LUSAKA lawyer Joseph Chirwa has called for the immediate firing of Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya, his permanent secretaries and directors of government institutions involved in the Honeybee transaction.

And Chirwa says a group of lawyers will commence a class action against the Attorney General and individuals involved in the Honeybee scam.

In an interview, Chirwa said investigative wings in the country were sleeping.

“Chitalu Chilufya, the permanent secretaries at health, the two of them and people in positions, directors at ZPPA, at Ministry of Health at ZAMRA and at ZABS, he should fire and replace, that’s what the citizens want. Time has gone when the President will say he is waiting for due process to happen, do you know the reason why? We do not have investigative wings in Zambia, ACC is sleeping, DEC is sleeping, and police is sleeping. There is no way one can award a contract to a company that does not exist, that is not registered. Secondly, there is no way, do you know how many people have died by giving condoms that are defective to Zambians? Do you know how many people have died? We have died,” he said.

“So the Honeybee transaction stinks, this is the time where the President has to say enough is enough. He has tolerated these chaos for a long time. These are same chaps who are appearing at court for corruption carrying banners ‘Edgar Lungu for 2021’, what does that mean. The President cannot afford to be drowning together with his corrupt elements. In fact, there should be massive firing in the Ministry of Health, more than we have ever known. He should utterly say from assistant director and above, anyone who participated in this transaction, it’s not enough to send people on suspension when things are already known, this is the time where he should fire permanent secretaries in health, bring other people, fire the Minister in Health, bring a new person, it’s too much.”

He wondered what was so special about Dr Chilufya that he could seemingly not be touched.

“Enough is enough, let the chap be fired tomorrow actually. We have 17 million Zambians who can be the Minister of Health, even me, I can be Minister of Health, what is so special about Chitalu Chilufya? Who is Chitalu Chilufya first of all, ba wishi ni ba nani (who is his father) that Chilufya cannot be touched? This is too much. We are calling actually, we are commencing a class action the President should fire Chitalu Chilufya, this is too much,” Chirwa said.

“We have allowed him for so long, how long are we going to…one person should be accused twice, no, even us we want to be accused also. Quite alright it’s an allegation but he should be fired, tomorrow actually, let him be fired tomorrow. Ise tizaka lwakwako liti ngati Chilufya eve eka ndiye alakwa (when are we also going to do wrong if Chilufya is the only one doing wrong)?”

And Chirwa said together with other concerned lawyers, he would commence a class action against the Attorney General and individuals involved in the Honeybee transaction.

“So this is actually attempted murder and as far as we are concerned as a lawyer and a group of lawyers, we must, we are commencing a class action against individuals, against the Attorney General and individuals involved in that transaction,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chirwa urged Parliament to censure Chilufya upon resumption of business.

“Chitalu Chilufya, I am also calling on parliament to take action. Article 87 (17) to do with vote of censure. Parliament should not be limping every day because they are always accusing the President, President Lungu ABCD, no. PF has numbers, they are the majority in parliament, they should censure Chitalu Chilufya and as far as I am concerned, parliament is just on recess, it’s not been dissolved. Let Parliament convene immediately,” said Chirwa.