Maravi

Masebo asks Chibbonta to report her if she acted corruptly

Masebo asks Chibbonta to report her if she acted corruptly
Written by George Chellah
Saturday, June 27, 2009 3:44:12 PM

FORMER local government and housing minister Sylvia Masebo has asked local government permanent secretary Coillard Chibbonta to report her to the relevant investigative wings if she acted corruptly on transactions involving the ministry.
And Masebo stated that she was surprised, disappointed and saddened that she should be called back to answer to past transactions when there was a sitting minister with all the supporting staff and files to help answer such past administrative or policy decisions.

In a letter to Chibbonta dated June 24, 2009, Masebo wrote to the permanent secretary following President Rupiah Banda's permission for her to explain the transaction involving the hearses.

"I wish to refer you to the above mentioned letter dated 31st May, 2009 which was addressed to me and copied to you among others and the various press statements made on the same subject by the minister of local government and housing, Hon. Benny Tetamashimba which are hereby attached for ease of reference," Masebo stated. "I also wish to draw your attention to today's press conference by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia Mr Rupiah B. Banda in which he has given me clearance as former minister of local government and housing to explain to the public details on the said transactions. His Excellency indicated that he too like others has no information and is equally anxious to know how these 100 hearses were procured.

"It is against this background that I write to you as permanent secretary and controlling officer to request that you avail me the necessary files or documents on the said transactions to help me respond to all queries by the public and the minister of local government and housing. You will appreciate that it would be difficult for me in the absence of documentation to clear the allegation that these hearses were not sold to government at US $29,000 dollars per unit but at US $9,000 dollars per unit."

She stated that it was also being said that boats purchased were not safe and may kill somebody.

"In short, am being challenged to explain the various projects that were undertaken during late Mwanawasa's administration when I served as minister of local government and housing as if there are no officers or files to refer to or as if there were some illegality in the said transactions that nobody is now willing in the ministry to explain to the public. I'm nonetheless grateful and happy that His Excellency the President has granted me permission as former minister to help explain the details on these transactions so that I may be able to clear the misinformation that has so far been given to the public," Masebo stated. "However, for the record let me state that am surprised, disappointed and saddened that I should be called back to answer to past transactions when there is a sitting minister with all the supporting staff and files to help answer such past administrative or policy decisions, especially considering that this current government is the same MMD government except for the different faces in the offices today.

"What has happened to the principle of collective responsibility? Unless one is insinuating that I may have been corrupt whilst acting as minister and if that be the case, you should be reporting me to the relevant investigative wings of government instead of calling me back to be explaining administrative matters as if there are no people in the ministry. I find this style of running government very strange. Let me conclude by stating that I will be in your office tomorrow Thursday, the 24th June, 2009 at 10:00 hours and will appreciate if you and the relevant officers connected to these transactions can assist me with the relevant data to help me explain and hopefully rest these queries."

In his letter dated May 31, 2009 to Masebo and copied to Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja, Post editor Fred M'membe and his permanent secretary Chibbonta, Tetamashimba stated that Masebo bought 150 vehicles for the Keep Zambia Clean campaign, hearses and unfit speedboats without involving him as her deputy then.

"...Hearses, Speedboats, Keep Zambia clean vehicles and plot at Lusaka Girls.

There is no doubt that when you decided to buy the above-named, I did not know as it was all between you, your permanent secretary Mr Joe Ngo, director Z. Zulu and head of procurement. I was never part to any but as current minister, all falls under me," Tetamashimba stated.

He stated that 150 vehicles were bought from Top Motors without his knowledge as deputy minister and only saw the vehicles for the first [time] when they were being handed over to Masebo.

"I have never seen any one of Top Motors managers ever since, nor do I have their cell numbers. I do not even know where their offices are," Tetamashimba stated. "Lusaka Girls: Honourable Masebo, you brought this issue in the Parliamentary committee when my permanent secretary appeared before the committee and implied that there was corruption in the way the investor got the plot."

Tetamashimba further stated that it was a well-known fact that the original file after the approval by previous minister of local government and housing, Andrew Mulenga, which Masebo requested was misplaced or hidden by her and the Lusaka City Council (LCC) was made to produce duplicate copies.

"I know that you personally, against advice of the staff wrote Lusaka City Council to tell the investor to stop building, but the investor's lawyers, namely Mr Sunday Nkonde and Dr [Patrick] Matibini SC challenged the town clerk on reasons for stopping their client to build and both Lusaka City Council and you feared to be taken to court and the investor continued to build," Tetamashimba stated. "I challenge you to bring evidence that I have ever met Mr Sunday Nkonde, Dr Matibini SC or the investor on the development issue as implied by the 30th May, 2009 Post newspapers. I also challenge Dr Matibini SC, Mr Sunday Nkonde or the investor if I have ever been bribed by any one of them and if not, to take legal action against those accusing them [that] they bribed me."

Tetamashimba accused Masebo of buying speedboats that were not fit for the Zambian waters.

"You personally with your staff without involving me as your deputy minister decided to order speed boats and when you were still minister, you are aware that the Siavonga speed boat sunk and the report on file is that you and your director ordered boats not fit for our waters. What did you do to alert people who were to be using these boats?" Tetamashimba asked. "If one will sink and kill people like what happened in Siavonga, the people will be on my neck."

Tetamashimba stated that Masebo confessed to Vice-President George Kunda that she was the architect of the project to buy hearses.

"You never involved me in your decision to purchase the hearses. Even the tender procedures as per records at this ministry were only privy to you and not to me," Tetamashimba stated. "When The Post ran the story, you went to confess to His Honour the Vice-President that you were the architect of the hearses. On 23rd May, 2009, when you returned my call, you explained what transpired and we agreed that since I had no idea on how you decided with the directors, you brief the press to explain the issue before Thursday 21st May, 2009 but you failed to brief the press or even explain to The Post through their managing editor, Amos Malupenga."

Tetamashimba further stated that Zambians were suspecting that there was corruption in the purchase of hearses hence Masebo could not continue hiding in a hole.

But Masebo responed that in line with the Cabinet handbook, she had applied for clearance from President Rupiah Banda to allow her as a former minister to divulge information on the transactions that took place during her tenure.

During his press conference on Wednesday, President Banda granted Masebo permission to explain the procurement of 100 hearses, saying he too like many Zambians would like to know what happened.

Labels: COILLARD CHIBBONTA, SYLVIA MASEBO

posted by MrK @ 2:44 PM