Maravi

Dora’s matter isn’t simple, says Rupiah

Dora’s matter isn’t simple, says Rupiah
Written by Kabanda Chulu and Ernest Chanda
Tuesday, April 21, 2009 3:14:09 AM

PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda yesterday said the matter involving communications and transport minister Dora Siliya is not a simple issue as some people are trying to portray it. And President Banda has challenged audit institutions to embrace and implement new auditing techniques that could result in advising governments on matters that go beyond financial accountability.

Responding to questions from journalists after opening the sixth board meeting of the African Organisation of English speaking Supreme Auditing Institutions (AFROSAI-E) in Lusaka, President Banda said he needed time to think through the findings of the judge Dennis Chirwa chaired tribunal that was constituted to probe Siliya for alleged abuse of office.

"I will not try to preempt what will be decided, but I need time to think through this. It is not a simple issue as other people are trying to make it," he said.

On the demands by civil society organisations (CSOs) that Vice-President and justice minister George Kunda must be removed from office for misleading the nation by supporting and justifying Siliya's alleged unconstitutional and unlawful conduct, President Banda said he would make a final decision.

"This is a democracy and everybody is free to say what they want to say, but I will make a decision finally and thank you," President Banda said.

And Siliya yesterday declined to comment on the tribunal's findings.

Siliya, who officiated at the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) workshop on enhancing clinsoft capabilities and metadata exchange in Lusaka, was swarmed by a group of journalists from various organisations who sought to get her comment on the tribunal's findings and the public calls that she step down on moral grounds.

In response, Siliya said: "Absolutely no comment" as she rushed into her official vehicle.

Last week, the tribunal that was constituted to probe Siliya's alleged abuse of authority when she engaged RP Capital Partners Cayman Islands Limited to valuate Zamtel's assets before partial privatisation revealed that the minister breached Article 54 sub Article 3 of the Constitution when she engaged the company without following legal advice from the Attorney General.

And on Sunday, CSOs - with former communications and transport minister William Harrington - who petitioned the Chief Justice to set the tribunal called on President Banda to fire Siliya for breaching the Constitution, usurping the powers of the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA), unlawful signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU), usurping the powers of Cabinet, committing the Zambian government to US$2 million without tender approval from the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA), abrogating the public procurement Act on limited selection, deception on inserting US$2 million on the MoU and irregular involvement in the procurement of the radar system.

The CSOs also asked the Speaker of the National Assembly Amusaa Mwanamwambwa to institute appropriate action against Siliya for misleading the House in her ministerial statement on February 13 this year in relation to the MoU on RP Capital.

The CSOs also asked President Banda to fire Vice-President Kunda for misleading the nation when he said Siliya was right in her engagement of RP Capital because she followed the advice of the Attorney General through the Solicitor General.

And officially opening the AFROSAI-E governing board meeting and workshop on the use of information technology in auditing, President Banda said issues of good governance, accountability and effective use of available resources was important in the midst of the global financial crisis.

"The use of information technology in the development process is no longer an option but a necessity and this trend where audit institutions use information technology is good and it will go a long way in advising governments on matters that go beyond financial accountability," President Banda said. "And government is committed to improve financial management and in this regard, we shall continue implementing necessary reforms to achieve that, right now we are implementing the integrated financial and management information systems in order to improve management of public resources and it will also reduce time required to prepare reports by the office of the Auditor General."

And Zambia's Auditor General Anna Chifungula said the meeting was a clear manifestation of the spirit of nations working to achieve the desired goals.

"Since inception in 2005, AFROSAI-E has seen tremendous growth in its team spirit that binds us together in contributing to our various nations in the audit services that we offer to governments and other institutions and the impact of such audits," Chifungula said.

She explained that Zambia had computerized and standardized its working papers through the use of computer software in the extraction of data from clients operating computerized processes.

"We now have an information technology (IT) unit for enhanced use of IT and to carry out IT based audits, however we are still a long way in reaching what may be considered as an optimal level in these areas," said Chifungula.

And AFROSAI-E chairperson and Namibian Auditor General Junias Kandjeke said the institution was constantly learning and sharing new ideas to see improved delivery of services.

Since 1998, AFROSAI-E existed as an informal association and was formally established in 2005 through adoption of a set of statutes and regulations by the heads of the 23 member supreme audit institutions.

Its main objectives are to promote good governance and accountability through sharing of information with its members and supporting them towards the better performance of their national mandates.

Labels: DENNIS CHIRWA, DORA SILIYA, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 2:15 AM