FORMER Health minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya has dismissed the Honeybee controversy during the PF era as a calculated political strike, saying the accusations that dominated public debate were never backed by science or regulatory findings.
Dr Chilufya said the claims that he approved the importation of defective condoms and expired medicines were crafted for political theatre, not grounded by legit evidence.
Speaking when he appeared on Emmanuel Mwamba Verified Podcast, the former minister alleged that a group of civil servants and players within the pharmaceutical supply chain worked together to create a false narrative designed to damage his reputation and weaken him politically.
“Honeybee was a hoax, a big lie, a concoction of criminally minded civil servants at a certain level of authority to bring me down. It was a deliberate attempt to mislead the public,” he said.
He referenced the parliamentary committee’s review, noting that it did not confirm the explosive claims that had spread widely at the time.
According to him, information held by the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA) also showed no record of the extreme defects he was accused of allowing into the country.
“Some actors staged sensational scenes to sway public opinion, such actions amounted to weaponising science for political gain,” he stated.
“I led the country during the covid 19, cholera outbreak but there are a number of things we did to develop the health sector. And there are colleagues and certain stakeholders who didn’t appreciate that and designed that hoax. We cannot tolerate individuals who place science at the alter of politics.”
He insisted he would never betray his profession by exposing citizens to unsafe medical supplies, calling the accusations an attack on his ethics and years of training.
“We cannot have technocrats being paid to puncture condoms, fill them with water, and then stage scenes for the cameras to mislead the public. Those involved must be held accountable. I am ready to appear before any court and ensure that all information, including what has been classified is brought into the open. There were staff at ZABS who were paid to produce those reports, and some of them even resigned,” Dr Chilufya added.
He further added that the moment must come when every individual involved is made to answer for thwir actions.
“Any civil servants who took part in fueling public outrage for personal or political gain, whether they served then or continue to serve now, should face the law for their role in misleading the nation,” he stated.
By Sharon Zulu
Kalemba October
