Housing and Infrastructure Development Minister Ronald Chitotela’s brother Mubanga says the corruption allegations against the former are driven by those with personal hatred against him.

On Saturday, SANEC Executive Director Gregory Chifire alleged that President Edgar Lungu and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) were protecting Chitotela and other corrupt ministers, in a statement posted on his Facebook page.

“President Edgar Lungu and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) are protecting Mr Ronald Chitotela and other corrupt Ministers and this act by the President will spell the downfall of the PF government. Whereas we are told that the President fired Dr. Chishimba Kambwili for corruption, which cases we are keenly following, the President has developed amnesia on the others whose cases of corruption are very evident,” Chifire stated.

He stated that he had nothing personal against the Minister but emphasised that the corruption allegations against him were there for all to see.

“I want to state from the onset that I have nothing personal against Ronald Chitotela, it is just that his cases of corruption are there for all to see. And I will run you through some of them, and these are among the many on the catalogue. I wish the President could live his words unlike playing to the gallery. To be honest with you, I just don’t have financial resources to ask for a tribunal to probe this man. Wish the people of Zambia could join me to pursue justice on such matters, wish some lawyers could come forward,” Chifire alleged.

“I have been waiting for Mr Chitotela to serve me the summons so that we open the Pandora’s box, but he has been playing hide and seek, running to the courts without serving me documents. Well, Mr Chitotela, I haven’t forgotten, I am still waiting for you. This matter will not go away until justice is done, doesn’t matter the time. For the purposes of the records, here is the list of a few cases of corruption and abuse of office committed by this man. (a) RDA motor vehicle (case in public domain), (b) He was given a motor vehicle by China Henan International Corporation Limited, a Toyota Hilux Reg. BAB 5320, (c) He hired and sold motor vehicles to the Ministry of Works without following laid down procedure. He was even Minister at the time over-seeing the same Ministry, (d) A known Chinese company bought him a house in Bonaventure, money was paid directly from China to his lawyers’ account, the property is No. 50A/148 Bonaventure, Makeni, Lusaka, the change of ownership has not been done because there was a problem, which the Ministry of Lands and the ACC are aware of.”

Chifire also accused the Minister of having built two houses using unexplained resources.

“Simultaneous construction of two houses in one yard in New Kasama and another one in Ibex Hill, Lusaka, from unexplained sources of income, as well as other properties in Ndola; a plot at Chikoleka Reseve Forest near the House of Prayer, among other properties. There is a problem at the RDA: under his instruction, RDA signed two road contracts for the construction of the C400 on the Copperbelt. The first contract was given to China Henan then for reasons best known by him,” Chifire alleged.

But in a comment on Chifire’s posting, Mubanga rubbished the corruption allegations.

“When you are in public office, you cannot take everyone against you to court. That is not leadership. That is why he is not taking him. The ‘pull him down’ syndrome in Zambia is just sickening my brother because that corruption allegation he is talking about is not there. [It’s] just personal hatred. So you mean a Minister can fail to build a house to stay when out of the GRZ house? How much does Chitotela get paid for him to fail to build a house?” Mubanga asked.

Mubanga accused Chifire of being paid to tarnish Chitotela’s name.

“Who has paid you Mr Chifire? Is it true that you are being used by a person who bought you that land cruiser? Because he didn’t get the contract to do some road works,” Mubanga stated.

At this point, Chifire challenged Mubanga to substantiate his claims that someone had bought him a vehicle.

“So you mean someone bought me a land cruiser? Where is it? It’s ideal for the farm. Please tell that person to bring it,” responded Chifire.

However, Mubanga insisted that Chifire had personal issues with his brother.

“My friend, if you have issues with Chitotela you can engage him, talk to him in person, not what you are doing. That is what we call ‘pull him down syndrome’. Haven’t you seen that Chitotela is so committed to work for the betterment of Zambians including you, my dear brother? Politics come and go but the truth will remain clear,” stated Mubanga.

But Chifire insisted that he would fight anybody involved in corruption.

“Oh really? It’s not intentional. I am just doing my job as a good citizen. And by the way, it’s not your brother we are fighting, but the rotten system, your brother inclusive. But immediately he stops, we stop too. By the way, a small leakage we shall be publishing the corruption hall of fame in which we shall be entering the corrupt private and public officers. As for your suggestion, my officers are ready to listen to you any day,” responded Chifire.