(LUSAKATIMES) Sata takes Dr Joshua Kanganja to task for giving illegal contracts to Brigadier Generals and Colonels

Sata takes Dr Joshua Kanganja to task for giving illegal contracts to Brigadier Generals and Colonels
TIME PUBLISHED - Wednesday, October 26, 2011, 4:27 am

PRESIDENT Sata has directed that contracts of 13 brigadier generals and about 15 colonels in the defence forces be terminated with immediate effect because they are occupying offices illegally.

“All these people should leave offices now, but pay them up to December because they are in their offices illegally. I don’t have the power to give a contract; I only have the power to give a contract within the law. The Defence Act does not permit me; the Pension Act does not allow me. How do you, Secretary to the Cabinet, go and prepare a statutory instrument and give to somebody to sign? You are cheating the people in uniform,” he said.

The President was speaking at State House yesterday when he swore in permanent secretary in the Ministry of Chiefs Affairs Coillard Chibbonta and 10 provincial commissioners of police.

The commissioners of police include Solomon Jere (Central), Mary Tembo (Copperbelt), Joyce Kasosa (Luapula), Grace Chipalila (Eastern), Charity Masambo-Katanga (Lusaka), Mary Chikwanda (Northern), Eugene Sibote (North Western), Antoneil Mutentwa (Western), Brenda Muntemba (Southern) and Standwell Lungu (Muchinga).

“Why allow 13 brigadier generals and 16 colonels occupying offices illegally? You are giving them the money which should have gone to police to strengthen the establishment of the police. If you look at these policemen, some of them do not even have badges of ranks.

“If you want them to retire at 60 or 65, amend the law, the law will protect them, not you. They are not supposed to survive on who is in office, let the law protect them,” he said.
“If you want them to retire at 60 or 65, amend the law, the law will protect them, not you. They are not supposed to survive on who is in office, let the law protect them,” he said.

“On 13th May, my brother wrote an illegal letter giving contracts to 13 brigadier generals and about 14 or 15 colonels and issued a statutory instrument number 38. The laws of Zambia are not amended by statutory instrument. If you want to amend the Defence Act, Cap 106, you go to Parliament. If you want to amend the Pensions Act you go to Parliament, but unfortunately I want to address Dr [Joshua] Kanganja and your colleagues: be brave, say no, don’t just say yes when I say anything because you drafted this statutory instrument for Rupiah Banda, my predecessor, when you knew very well that it was illegal. You never amend any law by statutory instrument.

“We have had lots of extravagance in this country, and we have to change. The people who deserve money, we don’t give them the money because some of these police officers, since they left training school, they have never received their annual uniforms because in the police, every year you are supposed to receive a kit. I don’t think you even parade your kit because you have nothing to parade. I saw Muntemba wearing her shoes, that’s not a pair of police shoes she was wearing,” he said.

President Sata vowed to follow the commissioners’ work closely. “I will follow you because the job you are going to do is the job I know very well. I was properly trained than some of you people, and I won’t tell you I am coming, you will just see me arriving,” he said.

Mr Sata said he is disappointed that after 47 years of independence, the police establishment has not been filled. “We have a shortage of 12,000 men and women. That is why I have decided to promote all of you to commissioner level because the authority of the police is on your shoulders,” he said.

Mr Sata urged the commissioners to take criticism and do their job.
“I will follow you because the job you are going to do is the job I know very well. I was properly trained than some of you people, and I won’t tell you I am coming, you will just see me arriving,” he said.

And addressing the Commissioner of Police at State House, Mr Sata directed him to keep the surrounding of the premises clean. “Are you not ashamed that every time I am driving, I stop because of a dry stick, and you are there as my Commissioner of Police. And if you look behind this building, it is very dirty. Look at the surrounding of this place.

“And yesterday, that programme finished at about lunch time and the tents are still there, and you are still here. Where is the security? You claim you are Commissioner of Police at State House, those tents they are still there,” he said.

And Mr Sata has directed Mr Chibbonta to visit all chiefdoms and establish the living conditions of traditional leaders. “If I can remember very well, a long time ago when I was minister of Local Government, the allowance I gave them that is what they are still having as if there has been no government,” he said.

And Inspector General of Police Martin Malama commended President Sata for appointing more women as commissioners of police. “It’s a great relief as a police service to see that out of the 10 provinces, we have six commissioners appointed who are ladies. This is groundbreaking for us because these ladies are very capable,” he said.

[Zambia Daily Mail]