PF member of the central committee Kebby Mbewe says it’s surprising that investigative wings are probing him when he has never had any single contract with government or touched public money.

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) spokesperson Queen Chibwe confirmed that the Commission questioned Mbewe in Choma on Friday.

“The interview, that at least I am aware of, took place on Friday. The interview for ongoing investigations that we carried out from him was done on Friday in Choma,” said Chibwe, adding that she could not give any further details as this could jeopardise the investigations.

But in an interview, Mbewe said he had been a businessman for the past 25 years, further wondering why nobody wanted to question him when he was poor.

“I was asked, and I was not willing to discuss matters that are painful. What I can say about me being called is that look, I don’t know what to say because for me what I know is that there is a difference between fighting corruption and vengeance, hate and persecution. These two (fighting corruption and vengeance) are not the same, because the only crime I have committed in this country as far as I remember as a citizen is to support PF, that is the only crime I have committed,” he said.

“I cannot be asked to answer charges that I have never heard of. I have never been in government, I have never drawn a salary from government, I have never had any single contract with the government, I have never touched any public money. So what I can only say is persecution. I have been a businessman for the past 25 years, I was a poor man and when I was poor, nobody came to ask me why I was poor. After working so hard, someone should ask me why do you have money?”

He accused ACC of being agents of poverty.

“I think some people are agents of poverty in this country. Some people have decided to give wealth to the foreigners because 98 percent of the Zambian wealth is in foreigners, that is what it is. Every Zambian who works hard has to be prosecuted, is that the country we want? It is okay for foreigners to have all properties but it is a sin for a Zambian to own a property in this country? I am looking forward to seeing what Zambia we are going to have when you can go back and accuse somebody who has never touched public money, who has never touched anything in any government, who has been a sympathiser. Does it mean that after UPND goes, all UPND members should be prosecuted, and should be questioned about their wealth? Is this how we are going to do politics in Zambia?” asked Mbewe.

“For me, it is very unfortunate, I worked for my money tooth and nail. I can account for every penny of my money, from my sweat. I worked for my money, let them leave me! It is my money, it is my sweat! I never touched any public money, not even a small contract, they can go to any Ministry, they can go anywhere, there is no contract I have ever had even in PF or in any government. I have been a private businessman, so I think that it is not right to abuse citizens. I am a citizen, I am not PF, I am a Zambian let them start treating people like Zambians and not PF.”