THE National Democratic Congress has challenged the Ministry of Home Affairs to explain how the government has issued Congolese politician Moise Katumbi with a Zambian Diplomatic passport.

“We want government to urgently clarify this matter as it has the potential to compromise national peace and security,” Mwenya Musenge, the NDC secretary general stated in a statement yesterday.

“If indeed, it is true that Mr Katumbi is the holder of passport number D0012933, we want to know how he got the said documentation. As a party, we shall not gloss over this matter until those who issued the said passport are brought to book.”

A diplomatic passport bearing Katumbi’s image and particulars has gone viral. The document has such details as Katumbi’s NRC number 252468-61-2; place of birth (Lubumbashi, DR Congo) and shows it was issued on June 20, 2018 in Lusaka, and expires on June 19, 2028. The document indicates his nationality as Zambian.

Musenge stated that as a party, they had nothing personal against Katumbi but had commented on the matter because it raised a lot of questions that required urgent answers.

“If Mr Katumbi indeed holds a Zambian passport, we wonder how many other foreigners such as Chinese have Zambian passports. If Mr Katumbi has a Zambian passport, we demand for a clean up at the passport office,” Musenge stated.

“We further demand that all officers who are behind Mr Katumbi’s passport be arrested and prosecuted. If home affairs minister Steven Kampyongo has a hand in the issuance of this passport, we demand that he be fired by the appointing authority.”

Musenge also urged the Congolese government to clarify on the issue of dual citizenship in the DRC.

“We further want our Congolese counterparts to assist us with information if they are aware that Mr Katumbi actually holds Zambian citizenship,” Musenge stated.

“Mr. Katumbi rose to prominence in the 1990s under the Fredrick Chiluba regime under the name Moses Katumbi. Moses Katumbi also claimed to be Dr Chiluba’s relation. He went further and claimed he was a relation to one of the royal highnesses in Luapula Province.”

Musenge stated that after Chiluba was arrested for corruption, Moses Katumbi unceremoniously left Zambia and later appeared in the Congo as Moise Katumbi and became governor for Katanga Province.

“As a country, we may differ politically, but we should not allow foreigners hijack and take over our country. We have only one Zambia and we as citizens should safeguard this country from any foreign emissaries and aggressors,” stated Musenge.

By Press time, home affairs minister Stephen Kampyongo had not responded to a query sent to him.