FORMER Home Affairs minister Peter Machungwa has challenged the security wings and tax authorities to immediately launch investigations into where the cartel is sourcing its money to procure five helicopters and 50 Pajero vehicles for its campaigns next year.
Dr. Machungwa feared that Zambia was headed for political torrid times if nothing was done to prevent the evils that were being schemed by the cartel in their quest to rule the country which he said was bound to backfire, whether it won the 2016 general elections or not.
He said there was need for security wings to halt the cartel’s schemes to auction the country by desperately sourcing for illicit funding from people who would use any method possible to get their investments on the cartel from Zambians.
“Speaking as former Minister of Home Affairs, the developments in this country about the cartel’s schemes are not just very serious but frightening and need serious attention because this desperation will land the country into problems. Where can a group which has failed to pay loans it acquired land moneys to buy five helicopters and 50 Pajeros overnight? Where are they getting these huge funds to buy these things? Could it be that they are sponsored by militant groups such as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Al-Qaeda?” Mr Machungwa asked.
He said the security wings should not only be on guard but also save the country from being hijacked by a group of individuals who were gleefully positioning themselves to take over the governance of the country through money laundering and blackmail.
“There is need for security wings and tax authorities to do their investigations about what is happening in this country over such funding because this is a sensitive issue which can cause chaos in our country. We know what such groupings are doing in other countries where they have been tolerated. This is very sensitive,” Dr. Machungwa said.
He warned that if Zambians failed to curtail the cartel’s progress, then they should prepare for worse things to come as the group would not stop until its desires were met.
“So, if a rebel group is funding them; two things will happen next year; if their candidate wins an election, then we should prepare for worse things to come because these rebels will need their money back and it is the Zambians that will pay using Government machinery.
“If their candidate loses, these people will bring chaos in this country and that is why I am appealing to relevant authorities to do thorough investigations to ascertain where this money is coming from; whether it is from fraudulent laundering activities or it is coming from outside the country with conditions attached,” Dr Machungwa said.
He observed that the cartel had caused a lot of havoc in Zambia as they had managed to manipulate the systems in the past by holding Presidents to ransom.
“We all remember what happened under the reign of Michael Sata where the cartel literally dictated how our country should run by setting the agenda for Government. They fixed those who were perceived to be enemies whom they sent to their early graves through their manipulations,” Dr Machungwa said.
And Dr. Machungwa has reprimanded opposition political parties for failing to condemn the activities of the cartel as they were allegedly siding with it because they were currently receiving coverage.
“I am surprised that some opposition political parties have gone to bed with the same evils in this country simply because they are enjoying massive coverage from them but they should not forget that it was the same mistake that Mr. Sata made and he was forced in bend to their demands,” he said.
Floodgates have opened on the cartel which has managed to buy five helicopters and 50 Pajeros for its campaigns ahead of the 2016 general elections from unknown sources, a development which has raised dust among some political analysts and some civil society organisations.
Source: Zambia Daily Nation
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