buildings in Lusaka yesterday to attend sittings of a tribunal that
has been appointed to investigate her
Tourism Minister Sylvia Masebo this morning testified before the Roydah Kaoma tribunal that she was directed by President Micheal Sata to dismiss senior Zambia Wildlife Authority Management and dissolve the ZAWA board.
Ms. Masebo told the tribunal that government deemed it fit to dissolve the ZAWA board as it would undermine her authority as Minister.
And Ms. Masebo told the tribunal that ZAWA owed a staggering K2.4 billion to various institutions when she took over as Tourism Minister in 2012.
Ms. Masebo said she discovered when she was appointed Tourism Minister that Zambians of foreign origin had more influence on the operations of ZAWA because senior management was allegedly corrupt.
She said donors had no kind words for ZAWA due to the gross financial mismanagement that was being perpetrated by top management.
Ms. Masebo alleged that there were rampant thefts in ZAWA but it was difficult to detect because there was a syndicate at the institution as most employees are related.
Ms. Masebo told the tribunal that she unearthed a scam upon her appointment to export over two hundred sable animals to South Africa.
She further revealed that she had difficulties in accessing information from ZAWA because management had been deliberately concealing information.
And Ms. Masebo told the tribunal that it was inevitable to cancel the tender for the 19 hunting blocks because the mafias running Zambia’s wildlife sector were externalizing 97% of the proceeds abroad.
She lamented before the tribunal that most of the safari operators were not registered companies and were not paying any tax to government.
I fully support the Minister on this one and Harrington should go to hell trying to please white south africans looting our resources
Madame you are free go have a larger.
THIS WOMAN MAKES ME SICK- NOW THAN SHE HAS BROUGHT SATA INTO THIS CONFUSION MAKES THINGS EVEN MORE COMPLEX. OBVIOUSLY SATA JUST SAID ” SILVIA BA PASE MWAICE, BATAMFYE NCHITO BA KOSWE” WITH HIS DIABOLIC LANGUAGE. SINCE SATA IS ALREADY HIDING THE CONSTITUTION IN HIS ARM PIT AND NO ONE IS QUESTIONING- THIS CASE IS GOING NO WHERE- MUSHOTA SAID THAT THIS IS ANOTHER WASTE OF TAX PAYERS MONEY.
This is exactly why we need a new constitution that will curtail the president’s excessive powers. Madam minister, all you are trying to do is muddy the waters and claim because instructions came from the President, whether legal or illegal, you were helpless and could not ignore the instructions despite the AG advising you that you would err at law. Secondly, if the ZAWA board was corrupt as you want to make us believe, why has the ACC not nicked them or found them wanting? And finally, madam minister, was it not under your watch that some General was found with elephant tasks enroute to China and to date there hasn’t been anyone who has been answerable. What does it say about your government and your ministry?
So Lubinda was right to say his bosses, Scott and Kabimba. Masebo should not have mentioned Sata, she should have used “higher” authority, which would mean Sata, Scott and Kabimba.
Now it is personal, ZAWA employees where “family”, and Sata is on record of employing bamulamu bakwe, neglecting his children.
Why not report to your MIGHTY ACC. At least they should have backed you up than taking the law into your hands, which your accusers are accusing you for.
Corruption or no Corruption, there are procedures, which you did not follow madam and were beyond your authority.
If sata told you so (Which I doubt, but will support to save your @#$#, you should have advised Sata to fire them himself as he has the powers, not you. You have just shown yourself to be one of Sata’s bad advisers.
Zambians of foreign orgin, does that not sound like Guy scott?… and these very same zambians of foreign origin still have influence in ZAWA
Job well done, keep up the Good work, But we need to change the constitution. Zambian Presidents, especially SAT has too much powers, that they can even direct to kill. In these modern days Public office bearers should be ethical and held accountable.
Tourism has been messed up because of corruption we can do better than what’s happening. We need to get serious. Fire them all Masebo, before Sata fires you, being that you have mentioned his name. Zambia has to change we cannot just go on like this.
Another reason why the old man needs to host a press conference as his in-tray is literally brimming with folders…they are unashamedly using his office to shield themselves. This is also reason why the presidential powers need to reviewed….the selfsame reason we need to push for the new constitution as this utter abusive of power is no longer funny.
At last we now know where the buck stops.
Ms Masebo now has clearly proved her guilt. No one, not even the President has the legal power to exercise vigilanteesm. There is LAW in Zambia, and all allegations against a person must be proved in a court of law or confessed by the suspect.
Sorry madam, you are a gonna. Sadly, the President will receive the Tribunal report, but he will not act on it, because it is his prerogative. Waste of time. But the ZAWA officials can walk with their heads high.
Some people cannot see or hear lies in her statement. I can
Zambia’s and Africa’s folly is its poorly done constitutions and putting a lot of power in an individual!
Under the law everyone is responsible for their actions. It is simply childish of Masebo to say she was told to do A B C or C by Sata in turn breaking the law. The government handbook ,the AG and SG is there for reference on matters relating to the law not Sata. The AG chamber does have some moral issues to answer in this .He was supposed to protect the interest of the people and not siding with this Law breaker like Masebo .I’m afraid to say he shown some serious lack of impartiality and should vacate office .A lot of tax payers money has been wasted over a simple matter like this one because of Masebo and Sata at the expense of development.
Sata directed you(Masebo) to disolve the board yet he says he has useless Mps!
Lubinda then was correct that the bosses directed him to fire ZAWA management. So actually its the President who fired and dissolved ZAWA management and board respectively. If that is the case, does it mean that Masebo was just a face that was used. Its seems Sata, Scot and Wynter are also a curtail formed to protect erring Ministers as long as you are on there side.
Oh Scot also is of foreign origin but he is ruling us and we have no problem!!!!
Mrs Scott is one of them,and an sure u have your own people doing the same.
this woman is doing a good job ,leave her alone
Yeap on this case. well done. don’t know about other tasks she has delivered.
What good job is that? Spending taxpayer’s monies…She had not followed the proper procedures, why did she not alert the ACC? ZAWA is not the only gov’t institution owning money….these people have no shame and can lie under oath just to save their corrupt skins.
Is this not ‘Case Closed’ since they can not summon Sata unless immunity is lifted? Eisssh!
dont b ignorant boss, is Sata(n) the constitution? No one can advise the minister to break the law, not even the republican president.
Bla-bla-bla, swallow saliva bwana minister. When you talk too much you are bound to lose track of head and tail. Now you have lost me in the woods. Is it Sata, or corruption which you can’t prove because of lack of info, or the instigation of the donors, or 200 sables, or tax, or nothing at all? And mafias in Zambia – watch it. Your lawyer really did a poor jod of guiding you or you wouldn’t have gone off tangent.
Case closed now! There was no need to have a tribunal in the first place. Masebo could have said this long before so as to save some money. Lesson: before setting up a tribunal, just ask the culprit who authorized their action, if it’s Sata, then no need for tribunal, if it’s someone below Sata then you may go ahead with tribunal, although it may be a waste of time and money!
Wrong! As a minister you are not supposed to carry out an instruction you know very well that it is illegal whether coming from the President or not. The issue here is Masebo has no powers under the law to execute such an action (regardless of who instructed her). She doesn’t know it yet, but she has just admitted guilty. Guess what she is answerable for her actions within her mandate. A nurse who ‘k!lls’ a patient after performing a wrong surgery on the patient on instructions of a qualified doctor is still liable for the ‘murd&r’. The doctor is an accessory to the crime (who may be charged with mansl@ughter. Zambians just amaze at our level of understanding simple logic.
Oh dear! Trying desperately to cling to the last straws… what a pathetic excuse. So if the President asked her to commit mnrder she would go ahead and do it? Did she know it was wrong? Not only wrong, but did she know she was breaking the Constitution… she swore allegiance to the Constitution and to defend it and not to Sata. Why did she ask Sata to do it himself? So in her argument if the President asks her to commit corruption, she would go ahead and do it? Will she be able to produce the authentic letter from Sata? Why did the AG not informed of this directive?
About the alleged corruption at ZAWA, did she report the issue to the police and the ACC? So she became the investigator, the judge and the executioner… why do we still have the board roaming the streets?
She is really entangling herself in a web of lies she won’t be able to come out. The petitioners’ lawyers will go to town on this one and grill her.
Granted she carried out the President’s orders on the firing of the board, the cancelling of the tenders will still get her because the reasons of corruption and lack of information are for the law investigation authorities to deal with. Her own defence is really weak and she has been ill advised.
Usually if a President asks you to do something wrong (like doing a bribe on his behalf or firing of a board in this case), the best you do is resign. You don’t go ahead and carry out an exercise that by law you are not allowed to carry. For example Masebo can’t commit our military to go to war (if even she is asked by Sata).
I knew she was going to say that…this is just grotesque! !
You are right. She thinks by mentioning Sata that is her easy way out of the mess that she is in right now. Is the instruction by Sata in writing or was it “there be light” and there was light. This is the problem of respecting a mere president like a god. Tragedy of Africa with the exception of South Africa.
was it in writing?
Exactly…am sure the petitioners lawyers will ask for the written proof from the president.
Utterly deceitful characters like Kabimba and his fellow empty tins have no respect for procedure or the law and are typing an offical presidential letter and unashamedly backdating it at this very moment.
Now we have started seeing the other side of the coin in this case.Well this is now becoming interesting.
mwati did you see `zambians of foreign origin` Guy scott??
Well done Hon. Masebo.
Now it is absolutely clear that the Rule of Law and principle of Natural Justice are replaced by the Executive Power.
Great.
What is the next step?
Suspension of the Constitution, dissolving the Parliament, imposing State of Emergency and ruling by the Decree published on the facebook?
yes suspend the constitution if finally zambian resources will be kept in zambia & used by zambians, I v seen too much rotten staff in Europe, how much Europeans break the their own laws just to prevent an african from eating a piece of pie in these european countries….why allow ‘them’ even take away our prize…..well done Madam with yo Satanic boss on this one, keep it up.
I thought Scott said it was government position, why didn’t you say that not bring Sata in this Tribunal. Do you really meet guys as cabinet?
That what happens when you cover one lie with another!!
Masebo can you produce a letter of dissimisal signed by the president? or maybe ukwa sata just called you on phone? what evidences are there that ZAWA was corrupt, you were just paving way for Scott’s wife to be board chairperson.
PF is so corrupt
Clever Lady, we need such people,
You already have them that’s the very reason you are wallowing in abject poverty!!
Fertile grounds for impeachment! How can the number one protector of the law of our land – the Constitution – be the first one to breach it at will?
You are on point !!! Just impeach the moronic thugs !!!!
What the an unprecedented corrupt country Zambia has become.Surely does Zambia still people that God fearing support the failed PF system? God save my beloved country from these devil’s paradise cramps.Masebo and clique have reached their dead end.Soon they will be on the run. I SMELL THE ZAMBIAN REVOLUTION.SOON and VERY SOON.
Just came from reading the Watchdog’s ‘Second response to M’membe‘. It made me sick and of course my comment wasn’t published so I will bring it here, hoping the guys at the Watchdog will read it… apologies for spoiling the Masembo story. Here was the comment:
‘Do we really want to go down this path of cut!ng each other’s thro@ts and insnlting each other day in and day out? What benefits does this all char@cter a$sassin@tions bring to anyone? What message are we sending to our kids out there who are aspiring to take up journalism?
I desp!se all sorts of dece!t, c0rrupt!on and hyp0cri$y of Mr. M’membe but this is too much for me to take. We are l0sing ourselves and our country as we speak with this type of ch!ldish behaviour. I don’t think it’s really…
‘…I don’t think it’s really worthy it.’
Oh no, we are christians here. Dont bring us into those arguements. Let the Watchdog do as those it responds to them do. That balances things up! The golden rule: Do unto to others the way you would want them to do unto you!!!! The watchdog should learn that, possibly the other party tooo!
we left the watchdog a long time ago. you still go there? now that you’ve mentioned these Mmembe responses i went there and am appalled at the dirt and lack of professionalism in their recent blogs.
what they dont realize is that they had a good following because of their updates and first hand information.
now with their insults and deliberate blocking of Anti-UPND (HH) sentiment, it will take a while to regain that original appeal. these days they have 3 or 4 comments on their garbage. they are really dogs
I have also just read ZWD’s second response to Mmembe. If what has been said in that response is true then Mmembe is, like Mugabe says, worse than dogs and pigs. Should PF lose in 2016 Mmembe will be as poor as a church mouse because ZRA and other institutions will milk him dry. Let us hope what has been said is not true.
The only problem is their trolls have now moved to LT and just insult without making any meaningful contribution to the topic at hand.
Ichimona ubukulu!
hahahahaha….
jelasi! I can have her anyday with her kamona.
Masebo has her head in the right place on this one. She should be supported by Zambians.
By bringing in Sata this woman has just effectively saved her job. Once again the outcome of this tribunal is known long before it concludes it’s sittings.
What a comedy!
corruption everywhere,bauze madam
Remember i told you all to watch this space? The parties involved in this fiasco are much bigger than a small minister. Just remember that anywhere you go in the world, a tribunal is just a big show with curtains, lights and everything. There are special untouchables then there are those ordinary citizens for whom the law was written. Sadly thats the reality about life. Its up to you to choose to side with the protected. but think before you choose
As if we didn’t know that Sata is the ‘director’ who directs every one and everything. He directed there be a ‘gabon national disaster heroes stadium’ and all you minion ministers endorsed it without question. Thank goodness the Zambian people rose up en-mass against the fatuous name. We all know none of you has the balls or it’s female equivalent to stand up against the evil snake.
the executive, if true has too much power hence doing as they/he pleases. Hence we need a constitution which will apply breaks to the executive from running a country like their homes. I bet the thinking is in line of ” Iwe namwana bapelefye tukashinta fyibi” This thinking is typical of kaponyas
In the “Name of the President” so even the statement she has given to court is not hers” Exclude her evidence she is not a credible witness”.
While there is some truth with issuance of hunting licenses the whole saga is big scam.
Thanks to Harrington for bringing all this to the fore!
bla bla bla bla yawn bla bla yawn
A resurrected Shaka Zulu is how it sounds to me. This is more the ASSEGAI that PF ought to be more weary of than “tribalism” or “regionalism.” Otherwise, which sensible Bemba will be willing to cast a vote for such a dangerous reptile in 2016, no matter how staunchly tribal that Bemba might be?
Yes, ‘ASSEGAI they ought to be more weary of ‘ if they were sane enough!
Eichi, “I was instructed by Chumbu”,
So what? Use your a.ss or is it your brain or may be you were asked to open your legs too?
This is good.
Most of you are talking from without. I attended the tribunal and to tell you the truth Masebo is a disgrace. She failed to answer 99% of questions posed to her. She is also a sarcastic lady (Nkaka). The judges had difficults to tell her to respond to questions as posed to her by the lawyers.
What Minister says is totally surprising/conflicting to what President said in London at Mansion house when he ‘appealed’ to investors to invest in Zambia, & I quote: ‘there are no restrictions in Zambia to how much u can invest and u can extenalise, come and invest, do business. His Ministers also preached same message. PF just came into power. Now externalisation of fund is Mafia activity. Why are people shifting goal posts? Are people being trustworthy? What message is being transmitted to the people you told conflicting stories? Am sure they are not daft, they know exactly where you stand. The locals might have forgotten about the 90 day pledges to turn the country around, constitution & stuff but not others.
Zambian govt is in need of spin doctors to start making sense. Can I have that job? Am ready to heard back home if given that job. I don’t need Zambia Railway, CEO stuff, just spin will do for me..
She is hard working but her position in the cabinet has become unattainable, she must not wait for the report, let her resign to save face.
Fellow bloggers this is not protection at all. It is an embarrassment to the president. ZWD calls Sata a dictator and I now agree to such sentiments. Sata operates on orders. Thank you madam you have exposed your boss and this will make you go down. Oppositions will use that as a weapon to call you all sorts of name to your PF president. Dictator, dictator……..
The wearing of rediculously stupid hats has affected this womans brain !
She did the right thing illegally – that’s the problem. The VP’s wife is on the Board as a “volunteer”!! Now we understand – how many animals were exported illegally?
Yes if she was directed by the president then that was fine. I believe she would have mentioned it at the beginning even before the tribunal was set. Why did she keep silent all along and allowing the tax payers money go to waste when then president was the one who disolved the ZAWA thing. I smell a rat.
It took them 3 months to cook up this croc of lies. It took her near resignation to push MCS to allow his protection from this sin against the people of Zawa. If statehouse doesn’t refute this sanctioning of an illegal act then they actually are saying its true. They are hoping that presidential immunity will protect Sata from this. The man might as well have held up a comic book when taking his oath of office. He just pis*ed and sh*tted on the Zambian constitution and we are all quiet!
This is a frightening truth that Masebo is stating. She’s telling us that she and her fellow ministers operate based on sheer FEAR and TERROR. They will do ANYTHING Sata tells them to even if it is illegal. In 2016 Sata will wash his hands of all actions and blame the Ministers for all actions they took in terror of losing their jobs, money and freedom. Wow! That explains most of the blatantly crazy actions by educated individuals!
He does not call them useless for nothing. He has realized they cannot advise him, hence he directs them.
Well Ba Masebo, if truly what you say is true that you got orders from H.E MCS, one wonders why you did not use this in your defense when the former ZAWA directors sued for unlawful dismissal a case which they won and are being paid with costs. So clearly Ba Masebo you have lied under oath and that alone can come back to haunt you. Time for reckoning is headed your way my dear, be careful… be very careful!!!!
no wonder the president is unhappy with some MPs. Given was right. if he was being directed by Scotty and kabimba, what can can failed to make his excellency direct Sylvia. sylvia’s confession is a big future cost to PF.