Thursday, March 28, 2024

Explanation on fire trucks scandal leaves many questions unanswered-TIZ

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The Fire Trucks

Transparency International Zambia says the ministerial statement issued in Parliament by Local Government Minister Vincent Mwale justifying the procurement of 42 fire trucks leaves many questions answered.

TIZ President Reuben Lifuka said Mr Mwale’s statement is not sufficient to put the matter to rest.

Mr Lifuka wondered why Grand View International, a company that was incorporated in 2015 was awarded a US$42 million contract within a year of its incorporation.

“Mr Mwale’s statement falls on many fronts. How do you grant a 42 million dollar contract to a company that was incorporated in the same year that the contract was awarded in -2015? What experience did the company present of handling similar assignments to ZPPA?” Mr Lifuka questioned.

The TIZ President further questioned how the Zambian government arrived at the specifications for the design of the fire trucks.

“How did government arrive at the specifications for the custom design of the fire trucks? Was this funding approved in the 2015-16 national budget? Where did the Ministry of Finance source the funding from and why was this project given project priority- just before the 2016 elections. And many other questions that one would ask,” he said.

And United party for National Development (UPND) National Chairperson Mutale Nalumango has charged that the fraudulent procurement of the 42 fire-fighting engines at $42 million is a tip of an iceberg on how corrupt the Patriotic Front Led Government is under President Edgar Chagwa Lungu.

In a statement today, Ms. Nalumango said the alleged exaggerated, overpriced and expensive project reeks of serious corruption and show how PF led Government are bent on lining their own pockets at the expense of the average Zambian.

Ms. Nalumango alleged that Grandview International Limited is the company that supplied the 42 Fire Fighting engines and is conveniently owned by Bokani Soko a very close friend to President Edgar Lungu.

“The 42 fire-fighting engines at $42 million is a tip of an iceberg on how corrupt the Patriotic Front Led Government is under President Edgar Chagwa Lungu” Nalumango said

Meanwhile, Movement for National Transformation (MNT) President Daniel Shimunza has indicted the Patriotic Front (PF) led Government of overtaxing Zambians.

Mr. Shimunza has since warned Government to stop overtaxing its citizens because this is causing suffering, stress, and poverty to the masses.

“I am warning PF Government to stop overtaxing its citizens because this is causing suffering, stress, and poverty to the masses” Shimunza said

82 COMMENTS

    • Its embarrassing and Vincent should actually resign. It’s a shame to see such corruption. Lying to Zambians that PF are allergic to corruption?? With such unacceptable deals? These Trucks cost about $600,000 retails, being a Fleet Purchase / Government the cost would have been much lower. Zambians wake up and protest on this matter.

    • When president Sata said his ministers were useless we thought he was joking until one of them became president !
      Little did we know that the man spoke in parables. How l wish we had listened.
      When Lungu said he had no vision of his own how l wish we had also listened for the man cannot see all the corruption right under his nose. The man cannot see what everyone is seeing that building up a huge debt mountain is a problem waiting to explode.
      A blind man in state house!

    • pamafi fooooools party! very soon the law will visit them.let them continue dancing dununa reverse when they get drunk ba chakolwa but time will catch up with them.worst corrupt government in the history of our country…lol

    • “Mr Mwale’s statement falls on many fronts. How do you grant a 42 million dollar contract to a company that was incorporated in the same year that the contract was awarded in -2015? What experience did the company present of handling similar assignments to ZPPA?” Mr Lifuka questioned

    • SO IWE TIZ PRESIDENT REUBEN LIFUKA, IF A COMPANY IS REGISTERED SAY IN JANUARY 2017, THEY SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN A CONTRACT UNTIL SAY AT LEAST JANUARY 2018. IT’S A LIE.
      SO SPECS NEEDED TO BE PRESENTED TO TIZ 1st FOR YOU TO BELIEVE?
      Come on Lifuka, instead of rushing to the media, is it not right to carry out an independent investigation before beginning to sound like them. I mean the UPND bitter folks on LT. Your institution LIFUKA is well vested to comment on well informed matters. How do I separate Nalumango’s aimless attacks from yours. The fact that the two voices are intertwined in this article smears the TIZ in the concoction of bitterness, envy and jealous. Come on TIZ, give us the beef not bones.

    • “This whole fire trucks tender smells of PF corruption and they’re lying to Zambians”….. Sure?

      Actually, this whole fire trucks tender STINKS of PF corruption and they are LAUGHING at the dull Zambians that let Lungu and his PF THIEVES steal in broad daylight. And get away SCOT FREE with their LOOT!

      They are probably busy right now spending the cash like it has no end in New York. And the poor Zambians? Well, f**k them is they are too stupid to complain and put these thieves behind bars unless it is the drunkards bar in Chawama!

    • Why such noise? Take this case to court. There suspects here, arrest them until proved free like HH:
      – Kapyongo
      – Permanent secretary
      – procurement at Local government
      – public procurement

    • Zambians! We should blame themselves for the socioeconomic/political problems our country is going through! We should stop blaming our leaders. The fault lies entirely with us the citizens. We are bad employers! Any company that employs people without proper screening interviews is bound to land itself into serious problems! That is exactly what we have been doing since independence. If a candidate tells you they don’t have a plan / vision for the company and you go ahead and employ them. Don’t blame them when they start stealing. It’s time to put in place a serious vetting process for all who aspire for different levels of public office.

    • #MOSHOTA- WHAT PHD DO YOU HOLD – PHD FOR STUPIDNESS ! LETS MOVE ON YOU SAY AND WHAT ALLOW THE GOVERNMENT TO STEAL MORE FROM THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA !

  1. “I am warning PF Government to stop overtaxing its citizens because this is causing suffering, stress, and poverty to the masses” Iwe ka Shimunza who are you to warn GRZ over taxes?

  2. You won’t find any corruption in this deal you are all lying to yourselves. Just appreciate that PF is performing beyond expectation, beyond measure. When did MMD ever buy fire engines or 650 health posts?
    When has UPND ever given money or cattle to the poor? Stop being haters. UPND hasn’t even contributed to the reconstruction of City Market which they gutted. Cheap Satamic Free Mansions let the government perform.
    2021 vote PF full stop!

    • Iwee c1kala kudos, this is not about UPND it is about morals on who ever is entrusted to handle government resources on behalf of the zambian people. Be reasonable.

    • Kaputi Davies you can refer to @15.
      We entrusted Under5 to value the mines in the 90s. He undervalued them and sold them for peanuts whilst getting huge commissions in kickbacks. He has no morals. He has never had morals and cannot have them.
      It’s still the same morals which apply and this is why we say your Free Masson (HH) will never be entrusted with the instruments of power. We will never vote him into office. Full stop!

    • Corruption is very much there. This is not what we expected from ECL. Mwatu-tukisha boss kuliba UPND, do the right thing and you will have praise for it, this is not the way to go.

    • Typical dull Cadre talking about 650 prefab clinic posts assemblied by Indians and funded via an India Exim Bank loan you have baredly started to back.

    • That story of HH selling the mines and companies is a dead one. i didn’t know you are that dull. Why was HH not prosecuted up to now, you imbec1le! For your own information when privatization was taking place HH was a very junior officer working for the valuator. He never made any decisions on his own. He works hard unlike the drunken master who can’t believe that he is now in control of all government resources. You are jealousy of him (HH) and that jealousy will send you to your grave poor like your grand father.

    • WE NEED TO STOP THIS STUPID DEAL, WHO ARE WE TO BE BUYING AT 1 MILLION DOLLARS ONE ENGINE, DO WE EXPERIENCE SUCH FIRES AS IN THE US AND AUSTRALIA? NGO’S PLEASE HALT THIS MADNESS BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.

    • This Kudos smells of dangerous jealousy and envy, I wouldn’t be surprised that he has seen HH’s bank account and businesses.

  3. In all honesty how does a company created in the same year with no experience whatsoever out bid even companies like Iveco…i bet you this company was probably created in tge same month the tender was initially listed. We need ZPPA to answer questions.

  4. Mr Kudos, the idea is very good, but the pricing itself is so expensive. Those trucks costs in the range of $180,000 and not $1million per truck. One million dollas is alot of money and thats K10million. The presidential Jet our Republican President his Excellence Edgar C Lungu uses costs $700 000 and the One owned by Shepard BushirI costs US $750 000. A private Jet owned by 50 cents costs $1million. Getting back to 650 healthy post, it was the indians Who came thru DR Kenneth Kaunda and the instructions was simple to partner with a local construction company with NCC grade 1 – 3 with no debts . This project came when his Excellence President Michael C Sata was rulling.

  5. Try to find out the board of directors of the company awarded this tender. You may get more information. We are told these trucks cost only $150000. Its the same with the road from Lusaka to Ndola. The cost for the road we all know is $1m per kilometer. But PF made it $3.7. Awe sure..bwafya kwena pa Zed.

  6. Witch hunt witch hunt. Please Zambians change your music because it is boring. There will be no any time you will appreciate. we should ask ourselves, why commenting on the issues that we may not have any knowledge of. Have you checked specifications, what were the instructions to tender. How many participated ? Zambians, please sober up or else it is difficult to differentiate politics and real issues. Have you had access to the Evaluation Report for this procurement? People, people be genius.

    • The dishonourable Minister failed to convincingly explain custom specifications which made these Fire Engines so dear or expensive.
      He’s vaguely given general specifications like 70 meter range and 3 minute water refuelling capacity and ability to drive on narrow roads.
      Is that reason enough to justify spending $1 milion per track?

      Wake up from slumber!

    • Shut up Dyonko. This robbery is self evident for all reasonable people and it is not evident to you because you are a beneficiary of the same theft. We will not keep quiet while they bury us alive. It is blood money. They are eating the money while we starve from over-taxation and exorbitant electricity tariffs.

    • Shut up Dyonko. This robbery is self evident for all reasonable people and it is not evident to you because you are a beneficiary of the same theft. We will not keep quiet while they bury us alive. It is blood money. They are eating the money while we starve from over-taxation and exorbitant electricity tariffs.

  7. Creating a company today does not mean it does not have experience.Look at the directors of the company.How many years of exprience are they bringing to the company?Let us not critisize unnecessary.In every business transaction ,there is always one winner.

    • I am sorry to differ with you my bro. If you have ever been involved in evaluations, you will note that it is the company experience they look at not individuals. Delivery of products or services is not per individual.

  8. Iwe nalumango don’t be naive , and stupid and foolish , pantu the same bokani soko and them are very close
    To your HH go and ask him , don’t make us disclose about there relation ship by trying to play an innocent card here , your HH was ready to strike a deal with them if your HH comes in power ,foolish nalumango and your ka HH we can disclose more if you want the nation to know how corrupt ur HH is

  9. I can only cry for the forgotten retirees – driven into destitution by our supposed leaders.

    I am inclined to suspect that even these spate of fires consuming our public offices is the work of the culprits of this Fire-gate scandal so as to justify the purchase of these ‘value-for-money’ trucks.

    Just thinking.

  10. pf party is a party full of criminals.where is the justice system in Zambia????? under pf regime people are free today anything they want as long as you do not belong to the opposition.pf cadres are free to exchange blows with the police…awe twakani!

  11. Zambians wake up and please the PF government is lying to you about the amount of the trucks….there is no way those used trucks cost 1 million dollars….

  12. ZPPA and ZIPS in public interest should close this loophole. Minister of Finance should take the lead in redressing the situation after consulting key CPs.

  13. Kaputi Davies you are irrelevant. There’s no corruption in this deal. It’s a clean deal. You won’t find anything pocketed. Unlike the nightmare Under5 Kaponya (HH) left behind in the 90s during the Privatization kickback deals.

  14. I feel pity for Vincent Mwale who is now just a rubber stamp in the deal.He has been reduced to “a sales executive of Fire fighters to the extent of even explaining specs of the highly inflated fire fighters.In short VM ‘s statement lacks substance ie tabulation of landing costs.What hes saying is just damage control.This is exactly why our government clinics and hospitals lack medicines.Out of all taxpayers money citizens get medical prescriptions only.What a sham

  15. As long as the thug lawyer president is in office plunder of Zambia’s resources will continue unabated. If anybody thinks lungu and his gangster minions mean well for Zambia that persons needs psychiatric treatment. It’s so plain an ***** child would see that lungu/PF is a criminal organisation bent on lining their pockets only!!

  16. Of they are corrupt… Lungu himself is quiet. In other countries he would have addressed this scandal while abroad. In other countries this minister would have resigned by now. In other countries the cops and ACCC would have commenced their investigations already because this is a public interest issue. In other countries the media would have asked this fake president questions already every time he shows up in public.

    The minister just the day before didn’t have answers and promised to investigate… the following day he had all the ‘answers’, albeit lies and more lies.

    $1 million per fire vehicle is just reeking of daylight robbery whichever way you want to sugarcoat it. ‘Specs’ my a$s! So if if this was to be designed and built from the scratch, why didn’t the ministry…

    • continued

      So if if this was to be designed and built from the scratch, why didn’t the ministry engage the manufacturers directly, rather than having a proxy ‘middle man’ company? They just wanted a proxy to use to siphon public resources. And what did the opposition in parliament (if they still exist) say to this garbage from the minister? There should be an independent parliamentary commission inquiry into this scandal.

    • You have to sort out governance issues first if you want those secruity wings to be independent merely praying that Lazy Lungu will wake up one morning a Saint is truly laughable…look at Kenya they sorted out the Justice Dept and are reaping the rewards to the extent of putting all those International Observers to utter shame.

  17. It’s not about PF being corrupt or not.

    It’s about our over-sight institutions like ACC lacking capacity and real authority. We all can bet that these scandals will rub on every govt for as long as no effort is made to strength the capacity of such institutions.

    Not even the revered Mwanawasa govt ran clean , you only have to think back to the Tetamashimba hearses (Manda-mandas) to agree with me.

    To further prove my point, try to give absolute govt to Kambwili and GBM and see if we will have angels in power! Remember these are individuals who boast of rich CVs of corrupt business dealings resulting from the little govt power they possessed once upon a time.

    Politics aside, the only way to nip these cancerous dealings lie in having robust ‘policing’ institutions.

  18. Everything is only seen in the gwagu lenses. You can not see business in everything. Every transaction you want to adjust for your benefit. People have been in these govt positions before, its nothing special any one can steal but this govt is damn thinking they can sugar coat there thieving in broad day light. You have to be smart to hide your tracks especially if you hungry for money like bakateka and gang cause information is easily accessible now.

  19. Talking of ‘specs’ of the fire trucks.
    1. Zambia only has short buildings apart from a countable few. And since these trucks are meant for rural districts as well, which are the majority, the spec therefore is very basic (may be talk about suspension which is also not an issue as these things are originally robust).
    2. Narrow roads. Apart from USA, most countries have standard roads. We derive our standards from European countries (I do not understand the contention here). Do they mean rural roads?? But even then, will these tenders be used to quench fires in villages? I do not think so. This point is childish.
    3. The world is now very open. Right now, give me the chassis number of one of the trucks and prices will be everywhere on google, so you can/t lie to people. Unfortunately,…

  20. Unfortunately, the generation ruling us struggles a lot with computer and internet issues.
    4. $1,000,000.00 is a lot of money. This is giving me an impression that struggling to establish a national airline is deliberate.

  21. Basakala Nyongo!! These are simple basic Fire Engines that could simply cost under 200,000 USD. For comparison sake, I recommend that you Google and search for: Scania Fire Engine. You will see all kinds of versions of fire fighting engines. What these characters bought are basic vehicles which cannot cost 1 million each, it is a blue lie. Arrest them!!!

  22. Mr Kudos – Sir or Madam, are you one of the PF thugs? You don’t make sense. Most times sir or madam you are always yapping. Kaponya this Kaponya that. This word appears to be a mode in your vocabulary. I suspect you are one of the PF officials locally or in foreign embassy.

  23. @ Thorn in flesh, don’t be naive. For once, think out of the box. Get out of your cocoon to see that grandview was registered for grand corruption around the fire tender. Nothing happens by chance. The registering of grandview and the fire tender were hatched at the same time to rob us and God.

    • THE AUDACITY OF REAL NATIONALISTS
      ==========================
      Stop bucking in the corner. This country is so rich with laws that can curb let alone prosecute matters your brains are suspecting. My view point is who are you waiting for to file a lawsuit? After fair further analysis, you realise that you are the naive one. The one who thinks that thinking outa’ box will automatically give you the nerve that will have the case automatically be registered in the courts of law. If you have facts group up and take the necessary step. You are just being delusional and your hallucinations are dangerously taking a toll on you. Blame yourself for lack of nerves. Don’t run to the street though, like I said this country is rich.

  24. Zambians! We should blame themselves for the socioeconomic/political problems our country is going through! We should stop blaming our leaders. The fault lies entirely with us the citizens. We are bad employers! Any company that employs people without proper screening interviews is bound to land itself into serious problems! That is exactly what we have been doing since independence. If a candidate tells you they don’t have a plan / vision for the company and you go ahead and employ them. Don’t blame them when they start stealing. It’s time to put in place a serious vetting process for all who aspire for different levels of public office. True Madness!

  25. I put another posting but LT is somehow not putting up the posting, possibly because of a link. I put up some postings yesterday again but it did not come up. In 2012, one US city approved in a council meeting to purchase the fire truck at a cost of US $1 million. I have just seen Ocean City five days ago also approved to buy from a Wisconsin Company ONE fire truck at the cost of $1.1 million. The only difference, I can concur, is that these are bigger but I have researched and found that new fire trucks are very expensive. Remember, you need spare parts too!

    • They have not posted your submissions as there is no substance in them…surely have you seen the size of those trucks in the USA or the size of ladders and hosepipes the carry? The ones in your thieves bought are Scania Fire trucks….very common in Europe hence reasonably priced.

  26. Stop wasting time calling the DAY LIGHT ROBBERY as corruption… Where is ‘the Hard Working ACC’, if indeed they are a professional body?
    When you Inflate the price, you are a fraudster, you are stealing, you are a thief. Full stop!! RB is in the back ground and busy organising protests against Mutati… Stupid criminals… Ka Mwale, mwanya..

  27. Lifuka. What sort of foolish question is that? The company was specifically created in 2015, not 2014 or 2017, to specifically participate in a tender specifically created in 2015.

  28. My comments,
    1. I don’t know about any corruption here, no evidence has been adduced so far by credible persons.
    2. Under5 can never be better, if UPN.Donkeys such as Nalumango are suggesting that under5 is not corrupt. You just have to look at his running mate and you see the tip of a large iceberg of corruption.
    3. The allegations seem to be all manufactured/concocted to try and embarrass The President. Remember that he is in New York attending the UN General Assembly. Just the kind of thing that misguided U.PNDonkeys think can inflict maximum harm to the President. For me, I know our UPN.Donkeys very well, I cannit be fooled.
    4. That UP.NDonkeys for you, sleeping in their own droppings!

  29. the humble one, lol you really need your chritians and pastors for lungu to pray for you very hard cause if not prison, hell is waiting for you.

  30. Let them buy the same engine for $2m or $10m each, some stupid *****s on this forum will still support and justify. How sad for us Zambian. Where Mushota is they question even a 1p!!!

  31. My comments,
    1. I don’t know about any corruption here, no evidence has been adduced so far by credible persons.
    2. Under.5 can never be better, if UPN.Donkeys such as Nalu.m.ango are suggesting that und.er5 is not corrupt. You just have to look at his run.ning mate and you see the tip of a large iceberg of corruption.
    3. The allegations seem to be all manufactured/concocted to try and embarrass The Presi.dent. Remember that he is in New York attending the UN General Assembly. Just the kind of thing that misguided U.PND.onkeys think can inflict maximum harm to the Pres.ident. For me, I know our UPN.Do.nkeys very well, I cannot be fooled.
    4. That UP.ND.onkeys for you, sleeping in their own drop.pings!

  32. My comments,
    1. I don’t know about any c.orru.ption here, no evidence has been adduced so far by credible persons.
    2. Under.5 can never be better, if UPN.Donkeys such as Nalu.m.ango are suggesting that und.er5 is not corrupt. You just have to look at his run.ning mate and you see the tip of a large iceberg of corruption.
    3. The allegations seem to be all manufactured/concocted to try and embarrass The Presi.dent. Remember that he is in New York attending the U.N Ge.neral Asse.mbly. Just the kind of thing that misguided U.PND.onkeys think can inflict maximum harm to the Pres.ident. For me, I know our UPN.Do.nkeys very well, I cannot be fooled.
    4. That UP.ND.onkeys for you, sleeping in their own drop.pings!

  33. I’ve sadly learned that even people who think they are educated fall short of its meaning. You do research on costs of fire engines. One firefighter said that the cost of a fire truck is like that of a house. It can vary from as little as $60,000 to as much as $1,600,000 depending size and function, plus equipment (for fire, accidents, etc). The people questioning may as well as for specifications. Remember also that if the third party is used the cost goes up for services,

  34. Your postings have been ignored Sharon because they are too boring !!! You are too repetitive , all you seem to be talking about is HH is a demon, mason, he will never win, Namwala , Tongas etc. Try sticking to the subject , otherwise those of us in psychiatry will think that you are psychotic. We are talking fire engines now and please check specifications and don’t just look at engines from a certain catalogue.

  35. Google HaJayJay! Yes, these are smaller but they aren’t cheap! Do you think they came without accessories and spare parts?

    Ocean City Council Approves Purchase of $1.1 Million Fire Truck

    By Donald Wittkowski –
    September 15, 2017

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