TIZ challenges Mangani to arrest thieving NGO officials

TIZ challenges Mangani to arrest thieving NGO officials
By George Chellah
Mon 09 Nov. 2009, 04:01 CAT

TRANSPARENCY International-Zambia (TIZ) executive director Goodwell Lungu yesterday challenged home affairs minister Lameck Mangani to prosecute the non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) officials that have received more than K148 million donor funding in personal accounts.

Reacting to Mangani’s claims that some NGO officials received funds in personal accounts on the pretext that they were using the funds for good governance activities and for the underprivileged, Lungu said TIZ welcomed the stance adopted by the government over the matter if at all Mangani’s claims were true.

“As TIZ we don’t believe in dishonesty whether on the part of the government or NGOs. If at all it’s true, we are urging the government to expose such individuals and the government should continue investigating such individuals.

A wrong is a wrong whether it’s committed by an official from NGO or an official from the government,” Lungu said.

“If the government has the information on these individuals, we feel it’s not good to transfer organisational funds into personal funds. This is what we are fighting on former president Frederick Chiluba. We are appealing to the government that they should not relent. As TIZ we are ready to assist them prosecute these individuals if there is clear evidence.”

He also advised the government to extend the probe to churches. “…so that we promote transparency and accountability,” he said.

Lungu said TIZ would be disappointed if it were discovered that the people Mangani was referring to were found within the civil society organisations.