President Hakainde Hichilema says there is need to apply the rule of law in dealing with the matter in which a leaked audio recording purporting that Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Joseph Akafumba and Presidential Aide for Politics, Levy Ngoma attempted to undermine the democracy of the country.
Speaking when he addressed the nation during a Press Conference monitored by the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, President Hichilema said there is need to be sober when handling the matter and not be draconian stressing that the application of the rule of law is key in handling the matter.
When asked by a journalist, his position on the two government officials that are accused to have been in this audio and the conclusion he had made, President Hichilema said, “The rule of law is what we should use, it’s to apply the rule of law, it’s not to be draconian, it’s to be sober about these issues”.
He said he has asked the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) working with the Ministry of Information and Media to establish toll free lines so that every citizen is free to report any corruption cases.
In the leaked audio, the two UPND officials could be heard discussing how they were finding it difficult to convince the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Nshindano to agree with them in executing their plot against the Harry Kalaba led Democratic Party.
The audio was suggesting that the two officials were attempting to arm-twist the Electoral Commission of Zambia over the Democratic Party’s participation in the Kabwata by-election, which were held in February 2022.
