PF Deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri has called for the enactment of the lifestyle audit law, saying that is the only way those holding public office will be cleared of any corruption allegations.

Phiri suggested that the lifestyle audit demand be taken to Parliament through a private members bill, an assignment which she said she was willing to undertake if the civil society tasked her to.

Phiri urges citizens to work with the Law association of Zambia (LAZ) and other civil society organisations like Alliance for Community Action led by Laura Miti to see how best the motion could be brought to parliament.

She said a number of innocent people were being called thieves on mere speculation which was denting their images, and the only way this could be cleared was through the enactment of the lifestyle audit.

“There are a lot of people who are being maligned on the basis of being called thieves, and me I take great exception as Mumbi Phiri, a politician, to be aligned as a thieves because I have never been a thief. Me I am not even in business I don’t even know how a government contract looks like. And I have put my self, you can use me as a guinea pig and start with me to see if you want to do that assessment,” she said.

“So, if you feel it should go to parliament to be enacted into law use me because am I backbencher, I can go in with it on a private motion so that the law can be passed and we can be checked. I am urging you Journalists and other stakeholders to come up with a modality to bring the bill if you want it to be a private member’s motion and I will be able to present it for you in parliament so that we have laws that can protect us in public office and have our lives checked on.”

She said the lifestyle audit law would also help members of parliament to clear themselves from public speculation that they become rich after misappropriating constituency funds.

Phiri said the malice that was going on in the country had reached a very disturbing peak and if left unchecked, could destroy innocent people’s lives through propaganda.

And adding to the debate, UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma said the lifestyle audit should not just be demanded from Ministers but every one in the public sector who had connections with public funds.

Kakoma said it should not even be a debate whether a lifestyle audit should be undertaken or not as it is needed to help fight the rising corruption in the country.

“The question that should stand is the enforcement by the Anti Corruption Commission because the laws are already there given to Anti corruption commission to act on.”