Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) has called on the Zambian government to add its voice in urging the world shut down of secret companies following the panama revelations.
Lee Habasonda
TIZ president Lee Habasonda says his organization believes that the Panama papers investigations that has implicated several world leaders presents an excellent opportunity for the Zambian government.
Mr. Habasonda has told Qfm News in statement that much as offshore companies are not illegal or criminal in themselves, problem lies in lack of transparency and opacity.
He says this is with respect the real beneficiaries who he says have generated a very common practice of using these legal persons for criminal purposes such as money laundering and corruption.
Mr. Habasonda says because of these concerns the TIZ is advocating for a national registry that will allow for the lifting of the veil on who is behind offshore companies relating to Zambian nationals.
He says the TIZ thinks that it is far too easy for the corrupt to hide their identity and transfer and enjoy corrupt cash with impunity.
Mr. Habasonda says his organization believes that Zambia must move with haste to make it harder for the corrupt to hide by ensuring that it has a system to collect and publish the beneficial ownership information of companies in our business registries.