By JAMES KUNDA –
THE Patriotic Front (PF) has taken an interest in the alleged petition of Speaker of the National Assembly Patrick Matibini by 64 Members of Parliament (MP), seeking clarity on the procurement of 42 fire tenders by the Government at a cost of US$42 million.
PF media director Sunday Chanda said the party was also interested to establish whether or not any of its members were among the petitioners.
Speaking at a PF interactive forum in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Chanda said the party would also appreciate it if the petitioners took interest in matters such as the privatisation of parastatal companies in the early 1990s.
“Referring to the privatisation era may be likened flogging a dead horse, but the people of Zambia still need to know how some people amassed so much wealth from that period,” Mr Chanda said.
He said the ruling party had nothing to do with the six protesters arrested at Parliament buildings last Friday for allegedly protesting that the fire tender procurement process was flawed.
Mr Chanda said the six; Alliance for Community Action executive director Laura Miti, Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) leader Sean Tembo, musician Fumba Chama, also known as Pilato, Mika Mwambazi of
NRDC, Bonwell Mwewa of PHI and Zambia Council for Social Development executive director Lewis Mwape, acted outside the law.
“PF has absolutely nothing to do with the application of the Public Order Act and if the police concluded that the six were out of order with their conduct, then so be it,” he said, adding; “PF youths wanted to mount a march in solidarity with the budget on the same day, but after police denied a permit, we obeyed.”
Mr Chanda also expressed concern at expelled Roan PF MP Chishimba Kambwili’s continued maligning of President Edgar Lungu.
He challenged Mr Kambwili concentrate on clearing the skirmishes surrounding his own welfare as opposed to dragging the Head of State and Government into his ‘cheap politicking’ scheme.