Minister of Infrastructure Development Ronald Chitotela says those who are alleging that PF is corrupt are just jealous because they thought President Edgar Lungu would not succeed as Head of State after they left the ruling party.

And Chitotela says it is normal to expect attacks both from within and outside government because his ministry is very political.

Speaking at a PF interactive forum, Sunday, Chitotela boasted that President Lungu had scored massively in terms of delivering development.

“President Lungu has not even served four years as president but he has scored massively in terms of development, particularly in infrastructure development. In four years if it’s a child, you will find that the child is not even able to talk properly or walk, but look at what President Lungu has done. We currently have more 2000 projects that are being worked on across the country, these are at different levels. So those who are not happy with the success of the PF are using all means to frustrate us by alleging that there is corruption in government. These who are going out of PF are just having sheer jealous because they thought President Lungu would not make it as President, then he made it and succeeded. Some of them were our cabinet colleagues, they know the processes with contracts. But what they have decided is to start spreading lies to create tension among the Zambian people so that the Zambian people can lose confidence in us, but we are determined to continue with the good works. They are not happy with the many projects we are carrying out so they want to bring us down,” Chitotela said.

He wondered whether citizens expected ministers to move without waist belts in order to avoid corruption accusations.

“There is this perception that has been created to malign the PF as a corrupt government run by corrupt people…I have been asking, today Sunday Chanda is not MP, he is able to build a house and buy a car,if he becomes MP and builds a house or buys a car, he is corrupt. Unless them, they can build houses and buy cars, they claim they have got 500 houses both local and abroad, and it’s ok. If Sunday Chanda buys a car, he is corrupt, if Kaizer drives a nice car, he is corrupt, if Chitotela buys a new shoe, he is corrupt, where people even go to an extent of photographing a belt of a minster and say see what belt he is wearing, so when you are minister you should be walking with a trousers without a belt?” Chitotela wondered.

And Chitotela said it was normal for his ministry to be fought from all angles.

“This ministry is very political and I know it is normal to expect fights from within and from outside,” said Chitotela.

“And for us to have succeeded in the manner we have, it’s because of President Lungu. He is a champion of development. He always tells me that let’s work for Zambians. I work hard because I know my appointing authority wants me to deliver. I am a human being, sometimes I can make mistakes like all other human beings but I can’t do anything deliberately to frustrate the development of this country.”