I refer to an article in the SN of January 8 captioned ‘Lumumba mining deal raises queries’ and his letter of defence in the SN, January 10, captioned ‘President granted a petition for a prospecting licence…’
Without casting judgement I quote from a Transparency International document of August 2009 captioned ‘Of corruption, law and enforcement.’ Question 25 of the document read:
“Can a public official participate in commercial activities while serving as a public official?
“The development of effective codes of conduct regulating those who are involved in public life has been accepted as being essential in reducing the prevalence of corruption in society. The codes that have been developed contain detailed rules of conduct tailored to the requirements of the office holders concerned and the risks they are likely to encounter. The rules include requirements to declare and register interests and to avoid conflicts of interest and situations that may create a perception of conflict of interest.”
The Committee on Standards in Public Life is an advisory non-departmental public body of the UK government. Its first general recommendation in May 1995, was that the principles underpinning standards in public life should be restated. These principles as formulated by the committee have come to be known as the ‘Seven Principles of Public Life’ and have come to be regarded as the “touchstone for ethical standards across the public sector generally.”
The principle of selflessness states: “Holders of public office should take decisions solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends.”
Mr Lumumba is a Presidential Advisor and an MP and he has a personal interest in a mining licence that was approved by his direct boss, the President. Was this an arm’s length transaction? Was the appropriate due diligence done to ensure that the state would get best value for this licence? Was any preference given to Mr Lumumba? Does any institution have the power to investigate this situation?
Yours faithfully,
James McKoy
