ensure that all those that participated in the theft of public resources would be held accountable.
We are also in agreement that these revelations, if found to be true, would be a real reflection of the extent of the loot of public resources that the country was subjected to during the former regime.
The minister’s sentiments on the stalled construction of the FTJ University are an echo of President Hakainde Hichilema who has already challenged those involved in the disappearance of the $33m to bring back the money or risk being arrested.
May those who have been arrested vindicate themselves or face punishment for taking away that which belongs to the people of Zambia.