FORMER PF secretary general Davies Mwila says UPND ministers will be more corrupt than those from any other government because within five months, they are already having scandals.

In an interview, Mwila said President Hakainde Hichilema should instill discipline in his ministers, failure to which they would loot resources.

“If you look at the way we are now, they have been in government for five months and the issues that are coming out can conclude that they will be more corrupt than what they were saying about PF. Their ministers are driving new vehicles, this provincial chairman (Obvious) Mwaliteta is driving new vehicles, where has he got the money from? He is not a minister; he has never been given a job. In five months, scandals are coming out,” Mwila said.

“So you can see that these ministers will be more corrupt than any government. No one can teach them how to steal, who else? If you were born a thief, you are a thief, that’s what they are. And all that the President can do is to ensure that he instills discipline in them, otherwise they will go astray and loot resources of the country. We were better than them, just in five months there is a US$50 million fertilizer scandal.”

And Mwila said government was not demolishing structures in Forest 27 because even some UPND ministers were beneficiaries.

“And they cannot demolish the structures in Forest 27 because his ministers are there. That is why they are dilly dallying, they were making noise on Forest 27 but why are they quiet? And I challenge them to produce the names of the people who bought land in Forest 27 because only PF officials were accused, let them produce a list,” said Mwila.

Speaking during the swearing in ceremony of the Teaching Service Commission chairperson Daphne Chimuka and Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) Director General Mary Chirwa, Monday last week, President Hichilema said the corrupt clique was teaching ministers and permanent secretaries how to siphon money from the public.

“Let us agree as a nation [that] corruption, theft is wrong, there is no middle ground. Diverting attention, the clique is employing people all over even you officers, you Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, teaching you the ways of siphoning money away from the public. Madam Chirwa, those are your clients. From the old order to the new order now. Just a few days ago, somebody in Eastern Province, they have heard our message of Anti Corruption, they concoct a tender process to award a tender to the clique at huge prices. Minister of Justice, we spoke, we are living with contracts that were signed by the lawyers who are supposed to represent citizens and protect citizens and putting clauses in there that are penalising, taking money from citizens, penalty clauses,” said President Hichilema.

“Government gives a contract to a supplier, the supplier does not give out any money in there, there is a clause for down payment 20 percent. If the contract is $100 million the down payment is $20 million, which means the people of Zambia are financing the supplier, technically, financially, that is what it means. Where is the risk to the supplier? Isn’t part of giving a contract to access financial capacity, working capital?”