ACC sleeping on duty, says ex-MP

ACC sleeping on duty, says ex-MP

By Tony Nkhoma

THE Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is sleeping on duty and has failed to address many corruption allegations involving public officials and institutions, says former Kasenengwa member of Parliament Sensio Banda.

Banda cited the ZCCM Investments Holdings (ZCCM-IH) which he said lacked serious accountability yet the ACC had not bothered to investigate the state-owned company.

He said ZCCM-IH was in a crisis as a result of serious corruption allegations which the ACC had decided to just watch.

Banda said the failure by the ACC to address issues of corruption had the potential to threaten the institution’s credibility and integrity.

In a formal communication dated May 11, 2025, a concerned minority shareholder of ZCCM Investments Holdings (ZCCM-IH), Thierry Charles, wrote to the ACC urging it to investigate what appeared to be grave irregularities involving the Ministry of Defence and the ZCCM-IH’s executive.

Banda said the matters were not ordinary grievances but serious allegations that, if left unaddressed, threatened the integrity of public institutions and compromised the credibility of the government’s anti-corruption efforts.

He said central among the concerns was the issue of Mushe Milling Company, a grain processing facility wholly owned by ZCCM-IH on behalf of the Zambian government.

According to the shareholders’ report, the plant had allegedly been under the control of a defence wing for more than a year without any mechanism for accountability.

“Serious transparency gaps remain unanswered. Where is the mealie meal being distributed to? Who is profiting from the sales? And why were shareholders, particularly during the last annual general meeting, kept in the dark? At a time when the staple food prices remain high and burdensome for Zambians,” Banda said.

He said lack of clarity surrounding the operation of the milling company signaled not only poor corporate governance but potential misappropriation of a critical public asset.

Banda said Kasenseli Gold Mine was another troubling public asset where concerns of corruption had emerged.

“Though the mine was placed under guard during its temporary closure, reports, including public testimonies and local media, indicate that illegal mining is still being carried out by local ‘Jerabos’ and allegedly by some security personnel tasked with protecting the site,” he said.

Banda said lack of information had created speculation and cast doubt on whether public institutions were willing to hold wrongdoers accountable.

“Compounding the concerns is a separate incident involving a US$5.3 million transaction flagged by the ACC in 2023. The payment made by the Ministry of Defence to a Kenyan arms supplier (DLS) became the subject of a corruption and money laundering probe. This case suggests a possible trend of questionable financial activities within the defence ecosystem, according to the source,” he said.

Banda said the cumulative developments call for an immediate, independent and impartial investigation in the matter,” he said.

“What is especially troubling is the ongoing silence and apparent passivity from ZCCM-IH’s board and executive management. As a publicly owned and listed entity, ZCCM-IH is legally and ethically bound to provide clarity on matters that materially affect shareholder interests, corporate governance and public confidence,” Banda said.

He said justice should not be selective.

Anti-corruption efforts would lose its meaning when investigations were selective and quietly dismissed.

He said the credibility of institutions like the ACC hinged on perceived independence and the courage to investigate without fear or favour.

“The political ramifications of inaction are significant, especially with the 2026 general elections on the horizon. Failure to respond adequately to these concerns may lead to a public backlash, as voters associate inaction with complicity,” Banda warned.

Banda said government should decide whether it wanted to be seen as upholding justice or as shielding those accused of abusing public trust.

“To the Anti-Corruption Commission, the call is clear: act boldly, impartially and transparently. To the government, reaffirm your commitment to clean governance by ensuring that no position of power, military or civilian is immune to scrutiny,” he said.