Nkombo calls for lifestyle audit, as Lungu protect criminals under ‘innocent until proven guilty’

Mazabuka Central Member of Parliament Garry Nkombo is calling for a lifestyle audit of persons seeking public office.

He said this is paramount especially those in leadership with umbilical codes attached to the current Government adding that the UPND is seeking office to provide servant leadership and not personal gain as the case is in the Patriotic Front.

Nkombo said the UPND is not going in government to molest resources over the general aspirations of the people and further called on the Zambia Revenue Authority to give anybody aspiring for public office a clean sheet in terms of tax compliance.

“As government in waiting (UPND), I would like to state here and now; starting with myself, that I am advocating for a life style audit of anyone who is in government today, and one who seeks to be in government tomorrow.

“Zambians must rise to the occasion and stand with us who are demanding for a lifestyle audit and have the Zambia Revenue Authority give everybody who wishes to aspire for public office a clean sheet in terms of tax compliance because it’s tax compliance and tax returns that define what one’s earning are,” Nkombo said.

Nkombo who is also UPND Chairman for Elections said Zambians have a right to call for a lifestyle audit of all those in Government and those seeking public office.

He said this should be so because it was not a new requirement in Zambian politics with first Republican President Kenneth Kaunda calling it the Leadership code during his reign.

“According to the Organised Crime and Corruption Project (2018); Lungu of having said there is so much corruption, that you can smell it.

“I have seen in people’s accounts huge amounts on daily basis for people who are not in any established industry, businesses, commerce or trade. There is something wrong here; desist, keep away because I will be firing some people.

“The only Minister Lungu fired was Dr Chishimba Kambwili because of his presidential ambitions to take over the leadership of PF and not necessarily on a corruption related mater,” he said.

“There are some Minister cited for corruption whom Lungu protected under the guise of ‘innocent until proven guilty,” observed Nkombo.

Vice President, Inonge Wina has vehemently rejected the lifestyle audit and shot it down in the last session of the National Assembly while President Edgar Lungu allegedly failed to act despite admitting the rampant corruption in his Government.

Meanwhile, Transparency International Zambia has called on the Anti – Corruption Commission to investigate the source of funds for some Patriotic Front Ministers and officials such as Bowman Lusambo who have gone on a spree donating huge chucks of money to individuals and groups under the guise of empowerment.