Maravi

Mulongoti is a twit – Mpombo

Mulongoti is a twit – Mpombo
Written by George Chellah
Friday, July 24, 2009 3:10:38 PM

WORKS and supply minister Mike Mulongoti is a buffoon and a twit, former defence minister George Mpombo has charged.Reacting to Ministry of Works and Supply permanent secretary Lieutenant Colonel Bizwayo Nkunika's notice for him to vacate the government house and surrender his personal-to-holder vehicle, Mpombo said although he had always been ready to vacate the house, there was need for the government to handle matters with civility.

He urged the government to treat him with respect instead of resorting to political persecution. He said it was precisely two weeks since he resigned and yet he was being pursued like he had stayed in the house for months.

Mpombo said he was aware of government officials that had remained in government houses after resigning for a lengthy period of time without being victimised.

"This whole thing is being engineered by some small, little buffoon called Mulongoti. This twit is a living manifestation of evil and actually a personal envoy of the devil to Zambia," Mpombo said.

He wondered why Mulongoti hated him so much.

"This chap is so evil. Do you know that after the monkey business in Livingstone, when I met him at State House on 26 June, 2009 we were having lunch after the Cabinet meeting," Mpombo narrated. "Instead of sympathising with me or trying to find out what happened, he came to me and said, 'we missed an opportunity for a state funeral.' Meaning he was wishing me death. He is a very evil small guy."

Mpombo said officials from Mulongoti's ministry on Wednesday went to his house to intimidate his daughters.

"This morning (Wednesday morning) some officials from works and supply went to my house. They found my daughters and told them that we should have left the house by yesterday (Tuesday) and the vehicle should have been surrendered by yesterday (Tuesday). This is part of victimisation and persecution," Mpombo said. "For me, we should have moved out of the house by our own volition, except that my wife's auntie is admitted at St Johns Hospital and they are from the Copperbelt, so we can't leave them here. And immediately she is discharged tomorrow (yesterday), we leave."

Mpombo complained that he had served in the government as a senior minister and therefore he did not expect to be treated that way.

"It's this kind of hostile environment that forced me out of government. I am consulting my constituency this week to find a way forward. If the party doesn't need me, I have no problem with that. When President Banda accepted my resignation, I gave the vehicle to my security guys that take it because I am a very orderly person. When they drove to Lusaka, the permanent secretary and the Ministry of Defence phoned me and said, 'I have heard that the vehicle is being brought here. This is a personal to holder vehicle so it can't be parked at the ministry. You can have it and negotiate the buying process with works and supply,'" Mpombo said.

"I have used this vehicle for about two years nine months and I qualify according to the conditions of service to buy it. I know of people who bought government vehicles after serving for two years or less. When I resigned, I wrote a letter to the Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja. Even before he could get back to me, this is the kind of thing I get."

Mpombo said he would pursue the matter vigorously.

"It amounts to a moral equivalency of war because I do qualify. I will ask my lawyers to handle this matter, I have had enough," he said.

In a letter to Mpombo dated July 21, 2009, which was also copied to Mulongoti and Dr Kanganja, Lt. Col Nkunika advised Mpombo to vacate the VIP house number 5371 Robert Kennedy Close.

"I write to draw your attention to the fact that in accordance with your terms and conditions of service, you are required to vacate a government house within fifteen (15) days from the date of your termination of office as a Cabinet minister or upon your resignation," Lt. Col Nkunika stated.

"In view of the foregoing, you are requested to vacate the government house and surrender your personal to holder vehicle to the undersigned by 21st July 2009 to pave way for a new occupant and user. You are also requested to clear outstanding water and electricity bills if any, on vacating your former official residence house."

But early this year, Mulongoti authorised Dora Siliya's continued stay in a government house beyond the stipulated 15 days after one ceases to be minister. Nkunika confirmed that Siliya, who resigned from her ministerial position, was still occupying a government house beyond the stipulated period.

"Yes, I can confirm to you that she's still in a government house and has asked the Minister of Works and Supply [Mulongoti] to stay a little bit longer until she finds some other accommodation arrangements, and the minister has authorised," Lt Col Nkunika said.

"I don't think this a constitutional matter, it's a regulation. You may recall this happened to [Zambia's envoy to China] Ambassador Lupando Mwape. When he lost his job, he was allowed to stay in the house for three months."

Nkunika said ministers of works and supply could use their discretion to allow former leaders like Cabinet ministers to stay in a government house longer than the stipulated 15 days.

Asked on the timeframe within which former ministers were supposed to hand over their government vehicles upon leaving office, Nkunika said the ministers could still hold on to their GRZ numbers, until they had fully paid for the vehicles if the intention was to buy them.

Asked if Siliya was still driving a GRZ vehicle, Nkunika responded: "You can come and see me at the office. I am going into a meeting."

Labels: BIZWAYO NKUNIKA, GEORGE MPOMBO, MIKE MULONGOTI, MINISTRY OF WORKS AND SUPPLY

posted by MrK @ 2:10 PM