Tuesday, March 19, 2024

FDD challenges government to tell the nation the truth on why projects have stalled

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President Edgar Lungu swears in Lucky Mulusa as Special Assistant for Project Monitoring and Implementation at State House in Lusaka on 3 March 2015
President Edgar Lungu swears in Lucky Mulusa as Special Assistant for Project Monitoring and Implementation at State House in Lusaka on 3 March 2015

The Forum for Democracy and Development, FDD has challenged government to tell the nation the truth on why most projects embarked on by the Patriotic Front Government have stalled as the explanation given by state house project implementation officer Lucky Mulusa is untrue and flimsy.

FDD spokesperson Antonio Mwanza says the simple reason projects such as L400, Pave Zambia 2000, Link Zambia 8000 and construction of other infrastructures such as schools and clinics has stalled is because government is broke and surviving on loans which it is contracting on almost monthly basis to sustain its daily operations.

Mr. Mwanza notes that the PF government embarked on a lot of projects without proper planning especially on the source of funding for the projects and that the problem has been compounded by theft and corruption hence Mr. Mulusa should not be telling the nation lies but instead tell the people the truth that government is broke and can not continue the projects.

“The explanation by Lucky Mulusa that most projects embarked by the PF Government are failing because their is no coordination between The Road Development Agency and Contractors is not only untrue but lousy and flimsy.

The simple reason why projects such as L400, Pave Zambia 2000, Link 8000, construction of schools and clinics have stalled is that the Government has no money to pay contractors to do the work. This Government is broke and it’s surviving on Kaloba. This is the reason why the Government is contracting debts on almost a monthly basis just to sustain its daily operations.

The PF Government embarked on so many projects without proper planning especially on the source of funding for these projects. This lack of planning and foresight coupled with corruption, theft, misappropriation of funds and bad corporate governance is the
problem here.” Said Mr. Mwanza.

“Even the Euro bond has been squandered”, continued Mr Mwanza, Zambia Railways Limited has failed to purchase new wagons despite getting 120 million dollars from the Euro bond”

The opposition leader also wondered how institutions such as the Road Development Agency RDA can be transparent and accountable when individuals are running them like their personal companies.

“Government took RDA, an agency that was allocated 10% of the National Budget to State House. And for over one year RDA was operating without the Board. Willie Nsanda became a sole proprietor of RDA. How can you have transparency and accountability? How can you fight theft and misuse of public funds when you allow one man to be in control of everything.”

And Mr. Mwanza bemoaned the fact that Zambians will be forced to repay debts being contracted by the PF government even when they have not seen the fruits of the same debts.

“Despite being broke the Government has continued to pronounce more projects which they are failing to commission. The sad part is that most of the money that has been squandered was borrowed money. This is why we have always argued that there is need to put a law that will bring an end to this reckless borrowing and reckless spending.

No loan should be contacted without the approval of Parliament. The State has to prove the need for the loan and has to provide stringent financial regulations to prove that the borrowed money won’t be misused Unfortunately, we have to pay the contractors for idle time. And we have to pay the lender interest. There is too much unplanned for expenditure and reckless spending by this government.” He said.

18 COMMENTS

    • BOSS u are not serious how does that even come into this matter of national concern. As a pf cadre maybe you should tell us wat is happening.

    • Antonio, you just cracked my ribs…challenging PF to the truth is harder than getting milk from a stone. PF is lies, more lies and higher lies….

  1. Who was in the board chaired by mr Nsanda. I wish this guy quick recovery so he can account for rda shoddy works. How were the contracts awarded?

  2. Gospel truth, I constructed a modern court in Kayombo chief Chiyengele in Kabompo District and handed it over to Govt in march 2014. As I speak our third chunk of money is unpaid despite repeated reminders and appeal. Next is to engage lawyers to go to court. Hard to believe . Court sessions are always conducted under the same court’s roof.

  3. Ba Antonio – You ask a question, answer it and still want an answer to your question!! Is it immaturity or failure to make a critical assessment of statements for the media. It usually happens when politicians and parties seek attention at the expense of providing checks and balances.

  4. I wonder how you can contact a loan and earmark projects without parliament approval. More so,how can one undertake a national project singlehandedly. Worse even, it seems there is prioritisation bearing in mind the loans are a national burden, Beware of auctioning Zambia.

  5. I just hope that Mr. Mulusa is not being termed by having been invited to be part of the failed leadership. Who does not know that the m oney that government was using was borrowed money that need to be repaid. Government as things stand now is very broke. The Minister of finance is very scared to borrow further for he has been told tob a bit more careful.

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