First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Catherine Namugala today curtailed Roan PF MP Chishimba Kambwili’s debate after he said President Edgar Lungu is not fighting corruption because he is also corrupt.

And Namugala also chased Copperbelt minister Bowman Lusambo from the House after he shouted that Kambwili had stolen golf club land in Luanshya

Debating the budget allocation for the Anti Corruption Commission today, Kambwili said ACC did not exist to him as they never saw the corruption in the current administration.

“In supporting the vote, I wish to say that I’m extremely disappointed with the actions and conduct of our Anti Corruption Commission in Zambia. This Anti Corruption Commission to me does not even exist because if they existed, the amount of corruption that we are seen in this administration is unprecedented. Very unprecedented. It is a corruption that even a little child can see that there is corruption in this administration. But what are we told at the end of the day, ‘go and bring evidence’. What more evidence do you want? Here is a person, when getting into leadership…

at this point, Mafinga PF member of parliament Jacob Siwale is heard saying ‘mwaiche ichindike (young man respect yourself) but is told by Namugala to desist from passing comments, before Kambwili was allowed to continue with his debate.

“I was saying that what more evidence do you want Anti Corruption Commission? A person declares, ‘my total assert portfolio is K2.5 million’ and when you make a declaration as leader it means that declaration under oath must be nothing but the truth. You tell the whole country, the whole world, ‘I’m worth K2.5 million today, one year later, you go and make a declaration you are worth K23 million. You don’t do any business, you never declared that you have any business, then ACC says bring…in fact the same person who made that declaration is even saying ‘were is the corruption, bring evidence’. Don’t look at the people of Zambia as being foolish, the people of Zambia are more intelligent than you ever think they are except that they are very patient and they wait for the right time to strike. K2.5 million the previous year, the following year you are worth K23 million. You are seen building the entire Lusaka, then you are telling people ‘give me evidence’.

Kambwili urged ACC to do their job as the country was being run by plunderers who had no shame.

“And then you go on a TV station without shame you even say ‘no I was a good lawyer and you have seen me grow in business’. Some of these things are extremely painful for some of us who have worked for our money. Its very painful. You are the one who told us you are worth K2.5 million, its not us who told the world you are worth K2.5 million, one year later you worth K23 million with many buildings all over the country. Then you tell us, ‘no I was growing in business’, when we knew the business you had was a tavern and a bar somewhere in a compound. And you think people of Zambia are so useless, God is watching you,” he said before Namugala guided him to stop debating individuals.

“So what I’m trying to say is when people that have been given the responsibility to run the affairs of this country, become corrupt and start telling off people when they are questioned as to how they have acquired the wealth within a short period of time, that is very dangerous. It is the job of ACC to have an interest in matters like this on behalf of the people of Zambia. This country today as we speak is being run by plunderers who have no shame whatsoever. But we leave it to ACC to take an interest. Let not ACC be used to settle scores. Let ACC not be intimidated by those in authority. Do your job.”

Kambwili said he felt ashamed rubbing shoulders at Parliament with people that had partaken in theft involving ambulances and fire engines.

“Everybody knows, even the international community, I was speaking to some donors and they were so shocked about this $1million fire engine procurement. What are you still doing about it anti corruption apart from just going to the media ‘no we have reopened investigations…’, we want action! We don’t want to be sitting in Parliament with thie… with people that have partaken. Some of us feel ashamed to be rubbing shoulders in this house with some people that we know that they have partaken from this plunder through the fire engines. And they don’t even have shame, they speak the loudest. You have failed to finish the hospitals that Mr Sata left dotted all over Zambia, you go and do acts of corruption in the ambulances. ACC we are waiting, through the Vice-President [Inonge Wina], if ACC does not take action against these ambulances, they must prepare themselves to come and answer in future,” he said.

“We seen some ministers, we have seen some chaps who were paupers today are ministers in some province owning vehicles 1.6 million rand, cash! What is his salary? We are watching.”

However, Namugala interrupted the debate and told Lusambo to leave the House and to return the following day after the Copperbelt minister shouted that Kambwili had stolen golf club land in Luanshya.

“Order, honourable minister of the Copperbelt, order, the honourable minister of the Copperbelt will leave the House and return tomorrow,” Namugala said as some members of the parliament jubilation.

And Kambwili said, before his debate was curtailed, that President Lungu was not fighting corruption as he was part of it.

“We are allocating a lot of money to ACC and we need this money to be put to good use. We are not going to allow people who are plundering national resources, they even disturb this house by passing derogatory statements when they know that they are dented. The Economical Intelligence Unit has come up with a report, its in public domain. What is going on ACC with the people mentioned in the Economical Intelligence Unit? Then you want tell us that ‘we the Anti Corruption Commission we have the will to fight corruption’. And the previous speaker, I think its honourable Dr [Martin] Malama said ‘I want to support his Excellency’, Dr Malama his Excellency is not fighting corruption, he is part of the corruption…” said Kambwili.

At this point, Namugala interrupted Kambwili and told him to take his seat as he was becoming provocative.

“I think I have to curtail your debate, I have to curtail your debate because I think we are not making progress and you are obviously becoming extremely provocative. Take your seat,” Namugala said.