Interim leader of the newly formed Zambia Wake-Up Party (ZAWAPA) Howard Kunda has said his party will have zero tolerance to corruption and all ills that deprive the people of Zambia of the much needed public resources.
Mr. Kunda said ZAWAPA will show the zeal to fight against corruption which he demonstrated when serving as Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee Chairperson between 2016 and 2021.
The former Muchinga Member of Parliament said there is a need to ensure that Zambia fights all forms of corruption without segregation or favouritism.
Mr. Kunda said people doing wrong things in the current or old regime must never be protected by government officials or law enforcement agencies.
“We will stand on the premise that there will be zero tolerance to corruption. We presented ourselves and for me I presented myself as parliamentary public accounts committee chairperson and I was looking at the Zambian people and not individuals. I never looked at anyone with an eye to protect, if they were doing wrong I was there and my team to protest national interest,” Mr. Kunda said.
Mr. Kunda said the people of Zambia must unite and be innovative with proper government support to take the nation to greater heights.
He said young people in particular should work with ZAWAPA to shape their destiny and that of the nation.
“As ZAWAPA President, Zambia Wake-Up Party President, I am offering myself to the people of Zambia knowing that we can do it if we only come together and pursue that which we believe in. We believe that Zambians must unite and be innovative and government to support their innovative ideas so that our country once again can see the development the people of Zambia are longing for. So I think that it is very important that the young people can come on board because we are in majority. Young people must be there to shape their destiny and that is where ZAWAPA is coming in to bridge that gap,” Mr. Kunda said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kunda said the New Dawn Government has failed to guarantee food security in the country as evidenced by recent mealie meal shortages in some parts of the country.
He said no Government should starve its people of the much wanted staple food by failing to plan and enhance food security.
“We cannot have a situation where we are lining up to buy mealie meal. Mealie meal is our staple food which I think any leader should pay attention to so that no one goes hungry but that is not the case now. We are looking at this situation which is dire because I think this government has not been caring in terms of providing for the people to ensure that food security is guaranteed in the country because the first thing they came to do was to sell the maize to our neighbouring country,” he said.
“Yes we can sell but you only sell after you plan and make sure you are within your reserves but we saw that this is a government that does not plan. They want to show that they have the expertise but they do not listen even from experts who are already there in those offices as civil servants who have been polished so to say to doing these works. So I think those are some of the reasons, then we have looked solely at the agriculture sector which has been a disaster under this government. We have looked at the health sector, we looked at the education sector, we looked at the commerce industry, we looked at generally even the political climate in the country,” Mr. Kunda added.