TRANSPARENCY International Zambia (TIZ) says it is worrying and unfortunate that senior officials of the ruling Patriotic Front are seemingly embroiled in scandals.

Yesterday, Patriotic Front Eastern Province chairman Andrew Lubusha appeared for interrogations at Force Headquarters in connection with the theft of a South African truck, a matter that is under INTERPOL investigations.

But Lubusha denied stealing the truck, saying he was a victim of fake propaganda orchestrated by Emmanuel Jay Jay Banda and other members of his party.

In an interview, however, TIZ executive director Maurice Nyambe said as the party in government should lead by example and exhibit the highest standards of integrity in all their dealings.

“It’s unfortunate and worrying that senior officials of the ruling PF are seemingly getting embroiled in such scandals. As the party in government, the PF should lead by example and exhibit the highest standards of integrity in all their dealings. We hope that the INTERPOL investigation into the PF Eastern Province Chairman will help to reveal the truth about the alleged stolen vehicle, and that appropriate action will be taken against anyone found culpable. Beyond this, the revelation by Mr Emmanuel Banda about the alleged swindling of Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) should attract the interest of law enforcement agencies and must be duly looked into,” said Nyambe.

According to sources, INTERPOL South African contacted their Zambian counterparts to help with investigating the disappearance of a truck which was said to be in Zambia.

“We got a report of a stolen motor vehicle from a South African businessman, who claimed that the truck had disappeared in Zambia. Our office got in touch with INTERPOL Zambia, and an investigation was launched. Recently, we received intel that the said truck was under the custody of some businessman from Eastern Province (Jay Jay), who then reported that the truck had been taken by a Mr Lubusha,” the sources said.

“During Preliminary inquiries, it was established that the same Lubusha knows the owner of the truck and he claims that the said owner owes him some money. We are made to believe that this could have motivated the disappearance of the truck and so this makes Lubusha a key person in the investigation. We need to establish if the truck is in his possession as that would be a clear case of motor vehicle theft.”

Efforts to get an outcome of the police interrogations proved futile as police spokesperson Esther Mwaata Katongo said she was in a meeting, while both Lubusha and his lawyer Jonas Zimba said they could not issue any comment.