DEPUTY Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry Miles Sampa has attacked two former former ministers of finance Ngandu Magande and Edith Nawakwi for claiming that the Government burst had collapsed.
Mr Sampa has also described as unfortunate and unnecessary, the two former ministers’ decision to deliberately mislead the nation on the matter for the sake of playing politics.
He was reacting to recent media reports attributed to Mr Magande and Ms Nawakwi charging that Government had “burst” the budget beyond the planned expenditure line.
“The former ministers of finance Ngandu Magande and Edith Nawakwi’s claims that the PF Government has burst the national budget into an overrun are both untrue and mischievous,” Mr Sampa said in an interview yesterday.
[pullquote]“The two are merely waffling and deliberately ignoring basic principles as regards cash flow management within figures in the approved budget,” Mr Sampa said.[/pullquote]
Mr Sampa expressed concern at the fact that despite both politicians-Ms Nawakwi and Mr Magande-being former finance ministers, they still “greatly lack the ability to make an argument based on factual figures and statistics.”
They instead “deliberately” chose to mislead Zambians with “wild statements,” according to Mr Sampa.
“The trade of dealing with finance issues demands that one is always factual by quoting figures to support any allegation or statement made.
“Both former ministers have not told the nation the period and quantum of the alleged budget overrun,” Mr Sampa, a retired merchant banker, he said.
“The two are merely waffling and deliberately ignoring basic principles as regards cash flow management within figures in the approved budget,” Mr Sampa said.
[pullquote]He challenged Mr Magande to explain how he presided over a “Ponzi” scheme of maize subsidies and the so-called bumper harvests when the treasury was in fact losing tax payers money through the subsidies.[/pullquote]
He explained that the factual position is that salary increments for civil servants have been struck at levels higher than those anticipated or budgeted for.
Mr Sampa said: “This is because salary negotiations only materialise mid-stream the budget cycle and no finance minister can predict what the unions will bargain and agree as settlement.”
The PF Government has recently given civil servants “more money in the pockets” according to Mr Sampa, with the lowest paid civil servant taking home a minimum of KR3,000 which translates into a de facto 200 percent wage hike, the highest adjustment civil servants have gotten since independence.
Mr Sampa said: “A Government can only estimate negotiation figures. In the case of 2013, agreement was settled at KR860 million more than was budgeted for.”
He said the amount is, “in excess but it’s a worthwhile development” because Government had to plug “discrepancies” in the salary structures of the legislature, judiciary and executive arms of Government.
For instance, drivers of the same grade were highly paid in the legislature than was in the executive and judiciary.
Mr Sampa said, “this was the distorted structure left by former Finance Minister Ngandu Magande. The current Finance Minister is bold enough to do the correct things and this expenditure will however only crystalise in September 2013.”
He challenged Mr Magande to explain how he presided over a “Ponzi” scheme of maize subsidies and the so-called bumper harvests when the treasury was in fact losing tax payers money through the subsidies.
Mr Sampa said Mr Magande, used to practically spend KR2 billion to produce and package maize which only realised KR1 billion after each farming season.
He said, “in the end, Mr Magande handed over a treasury that owed local banks over $300 million tailored around consumption subsidies.”
[pullquote]He said, “in the end, Mr Magande handed over a treasury that owed local banks over $300 million tailored around consumption subsidies.”[/pullquote]
Mr Sampa said unlike Mr Magande or Ms Nawakwi, Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda has been “brave enough” to run the budget within means.
He said the PF Government will meet the KR860million shortfall on civil service salary increment by enhancing income streams and cutting costs within the budget lines by for instance reducing on ministerial international trips among other measures to be taken.
President Sata has for instance cut many of his obligatory trips and delegates some to the Vice President whose entourage is less costly. Mr Sampa said President Sata was expected to meet with other regional Presidents in Tanzania at the end of this week for the Smart Partnership Forum but he will not travel in line with the austerity measures imposed within the executive.
He said salaries for June have already been disbursed to all ministries and other spending agencies.
As for Ms Nawakwi, Mr Sampa said, “it’s sad to hear her scream from an anti-hill without figures or facts in her argument.”
He advised Mr Magande and Ms Nawakwi to acquire copies of the 2013 yellow book so that they can check figures and speak with facts.
Mr Magande declined to comment while Ms Nawakwi’s phone went unanswered. The two have been cited by some sections of the media criticising the national budget and suggesting that there is an over run.
millies sampa kala nizeee! you dont know what you are talking about. you should have defended this a long time ago.. just because your boss spoke out, then you want to show off.. you remaind me of my neighobour`s dog in matero which only barked at people only when the owner(the master) is nearby..
Miles Sampa is a fraud with no Agenda for Zambia.
$20,000 Leadership certificate on tax payer’s pocket and you dare talk about a bust budget.
Selfish leaders have always done Zambia in. Abash Miles!!
i always sit by my computer every second refresh so i post as the first person
is that sad?
joezm2005 ninebo
millies sampa kala nizeee! you dont know what you are talking about. you should have defended this a long time ago.. just because your boss spoke out, then you want to show off.. you remind me of my neighobour`s dog in matero which only barked at people only when the owner(the master) is nearby..
hahahahahahahaha
you are the same chap who stole mushota`s ID……anyway you can steal mine too if you want i does not matter.. we know PF shushushus
miles form George compound..kekekekeke..is that an argument..?
This kid from Matero University is just side stepping the issue and am sure it explains why Mr Magande refused to comment on his verbal nonsense lest he dignifies it. I hope Nawakwi does the same.
yesterday’s statement, which I doubt was from President Sata or even endorsed by the financial Minister Mr Chikwanda was so childish. How one can claim that he has not burst the budget becuase he has huge reseves is totally laughable and just show the smallness of the minds that drafted that statement.
Last week Minsitry of Finance released an update clearly showing that at this point the budget is in deficit by 13 %. That is the official voice on this matter and not state house or this cadre from matero University
Trade carefully Sampa, for both Nawakwi and Magande are former national finance ministers. They know what they are talking about you know? it not about mere political rhetoric, I have gut feeling they are right. Be resolute and allow a political cadre like Kambwili to exercise their cadre audible tweets! Bye elections after bye election, pronouncements of new districts and building of stadia and roads can definitely not be sustained by a one fiscal year! Taku! Basa nagaga ine! A budjet is limited to a defined time frame. Keep quiet or come out in the open! Otherwise the country is seeing live development – haphazard (unplanned) or not. PF is in a hurry we appreciate that, after all general elections are just about the corner.
Does it mean then that the Secretary to the Treasury presented to us wrong facts in his budget performance report published on this Site!! That report – with figures as preferred by Miles – exhibited poor performance which included deficits – with more unplanned expenditures. My Advice to Miles: tell the Secretary to the Treasury then to correct the Figures in the Budget performance report so that no deficits will appear in the budget report and that will make you and PF happy to read.
Is this guy still at finance? Why is he only talking about about president trips and not 70 men and women running the government?
Mr. minister you make a mockery of these “austerity measures” when govt workforce is bloated with 70+ ministers and probably hundreds of highly paid permanent secretaries. If a significant portion of the budget is supported by handouts from overseas, you could show seriousness by getting rid of unnecessary ministries and departments that chew money for nothing.
The job description for most ministers is to respond to the opposition. As for some PSs some are without any portfolios. More money in their pockets…fendelani basebenzeko…
Sampa bufi, correction of disparities was started by the MMD who had constituted a committee to go round the country for views from citizens, you are just reaping what MMD did like the Euro bond and the debasing of the Kwacha. Don’t insult the technocrats.
Since when have we heard a statement from the minister of finance and the president himself. It sadden me a lot for sampa to be yapping every day from his small qualification from Harvard University.
It is because of his relative Sata? or Girls friends he wants to please?
Let knowledgeable talk and no one has supported his idea.
kekekekekek sampa miles let me tell you that magande is magande he is got the facts on his finger tips
KILOMETRE SAMPLE is a problem and why his he talking Finance when he is now at Commerce?
I am also wondering why this chap has been so vocal commenting on issues at Min of Finance, he seems very jittery about something he may have committed while he was at Finance. The truth will surface one day.
He seems to be saying that his under the mercy of the Unions. Hence the 200% that was demanded and given without thought of the implications. But then again it does not change the fact that these people are running out of cash due to mismanagement not unforeseen events example acts of God. How much money have they wasted on those stupid by elections? When you go around poaching other members of parliament and subsequently causing unnecessary by-elections the end result is more cost. The PF knew what it was getting itself into. They are the ones to blame and no one else.
@comrade John Kazembe, he is closing ranks to protect Uncle Chikwanda in this closely knit family syndicate. The good thing about things that are shared at night is that they become apparent during day time when one disgruntled beneficiary cries foul and start spilling the beans. There is no honour amongst thieves! Watch this episode.
“blah blah blah ….. said Mr Sampa, a retired merchant banker” ba Lsk times, Mr. Sampa is NOW a ‘retired merchant banker’ lol 🙂 When did he train for this qualification or which merchant bank has he worked at (Mahtani’s merchant bank, may be?!!) lol
That’s y he’s yapping like that! The guy yerns to b in the finance profession – yet he keeps telling everyone that cares to listen, that he it was his decision to move to commerce. Pa Zed pamwesu paliba ifi kopo 🙁
Does he expect us to believe him when not so long ago he was there saying the total expenditure on by-elections so far was only K17B as against the K5B budgeted for. Where Sampa plucked that figure only he knows as the Electral commissions figures say each by-election costs a minimum of K5B. Of course others have touched on data released by the Secretary to the Treasury which is at variance with what Mr Sampa is parroting. Just because you are a deputy minister does not mean you are all knowing. Unfortunately, you just reduce your credibility. Stop being a vuvuzela. Take your time and think a little before rushing to defend the indefensible. Effects of Congo dust…
Miles, Miles! You recently have been yapping as if you are still at the Ministry of Finance, why? Find yourself cos you are lost, you are now at COMMERCE. Nawakwi & Magande are knowledgeable people who have better facts than you ignorant child.
It is sad to note with how much easy Sampa finds it to insult the intellect of Zambians. It is just a few days ago when the Treasury said there was over spending on the part of the govt and later confirmed by Finance Minister to the tune of 13% over expenditure or projected expenditure. Therefore, what is Sampa saying at this point, is the office of Finance Minister less informed as compared to his deputy position in a wrong ministry? Or is he indirectly informing the appointing authority that he is the right man for the position of Finance Minister? May he is he doing a dochi kubeba on his uncle, the Minister of Finance?
It is sad to note with how much easy Sampa finds it to insult the intellect of Zambians. It is just a few days ago when the Treasury said there was over spending on the part of the govt and later confirmed by Finance Minister to the tune of 13% over expenditure or projected expenditure. Therefore, what is Sampa saying at this point, is the office of Finance Minister less informed as compared to his deputy position in a wrong ministry? Or is he indirectly informing the appointing authority that he is the right man for the position of Finance Minister? May he is he doing a dochi kubeba on his uncle, the Minister of Finance?
It is typical of politicians. They always think the mass are so ignorant about things. This evolves from the fact that they usually tell falsehoods during election campaigns and the people believe.
Zambia the real Africa where even dummies can be ministers! Sampa says salary increament to civil servants was not budgeted for so what is his point? A budget overrun is spending outside the budget Mr Sampa such as the 200% you are claiming. Please leave the issue to the correct ministry to comment on not you.
Sampa osanama, why are you removing all allowances for civil servants? these were budgeted for so osatinyenga uli mwaice saana
Sampa mwaiche wachepa saaaaaana!!!
Hon. Miles Sampa, well said but why waste time on finished political siteless, Magande and Nawakwi are just yapping. We know what they did when they charged to run the affaires of this country, they can’t even run their popcon mashrooming political parties. Give the Zambians facts than just waffling.
I thought we have a deputy minister for finance? Guess he misses that ministry and now can only blog instead of talking
LT you are misleading the people with your headline. Miles is not attacking Nawakwi and Magande, he is simply telling the truth. Whenever a Minister speaks out or tries to defend him/herself you say attacking, what about the opposition attacking the ruling? You should consider that as well. We have too many *****s in opposition like HH and the entire UPND, Nawakwi has become furious because she has not been given by the PF. Miles is telling the hard truth. Ba MMD and UPND mulitupuba sanafye not napanono!!
He said the PF Government will meet the
KR860million shortfall on civil service salary
increment by enhancing income streams and
cutting costs within the budget lines by for
instance reducing on ministerial international trips
among other measures to be taken. (Number of deputy ministers)
He said the PF Government will meet the
KR860million shortfall on civil service salary
increment by enhancing income streams and
cutting costs within the budget lines by for
instance reducing on ministerial international trips
among other measures to be taken. (Number of deputy ministers) Ok.
Iwe ka Miles Magande has been how best finance minister in zambias history. Don’t argue. He knows what he’s saying. And you are not even at the ministry of finance. Why are u opening your beak.
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