NKANA PF member of parliament Alexander Chiteme has challenged critics questioning the source of his wealth to report him to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
On Sunday, Chiteme donated K50,000 cash to freedom fighters in his constituency.
Some members of the public, however, wanted to know where Chiteme got the funds to make a donation of that magnitude.
But Chiteme, who is also National Development Planning Minister, said he was a successful businessman long before he joined politics, which enabled him to generate huge revenues.
“Ask them to take me to ACC. I am sure they are the best source of information regarding sources of finance. I am a long-time businessman even before joining politics. I have been doing my corporate social responsibility a lot in Kitwe. I am co-owner of AAC Mining Executors Limited, an international organisation with presence in more than seven countries, which include Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Peru, India, United States of America, Burkina Faso and Ghana. I also run Dreamlight Enterprises, and I am a property person. So, yes, my giving (of donations) can be seen as far (back as) 2006 from when I just came back from the UK. I am sure you are looking for the latest person you want to give a corruption tag,” said Chiteme in an interview.
Recently, several PF Ministers have been donating huge sums of cash to their constituents as gifts ahead of next year’s general election.
Aside from Chiteme’s K50,000 to freedom fighters in his constituency, Kwacha PF member of parliament Joseph Malanji donated K140,000 on the same day to St. Peter’s Parish in Ipusukilo Compound in Kitwe for the construction and completion of various infrastructure at the Church.
Malanji, who is also Foreign Affairs Minister, equally handed over a brand new luxury Rosa Bus to traders under the National Traders and Marketers Association of Zambia (NATMAZ) in the same area.
In June this year, Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo also splashed out K400,000 to taxi drivers in Kabushi constituency, among other donations, despite not having any known source of income prior to being elected as area member of parliament in 2016.
Some members of the public have, however, repeatedly questioned where government officials had found such huge sums of cash to afford to give away.