President HH Must Tackle Christopher Mundia's Corruption in State House in 2025

As we approach the end of 2024 and welcome the start of 2025, we send warm seasonal greetings to you, our esteemed President Hakainde Hichilema.

In this regard, we would like to share a New Year message, one that aims to encourage and reinforce your determination in the ongoing battle against both past and present corruption. We have witnessed your resolve in addressing corruption as it arises, as evidenced by the recent reshuffle of Permanent Secretaries. We are aware that some of the dismissed Permanent Secretaries were implicated in corruption and bribery.

While we appreciate your efforts, we note that there appears to be a reluctance or slow pace in dealing with corruption among some of your ministers and close aides, particularly those working within State House. We can provide several examples to support this view, but for now, we will focus on one key example involving your legal advisor, Christopher Mundia.

We hope, Mr. President, that you are aware that Christopher Mundia has become the new Kaizer Zulu of State House. Under your predecessor, Edgar Lungu, Kaizer Zulu was a notorious political advisor whose actions brought significant shame to State House and the government. Despite public calls for action against Kaizer Zulu due to his criminal behavior, President Lungu ignored these warnings until it was too late. The eventual removal of Kaizer Zulu, as history shows, came only when the damage was already done.

We are compelled to highlight Christopher Mundia's case due to the recent police reports indicating a plot against you, Mr. President. But before revisiting that point, let us first address Christopher Mundia’s involvement in corruption.

Mundia's corruption is well-known within the UPND circles. To avoid overwhelming you with information, we will focus on one particular case—the fertilizer company ETG. This company, a financial backer of the Patriotic Front (PF) during their time in power, made a deal with Christopher Mundia once the PF lost power. Mundia convinced them that he had access to the President and could secure any favor ETG desired from the government.

This led to Christopher Mundia blocking investigations by the Joint Task Force into the missing fertilizer at the Ministry of Defence, which was delivered to ETG. The Ministry of Defence, through Zamcapitol Enterprises, had ordered 105,000 MT of fertilizer from Russia, valued at $72 million, in 2019. The fertilizer was meant for the Defence Forces but arrived after the 2019/2020 farming season and was intended for the next one.

ETG, also known as Zambian Fertiliser, proposed a swap between the fertilizer and a $28.83 million debt owed to them by the Ministry of Community Development and Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia. The remaining $43 million was supposed to be paid to the government, but it was never receipted by the Treasury. It is unclear where this money went. Despite the supposed exchange, the fertilizer went straight to ETG without the necessary verification or valuation as required by the Public Finance Management Act.

Even though ETG was a key sponsor of the PF, Mundia has played a role in ensuring that the company continues to secure substantial business under the UPND's FISP programme, remaining the sole supplier from the PF era.

Moreover, Mundia has been linked to schemes involving foreign investors, in which he works with a senior official from the Drug Enforcement Commission to seize investor funds, only to later settle them for a 30 percent commission to select law firms. This scam has affected many restricted accounts, with victims from various countries, including Zimbabwe and Nigeria.

It appears that history is repeating itself, with Christopher Mundia becoming one of the most destructive aides at State House. He has swindled and extorted money from unsuspecting individuals and businesspeople, and he seems to operate with impunity, openly stating that no matter what, President Hichilema will not fire him. Those who have raised concerns about Mundia's conduct have often found themselves frustrated or dismissed.

The question that remains is: Why is President Hichilema treating Christopher Mundia as an untouchable aide?

This leads us to the topic of the bewitching rumors. We have reliable information suggesting that there may be more to this relationship than meets the eye. It is rumored that President Hichilema had a strong bond with Mundia’s late father, Mr. Christopher Mundia Sr., who served as the president of the Law Association of Zambia in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Before his death, Mr. Mundia Sr. allegedly made a request for President Hichilema to look after his son, Christopher Mundia Jr., as his own. It is believed that rituals were secretly performed to solidify this commitment, and President Hichilema may feel bound by this covenant, which makes it difficult for him to take action against Mundia.

Despite being aware of the harm that Christopher Mundia continues to cause to his government, President Hichilema may feel unable to take decisive action. As a result, those who have raised concerns, like former Inspector General of Police Lemmy Kajoba, have found themselves dismissed or sidelined. Kajoba was fired after he confirmed to the media that investigations into Christopher Mundia’s involvement in the missing funds for expatriate teachers had been halted, following instructions from Mundia himself.

As we close this year, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year, Mr. President. We hope that in the coming year, you will be more decisive and take the necessary actions for the benefit of your government and the nation.