Rupiah was behind $53m deal – Sata

Rupiah was behind $53m deal – Sata
Written by Patson Chilemba

PATRIOTIC Front (PF) president Michael Sata has charged that President Rupiah Banda was behind the US$53m deal and personally instructed officials at the Ministry of Health to procure mobile hospital units. And the Ministry of Health on Thursday stated that it had discussed the proposal to procure mobile hospitals with cooperating partners supporting the ministry.

Commenting on health permanent secretary Dr Velepi Mtonga's statement that the concept to procure mobile hospital units from a friendly country was highlighted by President Banda during this year's official opening of the third session of the tenth National Assembly, Sata said it was a lie for Dr Mtonga to say that the ministry was still looking at whether it was feasible and cost-effective to undertake such an investment in the health sector or a modified version that would suit Zambia's needs.

He said the process for the procurement had already reached an advanced stage because it had gone through the Zambia Public Procurement Authority

(ZPPA) and the government was 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, China National Aero Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC).

On Dr Mtonga's statement that a committee at the ministry met in March, 2009 and decided in principle to support the concept of procuring mobile hospital units and continue seeking guidance from the Ministry of Finance and National Planning and the ZPPA, Sata argued that the permanent secretary was contradicting herself by making it seem as though the undertaking was proposed in the committee when it was President Banda who was behind the undertaking.

He said President Banda had already made up his mind to procure the hospitals and Dr Mtonga was just following her master's orders.

Sata said there was need to find out how the procurement of mobile hospitals was single-sourced and hunt down those who were behind the act.

He said the PF would file a complaint before Chief Justice Ernest Sakala to set up a tribunal to probe how the contract for procurement of mobile hospitals was single-sourced.

Sata said given the secrecy that characterised President Banda's government's corrupt dealings, a tribunal offered the only hope to know the truth.

He said he had served as health minister before and that significant funding to the ministry came from Western countries and not China.

Sata said the country in general and the health sector in particular would be doomed if donors withheld their funding.

He said this situation could not be allowed to continue.

"We should find out who single-sourced those 'container' hospitals. We are going to ask the [PF] chairperson of health to go to the Chief Justice and find out who single-sourced. What I am saying is, in the tribunal we shall know more," Sata said. "We have already decided that we are taking this to the tribunal. We are only waiting for one document before we finalise. The donors have done their part, so as PF, we shall take it up. We have to protect the money, which the donors are trying to put in the health sector. We want the truth to be established."

He charged that the number one priority in President Banda's government was to perfect the art of plunder in each and every ministry so that those involved could get easy money.

Sata said plunderers should be hunted down and should never be allowed to have a field day.

"Rupiah Banda is leading the country like Zino pindirana, meaning when you complain about things, he just says don't worry. Pamberi ni corruption, to him it's forward with corruption," Sata said.

And Ministry of Health spokesperson Dr Reuben Mbewe stated that the ministry had provided assurance that no agreement had been signed over the proposal for mobile hospitals.

"The Ministry of Health, cooperating partners and other stakeholders will jointly assess this proposal and any other major health policy decisions through the normal mechanisms," stated Dr Mbewe. "The Ministry of Health is grateful for cooperating partners’ continuing commitment to the National Health Strategic Plan 2006- 2010 and will be arranging the signing of the addendum of the 2006 Health MoU at a time when partners are available to attend."

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.

She stated that the ministry was still looking at whether it was feasible and cost-effective to undertake such an investment in the health sector or a modified version that would suit Zambian needs.

Dr Mtonga stated that the ministry was to send a team to visit other countries including China where a similar concept had been implemented.

"It would therefore have been premature for the Ministry of Health to present to our cooperating partners the mobile hospital concept without the Ministry of Health having first arrived at a conclusive decision on moving forward with the mobile hospital concept," Dr Mtonga stated.

However, Dr Mtonga stated that in the case of the mobile hospitals, the Ministry of Health had not yet firmed up its decision to acquire the facilities as stated in the proposal from CATIC.

And the international donors to the health sector on Thursday stated that they were grateful to the minister of health Kapembwa Simbao for his assurance that no contract had been agreed on the mobile hospitals.

According to a statement from donors signed by Hutcheon and British High Commissioner to Zambia Tom Carter, the donors were consulting on a suitable date for the signing of the addendum to the 2006 health memorandum of understanding (MoU).

DFID health and HIV/AIDS advisor Angela Spilsbury said pressure for the Ministry of Health to procure mobile hospital units from a Chinese company is coming from outside the health sector.

On Tuesday, the Zambia Medical Association (ZMA) opposed the government's intention to purchase mobile hospitals, describing it as misplaced priority.

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 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. On Thursday, the donors cancelled a meeting, which was to be held to sign the MoU [for support] pending a satisfactory explanation from Ministry of Health over the procurement of mobile hospitals.