GOVERNANCE activist Brebner Changala says President Edgar Lungu must come out in the open and explain his connection to the Rwandese rebel Maj. Nsabimana Sankara Callixte.

A News Diggers! investigation revealed that Rwandese national, Nsengiyumva Appolinaire, who was named by that country’s rebel leader Maj. Nsabimana Sankara Callixte in a court testimony as his link to President Edgar Lungu, is actually a member of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) procurement committee in Zambia.

Commenting on the revelation, Changala urged President Lungu to clear the air and explain his links to the Rwandan national as his connection had potential to endanger Zambia’s national security.

“That gentleman in Rwanda, who has implicated President Edgar Lungu in some mysterious activities, would not have dreamt of a name. There is no smoke without fire. One of the most important attributes to this story is that the name of President Lungu is a disposition in court documents in the Rwanda judicial system and Sankara does, indeed, exist. The second fact is that, the other name that he has mentioned of the gentleman who works for IDC in Zambia and is a Rwandese does exist and lives in Zambia. He is working for an institution where President Lungu is the chairman. These are dots that must be connected. The President must come out and exonerate himself not through press statements and not through third parties. The accused here is President Lungu, who is endangering the security of the nation. He must not take these allegations lightly. He has to come out and explain,” Changala said.

He wondered how Appolinaire became a member of IDC.

“How did this Rwandese find himself at IDC when qualified Zambians are jobless? And yet a foreigner from Rwanda is able to work for IDC, which is a very big company that shoulders many subsidiaries. We need to dig further on how he was identified to work for IDC, who interviewed him? Who put him there? His connections to President Lungu, have they have ever met and the number of times they have met. We cannot take the denials that are coming through from Isaac Chipampe (State House Press Aid) or through (Joe) Malanji (Foreign Affairs Minister) seriously because these are clandestine activities. I don’t think Chipampe knows anything for him to stand for the President. We need the President to come out clean! He should talk to the nation about what he knows. This is very important that he exculpates himself. He must not hide behind his Special Assistant or the Minister of Foreign Affairs, this involves him,” said Changala.