Maravi

Missing documents

Missing documents
Written by Editor

The revelation by Auditor General Anna Chifungula that forensic audit in the K27 billion scam at the Ministry of Health has delayed because most of the documentation relating to the same is missing should be taken seriously and as an eye-opener. From the time the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) revealed the K10 billion scam in the Ministry of Health over a month ago, a lot of public expectation has been raised.

Our people have been eagerly waiting to see the culprits punished. This is because these scams in the ministry have far-reaching implications on our health sector. It should not be forgotten that some of our international donors have withheld funding and other support from the Ministry of Health pending the findings by the Auditor General’s office.

From Chifungula’s revelation, it is clear that this awaited report will not be to the expectations of the public as well as the donors. We say this because it cannot be denied that donor money has been looted by some selfish and greedy persons in the Ministry of Health, including some politicians from the ruling MMD. Health minister Kapembwa Simbao is on record admitting that some trusted people in the ministry abused that trust and stole billions of kwacha.

But from the look of things, and following Chifungula’s chilling revelation, it is clear that most of the culprits in this matter will go unpunished. This is because Chifungula is saying that most of the documentation in the ministry have gone missing. So if most of the relevant documents have gone missing, how can it be expected that those carrying out forensic audits will find evidence to incriminate the culprits?

Sometimes, and in life, it is good to be clear about things. This confusion going on in the Ministry of Health was foreseen. We have not forgotten that some of our compatriots raised concerns when not too long ago the police sealed off the Ministry of Health. When an explanation was sought for this action, Commissioner of Police Graphael Musamba said they sealed off the Ministry of Health to facilitate the delivery of suspension letters from Secretary to the Cabinet Joshua Kanganja on some of the workers in the ministry suspected to have been involved in the scam.

Informed people questioned this move. They said this move was meant to facilitate the concealment or destruction of some documents in a bid to clear some suspects who were user-friendly to the system and the ruling party. Of course, this assertion was dismissed by some quarters, including the police.

However, the legitimate question is: Why should the police seal off the entire Ministry of Health just to deliver suspension letters on a few unarmed individuals at the ministry?

A few weeks ago, some ACC officers complained that there were attempts by the police to frustrate investigations on some suspects in the Ministry of Health. Of course, the acting ACC director general Rose Wandi refuted this claim. But we know that this claim was not without any foundation. There are concerted efforts by some people in the government to ensure that some culprits in the Ministry of Health are protected from punishment so that they do not spill the beans on other transactions, which went to the benefit of the ruling MMD, especially during elections.

That is why we are not surprised that most of the documents in the ministry have now gone missing. For a long time now, and in fact, it can be safely said that all MMD successive administrations have heavily used the Ministry of Health to siphon money and other resources to their campaigns and other political activities. Levison Mumba, a former health minister in Frederick Chiluba’s government is on the Supreme Court’s record revealing how resources, including drugs, from the ministry were diverted to the MMD campaigns during the 2001 elections.

Even during last year’s presidential by-election, evidence is there to show how the MMD used resources from the Ministry of Health to support Rupiah Banda’s campaigns. Rupiah’s image builders from the United Kingdom were seen using vehicles from the Ministry of Health in Mbala. These vehicles were transporting these image builders all over Northern Province instead of moving or serving patients. This is what we were able to see. But can we ask what else the Ministry of Health did for Rupiah’s campaigns, which we were not able to see?

So when we hear of documents growing legs in the Ministry of Health, we should understand why. A lot of people will be netted in the Auditor General’s web if investigations are not tampered with.

However, at this rate, our people should not expect much from these investigations or forensic audits. This is because there is no political will to decisively get to the bottom of the problems in the Ministry of Health because the casualties will be many. It is not only Henry Kapoko and a few other small fishes who will be found wanting.

The question is for how long should this abuse at the Ministry of Health be tolerated? Is it justified for the government to continue asking for financial help from donors when most of it only ends up in the pockets of a few individuals?

It is a fact that not all is well at the ministry. But sadly, the current investigations will achieve very little, if any, in ensuring that sanity is restored at the ministry and therefore serve as a lesson for other ministries.

Our people should demand that justice should not only be done but should also be seen to be done. It cannot be denied that a lot of wrongdoers in the Ministry of Health will hide behind Kapoko and a few others. Kapoko should not be the sacrificial lamb. Our people should demand that all those involved in the loot at the Ministry of Health should be brought to book. Failure to that, very little confidence will be restored in the donor community.

Labels: ACC, ANNA CHIFUNGULA, CORRUPTION, ELECTIONS, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, MMD

posted by MrK @ 4:28 PM