ACTIONAID Zambia country director Nalucha Ziba says Foreign Affairs and International Relations Minister Stanley Kakubo is not being truthful in addressing the purpose of his visit to Sinoma Cement company, arguing that it is questionable whether the company extends the same courtesy to other customers.

And governance activist Brebner Changala says citizens have sounded an alarm over Kakubo’s interactions with the Chinese nationals because of their misconduct with the PF regime.

Meanwhile, Mpande Limestone Limited says it reserves the right to seek legal action because the rumors are harmful to its reputation.

Kakubo was at the centre of controversy over the Easter long weekend after pictures from an unknown source went viral depicting him with a gift bag at Sinoma Cement company, interacting with some Chinese nationals, while the Chinese Ambassador’s vehicle was also in the vicinity.

In an interview, Ziba said ActionAid was not against Ministers visiting retail businesses in their private capacity, but that the conduct of ministers during such visits needed to be above reproach.

“ActionAid Zambia is not against Ministers visiting retail businesses in their private capacity, however the conduct of ministers during such visits should be one that is above reproach and does not draw questions. Ministers walking out of such premises and receiving gifts raises a number of questions which the Minister is not being truthful in addressing, and this has led to even unfortunate speculation and concerns around the gifts he received,” she said.

“We also note the statement by the minister in response to the speculation which raises even more questions such as that of asking if the said company extends the same courtesy to other customers of almost the entire management escorting a client, and clients being handed such gifts whenever they visit the shop, and if such items were given to him on basis of being a minister, which we are of the considered view that he should have declined the so called gift if he was there in his private capacity.”

Ziba called on government to put in place a policy that prohibits public servants from receiving any nature of gifts.

“In the early 90s, president Chiluba was a centre of controversy when he received a brand new vehicle as a gift. Later on, president Lungu was similarly gifted land in Eswatini that raised a lot of public outcry. The controversy surrounding public servants receiving questionable gifts is not new and as such, must be dealt with before it defeats the fight against corruption. As an organization that champions transparency and accountability in the way public servants conduct themselves, we call upon government to streamline and strengthen the already existing gifts policy,” Ziba said.

“This will ensure that public servants avoid, to a possible extent, the receipts of gifts that could compromise the discharge of their functions. We also call on government to put in place a policy that prohibits public servants from receiving any nature of gifts, regardless of value, and where such gifts are received, they should be declared and handed over to the state for disposal. We also call on Public Servants that hold sensitive positions such as cabinet ministers to avoid receiving gifts of any nature lest such gifts are misconstrued as bribes.”

Ziba said the company in question should not make threats to take legal action against anyone that draws an opinion on the matter.

“We have also noted that the company in question has issued what can be termed as threats to take legal action against anyone that draws an option on such a matter, as an organization, we believe that such a statement should not be welcome in a Democratic country such as ours. Citizens have the right to question and hold their leaders accountable without fear of having judicial action taken upon them for exercising this right,” said Ziba.

Meanwhile, Changala said citizens sounded an alarm over Kakubo’s interactions with the Chinese nationals because of their misconduct with the PF regime.

“Honorable Kakubo is a free citizen of this country. He has a right to associate, right of movement and right to visit places and indeed he has a right to interact with whoever he wants. However, we have a serious challenge in this country. We are coming out of the PF administration which was corrupt and morally bankrupt. We are having a scenario where Zambians do not have faith or trust in our colleagues, the Chinese nationals. Therein lies the problem. Honorable Kakubo could have gone genuinely to Sinoma to buy cement and he could have driven there as a private citizen to go and conduct business and purchases. But his interactions at Sinoma with our Chinese colleagues are what are raising dust. His walking away unaided with a parcel is a serious indictment on his visit,” he said.

“The Chinese destroyed the PF because they aided and abetted corruption. The Chinese delivered suitcases with volumes of money to ministers, directors and permanent secretaries in the PF. That is the money that made them live beyond their means and that is the money they say they never stole and they never got anything from the treasury. They abused their offices by getting commissions and other benefits from the business they conducted with the Chinese and government. Everybody is worried that if that trend opens up again, our own Ministers find an entry in the Chinese business community, then the new dawn will become the new dusk and it will sink. Zambians are sounding the alarm.”

Changala said the incident in question should be of interest to the appointing authority.

“Honorable Kakubo has every obligation at this time to fully clarify as to what he was doing there other than buying cement and who he met. Did he meet any officials from the Chinese embassy? What was the coincidence that at the time he was buying cement, a diplomatic motor vehicle had to be at the scene of the suspected misconduct? That is the only way he can get out of this controversy. He has to clear and state who he met other than the purchase of cement,” said Changala.

“Whoever got the pictures must have had interest because he must have been a Zambian who got worried that the Chinese are finding an entry in the new dawn administration. That is worrying and it is a genuine concern that must not be brushed aside. Even the appointing authority must take time and understand that their Ministers are slowly but surely drifting away from their mission that they were elected for.”

Meanwhile, in a statement Sunday, Mpande Limestone Limited said it reserved the right to seek legal action because the rumors were harmful to its reputation.

“Recently we received a private visit from Mr Stanley Kasongo Kakubo for ordering our products. We arranged the business discussion as normal and gave some company publicity stuff including a notebook with a calendar and an ordinary signing pen. We noticed there are some groundless rumors and unreasonable suspicions about this visit. We solemnly declare that our company always respects and complies with laws of Zambia and we are committed to make contributions to the development of Zambia economy. The rumors and suspicions against Mr Kakubo are not true and mean ill and harmful to the reputation of our company. Therefore, we reserve the right to take further legal actions,” read the statement.