Friday, March 29, 2024

Local NGO KARA Counselling in K9 billion scam, facing closure

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KARA Counselling and Training Trust, a non-governmental organisation that provides free HIV/AIDS services, is threatened with closure because some of its major donors have withdrawn support after an internal audit revealed glaring misappropriation of funds amounting to over K9 billion.

Kara Counselling and Training Trust board chairperson Lumba Kalumba said in an interview on Thursday that an internal audit conducted for 2011 has revealed glaring irregularities which have led to the closure of its operations in Choma, Kabwe and Mansa.

She said Kara Counselling and Training Trust main donor for its Kabwe programme Stephen Lewis Foundation and another donor, Tools of Self Reliance of the United Kingdom, for the same project have withdrawn their financial support.

Mrs Kalumba said Liechtenstein Development Service (LED), another donor which supported Kara Counselling and Training Trust Choma programme, is winding up because it is disappointed with the manner the NGO managed financial resources.

“We have discovered that we owe the National Pensions Scheme Authority (NAPSA) and Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) a lot of money coming to about K3 billion.

“Over the years, they have not been submitting NAPSA returns and ZRA Pay As You Earn (PAYE). We have also been asked by the Zambia National Aids Network (ZNAN), who made a claim of K5.7 billion which was given to us between 2004 and 2007,” Mrs Kalumba said.

She said the Kara Counselling and Training Trust board of directors has also discovered that its head office, which houses the executive director and about 15 members of staff, has completely run out of resources and cannot afford to pay salaries.

“We carried out some audit and found out that some funds for head office estimated at US$80,000 had been misappropriated. We decided to carry out audits for our other programmes outside Lusaka in Choma and Kabwe.

“In Kabwe, we found that money amounting to about K100 million has not been managed properly and we had to close down the programme,” she said.

Mrs Kalumba added: “In Choma again we found that money was misappropriated and funds ran out before the time they were supposed to, so we also had to close down operations. The hospice was closed in August last year while the day care centre was closed in December.”

She said there are about five hospices in Zambia and that Kara Counselling and Training Trust runs three of them. Mrs Kalumba said the organisation has closed down two of its hospices and has only remained with the one in Kamwala.

“We have found the misappropriation and misapplication of funds by the former director of finance to be so much that we have asked the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) to assist us to investigate this further,” Mrs Kalumba said. DEC acting public relations officer Samuel Silomba confirmed that DEC has instituted investigations at Kara Counselling and Training Trust but will give details at an appropriate time.

And Mrs Kalumba has advised boards of directors in other NGOs to be actively involved in how funds are spent. “Our management team had too much leeway to the extent that it became careless and started misappropriating funds because they knew that the board was not involved in a detailed manner,” Mrs Kalumba said.

She is also concerned that CIDERS, its major funder for the Lusaka-based anti-retroviral therapy clinic located near Kulima tower bus station, is pulling out within the next six months.

“This is the only programme within the organisation which has not fallen prey to financial mismanagement because it was not under the control of the financial director.

“This clinic is catering for 4,500 patients. We provide free services though there is a small user-fee of K50, 000 which was introduced late last year when we knew that donor funds would be removed,” Mrs Kalumba said.

She said her organisaion is trying to work with the private sector to save the ART clinic from collapse because it is the best facility in the sub-Saharan region that works alongside Government’s free ART.

“We will be distraught if in six months we have to close down because we don’t have partners. We have trained nurses and clinical officers in ART and they are working in various health institutions around the country,” Mrs Kalumba said.

She said she looks forward to DEC arresting some individuals who brought Kara Counselling and Training Trust to this situation. Ms Kalumba also said Grant Thornton is currently carrying out an overall audit at Kara Counselling and Training Trust.

The organisation was formed in 1989 after late Winstone Zulu went public to declare his HIV positive status. Among the pioneers of Kara Counselling and Training Trust are Father Kelly, Dr Katele Kalumba, Dr Mabuba Banda and Mr Kopeka Phiri.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

48 COMMENTS

  1. Typical Zambian! Everyday we are told ati abanenu balekuula kuno, kanshi it is stolen money. Mwandini fisaaleni banyanya bamukukulu. It is such a shame kwena,

    • Absulutely Bo Kwandangala!! The amount of stolen money going round circles in Zambia is amazing!! There are professions who make billions in just a year; and when you remind them that actually their wealth is not commensurate to a normal or genuine way of living their profession; they around at think you are absurd!! The sad thing though is that they do not even know the value of their worth or their money. Thats why you find all these expensive for nothing cars being driven in Chalala, or Bulangililo!!

    • Exactly my thought, when I hear people say in Zambia people drive big cars and they have built big houses. My people have no shame at all, they still from people who have nothing who depend on donors. How can one be so heartless to still from sick people.I wish the Zambian justice system was something reliable.

      Next time I go home I will just go and adopt a family that way I know I’m not sponsoring a corrupt family.

    • “ati abanenu balekula kuno” Ha ha ha i like that one.I hear that every time i call Zambia.One even told me to abandon my studies coz “ndalama zabo-oka pa Zed”.Short cuts are bad.

  2. Lack of proper moral formation, and religious conscience.That organisation is supposed to give life and hope to somebody, and someone goes ahead to steal the money.Morally speaking, they have indirectly killed somebody whose life was supposed to be saved or extended.This is a worst moral evil an a moral sin….very serious.Iam sad to hear this.You see, there are certain CURSES we bring upon ourselves that may eventually affect our families, who become indirect participants,for many years.I feel pity for those who misappropriated the funds.They have killed innocent lives.

  3. And to think Liechtenstein was funding this is just unbelievable. Are they any better than we are in terms of resources?

  4. Good thing this aint the ZWD otherwise they would have been blaming HEMCS for this and the jobs lost.

    Title would’ve been More Corruption and more jobs in less than 6 months of SATA. 

    on a serious note this is very disturbing, let ACC ensure that the crooks are brought to book for not only the loss of innocent peoples jobs, but also an even greater loss in donors’ confidence in our beloved country.

  5. @#3 Kwandangala. Couldn`t agree with you more. We will get to a stage where donors will just have no trust at all. We are going the Nai Nai way I am afraid. Carrying that passport will soon be a shame/embarassing.

    Not long from now we will be at par with Nigeria.

  6. mansions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!they r in a hurry as if the world is shutting them up today.wat a shame-madam kalumba help us clean up the messy those chaps left-lets hope you did not use those funds on campaigns 4 RB & company

  7. Such a shame! Checks should have been carried out frequently. The love of money root of all evil. Corruption rots society, morals, ethics etc…… I don’t think we will ever conquer  corruption the temptation is just too great. If People in power who are suppose to set a good example are stealing, what more of the humble layman??????

  8. people have become rich on the sufferings of others. Ati HIV/ AIDS programmes when money just go to officers. They have built houses and bought vehicles in the name of HIV/AIDS.

  9. You go to the hospital to visit a sick person, and you steal the apple and banana which are on the bedside table!!! No shame at all!

  10. Only the lowest form of human being can engage in this type of behavior. Donors did well to pull out, perhaps this will teach Zambia to be self reliant.

    All the maggots involved must be prosecuted heavily.

  11. Our country has stood still for too long. Just look at how police harass us over the obsolete and completely stupid act on car reflectors (ALL CARS NOW HAVE INBUILT REFLECTORS YOU FOOLS!!!!!!!!) and ignore grand theft happening on a daily, incremental basis in the country. I cannot even expect any justice because today in Zambia you only acknowledge action when it is carried out. I am sure they will start biding time like the Kapoko cases so that the usual forgetfulness of Zambians sets in! Shameful indeed!

  12. Grand theft in NGO’s is common practice in Zambia especially those funded by donors on programmes such as aids, water etc. These guys are so into it they even compare notes. We are so cursed as a nation if people can find it in them to steal from the sick. These guys see donor money as fair and easy taking. But now – Donor confidence dented, jobs lost and severe suffering for those that need the support most and all this for the selfishness of a few individuals. I think A name and Shame policy should be implemented. Pls name this heartless undeserving soul.

  13. Thank God this has been un-earthed tho a bit too late.I know a couple of chaps that became rich in a fortnight from the Kara project.The law should surely take its course.

  14. Do some people ever have a conscience? How can a director of finance be so callous and put millions of lives at risk? All my G-D please help me to understand. So it is not just government officials but the whole country corrupt now. Shame.

    • Ujeni it is the entire country. I used to have partiality for NGOs until I discovered the psyche that always looks for shortcuts in a typical Zambian as opposed to looking for innovation in attracting more trust from funders. It is a national problem if you ask me. Most of us staying in the diaspora are estranged because each time you come back you get a jolt of dishonesty at every turn!

  15. The only sad part to this story,is that people will lose jobs.Closure however,is the best way forward.Its sad that the people championing the fight against AIDS are the ones in the fore front spreading the Pandemic.If you ask how this 9 billion was spent,you will discover that accountants had earned themselves 4 girlfriends each with a wife at home,just coz nibandrama.So,close it and help stop the spreading of the diseases.  

  16. It will be difficult forDEC to follow up this case properly because they are concentrating on hunting for bicycles from MMD leaders. There is insufficient manpower to investigate matters such as these. Most investigators are searching for the “Fake” kwacha and the “stolen” gold. The others are investigating how Ken Konga was bought a Parliamentary vehicle like every other MP.

  17. All NGOs including the RED CROSS are just a big ass scam; for every $1 you donate only about 30c goes to good causes, their procurement processes and tenders are hideously overpriced and wasteful. Most NGOs don’t want to update their systems of operations as they benefit massively in wages, allowances and “administration” costs.
     This is the reason why Philanthropists are going it alone by forming NGOs themselves and bringing their business know-how to their organisations so as the are run effectively and prudently at low costs so as the problem is dealt with at its root cause permanently.  

  18. All NGOs including the RED CROSS are just a big scam; for every $1 you donate only about 30c goes to good causes, their procurement processes and tenders are hideously overpriced and wasteful. Most NGOs don’t want to update their systems of operations as they benefit massively in wages, allowances and “administration” costs.
     This is the reason why Philanthropists are going it alone by forming NGOs themselves and bringing their business know-how to their organisations so as the are run effectively and prudently at low costs so as the problem is dealt with at its root cause permanently.  

  19. At least the lady got the guts to speak out. they will catch the f ker: just a matter of time. This is a good precedence. we will hear more from other institutions…ni donchi kubeba..

  20. I have struggled to build a house in Zambia now at roof level all the pounds gone. Zambians simply meza from a grenary where funds never run dry. Yuo build mansions from trauds and call yourselves progressive people. In this world there is accountability. Mr Sata will make you accountable for your wealth, it happens here in the UK, Europe and America. Deaths resulting from lack of funds for Kara Counselling centre have been caused by selfish Zambians. Times have changed ACCOUNTABILITY speaks louder. Craw back money from assets built woth stolen funds. Ask govt. to help you retrieve some money from thieves without conscious for the sick.

  21. This is very unfortunate because the one that truly suffer in the end are the service users. Find this Financial Misdirector and let him pay. Take away all the mansions, even that he registered in his relatives’ names. Very selfish human being!

  22. Corruption is a cancer which, tragically, has engulfed our nation. It is so pervasive and accepted as the way of doing business as both suppliers and consumers are unashamedly wiling to offer and receive bribes in one form or the other. This has been the new normal in Zed  Since the late Master dribbler took the realms of power. Also not to be outdone is the outright looting of the institutions` coffers. 
    Relentless drastic measures are therefore needed to put this cancer into remission.  Pf is taking some first steps in the right direction. These cases need to be pursued vigorously,nevertheless. Ultimately, only when perpetrators are found guilty ( no more nolle prosequi) and handed appropriate sentences as consequences for their actions, can the would be culprits be deterred

  23. what type of governance existed at this institution. Who were the Directors? what controls if any did they put in place?

  24. EMA TOYOTA HILUX AYA NAMA ALTEZZA BENSHA NOKUKULA AMA MANSION KU MITENGO KUMA PLOT.ITS TRUE ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BENEFITED IN HIV AIDS PROGRAMS IN ZAMBIA.JUST CLOSE IT AND SHUT IT DOWN.

  25. EMA TOYOTA HILUX AYA NAMA ALTEZZA
    BENSHA NOKUKULA AMA MANSION KU
    MITENGO KUMA PLOT.ITS TRUE ALOT OF
    PEOPLE HAVE BENEFITED IN HIV AIDS
    PROGRAMS IN ZAMBIA.JUST CLOSE IT
    AND SHUT IT DOWN.

  26. It appears the last management found a mess from the past and added their own financial mismanagement to it instead of solving the problems. The dreams of the founder members have been shattered. The beneficiaries are left with no services, whilst the senior management have moved on to greener pastures. It is criminal and shameful to use HIV/AIDS money to gain comforts one is not entitled to….where are we headed?

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