Maravi

‘Mobile hospitals deal is as good as done’

‘Mobile hospitals deal is as good as done’
Written by Patson Chilemba and George Chellah
Monday, May 04, 2009 2:53:19 PM

HIGHLY placed sources in the donor community have revealed that the deal to procure mobile hospitals from China is as good as done. And former works and supply minister Ludwig Sondashi charged that President Rupiah Banda is a very big liar.

Meanwhile, UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema yesterday said President Banda took the corrupt decision on the procurement of mobile hospitals. According to sources, the deal to procure mobile hospitals was discussed at State House and it was almost sealed.

"It was discussed at State House, where there was [health permanent secretary Dr] Velepi Mtonga and the minister and some officials from the Chinese embassy and representatives from CATIC. And it's not a secret that Velepi Mtonga is related to the first lady, Thandiwe and so they are using family connections to do business with the Ministry of Health," the source said. "One of Rupiah Banda's sons has been visiting Velepi Mtonga at the ministry in connection with this deal."

The sources said it was an open secret that Dr Mtonga disregarded advice from Ministry of Health management when she wrote to the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) asking for authority to single source the procurement of mobile hospitals.

"That authority has already been granted, and so if he [President Banda] is saying that they have not done anything, why have they proceeded to commit themselves to single sourcing? What they are waiting for now is the Attorney General to approve that so that they can start securing money from China," the source disclosed.

"The contract was not signed because Dr Mtonga was away in DRC [Democratic Republic of Congo] and this thing was exposed when she was away and that is why the contract has not been signed. Whilst Dr Mtonga was in DRC, that's when you The Post exposed this thing and that is why there was a lot of panic because now the lid has been blown and that is why they have difficulties with this transaction."

However, the sources disclosed that President Banda and his Chinese friends were determined to go ahead with the deal and that money had already exchanged hands.

"They are trying to hoodwink the public that the donors have accepted their explanation and therefore all is well. This is far from the truth. At the meeting with the Minister of Health [Kapembwa Simbao] we agreed in principle that we will continue our usual support, but this thing of mobile hospitals must be concluded to our satisfaction otherwise, we will pull out," the source said.

"In the meeting it was only UNICEF and World Health Organisation [WHO] that wanted to proceed to sign the MoU with the government but the rest of us refused, we said the issue has to be reviewed to our satisfaction. That is why the MoU which should have been signed last Thursday has not been signed."

The sources said the MoU for support was not signed and yet there were officials who flew in from London specifically to witness the signing ceremony.

They said as the situation stands, donors had not committed themselves on paper to sign the MoU.

"We are now looking around for a day when this signing ceremony will take place, pending satisfaction that all is well in this transaction," the source said.

And Sondashi said President Banda was a very big liar who said things, which he later refuted.

"He is a very big liar. If he said in Parliament and was confirmed by the permanent secretary, how can he now turn around and say that he didn't approve it? As a head of state, he must be steady. He looks like he's not steady. He forgets what he says, that is not befitting that big responsibility of head of state. He must not be taking Zambians for a ride," Sondashi said.

"From the way things have moved, it's quite clear that he discussed this with the Chinese and approved it and now he was implementing it. Someone is getting a cut out of this."

Sondashi said it was surprising that almost all the major deals in the government were now being single sourced and President Banda's children were heavily involved in them. He asked President Banda to put his house in order by disciplining his children, saying he would soon announce his downfall from office should he fail to do so.

"He should be truthful and honest. It is only in his government that single sourcing has become prominent. These are matters of grave concern to us as Zambians. If he is allowed to stay as President for a long time, this country is going to be rendered poor because all the money will be siphoned," Sondashi said.

He called on the Zambian people to oppose President Banda's project of procuring hospitals because it would only benefit the President, his family and a few greedy individuals in government.

Sondashi charged that President Banda was the one who directed that the procuring of mobile hospitals be single sourced.

He said it would be difficult for technocrats in the Ministry of Health to act objectively because President Banda had selfishly entered the country into a contract with the Chinese.

Sondashi said presidential powers in the Constitution should be reduced because President Banda was engaging in all sorts of scandals due to the huge powers at his disposal.

Meanwhile, Hichilema wondered how the government technocrats would analyse the proposal on mobile hospitals since the President had already endorsed the idea.

"Are you surprised with this? What did the President say when the Dora Siliya issue came up? He told us that Dora was smarter than all of us, but what happened?" Hichilema asked.

"Typical, they take a corrupt decision first and then they want to put it on the technocrats. We are going back to one-party state. RB is borrowing dictatorship and corruption. This is a lethal combination."

He said the MMD was inherently corrupt right from the top down to the bottom.

"We told the people of Zambia during the last campaigns that the corruption from the top was evident. Remember the sugar, relief maize and the money they were giving?" Hichilema said.

He said the recent events were a wake-up call for the people of Zambia.

"We need a leadership that is focused. Are you surprised that the President is reacting like this on mobile hospitals? Are you telling me that the right pocket doesn't know what the left pocket is doing or holding? If what he is saying is true, why should the Chinese decide for us?" Hichilema asked.

"Then that clearly shows that he is not in charge of this country. We as Zambians have said no to mobile hospitals. I don't think the President is serious. Let's take the running of this country serious. You can see even the way he jokes around on serious matters affecting the country. I don't think he is serious."

Hichilema said it was typical of the MMD not to have priorities.

"The mobile hospitals are inappropriate, they (government) need to refurbish the existing hospitals in rural areas. Let them pay the doctors and nurses...improve the roads first, which roads are the same mobile hospitals going to drive on?" Hichilema asked. "Rupiah Banda wants to use mobile hospitals as a campaign tool for 2011. He must listen to the people. When you are in office, you are a servant of the people. Rupiah must know that he is a servant so what people want must prevail."

He said there was need to act on the dictatorial tendencies that were cropping up.

"See how they treated Post journalists yesterday at the airport. We really need to act as Zambians. This person will start going to homes to arrest people. I am really sorry for what happened to you guys," Hichilema said.

On Saturday, President Banda said the concept of mobile hospitals was a "damn good idea."

Answering questions from journalists upon arrival from Zimbabwe, President Banda said the proposal on mobile hospitals came from the Chinese.

"It was the Chinese who offered. We haven't even discussed it, we have not even approved it. So I don't know where they got the idea that... I didn't say we are against it because I think they are a damn good idea but the proposal came from them, from the Chinese, yes," said President Banda.

But according to a letter dated April 28, 2009 and addressed to Department for International Development (DFID) head Joy Hutcheon, Dr Mtonga stated that President Banda indicated during the official opening of the National Assembly that the government would procure mobile clinics from a friendly country to complement efforts to construct 15 hospitals in the 19 districts that did not currently have any.

However, according to sources within the donor community, the Zambian government is in the process of acquiring a US$53 million loan from EX-IM Bank of China to facilitate the acquisition of the mobile hospitals from a Chinese firm called China National Aero Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC).

The source disclosed that donors held meetings last week in Lusaka to discuss this pending transaction between the Ministry of Health, on behalf of the Zambian government, and CATIC concerning the mobile hospitals. The donors later cancelled the signing of an MoU for support to the health ministry pending a satisfactory explanation on the matter.

Labels: CORRUPTION, HAKAINDE HICHILEMA, HEALTHCARE, THANDIWE BANDA, UPND, VELEPI MTONGA

posted by MrK @ 1:55 PM