04/09/2025
Simon Mulenga Mwila shares:
When we talk about corruption in Zambia, we often remember the scandals of the past from the accusations against FTJ Chiluba to the controversies around Rupiah Banda. But never in our history have we seen anything as brazen and shocking as what came out in court about Joseph Malanji.
This is not hearsay. It is not political propaganda. It is not a concocted story meant to tarnish anyone’s name. The details came out in open court: Malanji and others walked into a bank in Turkey and withdrew in cash $11,000,000.00 (about K270 million) of Zambia’s money.
Just pause and think about that. Eleven million dollars of public funds, withdrawn over the counter like some mafia movie scene. Even the bank struggled to release such an outrageous sum while Malanji and his team had to wait hours as it was counted. This was not his personal money. It was Zambia’s money, meant for our people, our development, our future.
And then the audacity grew. After collecting the money, Malanji boarded a Zambian Presidential plane (9J ONE) back home. Who gave him authority to use state resources to ferry stolen money? How far had we fallen for leaders to treat our country like their personal bank?
Investigations later revealed that he began depositing $100,000 a day for two weeks straight. It didn’t stop there. He even got so comfortable with the loot that he earned a nickname from his own allies and associates: “Bonanza” because he was dishing out stolen cash like “Father Christmas”.
And yet, today, we hear cries from the Patriotic Front and some opposition leaders that Malanji’s conviction is “political persecution.” Brothers and sisters, let’s be truthful with ourselves. How can the theft of $11 million be reduced to politics? How can anyone defend such criminality when millions of Zambians live in poverty, when schools are collapsing, when hospitals lack basic medicines, when our youth are unemployed and hopeless? When our people have restored to playing “aviator” just to make ends meet.
Bane this is not persecution. This is justice.
The reality is that corruption on this scale is the greatest betrayal of the Zambian people. It robs us of development, dignity, and hope. Patriotism requires that we take off our political hats and call a spade a spade.
History will not remember Joseph Malanji for the titles he held or the wealth he flaunted. History will remember him as “Bonanza”, the man who orchestrated the greatest theft in Zambia’s history, handing out stolen money to his minions while the majority of Zambians suffered.
Until every single dollar of that $11 million is accounted for, the demand for justice must not stop. Because justice, in this case, is not political. It is national. 📌 🚶🏿♂️
Simon Mulenga Mwila
MBA, LLM, LLB, AHCZ, ASCZ
(Aspiring Lusaka Mayor)
