Thursday, March 28, 2024

Earth moving equipment scandal: Agent wont release the equipment till he is paid K1.6 million

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TRUCK Sales 2000 limited, a United Kingdom ( UK) based company and principal supplier of earth moving equipment procured by Choma and Kalomo councils, says it will not release the machines until Techmiya Commercials limited clears over K1.6 million balance it is owed.

The two councils in Southern Province procured the machines using their 2012 Constituency Development Fund (CDF) from Techmiya Commercials limited, another UK based company.

The machines, however, are marooned in a warehouse in Walvis bay, Namibia because Techimiya has allegedly failed to clear 150,000 pounds (over K1.6 million) to Truck Sales 2000 limited where it bought the equipments.

Choma Municipal Council (CMC) paid K1.3 million for the earth moving equipment which Techmiya procured from Truck Sales 2000 limited that have never been supplied to date.

The Auditor General’s 2012 report showed that CMC was allegedly swindled out of K1.3 million CDF irregularly paid to Techimiya for the procurement of earthmoving equipment.

Following the on-going debates on the equipments, the affected councils summoned Truck Sales 2000 limited managing director William Simpson to clarify on whereabouts of the equipments.

Speaking in Choma yesterday during a heated stakeholders meeting at CMC chamber hall, Mr Simpson said he would not release the machines until Techimiya cleared the outstanding balance.

Mr Simpson, who was accompanied by Truck Sales 2000 limited local agent, Danny Bwalya, also threatened to ship back the equipment to UK if Techmiya delayed to pay him the balance.

“The equipment was invoiced out in May 2013 and was shipped to Walvis Bay in September 2013, t date, Techmiya, to who I supplied the equipment, has not paid me a balance of 150,000 pounds for the two councils and I will only release them after that balance is cleared,” he said.

He said the equipment has accrued about 23,000 pounds as parking fee in the warehouse and that he could take them back because he was making huge losses on his business.

Mr Simpson said, he last communicated with Techimiya three months ago over the marooned equipment which needed to reach Choma and Kalomo.

He told the gathering which included Choma District Commissioner Bernadette Hamweemba and Choma Mayor Profester Mwaanga that affected councils were free to view the equipments in Namibia.

Choma Town Clerk Mwiya Mwiya said CMC summoned Mr Simpson to clarify on the status of the equipment because efforts to get Techmiya into Zambia allegedly proved futile.

The stakeholders resolved to write to Techmiya to allow the affected councils to pay the balance directly to Truck Sales 2000 Limited to release the equipments.

Mr Mwaanga said Choma residents were in dire need of the equipment to upgrade the roads and that them being marooned in Namibia was giving him sleepless nights.

26 COMMENTS

  1. You want the affected councils to pay directly what about the money they already paid techmiya. How is it going to be rocovered.

    • There is no money to recover Bwana. Techmiya procured the equipment on behalf of the councils and paid a deposit to Truck Sales 2000 Limited. There was a balance that was supposed to be paid to Truck Sales 2000. This amount Techmiya was supposed to pay once they get the final payment form the councils. It looks like Techmiya where sartisfied with the initial cut they got from the first deposit and disappeared.

  2. This *****s why involve an agent when they should have bought directly from main supplier? . This is part of corruption.Citezen please lets not be cheated.

  3. If you are looking for corruption, check ALL procurement units!
    If only we could show you 1% of what goes on, you will be shocked.
    What I know is government does not buy second hand unless the policy has changed.
    Let them tell us what this means.

  4. LT, learn this from me – there is no such thing as equipments. Equipment is equipment and is equipment regardless of the number. Please always remember this. Enough of crap journalism on this site!!

    • Maybe they should just start reporting in the local languages because English has completely failed them, they are simply incompetent to do the work of journalism!

    • Suntwe, O Suntwe kaka
      The LT probably made a few mistakes on the word EQUIPMENT, but most of it is correctly stated.

    • @The Observer

      You are right. That way even the masses can read and be enlightened about these scams in the councils and other departments.

  5. Procedure is clear, you cant make huge payments without a performance bond and even when paying the balance the councils should secure a performance bond. Luck of understanding of risk management i must say.

  6. In the first place who are Techmiya co limited how did they get this contract, to me this is kantemba company not trusted for such a big task honestly this should be investigated further

    • Thats a very strategic question. what company is this techmiya co. ltd? who owns it? who are the shareholders? is registered locally with ZRA, PACRA etc. What prtactical efforts were made to get their local agents fixed? we want asnwers.

  7. I know these guys – Techmiya! They are Zambians based in the UK, in the Yorkshire and Humber region! I head they swindled the Zambian Government so now I have seen it’s true.

    I am just wondering why a Zambian can do something like this? I believe they would get filthy rich doing it legitimately seeing they have reached a stage where they handle such big contracts. But no, they have to steal! Eeeish, get rich quick instead of building a legit business.

    I guess I may have to blow the whistle the whistle at some point, at the moment I can’t see how the Purchasers can’t get hold them They should have their full address to have engaged them in such a huge transaction. Techmiya you are going down and you are a disgrace to people who admired you as a hardworking couple.

  8. According to records at Companies House in the UK, Techmiya Commercials limited is owned by Henry Miyambo or HENRY KAPOTAMIYAMBO. It is based in Leeds, and the company secretary is Malambo Hambayi. The company is valued at £16,077.00 or K176 847.00

  9. Is Choma council predominantly UPND? What about Kalomo? If the Techmya owner was “Bwalya Chipayeni”; how many insults could we have seen here?

  10. @Tongas don’t steal, uko. UPND dominated councils are the ones doing this whilst in opposition what more. imwe ba fi colour just wait for 2016 so that we bury you once and for all so that you continue remaining herders and living in caves.

  11. This is a sad story….and my biggest worry is even when those graders are shipped to Zambia, they will simply function for a month. They will then breakdown and that is it. Ask the Kafue Council. They spent money on buying a grader, a front end loader and a tipper. The grader is already parked – broken down. The front end loader is still working in conjunction with the tipper to remove garbage though.

  12. These are UPND controlled Councils. Is there any pressure for our supposedly disciplined leader of UPND to make a presidential statement? I doubt it. He only criticises anything and evreything about PF but for an aspiring presidential candidate I would like to see him show leadership, particularly when it involves blatant corruption in his backyard.

  13. This is a yet another sad story that only adds to the growing dents in the image of Zambians in the diaspora after the clive Chirwa scandle. It is such a shame that swindling Govt seems to be the only way to “financial” success among our citizens. The equally sad thing is that this company “Trucksales 2000” is no messaih either. I bought a truck from them a few years ago and the treatment I got soon after handing over my cash was shocking. They are brutal and consider “Africans” as third class who they can shout and swear at with impunity. I stood my ground and was threatened with violence. I have no doubt he would have been shouting and swearing at this meeting. The truck has caused me problems from the time it arrived in Zambia and I have sworn never to take my money that way…

  14. Mwelesa Why why?? Shame on the couple. These guys are in Leeds and I think they are not difficult to find. Could it be the council bosses in the affected councils got inducements? This scandal may be deeper than we see. Techmiya please correct your wrongs while you can. Jail is not the best way. That’s your country right there and now you are making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

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