“Even copper thieves have ascended in life”: Amos hits back at Kambwili
State House Press Aide Amos Chanda says the “Rubbish” people are hearing today would not have seen the light of day if Government and President was intolerant.
And Chanda has taken a dig at Chishimba Kambwili saying “even Copper thieves have ascended in life” in an apparent response to the corruption allegations leveled against him by the former Information Minister.
Chanda who was featuring on a Diamond TV live talk show called ‘Talk with Costa’ said the “nonsense” being said by some people was an expression of democracy as that would never be allowed to happen in an undemocratic country.
“Some of the nonsense, I should call it, that we are hearing today, in a state that is led by an intolerant government, an intolerant President, some of that rubbish, you cannot hear it. So, that is an expression of an existing democratic space available to even those that want to exercise their right to talk nonsense. That is the measure of freedom, freedom of expression.
“You have got the right to say what you are saying. I will defend your right to say what you are saying even if I don’t believe in what you are saying. Even if I don’t like what you are saying,” he said.
Chanda said people like the former Information Minister had no responsibility to put society together hence went about ranting in all sorts of manner.
“Those who have no responsibility like him, to put society together, can go about ranting in the manner he has done. And you will not expect the President to descend to that level for you to say that he is not corrupt.
“I can tell you, that an allegation of corruption, if you say Costa, you are corrupt, you must state if it’s a building, you must say this building, buildings have title numbers, have street numbers. You must say were US $10 Million has been stolen and from whom and state where it has gone. Just to go and band around figures, accusations, it’s the benefit of an irresponsible opposition. But a responsible government, no matter what, you cannot win a race to the bottom. That is a race to the bottom,” he said.
He also expressed concern that the quality of democracy was being degraded by reckless people but pointed out that in the final analysis good would triumph.
And Chanda said Kambwili should look at himself before pointing fingers at his friends.
“Yes I grew up in Chiwempala and did my Primary School there. I came to lusaka for my college and University education. I now work at State House. State House is in Kabulonga and I work in State House. I can’t live in Chiwempala and work at State House. Of course I also lived in another township in Chingola, but so should I be coming every day from Chingola to work at Statehouse? Are those the allegations of corruption you can even pay attention to?
“You Costa are coming from Evelyn Hone College. I would be stupid to say I saw Costa in a Benz that you drive. That is utter rubbish. That is the lowest a person looking to assume the highest office of President can descend to. That whatever acquisition you see from someone who has gone through primary school, secondary school, college, university and masters, that they must acquire nothing.
“Even those Copper thieves have ascended in life and acquired something. But we are not going to descend to the level of how they went there. We will simply say that social mobility entails that you must give citizens an opportunity,” he said