Dr. O'Brien Kaaba Exposes Ongoing Deep-Rooted Treasury Corruption Involving State Chambers!

As ACC Shamakamba resigns from his office as Director General of the Anti Corruption Commision.

Lusaka, July 17 – University of Zambia lecturer Dr. O’Brien Kaaba has exposed ongoing deep rooted looting of the treasury with the participation of State Chambers nestled and facilitated by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

Also Read: Silence in the face of injustice is complicity! An examination of the Western response to the abduction of MP Hon. Emmanuel Jay Banda and the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi exposes a troubling pattern of apathy and complicity.

And President Hichilema has accepted the resignation of Mr. Thom Trevor Shamakamba as Director General of The Anti-Corruption Commission following the exposed corruption scandal that even President Hichilema cannot say he does not know about.

A solemn statement by State House, the home of the notorious Koswe publication, says the President has thanked Mr. Shamakamba for his service to the Government of the Republic of
Zambia and wishes him well in his future endeavours.

Following the State House formal statement released On July 10, 2024 meant to address the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) 2023 Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Report, Dr. O’Brien Kaaba released a very disturbing statement that has resulted in the resignation of the ACC Director General.

In the July 10 State House statement, the President urged the ACC and other law enforcement agencies to conduct thorough investigations into all the suspicious transactions identified in the FIC report. The FIC Report indicated that significant acts of corruption, comparable to those committed during the PF regime, are also occurring under the UPND government.

But Dr. Kaaba stated that the lack of action by the ACC and other law enforcement agencies suggested either incompetence or potential compromise within the management of these institutions, resulting in the neglect of serious corruption cases.

“Either way, simply urging them to investigate cases thoroughly will likely yield nothing substantial. There is need for drastic action by the President at many levels. Urging action by law enforcement agencies is not enough,” read, in part Dr. O’Brien Kaaba’s statement.

He reiterated that some senior officers in government were operating with impunity and their acts of corruption were now public knowledge.

“Who has not heard of the serious allegations that the State Chambers are a clearing house for corruption and money laundering deals? While under PF, State House was the clearing house for corrupt deals, State Chambers under the UPND government seem to have perfected that art. It is also clear that not only are institutions such as ACC not just sitting on cases (as the FIC Report clearly manifests) but that these institutions have been in the forefront of making some dirty deals that undermine the fight against corruption,” Dr. O’Brien Kaaba narrated.

The ACC Commissioner stated that going by press reports, ACC, for example, has made legally senseless settlements immunizing some of the most corrupt individuals, thereby shielding them from justice and accountability. He said, the same corruption tainted immunity deals under PF are now being used under the current government in a manner that shows no commitment to fighting corruption.

“Under these circumstances, it is not urgent enough to urge law enforcement agencies to investigate cases. Law enforcement agencies are part of the problem and part of the rot. The president as the appointing authority must act to remove incompetent and corrupt heads of such institutions. He must also deeply look at his State Chambers. There can be no serious fight against corruption if the State Chambers are compromised. In the long term, the president needs to facilitate reform of the ACC and enact legislation supportive of a credible and professional fight against corruption, detached from vicissitudes of politics!” the UNZA law lecturer emphasised.

And in a related story, former Finance Minister, Hon. Katele Kalumba, has urged President Hakainde Hichilema not to plunge Zambia into chaos with his divisive style of governing the country and refusing to listen to the concerns of citizens over their economic suffering.

And Dr. Kalumba has urged President Hichilema to listen to the demands of Zambians that he should leave his Community House and move to State House, the official residence of the country’s head of State.

Dr. Kalumba, a veteran politician, former Cabinet Minister, and traditional leader says as a former member of the defense council, he had the duty to tell President Hichilema the truth about the suffering he has caused for Zambians with his failed economics.

Also Read: Zambia’s Multiparty Democracy: A Hollow Celebration, Exposed by Hichilema’s Rise to Power! Democracy should not be reduced to manipulated voting as the case was in Kabushi and Kwacha by-elections. Democracy should, instead, represent sensible forms of citizens’ participation.

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