New Zambian President Michael Sata on Saturday replaced the head of the country’s anti-corruption watchdog who had been accused of bungling investigations into corruption allegations.
Sata “appointed Mrs Rosewin Wandi as Director General of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC),” a statement by the president said.
Wandi, who was the ACC’s deputy director general, replaces former chief Godfrey Kayukwa, who had been perceived to be close to former president Rupiah Banda.
A woman was appointed to head the body to promote gender equality in government, according to the statement. No further reasons for Kauykwa’s dismissal were given.
Transparency International and opposition politicians had earlier called on Kayukwa to resign. He was accused of mishandling enquiries into corruption allegations against Universal Print Group — the company that printed ballot papers during the past two presidential elections.
Sata defeated incumbent Banda in last week’s presidential election. During his campaign, Sata had promised voters he would root out corruption in the ACC.
Zambia’s parliament has to ratify Wandi’s appointment.
Strong message to investors
Sata, following his appointment, also warned Chinese investors to respect the country’s labour laws.
“Your investment should benefit Zambia and your people need to adhere to local laws,” Sata told Chinese ambassador Zhou Yuxiao, who paid a visit to the new president at State House on Monday.
“If they adhere to local laws, there will be no need to point fingers at each other,” Sata said.
Sata, who was elected last week, is known for his tough stand against the influx of Chinese investment into the country, particularly in the mining sector, which he says does not benefit the locals.
China has invested an estimated $6.1-billion into the southern African nation since 2007, equivalent to more than one third of gross domestic product last year.
Sata told Zhou that China had been instrumental in developing Zambia during the relationship between the two countries that began in the 1960s.
“Through the visit of President [Hu] Jintao we were given two gifts, and that is a stadium in Ndola and the hospital in Lusaka,” Sata said.
Chinese banks and markets have opened on Lusaka’s streets, but poor Zambians accuse Chinese companies of importing their own workers and mistreating the locals they do employ.
In 2010, two Chinese mine managers were charged with attempted murder for shooting at 11 Zambian workers who protested about poor pay and work conditions.
The case strained relations between the locals and the Chinese, and the charges were later dropped. — Sapa-AFP