PF government practices selective justice – Ng’uni

PUNISH the top leaders of the PF government for theft of public funds and not target junior civil servants, advises UPND Southern Province secretary Winnerson Ng’uni.

Commenting on the firing of three accountants by the Civil Service Commission for theft of public funds in the Ministry of Infrastructure, Ng’uni said there was rampant theft in the PF government, which was being replicated by civil servants.

On Wednesday the government announced that Enoce Kashweka, a principal accountant, Eugene Kausu, an accounts assistant, and Hutson Hachuma also an accounts assistant, have been fired for theft of public funds.

Finance ministry spokesperson Chileshe Kandeta said the stolen funds would be recovered from the dismissed trio’s terminal and pension benefits.

The due process of the law will also be pursued by law enforcement agencies, said Kandeta.

Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba said to curb fraud and theft of public funds, controlling officers need to be on high alert in monitoring the happenings in their institutions.

Yamba said the Ministry of Finance would not hesitate to evoke the sanction provisions of the public finance management Act 2018 against erring controlling officers and other public officials when regulations and rules governing the handling and utilisation of public resources were contravened.

However, Ng’uni wondered why the police was not arresting the ministers who had remained in office prior to the 2016 elections.

The Constitutional Court ordered the ministers who remained in office after parliament had dissolved to repay the money.

We have seen selective justice being practiced in the PF government. In one hand they say that they are not corrupt but they ignore a court ruling for them to repay the money, he said.

Ng’uni said it was sad that Yamba was talking of not hesitating to invoke sanction provisions of the public finance management Act against erring controlling officers and other public officials, instead of advising the PF leaders to pay back the money they utilised.

We challenge the ACC to pounce on the ministers for continued abuse of office despite being ordered to repay the money, said Ng’uni. Let him advise the ministers in government to repay the poor people’s money they stole and continue to still.