Friday, March 29, 2024

Auditor General’s report plunderers must be prosecuted and sentenced to prison-Felix Mutati

Share

Finance Minister Felix Mutati
Finance Minister Felix Mutati

FINANCE minister Felix Mutati has vowed to accelerate the passing of the Public Finance Act during the current Parliament sitting to allow prosecution and sentencing to prison of all the culprits cited in the 2016 Auditor General’s report.

Meanwhile, Mr Mutati has called on the media to help expose all culprits cited in the Auditor General’s report by comprehensively covering the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which starts sitting tomorrow.

Mr Mutati said government received the Auditor General’s report with a sense of sadness in terms of the level at which misbehaviour was growing in parastatals and government institutions.

He said this yesterday after officiating at the United Church of Zambia (UCZ) fundraising church service at Kabulonga Boys Secondary School where he pledged 100 pockets of cement towards the construction of a new church in Ibex Hill.

Mr Mutati observed that the quantum at which stealing, misappropriation and misapplication was growing was very alarming.

Mr Mutati said it was beyond carelessness, adding that it was now sheer greediness.

“We are struggling to raise revenue, to create jobs, to create development and then a handful of selfish Zambians are taking that away from the people.

“…And the quantum at which this is growing is alarming and is beyond careless it is now sheer greed so we are going to be very decisive on this particular issue and we are going to accelerate the passing of this particular Act,” he said.

He said government needed to urgently address the core issue.

“One of the challenges that we have at the moment is that the Public Finance Act hasn’t got punitive measures that can be employed to reverse the trend

“This is the reason why during this sitting of Parliament we are carrying out amendments to the Public Finance Act so that people can be punished for the wrong doing for taking away the people’s money,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Mutati has asked the media to attend the Public Accounts Committee meetings which were starting on Tuesday (tomorrow), adding that part of reversing bad behaviour was exposure through the media.

“…So that you listen to people as they are being interrogated by the Public Accounts Committee I think that message alone will act as a deterrence for those that are contemplating.

“Do not be sensational because all the culprits will be brought and they will have to answer to PAC and for me I think that is deterrence apart from strengthening the legal requirement which will include prosecution, prison sentences and that is what is in the act,” Mr Mutati said.

He said those found wanting would definitely be jailed for stealing, misappropriation and misapplication.

64 COMMENTS

  1. You can not jail anybody…..$42 million for fire trucks that cost less than $20 million , ambulances that cost $134k you are paying $288 k 50 times , you only want to divert attention and chase around small time crookes while state house is the breeding ground with lungu at the lead…

    • Ala, you are playing,, this is when you are waking up,, those people who stole money have already gone kwa mununga and kaoma to bath medicine, you will never catch them ,, just move on,, you were careless like lungu,,,,, prevention is better cure,,, next time use a condom to made sure no leakage and inflection ,,,

    • Start with Dora, Kampyango and yourself Sir!

      Dora- the exportation of maize by millers who have been facilitated by her office to buy maize at a pittance and then sell it at 3 times the price!

      Kampyongo- the 42 fire tender saga

      Mr Mutati- the final signature for the release of all funds for the hundreds of failed projects that have squandered govt funds is Mr Felix Mutati’s!

      Otherwise mudala you are only cheating yourself!

    • Mutati, I applaud you for making the announcement but the real corruption crusade can only come after people with clean records are in the governance system. As it stands, putting corruption on a resume for a job in a PF government you will get hired without question. In short, you words mean nothing and will result in nothing. After someone is out of office then we will see the real plunders

    • Charity begins at home Ba Mutati?? Your own boss is a thief so whom are you fooling. Start with Lungu, RB collision and their people.

  2. Kikikikiki….kuti waseka. Where does this man stay? His boss insists on whistle blowers providing evidence on corruption. Akulyeni fye taata. Time will catch up with you very soon & I mean very soon.

  3. The real plunder is not even reflected in the AG report. Imagine someone using a chopper from state house to mulungushi international conference, apakwenda fye namakasa.

  4. Really laughable …if only these foools all spoke with one voice but they are liars, Imagine you have Lazy Lungu who is there asking us to bring evidence to prove that buying a Scania Fire Truck for $1million is not normal.

    • Felix is smart and he is writing his campaign script …imagine he was officiating at the UCZ fundraising church service at Kabulonga Boys; he pledges 100 pockets of cement towards the construction of a new church; he starts talking about this….really laughable…he will stab this Lazy Lungu once the wheels start falling off his bus…or wings of his aircraft!!

  5. This is a very good move Hon.Mutati and all MPs must support it.culprits must be jailed and you should back date this to FTJ Chiluba’s regime so that those mentioned in paradise paper (HH) must be caged too for stealing our money through privatization and hide it in offshore accounts!!
    All those cited in the AG Report must be jailed and money recovered from them!!we cant continue like this.bravo president Edgar Lungu and your cabinet for taking this brave stance.this is the only way PF can fight corruption!!IGNORE UPND CADRES ABOVE WHO ONLY BARK NONSENSE EVERYDAY!!INSTEAD OF SUPPORT THIS GOOD NEWS,ALL UPND CADRES SEE IN IT ARE FAULTS.THAT IS HOW EVIL UPND FOLLOWERS ARE!!for them,good things can only come from a tonga god HH-very dull thinking indeed!!fire engine culprits must be jailed…

    • That is correct, if HH stole during privatisation , why is the corrupt theif lungu not arresting him ? He even failed to charge kambwili with corruption after firing him ?

      You PF rats were dancing ati kambwili is being arrested for corruption ? Where ?

  6. Njimbu you are aware that IDC partner CARGILL are also memtioned in the Paradise Papers so we should also be looking at all transactions from Cargill since 2006 and all dealings with the Government via the IDC.
    When will you sit down and not be emotive with all your posts.
    The way you and terrible post it is obvious that you are govt operatives that have been schooled in the same way as the mugabe and zuma acolytes. Keep pointing at others then everybody asks why are you deflecting, eventually the scrutiny turns to you. Your handlers should let you mellow a bit even retire you for a while then bring u back for impact.

    • Don’t mind them they never learn…these chaps like Njimbu are mere tools, we had them here in 2010 MMD cadres, who followed blindly when their handlers disappeared they were lost like a dog on leash without its master holding it!!

  7. Why would the government want the media to expose culprits when the government is the investigating authority.
    This government talks then thinks. But then again the majority of the media is compromised so how do,u get them to be objective,
    When will the pipo of zambia realise we are under and authoritarian regime.
    Until this AFRICAN philosophy of “ITS OUR TURN TO CHEW’ ceases we will always have abuse of PUBLIC funds.
    Zambia wake up and be the beacon that leads africa out of Aid dependence, poverty, government abuse.
    Zambia be like NIKE LETS DO IT

    • Its all a farce…its like monkeys setting up the watchmen’s shift rota for the maize field…really laughable…if he was sincere and they wanted to give AG’s office teeth; PF would have been have talking about governance issues and consulted all stakeholders not just in Parliament where PF has majority.

  8. “Plunderers must be sent to prison” .Mutati isn’t that the law already why do they need your pronouncement to do the right thing?

  9. Oh now I see Mutati ,our toothless & politicized law enforcement organs need the approval of the political class just to effect existing laws?
    Zambia is wonderfully damned with “rule of law” indeed.

  10. Auditor General’s report plunderers must be prosecuted and sentenced to prison. What else do we need to do? Do we need to plead that thives should be arrested. Laws are already there. So whats new here? Its like saying the sun will rise tomorrow and for some like Muta thats news.
    What a disaster!

  11. Let us know not be prejudicial. Being mentioned in the AG’ s report is merely an allegation. The accused have a right to be heard and to defend themselves.

  12. Action speaks louder than words. Felix, we want our money back. There is a culture of reckless waste and banditry in Zambia. You should be ashamed of the Recalations in the Auditor’s report. They are sickening.
    Illicit enrichment in Zambia is a complex issue which needs to be investigated by an International Justice mechanism. Our politicians have failed to separate their political ambitions from their cadres/members with political agendas, and this has left the poor being inflicted with more poverty.

    There are a good number of Micro Financing Businesses, which are illegally contracting in prohibited collateral loans, as money laundering methods and fronts; and the question is for the Bank of Zambia and PACRA to seriously look into crimes against humanity inflicted by these financial…

  13. Hon Mutati’s sentiments must be embraced by all [put political inclinations aside] who desire to see Zambia change and accelerate along the path of development. I hasten ,however , to add that Hon Mutati ‘s words must firstly of all be SINCERE and secondly never be left naked ,but be dressed with ACTION. Sadly , most eyes that see specks in other eyes are threatening to burst from logs lodged in them. OH Heavens, we need an EYE CLINIC the size of the entire UTH.

  14. What Mutatit is saying is whats supposed to be coming from Edgar Lungu. Lungu being an accomplice to corruption only talks about evidence and ACC acting on the AG report. No passion to fight corruption whatsoever!

  15. In the Auditor General’s report is US$6 Million for procurement of dredgers and associated equipment that has not been accounted for. The representative of the company that was awarded the contract has openly said he handed USD 6 Million to the boss’ money collector. Mutati’s pronouncement should be carried out without the law being applied selectively. The Great leader says one thing by day and does the exact opposite in the night! Its time not only to name and shame, but prosecute as well.

  16. Oh, so “at the moment … the Public Finance Act hasn’t got punitive measures that can be employed to reverse the trend.” No wonder the quantum of abuse of national resources is on the rise. They all know that nothing comes out of the AG’s report…. Waiting to see how quickly the proposal will be enacted into law.

    • It’s actually amazing that this progressive act is being done by PF. The champion of anti-corruption himself, Levy repeatedly ignored the AG’s report and believed his hand picked persecutors at the task force would do the job. Ironic, don’t you think???

  17. Indeed, Hon. Mutati. We welcome and appreciate your sentiments. With the passing of the Public Finance Act, the government is putting in place measures to fight corruption properly by institutionalization-the AG’s office will be respected and be significant. The AG’s reports will be solid evidence compiled by professionals. Let’s also have the Public Protector in place to compliment the AG.

  18. “The abuse, mismanagement and hoarding of national wealth have rendered millions of people helpless, depressed, destitute, disillusioned and devastated..” Dr Myles Munroe. This is Zambia where a culture of corruption is now evident and is only answered by “give me the evidence”.

  19. In Africa the President sets the tone of whatever is to happen in the country. There is what is called political will. Does PF has the political will to purse corruption genuinely and not as a smoke screen? You can have all the laws you want but in Africa the butt stops with the president. A case in point is the Tanzania’s Magufuli. Because he has made up his mind to side with his citizens and not with his friends, today every public servant is aware of what is required of them- DO THE RIGHT THING OR ELSE you are MAGUFULIED. Mutati can say all he wants but the butt stops with Lungu. Is he prepared to sacrifice Kaizer Zulu because he is the mastermind of grand corruption in govt. We are yet to see.

    • Equally in Africa, we are used to accusations we cannot prove in courts!! How can everything stop with Lungu when we have a constitution that empowers the citizens to hold the government acccountable??? This constitution has set a foundation for a more independent judiciary for example. Mutati has just emphasised on the Public Finance Act yet we still want Lungu to do everything??? In RSA, it was the Public Protector who exposed state capture, not politicians. Do we Zambians know what we want????

    • @ Zambian Citizen-
      You talk of South Africa and the Public Protector but what has all that led to? Zuma is still very much in the driving seat. They have very good laws and to some extent the officers trusted with the duties to protect the resources of the country are trying their best but the question is WHY IS ZUMA STILL IN THE DRIVING SEAT despite all the abuses he has committed? There is glaring evidence that the chap has messed up but he is still the president. Can I spell it to you? Because this is Africa where presidents become law into themselves and the constitution is only used as the supreme law of the land when it comes to fix former presidents.

    • That state capture report is before the courts. Multiple Gupta companies have been exposed and undergoing scrutiny by the courts. The corruption by the Guptas has been stopped and Zuma faces jail when he leaves office. As for him staying in office, ANC enjoys a majority in parliament and the useless opposition have failed to dislodge it. Tony Blair supported the Iraqi invasion but he wasn’t kicked out immediately, was he??? So this is not an African problem. Laws don’t allow Zuma to be removed, unless by impeachment. Remember Zambian parliament in 2006 and 2011 where opposition outnumbered ruling?? That scenario with the current situation is fertile to impeach a president. Sadly the country is divided because of upnd’s tribal politics. So the numbers PF has cannot allow…

  20. The Minister is good and talking sense but there is no better way of addressing the auditors concerns in the long term than strengthening the Internal controls over Financial reporting at strategic business unit level to ensure material weaknesses and deficiencies or both are identified and addressed on the timely basis as routine and culture not to wait for the auditor general report that comes years after You will need to look at your Financial system integrity that means people and processes and your budget systems and management must complement you in manging your procurements and operations anytime Then normal reviews as part of risk management processes in audit daily tested…

  21. evaluated and timely addressed
    If your riskiness is in procurement you up the financial and acquisition management reviews in your units on the daily basis This will provide much more reasonable assurance that internal controls over financial reporting and operations of Gov are effectively working always
    In as much as you want to prosecute those who have been sighted in the auditors You have a lot more to do with modernization of the acts to clearly enshrine the duties and responsibilities of Officers and controlling Officers
    You are on the right path but Internal controls, committees for ministerial units on accounting and standards oversight backed with acts such as Government…

  22. Financial Integrity act and remedies, Office of the Secretary To treasury or Accountant general Act and remedies, Government Chief Financial officers Act and remedies All these tied into performance and results act describing a typical fiscal year Then you will institutionalize prosecution and responsibilities of Office bearers to act to uphold best standards and stricter to statutes
    Then the auditors and public protector responsibilities aligned and modernized into statues for the effectual effectiveness of the Parliamentary Committee
    There is already a framework that only requires institutionalization and modernization to pass new acts to rein fence the Government financial management…

  23. with good implemented AFMIS

    Then the auditors must navigate innovations and not only report in a particular way always but be like in ESG environment moving in to prevent and stop as the maintain oversight as custodians of the system themselves

  24. There are so many dozen accounting and financial scams We call them series that you encounter that are better addressed daily within the Control and Statutory provisions enshrined and not later for a consolidated auditors good report

    Mind you are going online and that requires you to defined and mange your enterprise Gov. risks exposures

  25. I am listening to Parliamentary Committee on this I hear ZRA and Honourable Chiteme ask a very good question on ZRA What immediately comes in my mind is the issue of material weakness in unpaid assessments reflected in the weak internal controls as shown by the auditor general findings One would think of again reviewing the ZRA act and processes and address the tax gap
    ZRA is now online with that comes the issues of identity theft and fictitious accounts in those unliquidated bonds There is often lack of security on those tax payers online receipts There are too many users and contractors with access to ZRA systems portals with weak cyber threat forensics There is no…

  26. alignment of performance to strategic goals and Government performance results Clearly there is a weakness and lack of trail on tax refunds and provisions for unpaid taxes

    There is a weakness in filling cut-off tarried to the filling deadlines and systems updates and enhancements

    We need to see more of tax agreements administer and followed online with common transmission systems and mobile app in payments

    You may write off the Uncollected Processed Assessments but it should not be bulkly done

  27. Then there is often abrupt “”with immediate effect Tax hikes”‘ There is need for an ACT for ZRA clients to be protected from unfair sudden tax hikes or shifts I statues That should have been pointed out by auditor General

    Employing collecting agents for ZRA for a small country like Zambia might not be cost benefit It works in remote geographically dispersant countries Do not throw away the junk or unconfirmed balances it show weak executive risk management and enterprise risk assessment

    Overall Good response from Commissioner ZRA

  28. I can’t….. you have been in office for how long? The previous AG reports have stated the same. As you hold public funds and disperse them to ministries then you are part of it. Or unless you are stating you have no say on how our public finances are being used.

    • It surprises how even under Mwanawasa not a single guilty person was brought to book. It’s not only in government even in NGOs pilfering is rampant.

  29. I don’t believe in human rights at all. Anyone implicated must face a firing squad without trial (money buys acquittals). I’m happy Donald Trump supports Deterte of the Philippines for extra judicial killing of 14,000 suspected drug traffickers.

  30. Mr Mutati observed that the quantum at which stealing, misappropriation and misapplication was growing was very alarming.
    Mr Mutati said it was beyond carelessness, adding that it was now sheer greediness.

    Now, you have come to your senses that wrong doing does not go on forever.Stealing public funds by the minsters and top government officials is the main danger to the Zambian economy. We are failing to control the tax that has been collected, how can we control or collect tax from tax evasion and avoidance, which is just potential tax to collect?

  31. year in and year out you hear in the auditor general’s report that money has been misappropriated, stolen, embezzled and extra. This is the same money which finds it self in offshore accounts. This Kanyama should have explained the source of the money which these civil servants put in these offshore accounts pantu salary yena teti.

  32. The biggest culprit in wasteful, Extravagant, Reckless, and unregulated expenditure of Public Funds, is the Zambian Intelligence also infamously known as the Office of the President (OP).
    Under the guise of National Security and using Public Funds, the OP has illegally acquired instruments of Torture and Death, namely,Radiological (Radiation), Biological (Poisons), Chemical (Toxic Gasses), and Psychological weapons; Planned Air and Road Traffic Accidents; Hired Foreign Assassins; Recruitment, Radicalization, and Deployment of Children in Spying, Torturing and Killing innocent people; etc

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading