In the audio below, President Edgar Lungu’s spokesperson Amos Chanda has discloses that Higer is one of the three companies that asked State House for clearance to sue politicians accusing them of corruption.

Last week, Chanda came under fire after he made a statement to the effect that some companies asked for State House permission to sue their accusers.

Readers took turns on the News Diggers’ platforms attacking Chanda, saying his statement was testimony that State House was involved in corruption.

But Chanda called News Diggers yesterday to clarify his statement, adding that those who were not satisfied with his explanation should call the named company and demand answers.

“I gave a statement where I mentioned that three companies were asking to sue some people for linking State House and them in corruption allegations, which is true I gave that statement and it is true that those companies exist,” Chanda said.

“What I want to find out is the argument where News Diggers! is reported to be asking the question [of] ‘why should the companies ask me?’. You should ask those companies why they asked me. I didn’t call them; they called. One of them is Higer Bus.”

He said the company asked for clearance from State House because they wanted witnesses from there.

“Higer Bus, for example, has asked us and we asked them why they were asking us and they said their legal advisor said ‘one of the witnesses we would have to call is from State House’. It’s as simple as that,” he explained.

“I don’t know what is wrong with this society. People don’t seem to like being told the truth. I have told you the truth, what you need to do is ask these companies why?.”

He said opposition ADD leader Charles Milupi made a false claim against President Lungu, that the Head of State had bought 57 buses in order to benefit after government bans small buses in 2019.

“The President buying a Higer bus is not a crime, but for Milupi to say the boss has bought 57 buses corruptly is maligning the company. So Higer Bus has not only asked verbally, they have written. So now me I am trying to say, in case some of you who are talking about corruption have any evidence and you doubt us who are in politics, here is a private company, irritated as we are, and they are contemplating legal action; not even against Kambwili, but against Milupi,” Chanda said.

“I can confirm that there is no 57 buses that we have bought, and I sympathise with Higer for the malicious attack. We understand that the reason they were asking [before suing Milupi] was because they may want to drag one of us as a witness. I don’t think that we are going to use our powers to stop them. I am very eager that they sue this man so that we can expose the malice.”

Take a listen:

Chanda declined to name the other two companies.

“The other two companies which came to ask are very sensitive because they involve foreign companies which are parastatals, so you see why they had to ask State House? So how can they be asking why they were asking us?” he asked.

And Chanda charged that Zambians had allowed a few foolish politicians to manipulate them.

“So I am trying to say this discourse about corruption is totally nonsensical, it is not going anywhere. Here is a clear case of a population that is so dwanzy and that’s why foolish people are manipulate them. How ca you argue with a simple revelation. I have made a revelation, [which] I didn’t have to, [that] ‘a company has approached us’ and that is the truth. Whether they are wrong in asking us or not, is neither here nor there. Let those stupid people who are asking why I am being asked go and ask Higer why they were asking,” said Chanda.

“I know people were trying to create a situation that I was lying. I don’t lie, there is no moment when I will get into the public relations of lying. It might sound unpalatable, but I say exactly the way things are.”