The president’s office confirmed Zambia’s Stanley Kakubo’s resignation on Tuesday, hours after he became entangled in a social media storm around purported transactions with a Chinese businessman.
Since September 2021, Kakubo has served as foreign minister. He said in a letter that he was leaving the position due to “malicious claims over a business transaction.”
A short while ago, a video of two people counting money heaped on a table went viral on social media in Zambia.
A picture of a handwritten note that was signed and dated July 8, 2022 was also posted online. The message mentioned that a mining company in Zambia and one in China had “exchanged $100,000.”
The memo contained the names of Kakubo and a Mr. Zang, but it was not immediately possible to confirm the information.
According to an official statement, President Hakainde Hichilema has accepted Kakubo’s resignation.
It gave no reason for the resignation but added: “The president acknowledges the commendable work and leadership” of Kakubo in the government. Kakubo, 43, quickly followed the announcement by releasing his own letter.
He said he had resigned “in view of the matter that is currently in the media regarding malicious claims over a business transaction between my private family business and our business partner with whom we still have good relations.”
He added: “This decision is to ensure that our government is not distracted from continuing to look for solutions for bettering the lives of our people.”
