Maravi

Govt dispatches 6-man delegation to deliver pregnant cow to Kikwete

Govt dispatches 6-man delegation to deliver pregnant cow to Kikwete
Written by Mutuna Chanda in Kitwe
Wednesday, July 29, 2009 5:36:47 AM

GOVERNMENT has dispatched a six-man delegation to deliver a pregnant Friesian cow to Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete. And sources have revealed that the government has spent over K68 million in per diem for 10 days on the six officers that have been sent to deliver the cow to President Kikwete in Tanzania.
The black and white cow which was given to President Kikwete by President

Rupiah Banda at the Ndola International Trade Fair early this month was transported to Tanzania by road last Saturday.

According to government sources, each of the six officers led by Copperbelt Provincial veterinary officer Dr Alishenke Mutemwa was given US $220 per night equivalent to K1,148,400 [at K5,220 per US $] as out-of-pocket allowance for 10 days.

The sources said Dr Mutemwa was accompanied by a senior animal and extension officer at the veterinary department in Ndola, Charles Lwanga, two drivers - one for the cow and the other for the delegation - an imprest holder and another government official from Cabinet office in Ndola.

The sources said the delegation left in two vehicles, a grey Toyota Hilux registration number GRZ 788 BV and a white Mitsubishi Canter registration number GRZ 332 CA, which was carrying the cow.

When contacted for comment, Coperbelt permanent secretary Villie Lombanya confirmed that government officers had been dispatched to deliver the cow to President Kikwete.

However, he denied that six officers had been assigned. He said only two were on that mission and that the rest were from the Tanzanian High Commission.

Asked why the cow was not put on a train through the Tanzania Zambia Railway (TAZARA), Lombanya said the cow was pregnant and that the government did not want it to deliver in transit.

And when asked if each of the officers had been given out-of-pocket allowances of US $220 each for 10 days, Lombanya said he was not privy to the details and that he just facilitated the dispatch of the cow.

"Well, I don't know those details," said Lombanya. "What I did was to facilitate. That was done by Cabinet Office in Lusaka. If they have been given US $220 each per day that is normal; that is government's foreign travel per diem for east Africa because each region has its own rate and it is provided for in the circular [foreign travel]. That is in order and they have to live anyway; they are on duty."

Labels: CATTLE, JAKAYA KIKWETE, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:37 AM