ZAMBIA: Zambia's government moves to recover properties it claims were illegaly acquired

Record ID: 453185

  • Title: ZAMBIA: Zambia's government moves to recover properties it claims were illegaly acquired
  • Date: 27th March 2007
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF RECOVERED PROPERTIES (HOUSES, A PLANE, MOTOR VEHICLES, MINING EQUIPMENT) (6 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 11th April 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Zambia
  • Country: Zambia
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEN54UMRQGHFPEY44OI7YQJ1HJ
  • Story Text: The country cracks down on official corruption by auctioning off property seized from people suspected of looting public funds to acquire them. The Zambian government has ramped up its campaign against corruption in recent months. The authorities say they would like to recover millions of dollars worth of public assets that were looted by officials.
    The Task Force on Corruption made up of the Zambia Police, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Office of the President (OP) has seized various properties it has recovered and is currently auctioning them off.
    Former president Frederick Chiluba is one of the high profile figures suspected by the government to have dipped his hands into public coffers.
    Investigations into the former administration have been going on since 2002. Parliament voted unanimously to lift Chiluba's immunity from prosecution so he can face charges.
    Chiluba has repeatedly denied the allegations against him saying they are politically motivated.
    "If my immunity is removed, remove Dr. Kaunda's immunity, remove President Mwanawasa's immunity, let there be a plain, playing level playing field," Chiluba said in 2002.
    Current president Levy Mwanawasa who was hand-picked by Chiluba to take over, has hinged his term in office on an anti-corruption drive.
    "A few people thought that what belongs to Zambia was theirs. This country has remained poor," said Mwanawasa.
    Investigators believe that millions of dollars still remain hidden in private accounts.
    So far about 16 items have been confiscated and over 400 companies and 150 people are being investigated.
    The recovered items are suspected to have been stolen during the 10-year regime of President Chiluba.
    "Dr. Chiluba has always stated that the fight against corruption is a bit skilled, its one directional, and he contends that, in fact, its been a political fight against him and his legacy," said Emmanuel Mwamba, Chiluba's spokesperson.
    Zambia is one of the poorest countries in the world. Its external debt stood at 7.2 billion dollars in 2005 until donors cancelled 502 million dollars of it. Debt servicing now stands at 20% of domestic revenue. Over 80% of the population live on less than a dollar a day.
    "What we want to see in our country is that abuse is the thing of the past and I think, this is the legacy that President Mwanawasa wants, he is going to leave once he leaves state house in 2011," said Ben Tetamashimba, a Deputy Minister For Works and Supply in the current government.
    Zambia's anti-corruption drive has been criticized by international watchdogs for allegedly concentrating its resources on investigating the corrupt practices of the previous regime, allowing present graft in the public service to flourish unchecked.
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