Mwamba faults ACC decision to discontinue alleged criminal cases against Matambo, Kawana, others

Former diplomat, Emmanuel Mwamba, has faulted the decision by Anti-Corruption Commission to discontinue alleged criminal investigations involving senior government officials, saying the move protected those implicated from prosecution. Mwamba’s remarks come against the backdrop of the ACC’s announcement in February 2026 that it had cleared Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matambo, Information Permanent Secretary, Thabo Kawana, and Solicitor General Marshal Muchende of corruption and abuse of office allegations. ACC Director General, Daphne Chabu, stated at the time that no other cabinet ministers were under active investigation, a position that has since drawn criticism from opposition figures and civil society.

Chabu maintained that the Commission’s decisions were evidence-based and that, aside from those cleared, no other cabinet ministers were under active investigation at that time. The controversy deepened after former US Ambassador to Zambia Michael Gonzalez and other stakeholders publicly condemned the DG for discontinuing investigations targeting senior officials. Mwamba told Zambia Monitor in an interview that the Commission allegedly shielded the high-ranking officials from accountability.

Chabu to discontinue credible and criminal investigations was an open and corrupt action,” he alleged. Mwamba claimed that the Financial Intelligence Centre had separately reported that Zambia lost over $10.5 billion in illicit financial flows in the last three years, figures that critics say underscored the need for decisive action against graft. He said stakeholders had taken note of the corruption narrative that had also gripped the national campaigns and that it was clear that President Hakainde Hichilema had allegedly failed to fight corruption.

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“The statistics coming from the Financial Intelligence Centre where Zambia has lost over $10.5billion in illicit financial flows, in the last three years is of extreme worry,” Mwamba stated. Mwamba also alleged that the appointment of perceived UPND cardres to oversight institutions by the President had also undermined the resolve to fight corruption. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.

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