Thursday, March 28, 2024

Recurrent Wasteful Public Expenditure Due to Incompetence of Secretary to the Treasury

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Green Party leader Peter Sinkamba
Green Party leader Peter Sinkamba

Provided the person who is appointed to the position of Secretary to the Treasury is incompetent, recurrent wasteful public expenditure is here to stay, says Green Party President Peter Sinkamba.

Commenting on the proposed amendment to the Public Finance Act, Sinkamba said no law is good if those delegated with power to enforce it are incompetent to enforce it.

He said even if the Act is amended, provided salient provisions to deter wasteful practices and losses are not enforced, civil servants will continue stealing and wasting pubic moneys.

“At the moment, the law is sufficient to deal with thieving public officers. The problem is enforcement. Officers delegated by law to enforce discipline are incompetent to do so.

“Take for instance Section 30 of the Public Finance Act of 2004. This law vests power in the Secretary to the Treasury to control all collection of public revenue that is due to Government. The truth is that budget deficits are recurrent because the ST is too incompetent to enforce this provision. Also this law vests all power in the ST to ensure there is no wasteful or unnecessary expenditure of public moneys. However, the reality is that losses and wastes are recurrent.

“In essence, failure to meet revenue targets is an issue of the ST being incompetent. Wasteful and unnecessary expenditure implied the ST is incompetent,” Sinkamba said.

“You see, the ST is mandated to initiate disciplinary action against erring officers. It is the responsibility of the ST to ensure that all those implicated in loss, wasteful or unnecessary expenditure of public moneys in ministries and Government departments are reported to the Secretary to Cabinet for discipline.

“There is no way the Secretary to the Cabinet can take disciplinary action against erring officers with a recommendation of the ST. So failure to recover all moneys from persons who were cited by the Auditor General in the report for 2016 is the problem of ST. Failure to discipline them is also the problem of the ST. He is supposed to initiate disciplinary measures. He has not done so. This is almost three months gone after release of the Report by the Auditor General. If this is not proof of incompetence, then what is it?” Sinkamba asked.

On Minister of Finance Felix Mutati who says Government is working on the draft bill to strengthen the Public Finance Act, Sinkamba argued that such position is ridiculous.

“It is ridiculous to claim recurrent losses and wasteful expenditure is because of inadequate law. In its current form, the law is more than adequate. The trouble is incompetence in the treasury. The chief controlling officer who happens to be the Secretary to the Treasury is simply some incompetent fellow. He is fully responsible for the indiscipline, recurrent losses and waste of public moneys, not the law.

“Perhaps, the Public Accounts Committee needs to recommend removal of ST. I think it is high time that honorable Howard Kunda and his committee recommended the removal of the ST for incompetence. I think it is only such action that can save public moneys.

“As the old adage says, fish starts rotting from the head. If the other parts of the fish start rotting then the head is worse off. So when checking for the rottenness of fish, you start from the head and not the tail. And for the civil service, the starting point to check rottenness is the ST, and that must be the starting for deterrent action,” Sinkamba said.

51 COMMENTS

    • @Mwenya you and Sinkamba are correct! To expect an incompetent ST (is Mushotas’s uncle) and who was appointed on the nepotistic tendencies of his late brother-in-law who run the country like a fiefdom in Somalia! This is makes the who system to be riddles with mediocrity! We are in a step of drive by the looters or limbi no ba loser!

    • @Sinkamba – pure brilliance. Have you heard anything tribal there?

      I really like this man, an epitome of son of the soil, North, East, West and South “clap, clap, clap”

      Those chaps in government are blaming the law… this is ridiculous.

      What Sinkamba is talking about is GOLD DUST.

      Who is this ST…??? That position is absolutely cardinal, needs skills, knowledge and technical competence.

      Perhaps there’s only two issues to look at for him not to act, he is either a koswe himself or incompetent as Sinkamba says. I think it’s the former!!!

      Uuuuyo uuuyo uuuyo… mugwileni. That seat is supposed to be hot and should be made to report to the PAC every time there’s an audit. If the PAC be unhappy with the ST efforts in the committee meeting … recommend to be fired!!!…

    • Cont — If the PAC be unhappy with the ST efforts in the committee meeting … recommend to be fired!!! Zambia has plenty resources to fill that position every year, if it came to that.

    • Good article but bad timing, its time to spend time with our loved ones instead of debating on LT.

      MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL ZAMBIANS and MAY 2018 BRING CONSTRUCTIVE DEBATES WITH CONSTRUCTIVE CONTRIBUTION VOID OF HATE AND TRIBALISM.

    • Sinkamba recommends reporting those suspected of wrong doing to Secretary to the Cabinet for disciplinary action. WHY?
      Take them to court!
      Corruption thrives in environments defined by convoluted administrative and coorective process. The shortest distance to transparent and effective disciplinary action is a straight shot to court. That’s why we have courts.

    • ST is Sata’s brother on marriage who was even sworn to the position in Camera (Zambians forget so easily). Edgar knows the man is incompetent but he fears the shadow of Sata. GET the man out so that we could work there.

  1. When Godfrey Miyanda as Minister started to retire his imprest including the balance, all junior officers began to shiver. They lamented that he was running the ministry military style, yet it was just financial accountability. If all ministers can emulate him, there will be a reduction in the levels of indiscipline. But alas… .

    • The ST is supposed to enforce that… Miyanda was led by his morals, which is a rare fit in three quarters of the Zambian population.

    • NSCS, meaning most Zambians are immoral!!!

      Poverty, greed, lust, opportunism all combine to make these citizens of a “christian nation” steal at every opportunity which presents itself.

      On the other hand, the thinking of a civil servant is that of sangwapo. If the political leadership is stealing and relaxed in dealing which such a vice, who is a civil servant not to steal? They will use all kinds of cliche to justify the terrible behaviour. These things come around. Now we have cadre MP Alexnader Chiteme of Nkana Constituency blaming civil servants….THAT INCLUDES SECRETARY TO THE THE TREASURY.

  2. HOWARD KUNDA HERE IS YOUR 2018 CHALLENGE: “It is ridiculous to claim recurrent losses and wasteful expenditure is because of inadequate law. In its current form, the law is more than adequate. The trouble is incompetence in the treasury. The chief controlling officer who happens to be the Secretary to the Treasury is simply some incompetent fellow. He is fully responsible for the indiscipline, recurrent losses and waste of public moneys, not the law.

    “Perhaps, the Public Accounts Committee needs to recommend removal of ST. I think it is high time that honorable Howard Kunda and his committee recommended the removal of the ST for incompetence. I think it is only such action that can save public moneys.

  3. The ST is a product of nepotism from the late MCS (brother in marriage) and he is truly incompetent. He is the only survivors from the Sata clique that Lungu and Esther have replaced with their own relatives. Lungu has found this guy “user friendly” and co-opted him into the Koswe system for express payments of contractors and other large government procurements like fire tenders. This ST and his boss the Secretary to the Cabinet (SC) are incompetent but “useful” to the koswe system.

  4. This ganja man is more knowledgeable and analytical than those people leading larger political parties. These are issues our leaders are supposed to be raising and not daily insults and performing rituals on roads

    • Have known Peter since the time of ZIT when he was publicity secretary for students union in 1985/86. He is smart. Not some of these fake PHD holders. It is time we reshape our politics not the koswe syndrome!

  5. Ba mwine, take a chill. No one shud dectate what are issue, what are not issurs. Chikamba like other citizens can choose to raise whatever issues close to his heart; meanwhile other citizens are free to comnent on same or different issues. So what do u mean by “these are issues we expect bla bla… not road rituals?” U must be dull to think that all must talk about only one issue- chikambas issue!

    • What is mwanawase? Sinkamba is smarter than someone who is leading the largest tribal party. The best ganja can do is align himself to pf and can easily scoop the presidency and from there begin his journey. No one has ever dropped from the blues and become the president of Zambia. It’s from the ruling party that successors comes from. Just align yourself with the ruling party and you’ll get it. Hh would’ve been president by now had he accepted the invitation to join sata. He was busy thinking about his tribal grouping.

    • You are on point muntu wandi.

      It’s funny but God has a way to stop evil dead in its tracks.

      If you asked HH now, why he left the pact with PF, he has no reasonable explanation.

      We read in the bible that God normally sends confusion in the evils camp.

  6. Sinkamba, you are a rare cream in current Zambian politics. Simple analysis yet full loaded with common workable sense. Yes the TOP is too soft. No voice ,no action . Even Chiluba could at times ambush and audit the efficiency , punctuality to work and levels of integrity in the civil service. Mungufuli of Tanzania has made it a standing practice in his rule. My beloved president EL simply cant see an iota of sense in that. Im a very disappointed supporter of this gvt

    • Even companies vet potential employers , especially to management positions…..lungu might be a nice person but is totally unsuited to the role of President , especially seeing he lost his law licence for defrauding a client….that should tell you about his character …

  7. It is encouraging that the public are finally working up to the operations of the civil service. Unfortunately it is as a result of misappropriation of public finances, what most people are calling stealing?
    As a civil servant myself I feel it is my duty to point out one fact that has been ignored in this debate. Much of these monies cited in the Auditor general report could not have been misappropriated without the full know of controlling officer or warrant holders, i.e. permanent secretaries. Friends it is practically impossible for an officer, even at Director level to withdrawal funds from a public account without full knowledge of the warrant holder.
    The question the public should be asking is, why are Permanent Secretaries ALLOWING this level of misappropriation? Has it always…

    • SINKAMBA SAYS: “As the old adage says, fish starts rotting from the head. If the other parts of the fish start rotting then the head is worse off. So when checking for the rottenness of fish, you start from the head and not the tail. And for the civil service, the starting point to check rottenness is the ST, and that must be the starting for deterrent action.”

      It is the core function of the ST to ensure that his PSs are functioning according to the guidelines and law. If the ST dysfunctional, then, according to Hon Chiteme (PAC), ‘monkeys in the maize field’ will have a field day. So the buck falls at the ST, for starters, not PS

  8. The whole system is hemmed in corruption floater, line and sinker. Because no one seems to e concerned. No one has the right motivation.

    There is a pure chancer at the helm of the country’s political system. But one would infer from his attitude and disposition towards fiscal management that such issues are not his domain. He cares less about that than his personal fame, comfort and opulence.

  9. How I wish hh and other opposition could have healthy minds like president Sinkamba! I rate this guy highly, he is among the top 4 contenders to be President of Zambia after Edgar’s last term expires in 2026. hh and Kambwili are a distant 126 and 150 respectively.

  10. Mate good point but if you are going to quote that old adage about the fish starts rotting from the head, then you may as well know which one is the head. LUNGU is the head, and he is the grandmaster of all this corruption and stealing. Are you telling me Lungu doesn’t know what you are talking about, i.e. he does not know that the ST is incompetent?

    The truth is Lungu and the entire govt of his minions uses these statutory office bearers to steal for him… he uses the treasury, the ST and others to do the stealing for him and that is why he cannot put competent people in those positions.

  11. But the reality is that it is the entire system that is rotten, and blaming one person the ST (who is the ST anyway) alone is being simplistic. Corruption culture is in the DNA of all Zambians (especially our friends from the North and North East).
    From a street vendor wanting to get a cut from an innocent stranger merely asking for directions;
    The church pastor masquerading as a profit and buying designer clothing from the flock’s tithe… while threatening them with hell if they didn’t donate;
    The civil servant whose first mission is to learn how to exploit the system to find loopholes to steal;
    The civil servant who wants to attend functions so they can get sitting allowances and per diem;
    Your nephew wanting to steal and lead a luxury life from the business money you have trusted…

    • continue reading…
      Your nephew wanting to steal and lead a luxury life from the business money you have trusted them with;
      The cop who enforces safety road rules but their mission is to get a cut so they can go home rich;
      The cop who can only investigate your reported crime if you gave them lunch money or transport money;
      The tax driver and bus driver who would do anything to get extra money to pocket;
      A doctor or nurse who can only prescribe or administer good medicine if you gave them pocket money;
      The minister who inflates the price of goods and services like a dual carriage road or fire trucks or exported maize so they can pocket the difference;
      The minister who gives tenders to their company or friends’ company;
      … to the president who gets filthy rich within few…

    • Continue reading…
      … to the president who gets filthy rich within few months of being in power; is blond to corruption of his ministers; steals elections.
      There is no country here… it is rotten to the core, and until you can correct the culture and the system, forget about it!

  12. If hh wants to wish us happy christmas please refresh us by leaving out his bitterness, stick to best wishes. Please please please for a change just this once only do not spoil our festive mood, our giving mood.

  13. Alternative facts, check the names and affiliation of those erring civil servants then you will agree that this is pure economic sabotage for political strategy “we must bring down this government at all costs”, never mind the poor citizens, it is our turn.

  14. You all can blaming who and who but lungu has the power to stop this corruption and looting……..ati bring evidence…..

    • BaSpaka like lilo be brave board Kenyan Airways and go tell Mr Lungu other than just preaching your gospel about his weakness on every issue that is raised. You seem to be more knowledgeable kikikiki go mune!even on Ethiopian. Do not develop BP out here.

  15. Please give this man a seat in Parliament just one will do…not those opposition MPs taking up oxygen in the house and getting allowances from sitting on committees!!

  16. Sinkamba is right, this is a non partisan issue, we are all Zambians and we all want development, the audition general’ s report is incomplete because after the PAC has gone through the report a lot of queries are clarified in the report, and so the auditor general should revise the report to come up with the final report, and who ever is found wanting should be prsrcuted as Sinkamba have said, right now everything ends at PAC and further action is taken to punish the criminals, the civil service must change.

  17. You can call it Koswe system or rat system. We know you Tongas/Lozis are just bitter, furtunately the will of God will never allow you to rule because you can bring up civil war in this country! Its by the lord’s design that you are fewer in numbers than Northerners/Easterners put together, otherwise your unaccommodating attitude would have put Zambia in flames long time ago! If Koswe is not good enough then Ing’ombe Ilede (HH) is worse because he eats the whole day the whole night in order to have to have something to chew the curd! In short your HH is very selfish, white collar thief, remember privatization with Fredirick Chiluba, Ronald Penza and Valentine Chitalu!

  18. Leave the ST alone you bastards….with or without nepotism it is all about the right person to do the job….look at Trump….the ST is doing a commendable job….mwanya you have to wait fintu fyenu…

    • Bastardised bastard niwe… I wonder how your house smells.

      Judging by your argument, you the type who sweeps sh1t under the carpet and call it air freshener.

  19. I don’t agree with the blanket accusations leveled against the ST by Mr. Sinkamba. Which previous ST (or Senior PS/Controlling Officer) ever sent an erring officer to prison? Which PAC sent erring officers to court? Why does the PAC continue blaming current Controlling Officers for “sins” committed by previous Controlling Officers? It is because the current Finance (Control & Management) is deficient. It doesn’t spell definitive punitive measures to be meted out to culpable officers. The PAC and the Office of the Auditor General, in their current form and under the current laws dealing with public finances, are toothless bulldogs. They will continue to back but will not bite.

    It don’t believe it fair to single out and individual or office (ST) for the lacuna in punishing…

    • @Zambian, I disagree with your thesis that simply because no previous ST (or Senior PS/Controlling Officer) ever sent an erring officer to prison, or PAC sent erring officers to court, then the current ST should not do so. That thesis is warped because it an anti-change argument. There is no way a country can develop if is going to promote status quo, even if the status quo is theft of public resources.

      If you are current Controlling Officer, and you find that the immediately past Controlling Officer stole, you have a duty to unleash the security agencies on him to recover the stolen funds. If you don’s PAC is justified to admonish you. As Sinkamba has indicated, Section 30 of the Public Finance Act is not deficient. It provides for recovery of stolen, lost or wasted public funds from…

  20. Weed comments here on Sinkamba must be some revealing prophecy.

    The first five President of the U.S. (George Washington (1); George Adams (2); Thomas Jefferson (3); James Madson (4); and James Manroe (5)) are believed to have smoked weed.

    And so is the case with the last three Presidents (Barack Obama (44); George W. Bush (43); and Blll Clinton (42), all confessed smoking weed.

    Back home, it is believed that of the last 6 Presidents of Zambia 5 smoked weed. So, it looks like Sinkamba is destined for presidency….this could be prophecy!

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