VICE-PRESIDENT Mutale Nalumango has dismissed bribery allegations surrounding a leaked phone conversation between Cabinet Minister Doreen Mwamba and Mafinga Member of Parliament Robert Chabinga, saying the audio is nothing more than a suggestion and should not be mistaken for government policy.
Responding to a question from Mpika MP Francis Kapyanga during the Vice-President’s Question Time in Parliament, Nalumango said the controversial audio clip, which has been circulating widely on social media, does not contain any evidence of the government’s decision to interfere in the case involving late president Edgar Lungu in South Africa.
In the leaked conversation, the two voices, believed to be that of Chabinga and Mwamba, appear to suggest ways of handling the ongoing matter in South Africa, with some interpretations claiming there was talk of bribing a South African judge.
But Nalumango firmly denied the claim, cautioning that social media should not be the foundation for declaring government intent.
“You listen to the conversation on social media, you need to interpret the full story whether it is AI or not,” Nalumango said.
“That audio was a suggestion and all of you have been making suggestions on how to deal with the funeral of our late president.”
She further described the conversation as a private exchange between two individuals speculating or dreaming, not an official stance by the government.
“There’s nowhere in that audio where it says government has decided to go and bribe the judge in South Africa. It is not there,” she added.
The Vice-President also warned against politicising the funeral of the late former president and turning emotional discussions into political weapons.
By George Musonda
Kalemba July 26, 2025
