A suspected State House employee on Saturday slapped one of the journalists and an officer from the Ministry of Works and Supply who had accompanied Ministry of Works and Supply Felix Mutati to impound government vehicles which had no weekend passes but where on the road.
Reacting to the incident, Mr Mutati said he will follow the matter and that the offender will be dealt with as he saw no reason for one to get physical with journalists who were only doing their job.
He said even the President cannot permit such type of behaviour from government employees.
“We had an incident this morning where a person attacked a journalist and also one of the officers from our ministry and its understood that he is from State House. I know that even the president will not permit that type of behaviour, so I have gotten the details of the person and he will be dealt with according to our laws as a nation because we have to begin this journey of correcting wrongs from somewhere.”
Works and Supply Minister Felix Mutati has promised to deal with the culprit saying the path of wasting people’s money should come to an end and to do that government has to start from somewhere.
Darius Choonya, a journalist from CBC Television station was slapped as he was filming those found wanting in the exercise while another journalist Nchimunya from Diamond TV almost had his camera confiscated by the same man.
And Mr Mutati said there is to much wastage of government resources through abuse of government vehicles during weekends.
He said there is need for the people in government to change their mindset towards government property and that path of wasting tax payers money was dangerous and needs to change.
I think its quiet clear from the operation this morning. We have in the back ground a vehicle for the ministry of agriculture where the driver has absolutely no documentation meaning that their is a violation for all the rules and procedures.
The driver has no competent certificate, has no weekend pass and he has no log book so the vehicle has been impounded and we are going to take it to our ministry. We also had an incidence where a person who is not employed by government was driving a government vehicle issued to her husband and that is clearly abuse of government positions and property.
The overall objective we would want to achieve with this exercise is to begin to change the mindsets of our people that we can’t continue on a path of wasting peoples money it is a very dangerous path and it needs to change.
The Minister has promised to revamp the Ministry of Works and Supply by ensuring the ministry plugs off all wastage of resources due to abuse of government property and equipment.
He has also called for stiffer punishement for people found violating rules and procedures as a deterrent for would be offenders as the current fines are not enough to deter them.
Mutati said Government does not celebrate in the collection of penalties and treating it as revenue because that is not the way revenue is collected but that the penalties are directed towards changing the behaviour and mindset of the people, dealing with the merchants of indiscipline.
He said the penalty for the lady who drove her husbands vehicle when she is not a Government employee is K1 000.00.
“And I think we need to have stiffer penalties because that is the apex of indiscipline. Unless we put in the process sufficient deterrents people will continue to take a chance. We need to pay attention to the penalties to make sure we bring this to total control,” he said.
However, in an effort to curb the misuse of Government vehicles Mutati outlined the penalties as follows;
- Driving a Government Vehicle when one is not a Government employee attracts K 1000.00
- Driving a Government Vehicle by an unauthorised Government driver attracts K800.00
- Misusing a Government Vehicle by abrogating the laid down rules three times in six months attracts dismissal.
- Driving a Government Vehicle without a certificate of competence attracts K500.00
- Driving a Government Vehicle under the influence of alcohol drugs or alcohol attracts K250.00
- Parking at an unauthorised place such as bars attracts K250.00
- Over speeding or reckless driving attracts K150.00
He noted that with the said penalties it appears some people take them lightly but was quick to point that stiffer measures to ensure that there is control on usage of Government vehicles will be effected soon.
Mutati said Government cannot continue to be attacked by the people that it is failing to deliver services to them according to expectation because on the other hand it is permitting a process where government resources in terms of transport is being misapplied.
A team of officials from ministry of works and supply conducted checks on Government vehicle usage led by the Minister of Works and Supply himself and the ministries Chief of government transport on Alick Nkhata Road, Kamloops Road, and along great north Road in Kabangwe area.
A total number of 29 vehicles were impounded after drivers were found with various offences, with one lady who is not a Government employee but was driving her husband’s government issued vehicle.
Others were found guilty of driving without a certificate of competence, weekend pass while one had no single documentation on him and others had no Log Books.
Iyo mwandi this is a real takataka government with no vision at all for the poor majority of Zambians. A minister mounting a road block really really?
Kaiser slap them all the time, even at stadium.
WELL DONE BA FELIX!!!! In the past I was very critical about Mutati but recently I’m becoming impressed with his stance on many matters!
KEEP IT BA FELIGO! This is the kind of leadership that is needed! DONT RELENT THE PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA WILL SUPPORT YOU!
That officer who slapped the journalist is of the Kaizer Zulu mindset that we must see fired, retired and arrested! Enough of such nonsense!
Yes let Mutati do that. The situation is severe and he wants to see things for himself. Go on Mutati as former Finance Minister you know how difficult it has been even to raise the GRZ payroll. Go on seal the loopholes. As for slapping a journalist, I do not understand how something that is taking place in the open can attract anger and lead to slapping a journalist.
I don’t even know why some should give Felix Kudos for this exercise unless you were born recently this exercise has been done before many times but what has it solved if not for short term?? I expect Mutati to come up with long term management solutions such as an asset management system that tracks all government vehicles centrally that can block remotely as well as track routes and fuel usage etc… such a shame in the ICT era we should have such Neolithic interventions
Good Job Minister Mutati. The resource abuse in govt is just too much.
At least spineless Mutati is eating with them.And i doubt if at all he will do anything with the hand(State House) that feeds him.I pit Nakachinda who has just remained to be used as a useful i.d.i.o.t,the team that was manufactured by RB at their Kabwe gathering the gong’a convention.
Surely slapping someone is assault this is a police matter and a sackable offense ….and why should you fine anyone for driving an unauthorized this is a sackable matter, even when I was a kid when my father was working in govt then my mother never dared touched that GRZ vehicle even if he was out of town as its simply unimaginable
Felix is very proactive … this is one loophole that has been recklessly abused since KK’s time. In the first republic all government departments were self policing on this matter as all government vehicles used to be parked over the weekend except for Ministers.
FJT opened this window of abuse and the rest is history. Under UNIP no fuel requisitions were even allowed on Fridays but the current scenario has been on for almost two decades now.
Great job, Mr. Mutati … thanks a trillion for taking the lead to right this wrong and abuse of public resources.
Proud of you …
There are many other abuses by the public servant, even by the President himself, rather than this little smoke screen meant to dupe the f00lish. This is just a tip of the iceberg. This employee is being used to divert attention from the big abuses. I can see that some people have already moved into cheering as the best thing to ever be done. There are wider problems concerning abuse than this!
This in my opinion is very good. It shows how serious Mutati is . This used to happen when Panji Kaunda was deputy minister of Transport. He regularly worked with RATSA and police. Keep it up Mutati. I wish many more ministers could show this example in their ministries.
That’s a police case. Assault by bi.tch slapping
Mr Mutati you are sure the President cannot support that? if he supports ukulya mwibala nge ifyo?
Headline shouls have read “MMD President Mounts Roadblocks.”
When powerful people in high positions are using threats and the might of their office it means our law enforcement institutions are weak.
No law in Zambia it’s who you are connected to at state house mutati will fail waiting to see the outcome
This is just the tip of the iceberg…Mutati was finance minister he is aware of the recklessness but he is fighting a futile battle as his boss is not like his previous MMD leaders, Lazy Lungu has no stomach to fight such issues or see the sense in cutting expenditure of waste.
This is the kind of action that is needed, if we had more of such hard working and dedicated leadership I think we would be doing much better as a nation!
I’m actually very impressed with Felix Mutati! God bless you sir for this great intervention this is what it means to be a leader- your actions may anger a few but this will lead to responsibility and awareness from govt workers which in the long run will help the majority Zambians!
Very well done Hon Mutati!
Zambians should learn to sue any one regardless of status! How do you allow somebody to slap you and get away with it?
As for Felix, well done! Correct Mutaware’s nonsense of Ubomba Mwibala! It is the job of every tax payer to stop this abuse of national resources. ZRA collects enough taxes for everything but because of a few greedy criminals, it seems never enough hence the Avalanche of more punitive taxes. Enough is enough!!
Great initiative, well done. The fines for offenses look somewhat lopsided though…drink driving for example is one of the most dangerous acts so should be attracting much more fines.
Its laughable that you are caught driving a Govt car under the influence you are even fined…you call yourself a religious country when that’s a serious offence ….that is a Police matter, if its in the UK the company may as well ask you to clear your desk.
Very good Minister Mutati, you are a good servant of the government of our one and only President, the one who carries the title His Excellency.
Please keep up this diligent exercise and bring ALL and ANY culprit to book. I know it will be a long battle until the mindset of people changes. Here you have a case where abuse of government transport has gone on with impunity for so long that culprits have come to regard the abuse as a condition of service.
Hon minister, you will receive opposition from fellow ministers and senior government some pretending to have tge support of the President and some even taking tuchawa to the President’s ear. But succeed you MUST, otherwise the President’s development agenda will FAIL.
I am offering constructive criticism and support unlike the…
……I am offering constructive criticism and support unlike the sewage opposition whose main agenda is to celebrate failure.
And I see that h.h’s clan headed by Spaka and Jay Jay are still in bed probably nursing hangovers of gankata while I am already up and working including attending church.
Kaizer set that benchmark & Chimpyongo galvanised it all while ba Jona Mutawali was ndwiii, so silent you would assume we dont have a leader in plot 1.
Ba Mutati, just ACT don’t promise, as P.F promises are NOT worth the paper they are written on.
Remember when State House Thug No1 Kaizer, assaulted a Policewoman @ Gabon Disaster, there was outcry, & P.F told, dont worry, “We are investigating”, mpaka lelo!
Q; How does one know a P.F official is lying? Answer – His lips begin to move!
Kaizer set that benchmark & Chimpyongo galvanised it all while ba Jona Mutawali was ndwiii, so silent you would assume we dont have a leader in plot 1.
Ba Mutati, just ACT don’t promise, as P.F promises are NOT worth the paper they are written on.
Remember when State House Thug No1 Kaizer, assaulted a Policewoman @ Gabon Disaster, there was outcry, & P.F told, dont worry, “We are investigating”, mpaka lelo!
Q; How does one know a P.F official is lying? Answer – His lips begin to move!
Kainde mutaware and mulongoti are both Bantu botatwe
I wish and hope Wrungu will give you support bwana minister. This kind of thinking is in short supply in the Zambian cabinet
While I welcome Felix Mutati’s initiative to curb misuse of the government resources l feel the penalty for drink driving is too light, it should be revised to K1000.
Just imagine the fuel these fooooools are wasting driving around GRZ vehicles…no wonder they can not balance the budget as they are reckless and wasteful.
The article should be referring to a civil servant who slapped a journalist and not the sensational reference to a State House official, but who am I to direct our journalists not to seize the opportunity to indorm us and sell news? Anyway if State House or any prominent institution want to expose themselves to ridicule, who am I …….again? Kikikikiki….sorry State House you have your share of misguided staff…….kikikikikiki
By the way has h.h come back from South Africa? If so can tell us whether the arsonists in South Africa have been arrested by CR. Is tyere a Zambian a4sonist among them? Search the office of Maimane, you could find some hidden tools of arson complete with red masks. Some visits are not innicent or mere coincidences…..you need to tie them with related statements or false allegations desigbed so cover up…..kikikikikiki…..if there any Zambians pleade CR hand them over, we have Mukobeko, not those luxury hotels you call prison, us we have correctional facilities….although sometimes people emerge from them completely mad not panono.
The fires in zambia have stopped after 42/42 was paid out and some one in plot one personally pocketting $5 million….We told you, lungu knows who was burning markets..
An easy way to curb this behavior to calculate and deduct not less than 60 percentage of the perpetrator’s salary for 3-6 months and give the money to the treasury with due probation period. What we are experiencing is a clear manifestation of breakdown in law and order in the country.
Can this same ***** be found and fired from his position.
Well done mutati, if only lungu can show such prudence……
I know of an official at the agriculture ministry who is paid housing allowance in Lusaka yet has a hotel room paid for atleast 1 week every month in Lusaka…
This is a breath of fresh air. Well done Mr. Mutati.
Any Tax payer at home and abroad will be glad to learn that some measures are being taken to curb abuse of pubic property bought using Tax money.
This is surely a Katemba govt…lawlessness and indiscipline everywhere….very soon the Lazy thing will transfer Mutati to Culture Ministry as he is making his thieving staff uncomfortable.
Yes deal with them thats the way to go by.too much wastage of taxpayer money by civil servants.
Very soon you will hear that mr mutati has been transfered to nsonso ministry
Uubomba mwibala…Very good move though!
mutati is one of the plunderers. laws should enacted to deter plundering at ever level. no bail and a minimum of 25 years with hard labour for all plunderers like bena kambwili, liato etc.
That treatment of plunderers is too lenient! Male plunderers should be hung by the balls until every proceed of crime is recovered and Auctioned to offset debt. Ladies can suggest how we deal with female plunderers! It is unfair that the debt contracted and stolen by a few should now be paid by innocent citizens through punitive taxes. We can make a public example of all would be plunderers. One loophole we must seal is the duo citizenship one which was created primarily as an escape route for plunderers!
Why block my message imwee?
Maputo just change your pen name. It works!
Sorry i meant Kaputo
just change your pen name. That trick works!
Kudos Ba Felix and please do proper inventory some people who left grz
many years ago are still driving grz vehicles
Mutati has just showed these empty tins that Works and Supply is not just a ministry for reading newspapers…the funny thing with Lazy Lungu’s govt is that its mostly MMD Ministers doing work whilst the fooools are busy stealing and begging for loans!!
True Jay Jay. Lizards like Kapata, Kaizer et al don’t have a work ethic in their Corrupt bones unless it’s shifting Mukula logs for personal benefit, then you will will see them move their F@t Lardy @rses!
Word of caution to Mutati, Jona Padule, being lazy & allergic to work & bathing as he’s already told us, may misconstrue your good work stopping the rot in his Government, as a challenge to his Corrupt leadership.
DON’T BE SURPRISED IF KAIZER & CHIMPYONGO BEGIN SCHEMING, & YOU ARE SACKED IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. You’ve been warned!!
IMWEE BA LUSAKA TIMES, I NOW BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE PF CADRES INDEED. WHY BLOCK MESSAGES THAT DO NOT SUPPORT PF? TWAMISULA NOMBA CHAPWA.
I NEVER INSULTED IN MY COMMENT BUT WHY BLOCK MY COMMENT? WE CANNOT ALL BELONG TO PF.
Hon.Mutati hats off. Keep it up. You know government officials think when they are miss using GRZ funds, resources etc they are not affected, little do they know that they put pressure on Finance ministry, who also remain with no option but to go outside to borrow. Which we all suffer, because if every ngwee is counted Zambia can stand on it’s own. Boo Mutati the masses are behind you Sir.
“we have to begin this journey of correcting wrongs from somewhere.”
Yes!
Let’s then move to Lusambo beating up Kambwili next; Kaizer Zulu roughing up a guy in the stadium, then Dora Siliya’s corruption cases, From somewhere we should go somewhere
Let’s correct these wrongs
Hahaha,Zambia kuwayawaya fye.Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol ati K150?where is the logic?That’s too little bwana please
Some how I have a strong feeling Felix mutati will be President of Zambia after Edger lungu in 2026. Then after mutati there will be me in 2031.
This man is hard working finance we saw a lot of reforms and ZRA woke up no he is working up Works and supply ,after works and supply may you move him to education they are too many issues there and please don’t mind the noise makers work for your country live for a purpose and die for a course (mother zambia and its people)
In all fairness Mutati is a good man.
What we are looking for now is genuine leaders who can help mother Zambia. I am encouraging u Felix to remain focused and hard working irrespective of your political affiliation. You are working for the country not for a political Party. Thanks to Edger Changwa Lungu who realized that your potential could not be taken to waste but fully utilized for the benefit of mother Zambia. I guarantee you if work honestly and hard, people of Zambia will put you in state house in future.
Remember MC sata, a man who worked so hard in his days as minister. People remembered his hard work and commitment to national duty. It is the simple reason they voted for him. One cannot just go to state house simply because they have made wealth, it takes a record of honesty, commitment, selfless and hard…
If the state house official is indeed kaizer or one of the many pf minions who are running errands for Lungú then it is mutati who will fired or transferred. That is if mutati is sincere enough to make a follow up on this issue. Otherwise he should just play it safe and let it die a natural death like the stadium one.
This is what HH means when he says the Rule of Law has gone to the dogs in this country
State House indiscipline continues to filter into the streets. This is what happens when the supervisor and team leader is corrupt and indisciplined himself. It is like in a home. Very rare you find a fruit falling far from the tree. It might roll off, but not too far. That’s the state House of Zambia. Lungu is abusing the plane and the houses. One of them he has put his children. Mwanawasa did not even have a ride for his mother. Lungu’s people even beat people for their illegal satisfaction. What a country! Remember the buck stops at who…?
I think MUTATI is above this nonsense , what is he trying to prove ? To win the MMD PRESIDENCY or join PF and challenge ECL Ku convention? Its really boring then to be Finance minister then dropped to do road blocks HMMM..
Well done mr mutati you hav the energy to transform this .keep it up the good work and never look back ndiwe mwamuna walikabe mukalamba wandi,
Comment:Does mutati have long teeth to bit kaizer zulu and kampyongo?Anyway let us give chance to Malawian president to comment eventhough he is allergic on bathing .parents used to chase him to bath.that is enough evidence to prove that he is a zambian.
Its a commendable job by Felix, however a lasting solution is needed to curb abuse permanently. And that solution is not entirely in increasing the penalty fees but a management system that doesn’t require someone mounting a road block or check point. There are systems of monitoring and tracking vehicles out there,lets have all GRZ vehicles fitted with these trackers and have them monitored in every district. Its not possible that Felix can be mounting check points every day across the whole Zambia.While you try to ‘catch’ the Lusaka culprits, what happens to those in other parts of the country? Your actions are commendable in the short term but we need long term solutions to curb this abuse.
The President should support Mutati on this one. This is a good chance for the President to come in and support his Minister.
I would actually be launching a “Be Responsible Campaign”, rather than a “Keep Zambia Clean and Green Campaign”
The Truth Shall set you Free: Now this evidence that these things are happening. Even PF attacking UPND is true and also UPND attacking PF is also true. Take that so called intelligent officer for counseling. He needs Jesus in his heart and Family. Ba Mutati Well done for revealing this to the public. what a bad picture. Mwilasebanya State House. Transfer him immediately to a rural area.
Its unfortunate that some of our friends who have been previlaged to work serve at State House think that they are above the law. How does one in his normal state slap someone who is merely doing his duties. Its such people who are tarnishing the institution of the Presidency. We expect people who are serving the Head of State in whatever capacity to be above board in terms discipline. It wont take long before you hear that some one has been shot at. How does one act with impunity in the presence of a cabinet minister. Hon. Mutati should ensure that the officer involved is dealt with firmly as this will serve a lesson other officers who think they are above the law.
what austerity is he trying to put in place when this Government busy sending cadres on trips. These people sicken me I can’t wait for 2021
The slapping incident is really sad .
It is like ‘Pee ing’ on Public Works Department .
Truth be told : In the old days gone by , it is the slapper & his supervisor that would have been slapped , detained & reported to State House.
Heads must roll .
Felix Mutati report back to us in 5 days time .
Nothing will happen, Zambians can keep wishing, & dreaming, till pigs fly!!
Remember STATE HOUSE ABUSE STARTS FROM THE VERY TOP, SANCTIONED BY JONA PADULE HIMSELF!
1.Kaizer fired live ammo @ a citizen, – Jona ndwii, nothing happened.
2.Kaizer seriously assaulted a female citizen @ a service (Petrol) station
– Jona ndwii, nothing happened.
3.Kaizer physically assaulted a female law enforcement officer in full view of dozens, @ Gabon Disaster stadium, – Jona ndwii, nothing happened.
4.State House vehicles stopped whilst P.F officials were escorting Illegal Mukula, by fellow disgruntled P.F Cadres who were denied a corrupt cut. Disgruntled Cadres locked up by dangerous Corrupt Katondo schooled Chimpyongo, – Jona ndwii, nothing happened.
ARE YOU HONESTLY IN DREAMLAND COUNTRY MAN, TO…
cont;
ARE YOU HONESTLY IN DREAMLAND COUNTRY MAN, TO BELIEVE, THESE CORRUPT P.F, GOONS @ STATE HOUSE WILL ACT AGAINST, & SANCTION THEIR OWN THUG CORRUPT ENFORCER?
Such is the norm @ State House, as mentored by Kaizer, Jona’s special advisor for Corruption & Brutality.
Keep wishing, & hoping till 5 days is over.
If wishes were horses beggars would ride
That behavior must not be condoned. It is like HH’s! Please sort the “HH” fun out!