FORMER lands and natural resources minister Jean Kapata says the UPND government should not emulate the Levy Mwanawasa-led government which spent a lot of resources on unsuccessful corruption cases.

Commenting on the summoning of PF members by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), Kapata said the UPND should instead concentrate on putting food on people’s tables.

“The only thing I can say is, let it not be like the Mwanawasa government where the government spent K50 searching for K10. We still have Zambians that do not have meals in their houses and the UPND government promised three meals. I have been through Mandevu a few times to check on the people who are having lunch, breakfast and supper. So, they must concentrate on putting people’s food on the table. And I wouldn’t want a situation where the government spends so much money, I have given a good example that you are spending K50 to get K10,” Kapata said.

When asked to comment on the latest Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) Mukula Report which revealed that illegal exploitation and trade in mukula trees had persisted unabated, benefitting a small number of well-connected and wealthy individuals, Kapata said she had no comment and urged investigative wings to investigate thoroughly.

“If you ask me, I have no comment for now because I am just tired of these issues of Mukula, these issues of whatever. So, I have no comment as for now. If that information is there let them go on and investigate. It is not as though [when] we moved out of the offices we went with the offices on our heads. The directors, the PS is there, those are the people who are supposed to give you information,” said Kapata.

“Today as it stands, I am just an ordinary Zambian, I think I don’t want to comment on it, let them do their thorough investigation and let us see what they will find out. Me, I just want to be quiet on many issues, unless if it is pointing to me as an individual, as Jean Kapata then I will react. But if it is pointing at the government, I think the system is there to give the information to the Zambians, what exactly was transpiring. Information can be released by the Ministry, there are people there in those Ministries. I think that information can be gotten out.”