Travel consultant confirms State House made bookings for alleged imposters
Written by Staff Reporters
Tuesday, January 13, 2009 9:27:41 AM
A TRAVEL consultant from Cathay Pacific Lusaka office Melody Mumba yesterday confirmed that a David Banda from State House made bookings for 26 passengers to travel to New York.
And sources at State House have revealed that the seven alleged imposters that were recently arrested were actually promised jobs in the foreign service by President Rupiah Banda.
Mumba, when asked to confirm a proforma invoice from Cathay Pacific which she signed and addressed to the Head of Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ), State House, confirmed that a booking was made by David Banda.
However, Mumba said Banda later cancelled the booking as one of the passengers had died.
According to the invoice, 26 passengers were supposed to have left for New York on January 6 and 7, 2009 from Lusaka en route to Johannesburg and Hong Kong.
The tickets were one-way business class amounting to US $186,000 for all the passengers.
Police spokesperson Bonny Kapeso on Saturday disclosed that a second magistrate from Ndola, who is now deceased, was among the group of people from the Copperbelt that were using President Banda's name to stay at a lodge in Lusaka without footing the bills.
Mumba said Banda used to go to their travel agency with a woman from the University Teaching Hospital (UTH).
She said the other bookings could not be made because details of the children that were supposed to travel were not made available.
But when contacted for a comment on Saturday, State House chief analyst for press and public relations Dickson Jere said the seven people could not have been arrested if what they were saying was correct.
"Why have they been arrested if what they are saying is true?" Jere asked.
And when contacted yesterday after Mumba confirmed that David Banda from State House was making arrangements for the 26 to travel to New York, Jere said The Post could go ahead and publish the trash they always publish.
"What do you want me to say? What do you want me to tell you? You write the story. You already publish trash, so you publish the story," Jere said.
MMD spokesperson Benny Tetamashimba on Sunday disowned people that were using President Banda’s name to stay at the lodge in Lusaka without footing the bills, saying they did not belong to the party.
Tetamashimba said the MMD had noted that people masquerading as appointees had the potential of tarnishing the image of both President Banda and the party.
But sources at State House said President Banda was aware of the seven people that were accommodated at a named lodge in Chilenje.
The source said President Banda had been communicating with the families since they moved to Lusaka, but only stopped communicating after the death of one of the people who was supposed to travel with the families.
"The President was in constant touch with these families and he only stopped after the death of magistrate Tembo, so we are actually surprised that he is quiet now," the source said.
The source said the families even sold off their properties in Ndola after being promised jobs because they were supposed to leave Zambia on the January 6 and 7 this year.
Labels: ALLOWANCES, BENNY TETAMASHIMBA, BONNIE KAPESO
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Chiluba should tell it all
By Muyoyeta Simasiku
Saturday December 29, 2007 [03:00]
If there ever was an answer to the deep-rooted corruption that started in the Chiluba regime and has continued today, Chiluba himself is that answer. Everything starts and ends with Chiluba. As a nation we would be privileged to have Chiluba tell us what he knows. Chiluba is exposing Mahtani, forgetting that he is actually exposing himself too at the same time. It's like a thief exposing a fellow thief about how and what they stole. But that's good for us.
You see, Chiluba has nothing to lose now. And as a nation, we will be naive to dismiss what is coming out of his mouth now. He is the biggest fish and he knows it all.
Even though he is facing his own corruption charges, the state could still use him to tell the nation what he knows. It is just sad that the man has lost credibility, so probably no one would believe what he is saying.
But reading through his allegations against Mahtani, it makes a lot of sense and law enforcement agencies should follow on these allegations until they establish that they are baseless. And Chiluba has even challenged Mwanawasa and his government, saying if he didn't know, now he does, and what is he going to do about it?
If the Mwanawasa government ignores these allegations, then it will be safe to conclude and agree with Chiluba that they are conniving with Mahtani. And even though The Post aren't in very good boots with Chiluba, they could still persuade him to tell the nation what he knows about the corruption roots in Zambia. Let Chiluba tell it all!
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=35726
Govt's 2007 achievements
By Gersh, Nairobi
Saturday December 29, 2007 [03:00]
The utterances made by chief government spokesperson Mike Mulungoti in the Times of Zambia that the government met most of its targets for 2007 cannot go without comment. Mulongoti only pointed out two things that the government has achieved. Is this what he calls “most”? Can Mulongoti convince the nation that the government has met its target for 2007 by giving concrete references and not just those two?
I would agree with most opposition leaders that the government has done completely nothing in practice but they have done something in theory and in their heads. If the country’s biggest hospitals don’t have medicine and are almost collapsing and if the highest institutions of learning are closed every now and then, how can the government claim to have done something?
But coming to think of it, maybe they have done something after all - stealing from poor Zambians by paying themselves huge sums from taxpayers’ money!
Wake up government, you have done literally nothing.
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=35728
Let's be reasonable
By Concerned citizen
Saturday December 29, 2007 [03:00]
I wish to disagree with NCC chairman Chifumu Banda’s recent utterances in the Times of Zambia that the NCC allowances are reasonable. I feel Banda is speaking like this because he is one of the beneficiaries of the allowances.
Surely, why else would a person of Banda’s calibre say that the NCC allowances are okay? Where on earth has any poor country like Zambia paid off such huge amounts? If it were in the USA or in Europe, I would agree with Banda that the allowances are reasonable, but as long as this issue is here in our poor Zambia, I simply cannot agree with Banda.
The allowances are just too much and for me, this shows how extravagant our government is even though it says at the same time that there is no money for developmental projects. We are among the poorest countries in the world and yet, we are the most wasteful in terms of resources and this is why our economy is just dwindling and the poor are getting poorer while the rich are getting richer. There is no equal distribution of resources.
Let us learn not to think only of ourselves but also of others, especially the poor and the needy for they too are Zambians! As a Christian nation, let us put away the spirit of selfishness and adopt the spirit of love for Christ said "Love your neighbour as yourself". Let us be reasonable!
Labels: ALLOWANCES, CHILUBA, NCC
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Are these allowances or bribes?
By Editor
Thursday December 20, 2007 [03:00]
It cannot be denied that the allowances being paid to those participating in the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) are excessive. Even President Levy Mwanawasa knows very well that what our people who have been nominated or selected to participate in the NCC are earning on average exceeds even his salary as President of the Republic of Zambia. Why should this be so? The truth is these huge or excessive allowances were designed to attract participation and stem off opposition or boycott of the NCC.
And this being the case, it is unacceptable arrogance on the part of President Mwanawasa to denounce those who are questioning these allowances. This is not his personal money; it is taxpayers’ money and every taxpayer in this country has a legitimate right to question the use of such taxes.
Instead of denouncing those who are questioning or criticising these allowances, President Mwanawasa is supposed to explain and justify these allowances to the taxpayers of our country. But with this type of arrogance and lack of humility, it is not possible for President Mwanawasa to take time and justify these allowances. This is simply because he doesn’t truly see himself as a servant of the people, employed by the people to carry out their wishes.
It is clear that, in truth, President Mwanawasa sees himself as a master of the people. And he does not see the money he is spending on the NCC as people’s money; he sees it as money belonging to his government, a government he owns and controls and therefore no one should question how he spends government money. How else can one explain this arrogance, this lack of humility by President Mwanawasa?
It is dishonest and unfair to try to mislead the public by making them believe that those who were calling for the constituent assembly didn’t care about expenditure. Proponents of the constituent assembly never suggested paying huge allowances to anybody. And we challenge President Mwanawasa to prove his claim. Let us learn to dialogue and discuss with each other in an honest, fair and humane manner. There is no need to tell lies on matters that are very clear. This type of language doesn’t engender confidence and trust in our political leadership; it actually undermines them.
Our people have many unsatisfied needs and it is their desire and in their interest to ensure that public funds are utilised in a thrift manner. Thrift should be the guiding principle in all our government expenditure. We have to learn to practice economy in whatever we do. We must particularly advocate diligence and frugality in whatever we do; we must pay special attention to economy.
We don’t think our people are opposed to seeing their fellow citizens serving on the NCC improve their lives. But certainly not in this way; not through unjustified excessive allowances. We say unjustified excessive allowances in the sense that no one, including President Mwanawasa himself, has been able to justify these allowances. No one is saying people shouldn’t be paid anything.
What our people are saying is “pay but justify; if you can’t justify don’t pay because if you do so, you will be questioned, you will be criticised”. But because of arrogance and lack of humility, because of lack of respect for the fellow citizens he is elected to serve, President Mwanawasa doesn’t think anyone should question such allowances, the allowances he has decided to give those sitting on the NCC. Without a justifiable explanation, to us these allowances appear to have a character of bribes. And without justifiable explanation, it will not be unfair for us to accuse President Mwanawasa of corruption over these allowances. We say corruption because when we talk about corruption, it is not simply just about the stealing of public funds but also the abuse of public resources to achieve one’s desires, arrogance and lack of humility.
And since we all feel very strongly about corruption, that is, us and President Mwanawasa, we ask him to justify these allowances and answer all the questions our people are raising over these allowances. If they are justifiable, no one will have any problems with our people receiving such allowances as long as the government can afford to pay.
These are the things our people mean when they talk about accountability. What we need is an enthusiastic but calm state of mind and intense but orderly work. We shouldn’t wait until there is a crisis to explain things. The concerns being raised are legitimate and they seek honest and polite answers. We should always use our brains and think everything over carefully. A common saying goes, “Knit your brows and you’ll hit upon a stratagem.” In other words, much thinking yields wisdom.
Clearly, there is no need to indulge in personal attacks, vent personal spite when things can easily be explained. Some of our leaders are increasingly becoming arrogant and high-handed in their behaviour towards the people, always denouncing the people who are supposed to be their masters, but never caring much to explain themselves; always seeing fault with others but never their own shortcomings, and always welcoming flattery but never criticism. We should all endeavour to eradicate these faults. All these things become encumbrances or baggage if there is no critical awareness, if we cling to them blindly and uncritically. That is a truth we must always bear in mind.
Our political leaders must not assume that the masses of our people have no understanding of what they themselves do not yet understand.
And it is time our leaders realised that the only way to settle controversial issues among the people is by the democratic method, the method of discussion, of criticism, of persuasion and education, and not by the method of coercion, intimidation, manipulation or repression. We must undoubtedly criticise wrong ideas or practices of every description. It certainly would not be right to refrain from criticism, look on while wrong ideas and practices spread unchecked and allow them to monopolise the field. Mistakes must be criticised and poisonous weeds fought wherever they crop up.
However, such criticism should not be dogmatic, and the metaphysical method should not be used, but efforts should be made to apply the dialectical method. What is needed is convincing argument. To criticise people’s shortcomings is necessary, but in doing so we must truly take the stand of the people and speak out of whole-hearted eagerness to protect and educate them. To treat critical citizens like enemies is not fair and just.
If we look at things this way, it is easy to understand why some of our people are questioning the allowances being paid to NCC participants. It is also easy to understand why we feel President Mwanawasa and his government need to justify these allowances, lest they are dismissed as bribes.
Labels: ALLOWANCES, NCC
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Misplaced priorities
By Muyoyeta Simasikuuser
Wednesday December 19, 2007 [03:00]
In Zambia, many of us have this sickening problem of unnecessary and extravagant spending. Almost the entire country has a problem of misplaced priorities. For example, a person will buy an expensive designer suit or car, while his or her family are starving at home. This problem is induced from the top by an irresponsible government.
This is a government that can afford to pay K300 million In allowances to individuals gathered at a conference to adopt a constitution that is destined to be a sham, while its own people are dying every day from treatable diseases due to lack of basic drugs and equipment in hospitals. Where are our priorities in this country? Isn’t this irresponsibility of the highest order?
And are the donors watching and approving this mischief? I am going to write a protest letter to all Zambia’s potential donors, asking them to freeze any future aid.
We are also a bunch of hypocrites because even those who talk the loudest to oppose this kind of gross mischief are now silent over the issue. Why? Well, because they are laughing all the way to the bank. They only talk when they are not direct beneficiaries.
But because they are now direct beneficiaries, they are pretending all is well and they are even prepared to fight anyone who stands in their way. Let’s face it, who would resist the temptation of a K300 million?
To be honest even I wouldn’t resist. But I would look myself in the mirror and walk with shame whenever I pass by a funeral procession of starving people who died as a result of lack of basic drugs in our hospitals.
There’s no justification whatsoever on the amount of money being paid to the NCC delegates, other than to buy their souls. The justification being issued by Magande is not satisfactory; i.e. ‘because it was budgeted for, so it’s alright to excessively spend it’. Really?
Aren’t we ashamed in this country? Why do we have this kind of gross mismanagement, misappropriation and extravagant spending in a country where the majority can’t afford basic necessities of life?
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=35306
Culture of allowances Clinton has been
By Evans C.
Wednesday December 19, 2007 [03:00]
It is a deep-rooted culture in Zambia to award hefty allowances to participants at any meeting or workshop. Most people only attend these meetings to get this money.
This practice is so widespread that whenever a workshop is organised, participants rush in to get their monies and then sit back to wait for another workshop. As can be expected, they don’t even bother to follow through whatever is learnt at these meetings as they are only interested in the money.
This type of greed has introduced corruption; participants are being selected to attend meetings based on friendship and in some cases they are asked to remit part of their allowances to the selecting authority.
We all understand that our salaries are nothing to write home about but surely integrity should prevail. Some meetings are shunned because there are no allowances to be collected. My advice to our leaders is that they should pass laws that will make it illegal for anyone to receive extra money if they are performing duties within their job description.
It is embarrassing to see our managers chasing after allowances; they even go to an extent of ordering junior officers to allow them to sign attendance registers when they did not attend the meetings. Why should a leader be paid to address a meeting that is part of his job description?
Even those outrageous allowances being given to NCC participants are not justified. Which economist came up with these figures? These people attending the NCC are supposed to be ordinary Zambians with the same necessities as everybody else; why then should they be given all that money when they will end up buying food for 20 thousand kwacha only?
Let the things that we do as a country reflect our economic health. No wonder developed countries laugh at our way of doing things in Africa. We always spend more than our income! What a shame!
http://www.postzambia.com/post-read_article.php?articleId=35299
Hefty NCC allowances
By Natemwa Chabu
Wednesday December 19, 2007 [03:00]
After reading Fr Miha, Muyoyeta Simasiku and Chibuta's insights and concerns on the hefty allowances to NCC delegates, I thought it wise to add my voice to the issue.
Having realised that stealing the "Chiluba way is dangerous", the MMD government has devised an "official method" of plundering our nation through allowances.
Nurses, teachers and other civil servants do not receive such allowances at all. Our MPs and councillors have sitting allowances plus salaries.
In addition, they are going to receive extra allowances for sitting on the NCC! Maybe it is time teachers and nurses got standing allowances as well. As Father Miha said, this is the worst form of plunder in our nation.
Since this form of plunder cannot be justified, we should stop it at all costs. The fact that it was in the budget does not make it right.
The MMD should account for the money plundered by senior government officials in name of "immoral" allowances.
Labels: ALLOWANCES, NCC
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Paying NCC delegates hefty allowances is the worst plunder, says Fr Mi
By Zumani Katasefa
Monday December 17, 2007 [03:00]
MISSION Press director Father Miha Drevensky has said the paying of hefty allowances to delegates attending the National Constitutional Conference (NCC) is the worst plunder of resources by the Mwanawasa government. And Fr Miha has urged politicians not to use God’s name as they debate in the NCC.
In an interview yesterday, Fr Miha said it was unfortunate that President Mwanawasa’s government had decided to spend colossal sums of money on the NCC when the majority of Zambians were wallowing in poverty.
“NCC is not going to give Zambians a constitution, it is going to give President Mwanawasa a constitution. It is very unfortunate that those MPs, who have decided to go there, are just going there for their pockets, not for the people. They have been hooked by Mwanawasa,’’ he said.
“It is very disgraceful that they have accepted to attend NCC just for their pockets. They should have gone there out of their patriotism and be there free of charge,’’ he added.
He said it was disgraceful that leaders accepted to get hefty allowances when the social, education and health sectors were in a bad state.
Fr Miha wondered why initially President Mwanawasa was against the constituent assembly saying it would require huge sums of money, when he was going to even spend more on the NCC.
“This is the worst plunder of national resources by the Mwanawasa government. I fully agree with Michael Sata to expel his MPs who have gone to the NCC,’’ he said.
He also said it was unfortunate that the country was also not benefiting from its mineral resources and that Zambia ’s copper was going out of the country free of charge at the expense of poor Zambians.
Fr Miha also advised politicians not to use the name of God when debating the NCC.
Reacting to home affairs minister Ronnie Shikapwasha who said Sata was fighting God when he threatened to expel members who had defied the party directives not to attend the NCC, Fr Miha said politicians should leave out the name of God in such issues.
Labels: ALLOWANCES, NCC
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NGOCC accuses govt of using money to lure NCC delegates
By Inonge Noyoo
Sunday December 16, 2007 [03:00]
THE Non-Governmental Organisations Co-ordinating Council (NGOCC) has accused the government of having lured individuals to participate in the constitution making process by providing them with hefty allowances. NGOCC executive director Marian Munyinda said some members of NGOCC had been approached by the government to go against the NGOCC position not to participate in the NCC.
“We are happy to say that these reports have reached us through the members approached and the unanimous decision arrived at not to participate still stands. We wish to reiterate that our integrity and moral standing will guide us in this matter which I am happy to say is backed by an NGOCC constitution which we always uphold,” she said.
“I take this opportunity to send a categorical message to our members that all NGOCC member organisations will not participate in the NCC as it currently stands unless our issues are taken on board. Members are also reminded that a decision to go against this consensus decision will abrogate the NGOCC constitution and the code of conduct and measures shall apply.”
Munyinda said she was disappointed in the dictatorial manner with which the government had disregarded the people’s will by bulldozing the constitution-making process.
“NGOCC has always wanted to participate in the constitution-making process in as long as the critical issues on the Bill of Rights and women’s rights are taken on board. We the women’s movements are saddened with this development because the displayed dictatorial behavior on the part of our government has yet again denied a chance for more effective participation of women.”
Munyinda said the NGOCC’s little hope that there would be people within NCC to push for the inclusion of socio-economic rights was overshadowed with the undue advantage the government had in the NCC.
“We are quick to note here that the undue advantage the government has in the NCC will deter any well-meaning efforts aimed at inclusion of women’s rights and social economic rights and hence our already communicated conclusion that the outcome of the process is predetermined and in favour of the government of the day,” said Munyinda.
She said those going to the NCC for personal gains will be harshly judged.
“All Zambians have in the recent past demonstrated that there are aware of politicians who have personal visions and will take necessary action when it comes to selecting leaders of integrity,” said Munyinda.
Labels: ALLOWANCES, NCC, NGOCC
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Magande clarifies allowance qualms
By Times Reporter
FINANCE and National Planning Minister, Ng’andu Magande has explained that the K299 billion expenditure on the National constitutional Conference (NCC) was already Budgeted for under the constitutional reform programme in this year’s national Budget.
And Chief Government Spokesperson, Mike Mulongoti, has defended the allowances for NCC delegates saying the Government wanted the participants to find suitable accommodation, transport and other logistics during the conference.
Reacting to Patriotic Front leader, Michael Sata’s concerns over the funding, Mr Magande said the NCC expenditure was already indicated in the yellow book, that specifies Government Budget allocations, under the Constitutional reform programme.
Speaking in Chilanga on Wednesday when he visited an HIV/AIDS project, Mr Magande said the Government was not diverting funds meant for other programme such as health. He said more funds would be allocated to the NCC in next year’s national budget.
On the HIV/AIDS project, Mr Magande said the K60.4 million project was funded through a grant from the World Bank in 2004 and implemented by the Zambia National Response to HIV/AIDS (ZANARA). He said any investment would continue yielding negative results unless the AIDS issue was effectively addressed. Mr Magande said indications were that by mid-2008, the price of anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) would come down, thereby facilitating the acquisition of more drugs for free distribution to the affected under Zambia’s current programme.
And Speaking on a live ZNBC radio programme, Mr Mulongoti said in Lusaka yesterday the allowances for NCC members could seem huge but Government did not want them to languish during their deliberations because the conference was a national event.
He said that if Zambians felt that the allowances were too high, they should lobby the delegates to declare them as such instead of that coming from non-participants. Mr Mulongoti said the Government, in fact, lamented on the cost of enacting the Constitution but the same people now condemning the allowances said it was expensive to come up with the Constitution and that the Government had to bear the cost. He said the Government had so far done its part but it should not be blamed for answering the calls of the people on the matter.
Mr Mulongoti warned that while there was nothing wrong with the would-be delegates, like members of Parliament, failing to attend the conference, any one found interfering with the deliberations or participants in anyway would face the Law.
Labels: ALLOWANCES, MIKE MULONGOTI, NCC
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