While most of us have told some lies in the course of our lives, things take a drastic turn for the worse when you’re dealing with outright liars like Hichilema.
Lusaka, Aug. 17 – In critical thinking, we say when your ears hear one thing, but your eyes see another…use your brain! Was it gold or copper, as Hichilema’s close associates get implicated.
Our talking point today is can Hichilema truly be a clean man looking at his associates? For they say, birds of the same feathers, flock together.
Here are the key players in the sausagegate scandal:
1. Patrick Kawanu (Jnr)
The pilot, who was the first Zambian arrested, is Patrick Kawanu (Jnr) who works for Mahogamy Airlines.
According to the statement he has so far given, he was brought into the deal after being told that it was an opportunity that would change his life forever. He was convinced by Mahogany Air owner Jim Belemu and Yusuf Zumra.
2. Yusuf Zumla
Yusuf Zumla is the owner of the Zambian plane registered under the name King Air, which had gold on board to be exchanged with the cash from the foreign jet.
Yusuf Zumla is the Board Chairperson of the Zambia Tourism Agency (ZTA), and he is also the owner of Eastern Safaris which previously owned the prestigious Chichele Lodge. It is believed that Zumla co-owned Chichele Lodge with prominent Lusaka businessman Diego Cassilli.
3. Jim Belemu
Jim Belemu is the owner of Mahogany Air, a senior member of the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND). He is the prime mover of this whole gold and cash deal, and he was instrumental in determing the location of the transactions at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA).
4. Osward Diangamo
This is a former employee of one of President Hakainde Hichilema’s business operations. Although he is currently not an employee of the Zambian government, he is a prominent member of the UPND Security and travels on a diplomatic passport.
Osward Diangamo was initially among those arrested and detained at Lusaka Central Police, but was released after representations from government officials keen to keep any hint of State House out of the picture.
Osward Diangamo and Jim Belemu are the two who have disappeared with the US5 million that Socialist Party Leader Fred Mmembe mentioned.
Also Read: Koswe and the gold scandal – The other side of HH.
5. Shadreck Kasanda
This is the fellow who has been seen posing with cash and gold on social media, and is one of the people Zambian Whistleblower wrote about who scammed an American businesswoman out of US$770,000.
For the past one week, Kasanda was making frantic efforts to have a public function of him joining the UPND, in the manner that Kelvin Sampa did. Sampa actually posted a statement saying “Cash and the plane released to the owners” which Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister, Hon. Jack Mwiimbu, later refuted as being false.
It is reported that there is currently very furious government activity to try and keep this gold scandal dirt from splashing unto State House and the President but we must be a special kind of intelligent people not to understand that Hichilema is not a clean man.
Amongst themselves, State House officials have identified Mr. Jito Kayumba as Kasanda’s closest contact in their establishment, although two other Aides of the President have been mentioned.
At the time of compiling this story, Kasanda, Jim Belemu and Osward Diangamo were still on the run but have since been picked up.
◾Conclusion
Zambian Whistleblower, the source of most of the content here, wishes to make only two points clear. They do not WANT to hear that the contraband of gold emanated from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as it used to happen during the illegal exports of Mukula.
Secondly, based on the identities of the people so far exposed in this story, it MUST be clear to any unbiased mind that thieving or criminality has no tribe or ethnic identity.
Instead of fixing social economic development challenges we are faced with, Mr. Hichilema and his new dawn government lie to protect themselves, to shield their egos from the raw pain of truth.
Also Read: UPND and its baffling performance! – Chishala Kateka.
While most of us have told some lies in the course of our lives, things take a drastic turn for the worse when you’re dealing with outright liars like Hichilema. His lies have destroyed the trust Zambians once had in him because they have made life much more difficult than it was under President Edgar Lungu.
Do the right thing in 2026. We are not being ruled by just liars but crooks.
To make well-informed and thoughtful decisions, one must be able to see things from perspectives other than one’s own. Gain new perspectives by following Woodpecker’s Digest! Reading does open up a world of possibilities.
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