ZAMBIA PRESIDENT IS NOT AFRAID TO LOSE IMMUNITY.

PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu yesterday said he is not afraid to have his immunity lifted when he leaves office because he has nothing to hide....


The Head of State said this when he addressed journalists at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport shortly before his departure for Zimbabwe where he has gone to attend an extraordinary SADC meeting and to officiate at that country’s trade fair in Bulawayo. He was reacting to the UPND warning that his immunity would be lifted once he leaves office to pave then way for investigations into his questionable government operations. “I don’t mind, because I have got nothing to hide. If that is the trend of Zambians to keep removing the immunity, I am game,” said President Lungu in response to a question from a journalist. 

The Head of State said he was not guilty of anything and warned his opponents that they would not succeed in making him fail. “Why should I fear if I am not guilty of anything. There are people who are hell-bent on seeing me fail but they will not succeed,” he said. President Lungu said he would be available to answer to all the questions concerning his rule. “Those who want, in future, to have my immunity removed, it will be removed. 

I will still answer to all the queries because I have got nothing to hide and you should know that there is a presumption of innocence in this country. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty by the courts of law and that is in Article 18, if I am not wrong, of the Constitution. We are all innocent,” he said. “We cannot begin to start charging somebody outside the courts or system and getting demonised by everyone. We are not dull, we know what is going on.” 

And President Lungu said there were some people who were stealing documents from his office to find faults in his State House staff and further complained that it was sad that people kept quiet after his political advisor Kaizer Zulu was cleared of bribery allegations by the Anti-Corruption Commission. “Even this trend of stealing documents from the office, inspired by those who want to find faults among my officials in State House is bound to fail because if I find these officials wanting, 

I will let them go quickly myself,” he warned. “You know, they are stealing documents and putting them in the media, distorting stories and so on and so forth. But when the people are cleared, like was the case recently when my political advisor (Kaizer Zulu) was cleared, no one talked about it. It is sad. But anyway, it is up to you people to judge for yourselves.” Meanwhile, President Lungu urged Zambians to remain united. “We have one government, one President, one Cabinet, one legislature, one judiciary, we are still one. If you find time to sing the national anthem and you read it and understand the words of the song, we are one nation, one land, strong and free.”  Asked on the trade imbalance in the SADC region, President Lungu said: “We are getting there also. Honourable [Given] Lubinda has said we don’t import edible oil. 

We are talking to these people and we are also going to correct our market within the COMESA and SADC arrangement.” “We are not dull,” President Lungu continued, “What you see happening is that people probably took Zambians for granted. I will not allow Zambians to be taken for granted in the region.”