• The reported immunity deal struck between Milingo Lungu and government makes a mockery of UPND’s commitment to fight corruption.
• UPND-led government must redeem themselves and re-inject some confidence in the anti-corruption fight.
• TI-Z is disappointed that the UPND does not seem to be following its own manifesto.

Transparency International Zambia (TI-Z) has challenged the UPND-led government to redeem themselves and re-inject some confidence in the anti-corruption fight.
Organization Executive Director Maurice Nyambe told Money FM News that the reported immunity deal struck between former Konkola Copper Mines Provisional Liquidator Milingo Lungu and government makes a mockery of the UPND administration’s professed commitment to fight corruption.
Mr. Nyambe stated that getting into deals with suspects is an incredibly flawed strategy for fighting corruption and a complete slap in the faces of Zambian citizens eager to hold to account those who plundered national resources.
He said the organization is disappointed that the UPND does not seem to be following its own manifesto when it comes to fighting corruption.
“TI-Z has always been of the view that when it comes to dealing with cases of corruption, the first port of call should be to push for criminal prosecution, with avenues such as forfeiture of assets being an option further down the priority ladder and only when prosecution is not a viable option for compelling reasons.”
“Therefore, we did not expect the UPND administration to sink so low as to strike immunity deals in cases such as this one. But alas, this immunity deal with Mr Lungu suggests that the UPND regime’s fight against corruption is nothing more than a window dressing exercise designed to create an illusion of a regime that is seriously fighting the scourge,” Mr. Nyambe said.
Mr. Nyambe called on government to develop and start implementing a comprehensive country strategy to provide a basis and framework for the fight against corruption.
“In the absence of such a strategy, the harp hazard approach in fighting corruption that we have seen will continue, and we will not make the sort of progress that we would like to make in tackling this scourge,” he stated.
On Tuesday, Former Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) Provisional Liquidator Milingo Lungu said after refusing to vacate office, subsequent negotiation meetings led by some state house senior staff and government officials ended in agreement to a forensic audit that would lead to the dropping of the criminal charges against him and immunity to prosecution.