THIEVES CAN’T INVESTIGATE THEMSELVES
Chief Chipepo says those stealing drugs are in the government
By Tony Nkhoma
NO THIEF can agree to investigate himself or herself, Chief Chipepo has said.
Chief Chipepo of the Tonga people of Chirundu District in Southern Province said those stealing the medicines and medical supplies donated by the United States (US) and other donors were in government, which was the reason for the delay in disclosing the thieves.
He warned the United Party for National Development (UPND) government that it could not win the battle with donors and should therefore climb down from its combative posture on the cut of K1.4 billion (US$50 million) funding to the Ministry of Health for essential medicines and medical drugs by the US government.
Chief Chipepo said if government had completed investigations in the theft of drugs, it should allow people to know who the thieves were as stakeholders were demanding.
“People want to know who are the big fish stealing the drugs. But then the government is in there and they have done investigations. But they are not coming forward to disclose. But we are talking of stealing. You cannot allow thieves to disclose themselves. A thief, you ask the same thief to investigate himself. Not really. These are not outsiders,” Chief Chipepo said in an interview with The Mast Monday.
He said government had to do the right thing and reminded the UPND that aid funds belonged to donors and they therefore had control over it.
“This battle, one has to be very careful at all levels. You see, the donors, when people are giving you money you have to do the right things. You have got no control. They are the ones who control. Yes,” Chief Chipepo said.
He said government should not be too relaxed because the donor aid cut was too big for the country.
“Until when they get the right thing to be done. Because you see, these drugs, these are international issues. And, for sure, they [US government] have found that certain things happened which didn’t happen properly,” Chief Chipepo said.
The traditional leader said stealing would never be a good thing, particularly of donor aided drugs.
“Stealing is not a good thing, you know. But now we are stealing things which were given to us as a gift,” Chief Chipepo said.
He urged government to admit the theft and reveal who the thieves of drugs were in order to reduce the donor pressure.
“The government is people and people want to know who is stealing. Where is this stealing? You see, within the government. But it seems even if I ask you to investigate yourself whether you have stolen or not stolen, you cannot. You ask the same thief to investigate himself. Not really,” Chief Chipepo said.
He said he and other traditional leaders he recently met had strongly condemned the spirit of stealing in Zambia, especially among civil servants.
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It was particularly disheartening that stealing was taking place in government and no one was being fired, arrested or taken to court.
“It’s not a good thing and it’s not healthy. And you find that they are said to have stolen, and then all of a sudden, it’s quiet. So no one wants to talk about it. No one is taken to court,” Chief Chipepo said.
He said government had set a bad precedent that joining the civil service was to go and steal because nothing could happen to the culprits.
“No one is losing their job. So, if you want to become rich, the best thing they want to do is to join the government because that’s where many projects with money take place and happen,” Chief Chipepo said.
