The Zambia Revenue Authority has joined the Anti-Corruption Commission in pursuing Lusaka lawyer and election strategist Kelvin Bwalya Fube (KBF).
And according to well-placed sources, the Workers Compensation Fund and National Pensions Authority have also been unleashed on the controversial PF lawyer who has recently come out to condemn corruption in the Edgar Lungu-led government.
Last week, the Anti-Corruption Commission summoned KBF for questioning on allegations that he played a role in the reported sale of houses that had been submitted to court as exhibits by his client Henry Kapoko.
In that case, Kapoko and others are in court facing various charges of corruption and theft by public servant, a matter which led to the seizure of 24 vehicles, three houses and two lodges. Kapoko denies ever selling the said property, but the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court has refused to grant him bail on grounds that he tampered with evidence.
The heat however has turned on Kapoko’s lawyer whose criticism of bad governance has shaken State House while the ruling party leadership has downplayed his influence as coming from a frustrated nonentity.
“ZRA has made a huge demand from KBF for tax evasion, but this was disputed because they did not explain how it was arrived at. They just took the demand, we are not sure exactly how much they are demanding in total,” the sources explained.
“Meanwhile the NAPSA and Workers Compensation Fund are expected to drag him to court because they claim that his law firm was paying workers cash in person at the end of the month, without remitting obligations to these institution. So they are after him.”
And PF sources have told News Diggers! that President Lungu has directed Secretary General Davies Mwila not to harass KBF.
“This is what has brought divisions. Some ministers are accusing the President of shielding KBF because when they wanted to mobilise a petition for KBF’s expulsion from the party, like they did for Harry Kalaba and Felix Mutati, the President stopped it. It’s like the boss doesn’t want to touch KBF and people are wondering why. So one of the State House advisors instructed these institutions to find something on him,” said the sources.
Recently, KBF told News Diggers! that Zambians needed to change their strategy on choosing whom they put in State House. He said having pushed Presidents into State House before; he could testify that “a lot goes on behind the scenes”.
“I have worked with Presidents. I have pushed Presidents into State House. I have sat and strategised on national elections. I have sat and ran elections, I know what goes on behind the scenes. But I also know the kind of people we are putting in office and I am saying now is the time to change. We should come up with new strategies of who we put in office because it’s not just the question of ninkwata ulupiya (I have money), let’s not just put the people with money in office. Let’s not just put noisy people in office because they are able to talk or are courageous, no! What are they bringing to the table? What we have is a crop of politicians who only visit the electorate when there is an election. They visit the electorate not to go and educate them but to entertain them for a vote; I am not interested in that. I am interested in damaging the ignorance of our people so that those people begin to change,” he said.
And KBF testified that there was a lot of corruption in the election process in Zambia that allows politicians to build cartels.
“There is corruption sometimes in elections, people buy position. Even in these district and ward elections there is corruption going on. I know that there are some people with money buying positions. What are they doing? They are trying to put people in office so that these people can nominate them for 2021, they are building curtails. And I am challenging the chairperson of elections Yamfwa Mukanga to look into this. It’s dangerous; we don’t want a party that is divided as we go into 2021. We don’t want giving people positions because they were given K300,” said KBF.
