Kanganja pledges to help with probe of Capt Chewe
By Bright Mukwasa and Ernest Chanda
Thu 21 June 2012, 13:24 CAT
DR Joshua Kanganja has pledged to cooperate with investigative wings regarding the ongoing probe into alleged fraud involving Captain Austin Chewe's company, Aupie Limited.
The joint investigation team last Friday searched Captain Chewe's company, Aupie Agrofoam Limited and his house on suspicion of fraud, an allegation he denied.
Dr Kanganja, who is immediate past secretary to the Cabinet, confirmed that during his tenure at the helm of the civil service, many civil servants complained about being wrongly deducted by Aupie Limited.
When contacted for comment based on the information The Post had in its possession that he was also a victim of wrongful deductions by Aupie Limited, Dr Kanganja who first gave a prolonged laughter, later said: "I think the matter is being investigated, I think I will not say anything at the moment."
Asked if he remembered receiving complaints from civil servants about unsolicited deductions from Aupie Limited, Dr Kanganja answered in the affirmative.
"I had heard of complaints, yes. I think some people complained. To the best of my knowledge, we advised people to lodge complaints. Complaints were there, that I can confirm. If the investigators want me they can contact me. The investigators haven't contacted me; but there were complaints," said Dr Kanganja in an interview yesterday.
But Aupie Limited proprietor Captain Chewe last week told The Post that the matter was a story of blackmail by a former employee of the company.
He denied that his company could be involved in money laundering activities.
Capt Chewe said complaints of wrongful deductions could be there but they were not deliberate.
Labels: CORRUPTION, JOSHUA KANGANJA
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Cabinet Office corruptly re-engaged Chipoya - Sata
By Staff Reporter
Thu 02 Feb. 2012, 14:01 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata says Alfred Chipoya was corruptly and irregularly re-engaged by Cabinet Office as his Senior Private Secretary in the transition when he was preparing to take office after the September general elections.
In a statement by his special assistant for press and public relations George Chellah yesterday, State House learnt that then president Rupiah Banda terminated Chipoya's contract as Principal Private Secretary in 2008.
"The Presidency wishes to clarify that Mr Alfred Chipoya is no longer a member of the Presidential staff at State House. State House separated with Mr Chipoya on 24th January 2012 upon discovery that he was corruptly and irregularly re-engaged by Cabinet Office as Senior Private Secretary during the transition when President Michael Sata was preparing to take office after the September 20, 2011 general elections," reads the statement.
"President Sata did not re-engage Mr Chipoya and was surprised to learn that he now had a new contract as Senior Private Secretary. The President has since revoked this purported appointment and asked Mr. Chipoya to immediately vacate office."
Chellah informed the civil service and the general public that Chipoya could no longer represent the presidency.
"Those who may deal with him must understand that they are engaging him in his personal capacity and State House will not take responsibility of any such dealings. State House has opted to confine itself to this specific subject matter; leaving the rest of the issues that are being raised in the media to Mr Chipoya to make clear to the general public," according to the statement.
According to sources, former secretary to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja facilitated Chipoya's appointment as Senior Private Secretary at State House.
As per procedure, the matter was referred to the Public Service Commission who engaged Chipoya on contract.
Sources last week revealed that President Sata relieved Chipoya of his duties for alleged corruption after he tried to facilitate a meeting between the President and former operators of the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) border scanners.
Last week the government terminated the contracts given to Bradwell International and Cargo Scan to manage border scanners.
This was after the ZRA Commission of Inquiry recommended that appropriate action be taken against former president Rupiah Banda and 13 former government officials for the fraudulent procurements regarding the border scanners and concession related contracts.
Sources said officials from the companies tried to arrange for a meeting with President Sata last week, through Chipoya, so that they could explain their position and possibly seek a reversal.
But Chipoya said some people do not want him to serve President Sata.
He said he had not received any warning or reprimand and did not know the companies involved in the ZRA scanners.
And Wynter Kabimba said Chipoya's sacking was a warning to those in government that PF would not tolerate corruption.
Kabimba said: "It is true that Mr Chipoya was getting money from a named company under the pretext that he was going to get those people to come and see the President and tried to give an impression that the President or Presidency could be compromised through his contacts with those people."
Labels: CABINET, JOSHUA KANGANJA, MICHAEL SATA, STATE HOUSE
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Kanganja loses job
Wed 28 Dec. 2011, 13:57 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata has relieved Dr Joshua Kanganja of his duties as Secretary to the Cabinet.
In a letter to Dr Kanganja, President Sata thanked him for his services to the country.
He also informed Dr Kanganja that should there be need for his services, he might be recalled.
President Sata had extended Dr Kanganja's contract which was supposed to end on November 30, this year.
Dr Kanganga had requested President Sata to allow him to hang around until February 2012 to wait for him (President Sata) to finalise appointments of permanent secretaries.
Dr Kanganja had been Secretary to the Cabinet since late president Levy Mwanawasa's time.
Labels: JOSHUA KANGANJA, MICHAEL SATA
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Ex-ruling party illegally printed dud money, reveals Sata
SATA_ANNOYED2
By DEAN MWAANGA
THE ‘sins’ of the past seem to be catching up with the MMD while in government with revelations that former President Rupiah Banda’s administration illegally printed money using two unnamed printers apart from the official Thomas De La Rue.
President Sata revealed yesterday that the illegal money is in circulation and is also
being used to antagonise and dilute the effect of the Patriotic Front (PF) government.He expressed disappointment with Secretary to the Cabinet Joshua Kanganja and his deputy Evans Chibiliti for not informing the new government about the printing of new Kwacha notes.
“Mr Chibiliti worked at the Bank of Zambia and we have been in government for more than two months. Mr Chibiliti and his Secretary to the Cabinet have not been kind enough to let us know that the previous government illegally printed money from two other printers apart from De La Rue and this money is circulating,” Mr Sata said as the seemingly bemused pair of Dr Kanganja and Mr Chibiliti looked at each other.
Mr Sata made the revelation during a swearing-in ceremony for three deputy ministers and three other members of the technical committee set up to draft a new constitution.
Efforts to get a comment from former Bank of Zambia governor Caleb Fundanga and former Finance and national Planning minister Situmbeko Musokotwane failed.
Last week, the Bank of Zambia issued a statement in which it confirmed that it offered a contract to a German firm, Giesecke and Devrient GmbH (G and D), to print the Kwacha for 2010- 2012.
There is also Sabn printing Kwacha notes in Zambia.
Premier Consult executive director Oliver Saasa said governments can inappropriately print money through deficit financing but said the exercise can be costly to the economy if the money is left to circulate for a long time.
Professor Saasa said more money in circulation triggers inflation.
He said the money in circulation should be equivalent to gold and diamond in reserve at the Bank of Zambia.
“If you leave it longer in circulation it triggers inflation because it disturbs the equilibrium of money in supply,” Prof Saasa said.
He said countries like Argentina and Brazil ended up with crises 20 years ago because of over-printing money in an economy.
Prof Saasa said in Africa, Uganda experienced a similar problem because of the problem caused by having more money chasing few goods.
The deputy ministers sworn in are for Agriculture, Brigadier-General Benson Kapaya, David Mabumba for Education and Dr Mutaba Mwali for Transport, Works, Supply and Communication.
Dr Rodger Chongwe, Council of Churches in Zambia secretary-general Reverend Suzanne Matale and Father Ivis Chituba were sworn in as members of the technical committee set up to draft the new republican Constitution.
The President accused his predecessor of appointing a committee of three chiefs who are going round the country to “antagonise and dilute the effects of the PF government using the fake money.”
Mr Sata, who did not name the chiefs, said Government is aware of their activities and where they are.
“We don’t want to make noise because we are following them; wherever they are, we are also there. We know what they are doing,” the President said.
Mr Sata said instead of going round to look at the benefits of traditional leaders, the three chiefs are trying to disturb the works of Government and warned that they risk contravening the Chiefs Act.
“What they should do is to hire privately Rodger Chongwe to assist them understand what the law concerning the Chiefs Act says and what they are risking. I congratulate them for being appointed and using fake money.
“We know where they are, we know the chiefs they have met and we know who they are meeting today. And those chiefs they have met are coming to tell us,” he said.
House of Chiefs chairperson, Chief Madzimawe wondered why former President Banda would appoint a committee to go round the country and destabilise Government.
“He had his time (and) now it’s Mr Sata’s time to govern,” he said.
Chief Madzimawe denied involvement in any scheme to discredit the PF government, saying all well-meaning chiefs would not want to antagonise a serving Government.
He called for an investigation so that those involved are exposed.
At the time of the interview, Chief Madzimawe said he was in Nyimba on his way to Chipata from Lusaka where he attended an HIV and AIDS workplace policy organised by the International Labour Organisation.
Chief Madzimawe said President Sata should have named the chiefs involved.
And Mr Sata said his appointment of committees is backed by law which empowers him to do so.
He told the deputy ministers who were sworn in to respect their ministers, warning that the PF will go to their constituencies and discredit them if they fail to heed his advice.
“If you don’t respect the ministers you are working with, then you don’t respect your constituencies and if you don’t respect your constituencies, we are going to storm your constituency and disown you,” he warned.
Labels: CORRUPTION, EVANS CHIBILITI, JOSHUA KANGANJA, MICHAEL SATA, MMD
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MMD in money scandal
TIME PUBLISHED - Monday, December 5, 2011, 2:05 pm
President Michael Sata has revealed that the MMD government illegally printed money from two other printers apart from De la rue. The president says the fake money is currently circulating on the market.
He questioned why secretaries to the treasury and cabinet Evans Chibiliti and Joshua Kanganja who served in the previous government have remained mute on the matter. Mr. Sata says the previous government also appointed a committee of three chiefs who are going round the country to destabilize the nation.
He says instead of going round to establish the welfare of chiefs, they are going round provinces using fake money to antagonize and dilute the effect of government.
President Sata said this at State house on Monday when he swore in three Deputy Ministers in the Ministry of Education, Works Supply, transport and Communication and Agriculture.
Those appointed include Brigadier General Benson Kapaya as Deputy Minister for Agriculture, David Mabumba as Deputy Minister for Education and Mutaba Mwali as Deputy Minister for Works and Supply.
The President urged the newly appointed Deputy Ministers to be loyal to their ministers and government.
Meanwhile, President Sata says those criticising the resignation of Msanzala Independent Member of Parliament George Lungu, should bear in mind that the constitution provides for such.
He says concerns on the cost of holding by-elections must be left to government which has provided money to hold these polls in an event that an MP dies or resigns.
The President was speaking at State House on Monday when he swore in three commissioners from the remaining 20 man committee appointed to draft the constitution.
Mr. Sata has since urged the commissioners to draw up a constitution that will stand a test of time.
He says the commissioners should draw up their own terms of reference on how they will draft the constitution.
Those sworn in as commissioners include CCZ General Secretary Reverand Susan Matale, Father Ivis Chituba and Rodger Chongwe.
[ZNBC]
Labels: EVANS CHIBILITI, JOSHUA KANGANJA, MMD
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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]
Labels: ARMED FORCES, CORRUPTION, JOSHUA KANGANJA, MICHAEL SATA
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Sata fires 13 Brig Generals, 16 Colonels
By Bright Mukwasa
Wed 26 Oct. 2011, 15:40 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata has ordered the dismissal of 13 Brigadier Generals and 16 Colonels who were illegally contracted by his predecessor Rupiah Banda's government. And Inspector General of Police Martin Malama has described the appointment of six female officers as commissioners of police to head various provinces as ground-breaking.
Speaking when he swore-in permanent secretary in the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs, Coillard Chibbonta and commissioners of police at State House yesterday, President Sata said there had been a lot of extravagance in the country which ought to come to an end.
"What are you afraid of? Why allow 13 Brigadier Generals and 16 Colonels occupying offices illegally? You are giving them money which should have gone to the police, which should have gone to strengthen the establishment of the police. If you look here at these policemen probably you don't understand some of them don't even have badges of ranks," President Sata said.
"I am directing Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja you and the Minster of Defence that all these people should leave offices now but pay them up to the end of December because they are in offices illegally. I don't have the power to give a contract, I only have the power to give you a contract within the law."
President Sata said the Statutory Instrument used to justify the officers' contracts was illegal.
"The Defence Act does not permit me, the Pension Act does not permit me. How do you as Secretary to the Cabinet go and draft a Statutory Instrument and give it to somebody to sign it. Your so-called permanent secretary in the Ministry of Defence and you say here the president has signed a Statutory Instrument," he said.
"You are cheating the people in uniform. If you want to make them retire at 60 or 65, bring the law and amend the law. Once you amend the law the law will protect them not you. They are not supposed to survive depending on who is in office. Let the law protect them."
President Sata said he was disappointed that the police service was grappling with numerous challenges 47 years after independence.
"As the police is growing, I am very disappointed, 47 years of independence we have not filled the establishment. We still have a shortage of 12,000 men and women. And I wanted to prove to you that this question of without an establishment who is going to run a division that's why I decided to promote all of you to commissioner level because the authority of the police is on your shoulders, it's not how much you talk."
He urged the newly-appointed Commissioners of Police to perform their duties professionally at all times.
President Sata also directed the new permanent secretary in the Ministry of Chief and Traditional Affairs to establish the living conditions of chiefs around the country.
And Dr Malama said the appointment of women officers to senior positions was a boost to the service.
He said the women had been appointed on merit.
President Sata has elevated six women out of eleven to head provincial commands.
And those sworn-in yesterday were Philemon Mutale as Commissioner of Police State House, Dr Solomon Jere for Central Province, Mary Tembo for Copperbelt, Joyce Kasosa for Luapula, Grace Chipaila for Eastern Province and Charity Masambo-Katanga for Lusaka.
Others are Mary Chikwanda for Northern Province, Eugene Sibote for North Western, Antoneil Mutentwa for Western, Brenda Muntemba for Southern Province while Standwell Lungu goes to the country's latest province, Muchinga.
Labels: ARMED FORCES, COILLARD CHIBBONTA, JOSHUA KANGANJA, MICHAEL SATA
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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]
Labels: ARMED FORCES, CORRUPTION, JOSHUA KANGANJA, MICHAEL SATA
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Chiluba burial attendance by invitation - Kanganja
By Chibaula Silwamba
Mon 27 June 2011, 04:01 CAT
SECRETARY to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja says access to the Cathedral of the Holy Cross for Frederick Chiluba’s funeral service and burial at Embassy Park today will be strictly by card.
Dr Kanganja yesterday stated that people without cards should stay at home and follow the proceedings at the Cathedral and Embassy Park on television as both events would be broadcast live. He stated that giant screens would be positioned at Lusaka Showgrounds for public viewing of the proceedings.
“It is necessary that order, solemnity and decorum prevail during the last day of national mourning. Embassy Park will be open to the general public immediately after the end of the burial programme,” stated Kanganja.
Meanwhile, foreign affairs minister Kabinga Pande confirmed that Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila, DRC’s Katanga Province governor Moses Katumbi, Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, former president of Tanzania Benjamin Mkapa and other foreign dignitaries would attend Chiluba’s burial.
Ministers will lead delegations from Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique and Rwanda.
Labels: FREDERICK CHILUBA, FUNERALS, JOSHUA KANGANJA
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Mourn Frederick Chiluba with respect - Rupiah
By Chibaula Silwamba
Sun 19 June 2011, 04:00 CAT
PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda has appealed to the nation to mourn former president Frederick Chiluba with dignity and respect. Addressing a media briefing in Chipata yesterday, President Banda said Chiluba would be remembered for the pivotal role he played in pioneering the reintroduction of multiparty democracy to Zambia and the whole of Africa.
President Banda said during Chiluba’s tenure as president of the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), he built a solid labour movement which extensively advocated the rights of workers in Zambia and across the world.
“President Chiluba will be remembered, among other things, for laying the foundation towards the liberalisation of the economy which has led to the present economic growth Zambia is experiencing.
He will be sadly missed by all Zambians and human rights activists across the world,” President Banda said. “Further, details about the funeral and burial arrangements will be communicated periodically by Cabinet Office.”
And Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja announced that arrangements were already underway for Chiluba’s state funeral.
“Government is working closely with the family of the late president on the preparation of the funeral programme.
Cabinet Office will brief the nation on the details of the period of national mourning and other related matters soon. Consequently, mourners across the country should not travel to Lusaka until arrangements are finalised and a detailed programme is issued,” said Dr Kanganja.
And addressing the press earlier in the day, Chiluba’s spokesperson Emmanuel Mwamba said the former president suffered from an unknown attack leading to his death at home in the early hour of Saturday.
Announcing Chiluba’s death at Belvedere Lodge in Lusaka, Mwamba said the former president’s personal physician Dr Justin Kangwa tried in vain to resuscitate him for ten minutes.
Mwamba explained that on Friday Chiluba had a normal day in his life and held meetings with his lawyers at 11:00 hours and another meeting with members of parliament from constituencies in Luapula Province at 16:00 hours for two hours.
Mwamba said Chiluba felt rather unwell after 18:30 hours when the members of parliament left. He later called for Dr Kangwa who arrived at 19:30hours.
Mwamba said this was not a unique call from Chiluba for Dr Kangwa, who has been his personal physician since 1994.
Mwamba said Dr Kangwa attended to Chiluba who indicated that he was feeling much better and asked his physician to leave and allow him to rest because his wife, Regina, who had been in Ndola, was on her way to back home.
“He was joking that ‘my doctor, go and rest’. But Dr Kangwa chose to stay and waited until Mrs Regina Chiluba arrived.
During this period, Dr Chiluba showed signs of improvement. He was taken from the living room to his bedroom,” Mwamba said. “When Mrs Chiluba arrived from Ndola at 23:30, everyone welcomed her. When they went to the bedroom, Dr Chiluba sat up from the bed because he was lying down and sat on the edge of the bed.”
He said Chiluba sat in that position for about 20 minutes.
“Then a few minutes before midnight, 10 minutes before midnight, Dr Chiluba suffered unknown attack. I am not a medical doctor so I don’t know what it is.
Frantically, Dr Kangwa tried to test him for his BP because he has all those machines at his home. Dr Kangwa got Dr Chiluba and lay him down on the bed.
He realised that Dr Chiluba was not breathing. He tried to resuscitate him for the next ten minutes, he performed CPR and he realised that Dr Chiluba had died. He declared Dr Chiluba dead at 00:05 hours on Saturday.”
Mwamba said Dr Charles Mwandame from the University Teaching Hospital was called in and he also confirmed that Chiluba had died, after which former first lady Vera Chiluba Tembo, the former president’s children and family as well as State House and senior government officials were informed.
“For the last six years, Dr Chiluba has been treated for a heart condition by specialist doctors from South Africa’s Garden City Clinic. He was last in South Africa last month, in May 2011, and stayed for treatment and observation (for) 20 days.
His doctors were satisfied with his progress. Back home he is monitored and observed by Dr Justin Kangwa,” Mwamba explained. “Dr Chiluba was born on 30th April 1943 and celebrated his 68th birthday while we were in South Africa.”
Mwamba said doctors in South Africa had told Chiluba to return there for review in three months but the former president said he would only go back after Zambia’s presidential and general elections.
He said Chiluba’s health had been very well of late.
“We are also inundated with calls from relatives, friends, and supporters from all over the country whether they should travel to Lusaka.
I will urge that we wait for further communication from government and the committee that is headed by defence minister Dr Kalombo Mwansa. Chiluba remains a property of the state and we will therefore wait for government to give details of the official funeral and burial programme,” Mwamba said.
He said Chiluba would be accorded a state funeral.
And responding to a question on whether Chiluba’s active participation in campaigns had affected his health leading to his death, Mwamba said that could not be the reason for his demise.
On whether Chiluba’s long running corruption trial soiled his legacy, Mwamba said there was no way his legacy could have been impaired by the graft allegations.
“He was president for 10 years; there were challenges he had but there are numerous achievements he made and posterity will record him as such,” Mwamba said.
FDD president Edith Nawakwi who served in several ministerial posts during Chiluba’s 10-year presidency, paid tribute to the former president, saying she and her party had received his passing on with shock. She said it was sad that Zambia had lost a sitting president Levy Mwanawasa and his predecessor, Chiluba within a space of two and half years.
“Those of us who worked with him will remember him as a person whom you could engage with at an intellectual level on national issues,” Nawakwi said. “He allowed us his ministers to advise him where necessary and gave us an opportunity to serve. He contributed to turning Zambia and Africa, in general, from Dark Age of one party state to where we are today.”
And the ZCTU expressed deep sorrow on the demise of Chiluba, who was its leader.
“ZCTU regrets that the nation has been robbed of both a gallant workers’ rights activist and a champion of democracy. Dr Chiluba will be remembered for having reintroduced multiparty democracy and revolutionized the spirit of workers’ struggle in the labour movement of Zambia,” the union mother body stated in a media release.
ZCTU appealed to Zambians to mourn Chiluba in a respectful manner and urged all political parties to put aside their political differences and preach unity.
At the funeral house, MMD Lusaka Province youth chairperson Chris Chalwe attacked politician Cosmo Mumba, warning that he would be killed if he attended the procession.
According to Mumba, Chalwe accused him of hating Chiluba and that he would not be allowed at the funeral. Mumba said Lusaka Province minister Charles Shawa had made threats against him.
Chiluba began his political career from the trade union where he rose to the position of chairman general president of the ZCTU. Using his ZCTU prominence, Chiluba was elected president of MMD and subsequently elected president of Zambia, taking over from Kenneth Kaunda in the 1991 elections.
Labels: FREDERICK CHILUBA, JOSHUA KANGANJA, RUPIAH BANDA, ZCTU
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Kanganja urges councils to improve image
By Mwila Chansa in Kitwe
Thu 14 Apr. 2011, 04:01 CAT
SECRETARY to the Cabinet Joshua Kanganja says it is not good to work for an institution which people accuse of being corrupt.
Opening an integrity committee training programme for Luanshya and Kalulushi municipal councils at Moba Hotel in Kitwe yesterday, Dr Kanganja (right) told the newly-sworn in members of the integrity committees to endeavour to build positive images for their respective institutions.
“Your roles are too important to be left to chance. You have an opportunity to change the image of your institutions as far as corruption is concerned because it is not nice to work for an institution which people accuse of being corrupt. You can’t even walk with your head up,” Dr Kanganja said.
He said corruption perceptions made people suffer from low self-esteem and low morale.
He urged integrity committee members to apply themselves with utmost seriousness and zeal in their course of duty.
Dr Kanganja also urged them to be candid in their deliberations as no one will penalise them for speaking the truth.
And Dr Kanganja said Zambians’ aspirations can only be realised if local authorities delivered services efficiently and effectively.
He said it was regrettable that service delivery in local authorities was very poor and that almost everyone knew a long list of matters that councils were not doing right.
“We must be concerned about this unsatisfactory and unacceptable state of affairs. Whilst I fully appreciate that lack of adequate resources is a serious challenge, there are a lot of matters that we are doing wrongly that do not require money,” Dr Kanganja said.
“We must be transparent and accountable in whatever we do. Unless we do this, public confidence in us will be totally lost. We must avoid this.”
Dr Kanganja urged integrity committee members to lead by example and be accountable for their conduct both in their private capacities and at their places of work.
Labels: COUNCILS, JOSHUA KANGANJA, LOCAL GOVERNMENT
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Address impropriety towards govt resources, SACCORD tells Kanganja
By Moses Kuwema
Sat 03 July 2010, 14:40 CAT
SOUTHERN African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD) executive director Lee Habasonda has called on the secretary to the cabinet to take charge and root out the attitude of impropriety towards government resources.
Reacting to the revelation by the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) on Tuesday that about 50 per cent claims of supply of goods and services to the government departments from January to June this year were fake, Habasonda said the revelations were a clear sign of a failing public management system that has leakages.
“The incident should be a wake up call for the Secretary to the Cabinet Joshua Kanganja to ensure stringent controls and accountability in the public sector. If the public service is going to be an arena for money making schemes, where people are paid huge sums of money for ghost services then something is seriously wrong with the delivery of our bureaucratic system,” Habasonda said.
Habasonda called on Kanganja to act swiftly and sternly to forestall further pillage of national resources.
“One is tempted to ask a question; Where are the supervisors and inspectors who should verify the actual delivery of these goods and services? Are they part of these schemes? Surely if the civil service is going to join politicians in the spoils of government then there is no hope for our country,” he said.
He said SACCORD was saddened that despite glaring irregularities the government has been slow to implement measures that will ensure that dishonest civil servants are not allowed to continue.
“We are further concerned that these issues are given a very casual approach and hence do not deter erring individual from continuing to steal and abuse national coffers.
For us, these kinds of deals are not only pure plunder but also a source of conflict because the good officers who aim at working diligently find that they are confronted with uncooperative cartels who feed off from such deals. This immediately kills the spirit to serve government faithfully and loyally,” said Habasonda.
Habasonda urged the government to put in place monitoring and verification mechanisms in all ministries to ensure proper use of public monies.
Labels: CORRUPTION, JOSHUA KANGANJA, LEE HABASONDE, PROCUREMENT SYSTEMS
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Public service
By The Editor
Tue 13 Apr. 2010, 04:00 CAT
WE are citizens of Zambia by virtue of a social contract. That contract presupposes that we’ve agreed to govern ourselves according to certain norms and rules. Nothing is to be permitted in this place that we call our home, our country except that which conforms with the laws that govern us.
What Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja has complained about is a matter that should concern every citizen. Dr Kanganja has complained about the challenge posed by public officers whose pre-occupation is personal gain at whatever cost at the expense of service delivery.
It is abundantly clear to many of our people that the public service today is struggling to live according to its purpose – public service. Many people who are working in government are not doing so to provide the service and get what is rightly due to them.
A major motivation seems to be the prospect of officers doing all sorts of things that result in illicit personal benefits. Corruption and abuse of public office is so commonplace that a lot of the people who are involved in it do not even seem to realise that they are engaged in criminal activities. But why is this the case? Why should public servants be so comfortable with abuse of public resources and corruption in general without even realising that they are delving into the realm of criminal activities?
It is the Bembas who say that when a fish is rotting, it starts from the head. There is a problem with leadership in our country. It is the rot that people see in the top leadership that opens the public service to most of the abuse that we see. Leadership is a matter of example.
Subordinates will follow their superiors if those superiors do correct things which inspire them. If the superiors are indisciplined, chances are that the subordinates are going to follow in their footsteps and do the wrong things that they see their superiors doing.
This is the problem that our country has in the public service. Succeeding groups of public servants have observed their superiors pillaging and ransacking public resources without consequences.
This has led them to believe that this is the normal way to get by in the public service. Indeed a public servant who occupies an office that is capable of attracting bribes and other illicit benefits is considered foolish if they don’t use that opportunity. This is the culture of impunity that has arisen in our country.
There’s no denying that this crisis reached the highest level during the period when Frederick Chiluba was president of this country.
To him, there was no difference between public resources and private resources. Chiluba showed a high level of impatience with government procedures and processes. He seemed to be a person who wanted to run an ad hoc government with no clear bureaucracy to govern the complex processes that constitute government operations.
To Chiluba, government procedure was equivalent to one party dictatorship and democracy meant no procedure. This shift gave rise to a public service that was floating with no anchor in clear office practices that were capable of preventing corruption and abuse of public resources.
The cash budget which was introduced supposedly in a bid to try and control government expenditure meant that things such as tendering and other internal processes that were inbuilt in the government system to protect public resources were jettisoned.
This is what gave prominence to the nchekeleko culture that characterised the operations of Chiluba’s government. Nchekeleko literally means give me a bit. Government officials expected as a matter of right to receive ‘a bit’ from whatever government business they were superintending. Our country was reduced to kleptocracy – a nation where crime was swept off the streets and installed in government.
This is the culture that we are having to contend with. This is the culture that is giving Dr Kanganja the problems that he is crying about.
During his tenure, Levy Mwanawasa tried to instil some form of discipline back into government. We have never said that Levy was an angel or that he always did correct things, but the truth is he tried. We said it when he was alive and we say it now that he is no longer alive, that he tried.
We did not spare him criticism when we thought that he went overboard. Neither should we deny him the acknowledgement of his efforts when that is due. We say this because Levy inherited a dangerous kleptocracy from Chiluba but decided to publicly turn against his political benefactor, exposing the crimes that Chiluba was committing in State House.
That action alone, although not eradicating corruption, sent a clear message to everybody in the public service and in the country that no one was above the law. If Chiluba, the self-proclaimed master dribbler could be made to face the temerity of his actions, what would happen to an ordinary civil servant who abused his office or stole from the people? By that action, Levy moved in a manner that began to restore sanity in the management of our public affairs. It was not an easy process.
It was beset with many setbacks and difficulties, but a process had been put in place which could help our country move forward. The problem that the civil service has is the emergence of a political culture that allows public servants to benefit privately at the expense of the public. And unless this culture is destroyed and replaced by a culture of public accountability, what Dr Kanganja is complaining about will not go away.
If Levy’s legacy is defined by an attempt to change this political culture, Rupiah Banda’s legacy is going to be defined by a dogged attempt to reverse the efforts of his predecessor in fighting corruption and creating an environment in the public service that does not tolerate abuse of public resources. Levy, for all the criticism that could be levelled against him, tried to instil a culture of frugality.
He also tried to restore a sense of public shame when public officers did wrong. To that extent, a number of people that worked closely with him were prosecuted when he served as president.
Rupiah is headed in the opposite direction. He does not give anyone the impression that he is truly interested in ridding the public service of the culture of abuse that has become endemic over many years. If anything, Rupiah seems prepared to protect crime. His public posture on the questionable acquittal of Chiluba has sent a clear message that he is not concerned about fighting corruption. The public service is very sensitive to the psychology of the head of state. If the head of state is fighting corruption, it is likely that the public service will try to follow suit. But if the head of state is seen to be condoning corruption, they will follow suit.
This is the challenge that our country has. Rupiah has not sent the right kind of signals to the public service. What this means is that the complaint that Dr Kanganja has raised is unlikely to be addressed in any meaningful way. If the higher echelons of power are suspected of condoning corruption and abuse, the lower levels of the civil service cannot be sorted out. Rupiah has done damage to stewardship of public resources.
Labels: CHILUBA, CIVIL SERVANTS, CORRUPTION, JOSHUA KANGANJA
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Selfish officers denting image of public service, says Dr Kanganja
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Tue 13 Apr. 2010, 03:10 CAT
SECRETARY to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja has said the presence of some officers whose preoccupation is personal gain at whatever cost at the expense of service delivery is the challenge in the public service today.
During the graduation dinner for University of Zambia (UNZA) students of political and administration studies last Friday, Dr Kanganja said it was common knowledge that some of these officers had been involved in dishonest and fraudulent conduct.
“Regrettably, their malpractices have seriously dented the image of the public service,” he said.
Dr Kanganja said inadequate resources for operations and improving salaries and conditions of service to competitive levels both at national and regional levels were among the challenges in the public service.
He said a number of measures aimed at making the public service more efficient, effective and accountable had been put in place which included the code of ethics, the anti corruption policy, activity based budgeting, integrated financial management information system, service delivery charters, performance based systems and decentralization of functions to points of service delivery.
Dr Kanganja said being mindful of the size of the economy, job opportunities had remained limited despite the many efforts that the government and the private sector were making to create employment.
He encouraged the students to move away from the mentality of always seeking employment in the formal sector to that of creating employment in the country.
Dr Kanganja said the country looked up to the youths to make a difference by creating employment opportunities in the economy.
He implored universities and other training institutions to establish and maintain working synergies with the government and industry to enable them design and offer customer focused training programmes that were relevant to the Zambian situation.
He said as head of the public service, he was aware that it was currently a challenge for many college and university graduates to find jobs in the public service and the private sector.
“This is partly attributed to the fact that some programmes being offered by our colleges and universities are not adequately aligned to the needs and expectations of the public service and the private sector. Regrettably, this mismatch appears to be growing with the rapid increase in the number of colleges, universities and other training institutions in the country,” said Dr Kanganja.
Labels: CIVIL SERVANTS, JOSHUA KANGANJA
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COMMENT - I have said it before, but there is a need to separate the civil service (state) from the political class (government). If that happens, all of a sudden a lot of things become possible - like paying civil servants in full and on time. Like distributing money directly from the state to local councils, without politicalisation or victimisation of opposition councils.
Dr Kanganja, Ndalamei deserve support
Written by Editor
‘In a nutshell, our performance in managing the resources entrusted to us by the public is poor and needs to be improved with a sense of seriousness and urgency.” These were the words of Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja. This is the spirit of criticism and self-criticism that is needed in our country. This seriousness, honesty and courage gives us a feeling of confidence that things can be improved. It reminds us of a saying by Lenin that attitude – that is to say,
the seriousness of purpose – of any organisation is measured, basically, by the attitude it takes toward its own errors, its own weaknesses.
And in the same way, the seriousness of our public service should be measured by the attitude those who lead it take towards their own deficiencies. We say this because when weaknesses or errors are acknowledged or admitted, they stand a better chance of being corrected. It is very difficult to solve a problem which one is denying.
For this reason, we feel the positions taken by Dr Kanganja and Secretary to the Treasury Likolo Ndalamei are dignified and honest ones. This is the way things should be. There is no need to deny things that exist and pretend all is well when things are not well. It’s rare in this country that those in public service admit to weaknesses. Often, they only do so when it is to blame others and not themselves.
There are many questions that will need to be answered. For instance, Dr Kanganja says controlling officers who did not abide by provisions of the legal instruments such as the public finance Act and regulations were liable to specified punishment. If this is so, why haven’t we seen such officers punished? There are so many reports by the Auditor General showing officers not abiding by the provisions of the public finance Act but we don’t see them being punished. Why? Why should controlling officers fail to adhere to set guidelines and still be in employment? Is it because they are political appointees who can only be fired by the appointing authority – the President?
Dr Kanganja says the rampant abuse of public resources has been worsened by controlling officers ignoring internal audit reports. Why should controlling officers ignore internal audit reports and still be in employment? Is it because they are political appointees of the President? What action has Dr Kanganja taken to bring such controlling officers to book? Failing to punish controlling officers who ignore internal audit reports is a failure on the part of those whose job is to supervise such controlling officers. It is a failure on the part of the Secretary to the Treasury, Secretary to the Cabinet and indeed the President himself as the appointing authority.
Internal audits are part of our public service’s controls. Ignoring internal audit reports is not different from simply overriding the controls so that one can steal with impunity. Who doesn’t know that some of our controlling officers have been at the forefront of abusing, misapplying and the stealing of public funds? Today we have controlling officers who have served jail sentences or are still in jail and if they are not in jail, they are in court defending themselves for abusing or stealing public funds. But none of these cases arose as a result of the internal checks being carried out by internal auditors, or by the Auditor General or indeed as a result of the work of the Public Accounts Committee. It is usually as a result of work triggered by the activities of ordinary citizens. It seems our public service system is incapable of self-correction because all the internal controls don’t seem to work. These are the questions Dr Kanganja and the leadership of the public service need to address and address with a very high sense of seriousness and urgency to safeguard public resources.
It would not be a lie to say that the office of the Secretary to the Cabinet has not served the public well in its management of the public service. Why? Is it because of failure on the part of the individuals who have occupied the office of Secretary to the Cabinet? Or is it because of inherent problems in the way the public service functions? Is it because although managed and supervised by the Secretary to the Cabinet, these controlling officers owe their loyalty and allegiance to the appointing authorities? And there seems to be nothing a Secretary to the Cabinet can do when such controlling officers fail to live up to the expected standards. We have also seen that some of these controlling officers do a lot of wrong things on behalf of the appointing authorities. Is this what keeps them in office even when they fail to meet the standards?
It will be very difficult to have a professional and honest public service if these questions are not addressed in an honest manner. Our public service is not as professional as we would like it to be. It is a highly politicised civil service. We have people who have moved from being ruling party cadres, officials to civil servants – to controlling officers, permanent secretaries. Is this the way things should be? Can such a practice produce a professional and honest public service? Campaign managers of the President are the ones who become controlling officers. Is it possible in this way to have a public service that is controlled and guided by the Secretary to the Cabinet? How can the Secretary to the Cabinet supervise or control controlling officers who are much closer to the President and politically more powerful and better connected than himself?
The same applies to our diplomatic staff and the abuse and stealing of public funds at our embassies run by political appointees of the President who are usually his relatives, friends and ruling party cadres. Is it possible to have a disciplined, professional and honest public service in this way?
Ours is a poor country. And this being the case, it means that to make this country prosperous, we will need a lot of effort, which will include among other things, the effort to practice strict economy and combat waste, that is, the policy of building up our country through diligence and frugality. Diligence and frugality should be practised in running all our public institutions. The principle of diligence and frugality should be observed in everything. We must particularly advocate diligence and frugality and pay special attention to economy. We should not indulge in wastefulness.
Thrift should be the guiding principle in our government expenditure. It should be made clear to all who work for the government or the state that corruption and waste are very great crimes. We say this because today, those who work for the government are stealing with impunity.
We have even a president who as custodian of the interests of the Zambian people was stealing from the people. Clearly, there is no one to trust. If a president can steal or abuse public resources, what more an ordinary government worker? If a president can engage in wastage, in misuse and misapplication of public funds, what more an ordinary government worker? If a president can manipulate things to benefit his friends, his relatives, what more an ordinary government worker?
The only solution to this, in these circumstances, is to strengthen the system of accountability, of internal controls and internal checks and of public oversight.
We should at no time allow anyone in government to place his personal interests first; they should always be made to subordinate themselves to the interests of the nation and of the masses. Hence, selfishness and corruption should be most contemptible, while selflessness and whole-hearted devotion to public duty should command respect.
Those in public service must always be ready at all times to stand for the truth, because truth is in the interest of the people; public servants must be ready at all times to correct their mistakes, because mistakes are against the interest of the people. They must always go into the whys and wherefores of anything, use their own heads and carefully think over whether or not it corresponds to reality and is really well-founded; on no account should they follow blindly and encourage wastage of public resources. Every statement and action of theirs must proceed from the interests of the people; it must be absolutely impermissible to violate these principles.
For these reasons, we feel Dr Kanganja and Ndalamei are on the right path and deserve support and encouragement. It is also clear that there is need to transform the relationship between State House and the public service. The appointment of controlling officers needs to move away from State House so that they can be more accountable to the leadership of the public service. Therefore, they should be appointed by the public service itself and serve on its terms, and not appointed by the President and serve on his terms.
Labels: JOSHUA KANGANJA, LIKOLO NDALAMEI
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Kanganja bemoans poor management of public resources
Written by Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Tuesday, June 16, 2009 3:07:41 PM
THE performance of controlling officers entrusted with managing public resources is poor and needs to be improved with a sense of seriousness and urgency to safeguard public resources, Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja said yesterday.
And Secretary to the Treasury Likolo Ndalamei has observed that there has been no significant improvement in the management of public funds despite repeated meetings by Treasury to improve accountability and efficient use of public resources among controlling officers.
Dr Kanganja said the media reports as well as revelations from the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee indicated the failure by government controlling officers to adhere to set guidelines.
Dr Kanganja warned that controlling officers who did not abide by provisions of the legal instruments such as the public finance Act and regulations were liable to specified punishment.
"In a nutshell, our performance in managing the resources entrusted to us by the public is poor and needs to be improved with a sense of seriousness and urgency," Dr Kanganja said in his official address which was read by Ndalamei.
"Government has the mandate and responsibility to the Zambian people to govern in an accountable and transparent manner and deliver quality and cost-effective service, as controlling officers, you have the responsibility of spearheading the country's development and this can only be effectively done if public resources are safeguarded and utilised in a frugal manner."
Dr Kanganja said it was important that controlling officers took personal charge of monitoring the usage of all public resources entrusted to them.
He also said the widespread cases on abuse of public resources was an indication that most permanent secretaries were not implementing firmly what they were oriented and inducted to when they joined the civil service.
Dr Kanganja said the rampant abuse of public resources had been worsened by controlling officers ignoring internal audit reports.
"Please ensure that internal audit reports are studied and weaknesses disclosed dealt with expeditiously," he said.
"My recent investigations have revealed that if all controlling officers were paying particular attention to the work of internal auditors, the misuse and thefts or loss of public monies and stores would be minimised. Quite often, the paragraphs that appear in the Auditor General's report are compiled on the basis of the contents of your internal auditors' reports. Eternal vigilance on the part of all civil servants, oversight institutions and the general public is the key to ensuring that the public service is run in an accountable, transparent and efficient manner."
Dr Kanganja announced that he had directed Ndalamei to ensure that controlling officers discharged their mandate in the manner specified in their letters of appointment
"It is not wise to delegate the management of resources to procurement and accounting cadre staff and expect that they will supervise themselves," he said.
"Take a keen personal interest on issues of procurement, the work of ministerial or institutional tender committees and ensure that bank reconciliations are done at a regular basis, if they [controlling officers] were abiding by the guidance they are given, we would not have been experiencing the loss of public monies, resources and poor workmanship being exhibited by contractors and providers of other services...controlling officers who are found wanting should have their appointments as such revoked. I believe that if this is done, it would serve as a serious deterrent to others who do not take seriously their role of controlling officers."
Dr Kanganja urged the Ministry of Finance to embark on sensitisation of civil servants on prudent financial management saying the Treasury should also improve on monitoring and evaluations of programmes so that the government could be on target to implement the Fifth National Development Plan.
And Ndalamei regretted that every year the Auditor General's report continued to reveal that huge sums of money misappropriated and misapplied by public institutions.
Ndalamei said the revelations by the Auditor General's report revealed a serious weakness in the country's public finance management systems, the weakness he said needed to be urgently addressed.
He urged the controlling officers to provide leadership in efficient, transparent and accountable use of public resources.
"Some of you feel that some of the issues being brought up have been discussed in previous meetings, but you may wish to know that there are in our presence, newly appointed controlling officers who need to be brought abreast with the issues at hand," Ndalamei said.
"Moreover, there has not been significant change or improvements with regard to the management of public funds. Therefore, the main goal in discussing these issues at controlling officers meetings is to improve on cash and treasury management in public institutions, as well as to inform and deliberate on policy issues pertaining to effective management of public resources."
Meanwhile, Ndalamei was irked as most permanent secretaries and controlling officers reported late for the Financial Management Meeting for controlling officers at Mulungushi International Conference Centre.
The meeting which was scheduled to start at 08:30 hours only started at about 09:16 hours with a skeleton audience present.
Among the controlling officers who were present during the opening of the workshop included: Dr Eustern Mambwe [North Western Province], Mwalimu Simfukwe [Northern Province], Dr Godfrey Beene [Ministry of Mines], Jazzman Chikwakwa [Luapula Province], Davison Menda Menda [Ministry of Lands], Coillard Chibbonta [Ministry of Local Government and Housing] and Tens Kapoma [Ministry of Foreign Affairs].
Others were Gertrude Imbwae [Ministry of Justice], Dr Velepi Mtonga [Ministry of Health], Lilian Kapulu [Ministry of Education], Eularia Syamujaye [Eastern Province], Nicholas Kwendakwema [Ministry of Defence], Villie Lombanya [Copperbelt Province], Denny Lumbama [Central Province], Professor Isaac Phiri [Ministry of Agriculture in charge of livestock] and Lieutenant Colonel Bizwayo Nkunika [Ministry of Works and Supply].
Labels: CORRUPTION, JOSHUA KANGANJA, LIKOLO NDALAMEI
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Police detain Kapoko
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe and Ernest Chanda
Sunday, May 31, 2009 11:32:14 PM
FORMER human resource manager in the Ministry of Health Henry Kapoko was last Saturday picked up and detained at Woodlands Police Station in connection with the ongoing investigations in the K10 billion scam.
And Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja has sent former Ministry of Health permanent secretary Dr Simon Miti on forced leave pending investigations into the corruption scandals at the ministry.
Kapoko's lawyer Nicholas Chanda yesterday confirmed that his client was picked up by the police on Saturday and spent a night at Woodlands Police Station.
Chanda said Kapoko was later moved to police force headquarters where he was still detained by press time.
"He was picked up yesterday [Saturday] and is currently at force headquarters. He was detained at Woodlands police where he spent a night," Chanda said.
The law enforcement agencies are investigating Kapoko in connection with the alleged corruption, theft and fraud.
The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has also seized and restricted property in excess of K3 billion allegedly belonging to Kapoko who now works at the Ministry of Local Government and Housing in the human resource department.
And Dr Kanganja, when asked if he would suspend Dr Miti following the latter's questioning by police on Saturday, confirmed having served Dr Miti with the suspension letter.
"I already did it, I did it the same day that I served the others with suspension letters. We want the law enforcement agencies to carry out smooth investigations, so I did my part," said Dr Kanganja.
Dr Miti, who is currently science and technology permanent secretary, is on the list of people being investigated by the ACC over a corruption scam involving about K10 billion from the Ministry of Health.
When contacted yesterday, Dr Miti said he could not comment on the matter.
"I don't think I can comment on that," Dr Miti said.
Last Saturday, police picked up Dr Miti to help in the investigations of the corruption scam at the Ministry of Health.
Police spokesperson Bonny Kapeso confirmed that Dr Miti was interviewed but that he was not in custody.
Kapeso said several more officials from the Ministry of Health were picked up in connection with the scam last Friday and as of Saturday, there were 23 employees in custody.
And Zambia National Union of Health and Allied Workers (ZNUHAW) president Ozias Banda said Zambians could see light at the end of the tunnel in the K10 billion scam.
"This is good, we are getting somewhere and that is why I said no one should be shielded. We need to commend the Police, the ACC and DEC [Drug Enforcement Commission] for the job they are doing and as Zambians, we need to back them up with whatever we know so that at the end of the day, the country can be helped," Banda said.
International Fellowship of Christian Churches (IFCC) president Bishop Simon Chihana said the revelations of the plundered billions of kwacha were terrifying, stinking and very disturbing considering the amounts and the number of people involved in the plunder.
Bishop Chihana said one wondered how these people could have the strength, courage and the ability to go ahead in the manner they had been doing it in the face of other plunder cases going on in the courts of law.
"Is it not amazing that, when we are just testifying and setting the standard before the fellow African nations that such shame is getting back to us and around us? We wonder whether the law is weak and is not being felt by the predators, either people's consciousness have simply collapsed and are dead completely or they are following the footsteps of their masters," he said.
Bishop Chihana said the stealing of public money had developed into a cancer and could only be stopped if all Zambians came together and agreed to fight this big demon called plunder and corruption.
Bishop Chihana said these plunderers were sometimes the ones who caused their fellow workers to down tools because of non-increment of salaries and suspending of wages awarded to them.
He said hospitals and clinics were not well equipped because of the wicked behaviour of the people occupying honourable offices.
"We cannot sit by and watch our own future being taken away from our hands without doing anything about it. These people that are involved it may seem they hate the nation, the people, and their own families to be doing such unthinkable things. As a church, we want to encourage all the law enforcing agencies to be brave and face the culprits without fear or favour and we highly commend the government for the job done and we encourage them not to relent but pursue the fight to all ministries questionable," he said.
Bishop Chihana urged President Rupiah Banda to allow the investigations to be extended to every ministry.
He said President Banda must allow the offices of the Auditor General, ACC, the police and the Office of the President to do their job effectively and efficiently without interference and intimidation.
"We need sanity in our country. We are disgusted by the behaviour of some of these government officers and only if a broom can be allowed to sweep and cleanse through and through to all ministries, otherwise the stinking shall continue and the wickedness shall increase and multiply a hundredfold," said Bishop Chihana.
The ACC unearthed a corruption scam in which over K10 billion government funds were suspected to have been corruptly obtained from the Ministry of Health.
President Banda later directed all civil servants and their agents who were currently under investigations in the K10 billion scam not to enter the Ministry of Health premises until further notice.
Last week, over 20 employees at Ministry of Health were sent on forced leave to pave way for investigations into the scam.
Operations at the ministry were temporarily suspended as law enforcement agents cordoned the area to ensure that people did not move evidence from the offices and some people from various departments were picked up for questioning at the police headquarters.
Following the revelations, the Swedish and Dutch governments suspended aid to Zambia's health sector.
The donors have withheld their aid pending the report of the forensic audit of the Ministry of Health.
The Swedish government, through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), were to release about K59 billion while the Dutch government contributes K92 billion annually to the country's health sector.
Labels: HENRY KAPOKO, JOSHUA KANGANJA, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, NICHOLAS CHANDA, SIMON MITI
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Police pick up Dr. Simon Miti
Saturday, May 30, 2009, 15:50
Police have picked up former Health Permanent Secretary, Dr. Simon Miti to help with investigations into the financial scandal at the Ministry of Health.
Dr. Miti, who is now Science and Technology Permanent secretary, was picked up Saturday morning for questioning at police headquarters in the Zambian capital, Lusaka. Police Spokesperson Bonny Kapeso has confirmed the development.
Investigations have intensified in the K10 billion scam at the ministry of health with 32 people now sent on forced leave. Secretary to the Cabinet, Joshua Kanganja has confirmed that the 32 officers have been written to. Dr. Kanganja said cabinet office will not suspend any officers until the probe is completed.
The Secretary to the Cabinet said there will be need to take administrative action against the officers implicated in the scam once investigations have been completed.
And in another development K4 billion released by the ministry of health last year for completing the construction of Shangombo District Hospital, has been diverted to unrelated activities by the western province administration.
This has enraged Sinjembela Member of Parliament Mubika Mubika.
Mr. Mubika says the Shangombo district hospital project that was started in 2004 has remained a white elephant for five years.
Mr. Mubika says critically ill patients suffering from Tuberculosis and those on Anti Retro Viral drugs continue to be inconvenienced by travelling to Senanga district to access the drugs.
He has called on Health Minister Kapembwa Simbao to ensure that the K3 billion budgeted for this year is not diverted.
The incomplete Shangombo district hospital project also includes construction of 14 staff houses, but only 6 have been completed.
Labels: JOSHUA KANGANJA, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, SIMON MITI
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K27bn was stolen from MoH - Auditor General
Written by Chibaula Silwamba and Ernest Chanda
Saturday, May 30, 2009 3:49:25 PM
AUDITOR General Anna Chifungula yesterday revealed that preliminary investigations at the Ministry of Health have indicated that
K27 billion was stolen and there is a possibility that more money might have been stolen
by civil servants. And Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja has revealed that the government has sent 32 workers from the Ministry of Health on forced leave.
In an interview in Lusaka, Chifungula said the amounts of money stolen from the Ministry of Health were much higher than the initially reported K10 billion.
"Well, for us we have found that K27 billion was stolen," Chifungula said.
Asked if there was a possibility that the money stolen was more than what the investigations had so far revealed, Chifungula responded: "Yes, there are possibilities that the amount might be higher than that. There are some other figures that are still...you know the investigation is still going on. So the ones that have been confirmed is K27 billion."
And Dr Kanganja said 32 workers from the Ministry of Health had been sent on forced leave.
Dr Kanganja said the affected workers would be liable for prosecution if investigations proved that they had abused public funds.
"I have sent 32 people from the Ministry of Health on forced leave in line with the revelations by the Anti Corruption Commission a few weeks ago and if they are found wanting, then they will be liable for prosecution," Dr Kanganja.
The ACC unearthed a corruption scam in which over K10 billion government funds were suspected to have been corruptly obtained from the Ministry of Health.
The commission is investigating Henry Kapoko, a former human resource manager in the Ministry of Health, in connection with the alleged corruption, theft and fraud.
The ACC has also seized and restricted property in excess of K3 billion allegedly belonging to Kapoko who now works at the Ministry of Local Government and Housing in the human resource department.
President Banda last Tuesday directed all civil servants and their agents who were currently under investigations in the K10 billion scam not to enter the Ministry of Health premises until further notice.
According to a statement issued by special assistant to the President for press and public relations Dickson Jere, President Banda received an interim report on the alleged financial scam at the Ministry of Health where billions of funds were alleged to have been misapplied or stolen by civil servants.
Last Wednesday, over 20 employees at Ministry of Health were suspended to pave way for investigations into the scam.
Operations at the ministry were temporarily suspended as law enforcement agents cordoned the area to ensure that people did not move evidence from the offices and some people from various departments were picked up for questioning at the police headquarters.
Following the revelations, the Swedish and Dutch governments suspended aid to Zambia's health sector.
The donors have withheld their aid pending the report of the forensic audit of the Ministry of Health.
The Swedish government, through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), was to release about K59 billion while the Dutch government contributes K92 billion annually to the country's health sector
And earlier when opening a sensitisation workshop meeting for permanent secretaries on decentralisation in Lusaka, Dr Kanganja disclosed that the Ministry of Local Government would soon present a Bill to Parliament on the re-introduction of the Local Government Commission.
"The government is keenly aware that unless adequate capacity is built and sustained in the councils, the fruit of decentralisation will not be realised. To this end, the process of developing a comprehensive capacity development programme which is aimed at improving the capacity of the councils as they prepare for full devotion already is underway," said Dr Kanganja.
"As part of this process, the Ministry of Local Government and Housing will soon be presenting a Bill to Parliament on the re-introduction of the Local Government Service Commission which should facilitate the recruitment and deployment of qualified personnel at senior management level in councils as part of the progression towards devolution."
Labels: ANNA CHIFUNGULA, AUDITOR GENERAL, JOSHUA KANGANJA, MINISTRY OF HEALTH
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Sata blames Rupiah for corruption in govt
Written by Patson Chilemba
Sunday, May 24, 2009 4:12:55 PM
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) leader Michael Sata has blamed President Rupiah Banda for the increased corruption in government. Sata has charged that it is President Banda's double standards that have made it impossible for corrupt civil servants to be dealt with by the civil service hierarchy.
He said President Banda has no moral right to blame Secretary to the Cabinet Dr Joshua Kanganja's for failing to suspend suspected corrupt civil servants because he refused to suspend Dora Siliya's unconstitutional conduct over RP Capital Partners.
And Dr Kanganja said he could not take action against the erring officers because the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had not briefed him on the names.
Commenting on President Banda's charge on Thursday at Dr Kanganja for not suspending a former Ministry of Health official, Henry Kapoko, and other suspects over their alleged involvement in the K10 billion scam in the ministry, Sata said the President was right to call for the suspension of suspects but that he was practicing double standards because he had continued to defend former communications and transport minister Siliya's misconduct.
He said the charge against Dr Kanganja was a cover show to hide his tolerance of illegality by those who were close to him.
"He is right to ask Kanganja to suspend them but why didn't he take action himself against Dora Siliya? Why didn't he take action against [works and supply minister] Mike Mulongoti for saying that he will not take action over [local government deputy minister Chrispine] Musosha's shoddy job on the roads? And he is talking about Kanganja, he is the President, can't he suspend those civil servants?" Sata asked.
And Dr Kanganja said he could have suspended the suspects already if the ACC had briefed him on the names.
"I asked them last week to brief me on the names but they did not do that. I should have suspended the people. I was only seeing these things in the newspapers. I am being briefed today [Friday] by ACC. How could I have taken action without being briefed? I have asked them 'tell me which people should I suspend, and they have not come to me'," said Dr Kanganja.
However, the ACC on Friday during a briefing said they would forward a comprehensive list of officials involved in the scam at Ministry of Health to Dr Kanganja this week.
The ACC said the magnitude of the matter at hand was not only complicated but also required thorough investigations before names of suspects could be forwarded to Dr Kanganja for action.
Closing the Zambia International Business Advisory Council (ZIBAC) meeting at Zambezi Sun Hotel, President Banda said he was being attacked over the K10 billion scam and yet when the civil servants were stealing the money, he was not there.
President Banda said while he was being attacked over corruption in the Ministry of Health, the civil servants that were involved in the alleged theft were still in public service without being attacked or questioned.
Labels: JOSHUA KANGANJA, RUPIAH BANDA, SATA
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