Attorney General denies leaking information on proposed privatisation of state telecoms operator

On 9 February, 2009 the Zambian Attorney General, Mumba Malila denied being the source of his leaked letter to the press in which he was advising the Minister of Communication and Transport Dora Siliya over the partial privatisation of Zamtel, a public  cellphone, landline and internet services provider company.

According to reports by Zambia Daily Mail and The Post newspapers, the Executive Assistant to Malila, Yadika Mkandawire in a press statement released in Lusaka on 9 February, 2009, said it would be unethical and unprofessional for the Attorney General to discuss his advice in public that is given to Cabinet ministers whether they heeded it or not.

“ Furthermore, the Attorney General as a member of the Cabinet gives his advice privately to his Cabinet Colleagues when necessary” She said

Mkandawire said that the letter of advice to the Transport Minister which was used by The Post on 7 February, 2009 was not leaked by Malila .She alleged that the story in the paper created an impression that Malila was either the source of the leaked letter containing his advice to the Minister of Information or that he discussed the matter with the paper.

She said that the advice of the Attorney General was guided by professional conduct and ethics and is targeted at clients and was not supposed to be discussed in public.

On 7 February, 2009 The Post carried a story headlined “Malila criticises Siliya on Zamtel Privatisation”

Background
 
Government of Zambia intends to partially privatise the company and it has since engaged RP Capital Partners Limited of Cayman Islands to evaluate the assets and liabilities of the company. The consultants will be paid USD 2 million. The allegations are that the Minister did not follow the right procedure to procure the services of the evaluators. The company is being evaluated in order for government to find an equity partner for it.

Rashweat Mukundu
Programme Specialist: Media Freedom Monitoring
MISA Regional Secretariat
21 Johann Albrecht Street
Private Bag 13386
Windhoek, Namibia
Tel: + 264 61 232 975
Fax:+264 61 248016
Mobile: 00 264 813 675 362
E mail rashweat@misa.org, misaalerts@gmail.com

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