 Thank you so much Honorable Katochewwe for sympathizing with our people, including these journalists, no one is spared from hunger because the income levels have been affected by the high prices of commodities, no one is spared, some of them are used to see them driving. Now I don't know what they are using because no matter if I'm lying they can say for themselves. So what you are saying does not just affect the poor, the economy is biting and everyone is affected. I will now invite Honorable Member from Lubi Highland, a very good swimmer, he is also a very good character. He will speak very briefly because we don't want to keep you too long here on the issues of the fights against corruption and governance issues. Thank you very much. May I also write on the protocol that has been said already. May I recognize the presence of the leader of the opposition parliament with at the same time an MCC, also recognizing the other MCCs present. I take recognition of fellow members of parliament, I also recognize the presence of our fourth estate, the media and may I simply say welcome to this presser. I think I am damn founded, I'm surprised, so shocked that on the backdrop that we will be having is it a democrat summit, I don't know what you are calling it. When we talk about corruption which is one of the agenda item that I think would be tackled in that particular summit which is also connected to economic governance, let me just say social economic governance. In the structure of fighting, fight against corruption, there are a lot of stakeholders and one of the stakeholders is a whistleblower and if a whistleblower cannot be respected and the whistleblower should be intimidated whenever they blow the whistle then I don't know where we are going. If a whistleblower can be intimidated at presidential level, it's quite alarming. When you read what executive powers of the president in ATCOS 91 and 92, you find that the president is supposed to actually be the champion for a fight against corruption and I think any effort that a whistleblower brings is supposed to be investigated. And I think when the president speaks, he speaks what is supposed to be called policy and I think the president should realize that within the constitution of powers he carries a lot of a big stick I would say such that once he comments on a particular issue before it is even exhausted it means that the institutions of governance are going to be intimidated. What I'm referring to is the president's reference to Nia as quoted by Honour Bomnia Zulu as quoted by the diggers newspaper. If indeed the president said what he said then I think that we need to reflect on the kind of leadership we have in the nation because the president is supposed to be receptive to things that come through the whistleblower And I think an allegation should be treated within the particular status that it has. It means that if this is our attitude then we are all simply saying that we are not on more high ground to what even this summit does not fit us. We don't have the impetus for it. We do not have the credentials to what the democracy summit because the democracy summit goes hand in hand with rule of law. Democracy summit goes hand in hand with fighting corruption which is linked to economic governance. But I think I would like also to appeal to the president that if indeed he said that I have instructed the minister of finance to sue Honour Bomnia Zulu. It's unfortunate. It's very unfortunate. The president is dropping the standards of our democracy to sink so low to the lowest levels that it has never been is interfering in a net of things. The president should have allowed this thing to unfold itself than start intimidating. Honour Bomnia Zulu is a citizen whom he needs to protect but for the president to be going at the neck of a citizen who is just a whistleblower in this case. What is supposed to be done is that we called on two SCC hours there with him to start investigating. SCC has issued a very good statement where they have invited the people that blew the whistle that if I tell you have information then bring forth the information. And I think we should leave it to that level than start intimidating each other in this nation. I think we are all equal stakeholders when it comes to national matters. I am a shareholder. The president is a shareholder. Monia equally is a shareholder in this nation. So I think my appeal is that we need to allow citizens to speak freely. Let us note of these summits for grandstanding papers. We need to have these summits that they speak to the real issues that are happening and it should improve our democratic status as we bargain on the ground. I think I rest my case on that one and I think the president should pay more attention to him not abusing the law through inviting his friends to be working part of the government system than abusing citizens through that manner. I rest my suitcase. Thank you so much. As usual, we appreciate your submission and indeed we are just talking about the aspect of protecting whistleblowers. And the law is there which provides for whistleblowing. And ministers are human beings. It's not the first time that transitions are being labeled against ministers. We were in government as well and this is not human. The president is dependable minister. He never came out and said, no, those who are accusing my ministers, they need to be taken to court. No, he listened to the people and he listened to the whistleblowers. So Honapofuwe is put on because we shouldn't set different rules for citizens. There is no one who is above the law. And submissions. What remains for me to invite the leader of opposition to sum up what has been discussed here. But before I do that, we have just a very brief one. And I will start with the one that Honapotemos just finished. Minister Tony Blair said, your consultant services are needed in Britain. Because Britain now, after the Brexit, requires the senior citizens like you to navigate the Britain after the Brexit to a desired position. We are not waiting for your colonization program here. We are not. If you think you are going to, Zambia does not belong to only those people that you are dealing with in government today. They are just there for a two or two to you, which will soon come to an end. So we want to respect you. We don't want to use the language that was used on you before when you were in office because you are a retired man. But to start getting our civil servants and our government officials reporting to you is not something you are going to tolerate and accept. So our advice to those of you who are near him, advise him to take his consultant services back to England. Yesterday we were considering a report from the budget and planning committee which reflected on the performance of the budget. The last, the second final quarter of 2022. In there are issues that have been raised. I will just speak one. You know that there are your fellow Zambians who are suppliers and contractors who have given services and different goods to government and are being owed other small sums of money. But this is the money that is supposed to be in our secretion in the economy. The minister of finance contracted price hotels and the other auditing firms to do audit on these suppliers. They finished their work and they've been paid more than 16 million. Why are we still waiting for this audit report? And why are you ignoring our people? Whose money won't be the same by the time you'll be paying them? If there are those that did supply, those that did perform, we say take appropriate action. But don't punish those who genuinely provide the service to government. And just lastly, you saw the videos that are circulating regarding this street light scandal. We said it here that we want star investigations that will get everybody involved, big and small, corporate. We saw a few people fired and normally when people are arrested, they are part of the scam or a cartel. Those are the source of information for the police. Now, what happened is there are suspects who are giving information to the police to say there is this and this one and this one was still yet to be caged. They were being ignored. It had to take one of them to be loud from the sales, shouting from the sales to say no, we have given you all this information about FBCD. And names have been mentioned. And I said it here that don't punish junia police officers, leaving the big officers that should have given them orders to involve themselves in those illegal activities. You hate the man shouting on his voice, top of his voice. We don't support the tribal sentiments that he uttered, but the key in what you are saying is that why are you only punishing those who seemingly to be the easiest targets and leaving the big fish. So it's these big fishes that you want to see and corruption moving and arrest. Others are getting you just bump into a China man and you are given shares and you are a shareholder in a mine in Mokush. You are fed that, so challenge them. So instead of just focusing on one muniha, let's all go and face this zist. We so growing from the sales to say please, even if I'm in the sales here, follow some people that we are rooting with. Why? What more do you need? Because all of you who have seen those videos, you know what that gentleman was talking about, the council chairperson for Mwensei. He mentioned the names and some officers. So information is there. Why he failed to act on it? Finally, it's just to appeal to these colleagues, the ministers who have been accused. We were also ministers in government, serving in government of president Ibikabungu. As our president then. You saw how ministers placed on allegations where they lived of duties. Our colleague Dr. Chitabu Chilufiwa was former minister of health. Onari bachin baka mwilisiki. It was allegations coming from the opposition. You didn't hear the president go for those that were raising allegations. He went for the ministers and said, dexonarrate yourselves. It was not one minister but many. What's so special about these ministers who have been arranged to have taken something? What's so special about them? They are not angels, they are human beings. So if they are not found wanting, dexonarrate themselves. But we don't need the president coming in the manner he is coming. I will leave the rest for the leader of opposition to conclude. But just to thank you once again, our colleagues from the media for being patient and being with us this time because we were at a state honorable leader of opposition. It's now your time to conclude this briefing and cross the briefing. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. I'm the member of the Central Committee and Honorable Member for Shuangandu, Honorable Stephen Kampiungu, former Minister of Home Affairs. I recognize the presence of Honorable George Chisanga, who is the chairperson for our Committee on Justice and indeed our legal chairperson, chairman for legal in our Central Committee. Member of Parliament for Mansa Bombweb, I recognize you. Member of Parliament for Chilubi, I also recognize you. Member of Parliament for Faira, I recognize you. Member of Parliament for Lapula, I recognize you. Ladies and gentlemen, members of the media, it's a good afternoon. Very briefly, I just want to reflect upon what my colleagues have already talked about. The starting point is the summit on democracy. There's been a lot of excitement and a lot of statements made, especially from our colleagues on the right, the UPND regarding this summit. The starting point, ladies and gentlemen, our expectation as members of Parliament, expectation as ambience was that there was going to be a ministerial statement coming from the Minister of Foreign Affairs to tell the Zambian people about this very important event. The Minister of Foreign Affairs was expected to deliver a ministerial statement to tell us about this high-level visit by the U.S. Vice President. During that time, members of Parliament who are representatives of the people were going to have occasion to interrogate and ask some of the questions that our people asking regarding the visit indeed regarding the summit. Had that happened, most of this excitement that we are seeing would not have been there. We are ever surprised that members of the UPND, ministers and MPs decided not to talk about the summit on the floor of the house, but they came to this particular room, immediately to the left Parliament to come and talk about the summit amongst themselves. Some of our members attempted to come in to get some ideas regarding the summit. They were not allowed to come in and this is where the problem comes in. We believe that this summit there may be more to it about this summit than meets the eye. Why is it that the ministers found it prudent to come and talk about the summit here in the media centre and not on the floor of the house? I'm sure our concerns are in that case justified. Why would the ministers not want to talk about this important event on the floor of the house and instead talk about it at the media centre amongst themselves? Ladies and gentlemen, it's not a secret that in the recent past the US government has made the foreign policy very clear. They've signed a number of executive orders. Some of the orders were to tie in the LGBT to foreign assistance. The other ones would talk about countering Russian influence in Africa, including China's influence. And this is exactly what we wanted to find out from the acting leader of government business on the floor of the house before we were interrupted. Our interest was one. In the recent past is excellency the president of this republic President Dhaka in the Hichilema came out clearly and said he was against LGBT rights. The vice president of this republic, Honourable Madam Mutaena Lumangu equally came out very strongly on the floor that the government is against LGBT rights. Now look at this. On the other hand, on the American side, I've just told you about executive orders so you have two different positions coming one position from government, which is a position to welcome. When you talk about geopolitical relations, our government to the president and the vice president came out very clearly to say we'll continue strengthening relations with Russia and China. On the other side, the Americans have passed a law they are calling the countering malign Russian activities to act. Our interest as members of parliament we wanted to find out how our government was going to interact with the US government which is co-hosting this particular event now that they have these two very different positions that was our interest and I think up to now our interest is that now that Zambia has made its position clear on LGBT through presidential announcements and the vice president. What sort of interaction will they have with vice president Kamala Harris when she comes? Is our president going to maintain the position that is given or is he going to conveniently change that position to allow the Sami to go? Are we ready as government put up other measures to try and composite what this country is likely to lose because America has made its position very clear that aid and support to be tied to LGBT so I want you colleagues to follow what our challenge as members of parliament is we know that as a country we are going through economic challenges and we know that the US remains one of the largest bilateral partners for Zambia they give us so much aid every year now in this particular case believing that president Haka in the Hilema is going to maintain the position his position on LGBT America is likely to withdraw support on account of that knowing that president Haka in the Hilema is likely to maintain his position on the relations between Zambia and Russia Zambia and China this will again affect the relationship between Zambia and the US in the event that the US government decides to withdraw support the support that they give to Zambia we wanted to know as members of parliament as the minister of finance put measures in place to ensure that there is continuity in government so this is where the problem was and as you could see our friends in government were playing hide and seek they were jumping and diving when came to the summit there was no need for other seekers all we wanted were answers it's our job to go back to our people because as leader of opposition I was approached by members of parliament who will say we are Christians we are a Christian nation we will not allow for a summit to come that will begin to promote and propagate LGBT rights I had to go to the floor to find out what is the truth about this conference where did you provide those answers up to now nobody has provided any answers the answers were provided to themselves when they locked themselves in this room so up to now we are still in the dark as members from the left so we want to say this a president in the Hilema you've made it very clear that you are against LGBT rights you've also told the Zambian people that you continue strengthening the relations between Zambia and Russia in Zambia and China what you want to know we want you to come up very clearly to the Zambian people whether you will restrict these positions to our visitors being the vice president of the US Kamala Harris and also that during that conference you will ensure that you make our position known especially that you are co-hosting that summit with other countries that espouse these liberal policies so we want our government to come up very clear on this particular aspect we are not in any way as was earlier alleged aiming to disrupt government operations no what we just need the answers government must come up very clearly the game of hide and seek jumping and diving should come to an end so that we are given a clear position on these very important matters yes so when President Kamala talked about debt restructure it's actually connected to what is happening because most likely we are likely to lose some support from the US once we maintain our position on LGBT and indeed our relations with Russia and China it's high time we started thinking about how we are going to go forward regarding the compensating for the support that may be withdrawn position and stand on those two items yes so those are issues to do with comrade Munia Zulu and honorable Fube who came out and brought out some information that should have been of interest to anti-corruption commission we want the anti-corruption commission to treat the information that came from comrade Fube and Munia Zulu as a raw material let them use that information to investigate what is very disturbing is that comrade Musokotwane and comrade Milupi were accused in the individual capacities they decided to use government machinery to respond they started using government letterheads to respond no no no they should respond as individuals use government employees government machinery to respond because the accusations were at individual level and it's not the first time it's not the first time as honorable Kampiong observes our ministers were accused day in day out our friends in the opposition then were even more dramatic when comrade Ronach Sotela stands up to speak they all walked out not that honorable Sotela was convicted by any court of law just on mere suspicion and allegation we are surprised that there's been so much excitement up to head of state level when similar allegations have been made on their ministers we expect the fight against corruption to be implemented in a much more transparent manner it's not the first time that we are seeing the head of state rushing to intervene in a process that should have been left purely to the anti corruption commission when the foreign affairs minister comrade Dastemi Kakubo was seen carrying a very heavy a a carrier bag a very heavy carrier bag because colleagues you know the difference even in terms of shape and weight when you are carrying calendars and when you are carrying something else so the people that reported are very sure that that carrier bag was indeed very heavy looking at how comrade Kakubo was carrying it to the car and when they blew the whistle the president made a call to this gentleman asking him what he was doing carrying such a heavy bag with calendars in it is that our going to fight corruption no no we thought the president should have been a bit more thorough in investigating why that carrier bag was so heavy leaving the chinese house at some awkward hour not in the manner that the president in attack of that particular matter you also know that there was a letter that was circulating from one of the contractors who alleged that one of the ministers was soliciting for a bribe in form of a vehicle which was a Mercedes EGWagon and indeed some cash what happened to that there's been no fallout engagement from the contractor by way of writing the contractor wrote on the letter to say your minister was soliciting for a GWagon and some cash what happened the president picked up the phone and said is it true he wanted a blue or black GWagon and the minister said no and that was the end of that investigation so we can't fight corruption that way I think that this fight against corruption is in a more transparent manner so what comrade Munia Zulu and Hon. Fubedi should form as raw material for anti-corruption commission had advised that his excellency the president stays away from that process until a report is indeed rendered a comrade that Chesanga referred to statutory instrument 1123 something that we objected because he took all these agencies under office of the president and I think that is why the progress on corruption is slagish now when you look at all these challenges that we are having ranging from LGBT geopolitical relations the fight against corruption the stalemate in debt restructuring it has now prompted it has prompted the clergy like Bishop Bundo this morning has called for the resignation of the president he has called for the resignation of president because he believes the man that we have in the seat may not be able to take us into new frontiers you realize that most of the governance is now subcontracted to people like Tony Blair and his friends and other businessmen the reason why the clergy are calling for the resignation of the president is that governance has now been subcontracted state house is now occupied by strangers to whom the president has decided to subcontract the governance of this country ladies and gentlemen countrymen and women I want to remind you that we went to elections and voted for the president we expect the president to be able to take strong decisions, bold decisions that to improve the lives of the Zambian people we don't expect the president to subcontract that governance and begin to take advice from interested parties like comrade Tony Blair taking instructions from Tony Blair if at all there were other agreements prior arrangements or agreements that were made before the elections want to advise the president there is a way that you can bucket or come out of those agreements you have to inform your friends that the Zambian people are demanding that you govern in a certain way and do not allow a situation where you continue to govern on the instructions the interest of the Zambian people must be put first because these friends that have been subcontracted to govern have not yet made up their minds or they are trying to create a desperate situation for Mopani and KCM so that they can buy those minds for a song they do not care about the plight of the Zambian people and what is happening to the Zambian people in the meantime but they are mainly looking out for their interests so ladies and gentlemen it's been a long day I think that I will end there and thank you more sincerely for your patience and resilience to have waited to listen to the members of parliament I thank you very much