UPND secretary general Stephen Katuka says the arrest of the party’s Livingstone member of parliament by the Anti-Corruption Commission is a nonsensical witch hunt because no Councillor leaves his office without a plot.

In an interview, Katuka said the arrest was politically motivated and meant to silence the party ahead of the 2021 general elections.

“Tell me, which councillor leaves the council without a plot? Which Councillor in Zambia has served as a Councillor and leaves the council without a single plot? So that is nonsense. That is why I am saying every Councillor at the end of his term comes out of the council with a plot, if not even more than one. You know [that[, I know [that] and everyone knows. So there is no issue there. It is witch haunting. They can find a better reason for arresting him not that he gave himself a plot,” Katuka said.

Katuka said he also acquired plots in Mwinilunga during the time when he served as MP in that area.

“I have plots in Mwinilunga, I was MP for Mwinilinga so I have plots there. Because what do you get from the council? You are in charge of plots there and that is what they all get. Let them take an audit of all the councils [and] all those who have served as Councillors and see who came out without a plot. Let them do an audit countrywide and see who has no plot but has served as Councillor,” Katuka said.

He challenged the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) to prove its genuineness by carrying out a countrywide audit at all councils.

“It’s politically motivated. They can’t silence us in 2021 because of one incident. And wherever is goes, you know there is no anti-corruption anymore. Those are just PF anti-corruption. If there was ant-corruption why don’t they go and check all the other councils [but] they only choose to target only one person? We are not shaken because there is no substance in the whole matter,” said Katuka.