Socialist Party queries Hichilema’s commitment to anti-graft war without declaring his personal assets

President Hakainde Hichilema should declare his personal assets to prove how serious his government is to fight corruption, the Socialist Party (SP) has stated.

The ‘leftist’ organisation also said the government should work on measures to get maximum benefits from the country’s mineral endowments.

Speaking during a media briefing in Kitwe Saturday, SP vice president, Cosmas Musumali, said President Hichilema should lead by example in the fight against corruption.

Read more :Transparency International faults Hichilema for allegedly vilifying corruption whistle-blowers

“You arrest one person, you tell people to cerebrate. Ministers have been fired before even during the Patriotic Front (PF) regime, it is not the first time and that doesn’t mean there was no corruption in PF ,” Musumali said in reference to the firing of Luapula Minister, Derrick Chilundika .

He said corruption in the sugilite had been going on for a long time, adding that the President was forced to fire Chilundika to create an impression.

“May be this person never shared, judging them should start with the president himself, he should declare his assets instead of playing to the gallery. SP are not excited with the current concept of fighting corruption,” Musumali said.

Read more : Hichilema administration not sincere, transparent in war against corruption —Mwenda

He also said once in government, measures would be taken to compel mining companies to bank all the proceeds in the Bank of Zambia before repatriating their proceeds to increase the amount of foreign exchange in the local economy.

“We will ensure that proceeds of mining come back and deposited in central bank deposit first in Zambia to increase the amount of forex and that allows you to control and stabilise the economy, simple rule ,” Musumali said.

He added that the SP would use Multifacility Economic Zones (MFEZs) to create a mineral value addition industry so that country starts exporting finished mineral products .

Musumali said mining companies would be compelled to buy 20 percent of their industrial inputs from locals to create a resilient economy.

He was flanked by SP spokesperson, Frank Bwalya, among other high ranking party officials during the media briefing at Copperbelt office in Kitwe.

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