State House has clarified that First lady Esther Lungu will be travelling to the United States of America to receive four fire trucks that were donated to the Esther Lungu Trust and not to the government.
Presidential Spokesperson Amos Chanda said in an interview with Hot FM that the fire trucks will be subsequently handed over to government as the Esther Lungu Foundation has no use for them.
Mr. Chanda explained that Mrs. Lungu’s trip to USA will be partially sponsored by the donors and government will foot part of the travel expenses.
He said government officials on her delegation have been tasked to assess if the trucks are in conformity with Zambian standards.
Mr Chanda explained that officials in Mrs Lungu’s 25-member delegation to the United States are going to assess if the trucks conform to Zambian standards.
He maintained that the trip was partially sponsored by the people who donated the four fire trucks to the Esther Lungu Foundation Trust.
Mr. Chanda stressed that government would only foot part of the travel expenses.
Last week, News Diggers revealed that First Lady Esther would this week lead a 25-member delegation on a two weeks visit to the United States of America where they are all going to receive four fire trucks.
According to records obtained from State House, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs processed American Visas for 25 travellers, among them a bedroom attendant, cook, cleaner, waiter, about seven police officers, four journalists, three secretaries, two fire brigade officers, a communications officer and accountant.
There is no justification…..,25 man travel delegation while Zambian children are unable to go to school….???
And who are those people who are paying part of this trip ? This is corruption.
So why can’t the same Mrs lungu foundation pay for this trip ??
Unbelievable what I am reading.
Taking 25 grown men and women on airplane still sounds too luxury. Does it really matter if it’s her personal Firetrucks, she doesn’t have to import party-goes to go with her to dance. If Ba Ester wanted to make it more special, she could have invited Zambians in USA to go welcome her, and would have paid nothing.
Even Zambians here in USA knows how to party like crazy.
There is no justification whatsover for sending 25 people to go and “inspect” 4 fire trucks. This is extremly wasteful. And why spend 2 weeks? And i highly doubt any donor would sponsor such a superfluous trip.
Mr Chanda, please do not insult our intelligence. You cant justify the unjustifiable.
It seems that despite the outcry against the wastefulness of this PF regime, despite the so called austerity measures, the propensity to wasteful expenditure is growing. The austerity only applies to the docile ordinary zambian on the street. Not to the great leader, his family and his circle of friends. Lungu is the architypical african greedy despot.
Office of the First Lady has a budget every year. There’s nothing sinister here. The entourage has people who will be playing specific roles.
I would like to appeal to those of you that support Mr Lungu to look at these things. This may appear a small extravagance, but Jesus warned that “he who is unfaithful with very little will be unfaithful in much”. If Mr. Lungu is wasteful in what seems petty, what makes you think he will not be wasteful with much?
Mr Lungu has been plagued with scandal after scandal after scandal. Doesnt that tell you something? And he has only been in power for 3 or so years. How many scandals did Mr. Sata have in the same period? How many did Mr. Mwanawasa have?
So if you have a budget in the home and you use it to buy expensive clothes, porsh cars, alcohol and parties, while your kids have no uniforms and books its ok since you had a budget? Where is our integrity? Where is our reasoning? Where is our morality?
But i guess when people benefit from a corrupt system they will defend it tooth and nail to protect their daily bread.
Some of you should be careful. You may prevail in you unjust conduct against men, but i promise you that you wont escape God. In due course you will recieve what you deserve. That is guaranteed.
Mr kudos
Are for real to justify a 25 man delegation while Zambians are finding it hard to send kids to school ??
Why can’t she recive the trucks in Zambia ?
– The Office of First Lady is an illegal office, so any allocation of even K1 from treasury is a criminal offence.
– Do you need a Cookie, a bedroom attendant, a waiter, 7 police officers, 4 secretaries, 7 journalist for 15 days to assess if the fire-trucks are in conformity with Zambian standards?
Lets not imitate Grace “Gucci” Mugabe, otnerwise our locals will end up like the Zimbabwean economic refugees.
Mulekeni Esther to eat in her garden. Where will she go in USA. I am in Utah, perhaps I could see her.
Just the cost of return Air tickets from Lusaka to USA plus allowances ($500/day x 15 days) of 25 Pipo is enough to buy 10 useless Left-Hand-Drive fire-trucks.
Am non partisan but I think its about time all Zambians rise up against Lungu and his minions….these guys are taking Zambian citizens for fools…..
now this amos has shown the o Zambia that indeed is mad, listen to his crying.
Iwe Chanda, what are you saying Kanshi? 25 peoples minus Esther 24 jus to go an assess the trucks? Mmmmmmh bane. The cover up is most uncovering. Austerity measures ai? Two step forward 100+ backwards in the work of the so called austerity. Let the Americans send those trucks, I will assess them for you here. Chanda unama boza.
“Mr Chanda explained that officials in Mrs Lungu’s 25-member delegation to the United States are going to assess if the trucks conform to Zambian standards”. This should be done BEFORE any travel plans are made. US have their own experts who can do that, if necessary they could work closely with our Embassy there. Come on guys we are not stupid
Why are fire fighting trucks handed to a first Lady? Why not to local government representatives? Why not the mayor? Why is Mrs Lungu employing her husband’s office spokesperson to defend her moves? Why doesn’t she speak to the media herself?
What Fireengines do these morons need..if anything they need equipment..you can inspect the specification online as if they would turn it down if it was not the right spec…
‘He said government officials on her delegation have been tasked to assess if the trucks are in conformity with Zambian standards’ Does it mean when found not to conform to our standards they will be rejected?
Sunday u moron you think we are stup!d and we can believe a thief like you, this is a pure waste of money that people have been heavily taxed, even if you try justify the stup!dy going on here no one will believe you. We know the govt is footing the bill for the whole trip, so just shut up and go and eat the money you stole from social cash..pompwe iwe
I honestly hope Amos is lying when he says part of the bill for the trip will be met by the people who invited her to America. Imagine what they would think of us if they discovered that 25 people accompanied the first lady to go and receive 4 trucks.
And Amos there are only 2 fire experts their.Your namesake Malupande,what is his business on this trip if the trucks have been donated to the so called Foundation?
25 man list includes a bedroom attendant, cook, cleaner, waiter, about seven police officers, four journalists, three secretaries’ …..Ladies and Gentlemen, these are the experts we have in Zambia to assess fire trucks in USA for their suitability for use in Zambia. For your information all vehicles in USA are LEFT HAND DRIVE, so these trucks are obviously LHD. One disadvantage already. Useless trucks!!
Too much hype over nothing. The trip is funded mainly by the donors.
Stop lying , which donners are silly enough to pay for Mrs lungus cleaner and Cook to go to the USA ???
FELLOW ZAMBIA’S SHOULD WE ASSUME, HOSPITALS ARE DELIBERATELY UNDER FUNDED TO PROMOTO SOUTH AFRICAN HEALTH TOURISM GOING BY SOME ARGUMENTS FORWARDED HERE. IF YOU HAD SUCH RICH FRIENDS OR DONORS WHAT WOULD YOU PREFER THEY DONATE OR FUNDED?
sometimes it better to keep quiet over matters u know deep down your heart are not correct
Her being the first lady I believe her trip will be associated with some miscellaneous businesses here and there. However, I agree with Laura Miti, officials must learn to economize their trips. By the way, Esther Lungu is hard working PF. I hope she is not offended.
Atase hardworking uko kwine. Who approved her budget? Parliament? If not it’s theft. Like Chiluba s presidential slush funds
Iwe ka chanda. You mean zwd was right.
I personally dont take zwd seriously but now you are forcing most of to consume zwd stories.
So are you saying if trucks dont conform Esther lungu wont accept the gift.
What conformity are you talking about about.
My advise is simple. Ask for engineers report and vehicle specs. Thats enough.
We no engineer in Zambia that can assess America car because we have no tools for doing that job and our engineers are functionally illiterate
Lastly those are emergency trucks.
You can NOT use a left hand emergency vehicle in country that is right hand drive because you can’t be in full control of the road
Me two
Am a non partisan political consultant
NO NEED FOR INSULTS BUT THE DELEGATION IS ALSO TOO LARGE. MRS PRESIDENT. EVEN AS PF LET US LEARN TO DO SERIOUS INTROSPECTION. WE CAN CRITICISE OURSELVES. IN THE LIGHT OF AUSTERITY MEASURES THIS LOOKS TOO LUXURIOUS. OTHER GOVERNMENT WORKERS ARE LOOKING AT THIS AND WILL ALSO DO THE SAME USING PUBLIC FUND AT THE OFFICE. MAKE UNNECESSARY TRIPS TO DO SUPERVISIONS WITH ALMOST EVERYONE AT THE OFFICE, THEN COME AND CLAIM SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE.
Zambia does not have a first Lady office. This is illegal expenditure
If our Supreme leader decided to walk around naked one day state house and A.mosi would find a way to justify it.
Me. Kudos your budgeting and priorizing skills are really messed up. Buying a jaguar when your son is starving due to lack of food just because you budgeted for it at the beginning of the year is reckless and abominable. Wise up idoit.
Nindalama za anyoko…….?
Eehhh iwe ka chanda ???
That is atleast £200,000 for the jet on the outward journey alone…..
Amos Chanda
Advise Mrs lungu that this expense on the Zambian taxpayer amidst suffering and susterity will adversely affect her standing in international circles.
She will be hounded and and pointed at. Her charitable work will be rubbished.
We will publicise this expense world wide.
Zambia is not a rich country.
“He said government officials on her delegation have been tasked to assess if the trucks are in conformity with Zambian standards” Chanda is not okay in his head the product is free and the US have better standards than Zambia, there is no justification for this broad-day light theft.
LUNGU-MUST-GO
Am a patriot and I have said this many times over
I have said upendi must choose a New leader.
Politics of Gbm and kabwili must come to an end. Thats where I question hh. How can you honestly embrace these 2 including tekere.
Is that the meaning of forward forward forward. Foward with politics of GBM and Kambwili
Mr. Kudos, are you for real with your posting? I can’t believe you’re supporting such stupidity. These guys are not even ashamed of the daily scandals happening right in front of us. Who would support such stupid stuff? A 25 delegation to USA for fire trucks? Are you kidding me! Zambians need to punish these thugs, ba pompwe, bashimwibila nsala!
The two fire Chiefs, one deputy, plus Zambian embassy personnel could take them around California. Why is the whole first ladies protection detail, and her attendants going?
I am wondering why people are complaining yet its a known fact that PF first has no austerity measure in place. Second they want to enjoy before they leave power, thirdly they have no heart for vulnerable people.
“Amos Mr Chanda explained that officials in Mrs Lungu’s 25-member delegation to the United States are going to assess if the trucks conform to Zambian standards”.
Iwe Amos Chanda niwe chizende, so whynot send thetwo or three officers to go and inspect the fire engines for compliance before First Lady travels to receive the fire engines? What if they are not suitable for Zambia, then what?
But anyway, our Mother of the Nations travel for many assignment rather than just recieving fire engines, all of them good missions for Za.mbia
What about Mutinta if she became a First Lady?
Impossible anyway under her current husband. Maybe another husband, like Graca Machel Mandela.
Ule chepuba
If this trip of 25 useless people goes ahead , my first point of protest is with the UK foringe office,
I pay tax in the UK and part of my tax money is given to Zambia as aid……I think my tax money being used to pay for a waiter and cleaner to travel with Mrs lungu is downright outrages ….
We are coming with you, let’s just arrange a date and time
25 member delegation to receive 4 fire tenders over a period of 2 weeks. Speaks volumes in itself. It’s unfathomable that there can be people here supporting this self indulgent waste of resources sojourn.
I have said time and time again, that in all this and other shenanigans, the biggest tragedy of all, is that we Zambians are taken for mugs by the politicians, we accept it hook, line and sinker, have a weak civil society and impotent Parliament.
Total embarrassment !! A group of headless drunken zambians travelling to inspect what ?? Scroungers rushing off to pick up scrap from America. , no sense of guilt when tax payers money is being wasted on useless travels. Just tell the nation that you’re on a shopping spree using tax payers money!!
Donors are watching and laughing at this primitive behaviour.
Still more there is no justification you fooool. Just because you are paid huge tax payers money and you want to lie. In your st.upid wisdom this is justification as if you are telling grade ones on their first day in school.
People are recording all these and one day you will pay back. Just wait!!!!
You are a disaster!!!!!
Amos Chandas thought process is absolute pants. There is no justification in his statement. There is no prudence at all in this trip. 25 people travelling to the US to receive four 2nd hand fire trucks? Utter pants!
This what corruption does to one’s mind set.
No need to go and collect as that money
Can be used in our hospitals and clarify
Which donors contributing for this trip
And how much government putting in.
Amos is talking from his back end trying to insult Zambians with his trash .Twenty five people is excessive and extravagant . The President has changed his career to a traveler and now this .
WHY WOULD THE USA DONATE FIRE TRUCKS TO MRS LUNGU —- THAT IS ABSOLUTE RUBBISH AND WE NEED TO FIND OUT FROM AUTHORITIES IN THE USA IF THIS IS A TRUE STORY. AMOS CHANDA STOP LYING TO ZAMBIANS !!!!!!!!!!!! STOP STEALING TAX PAYERS MONEY THAT IS MEANT TO UPLIFT THE LIVES OF THE POOR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whichever way you look at it this trip is not justified. Why can’t the First lady travel with just 2 relevant fire officers and a few officials from her office?
Esther is entitled to certain minimum security detail and that is a fact. In the USA white house even has a diaper unit. So number of personnel should not be an issue here, however she should just send the two fire officers included in that delegation to go and do the assessment if she has a conscious over poverty pa zed. Her duty should be to receive those trucks from here. it’s cheaper to fly two donors & fire officers to/from USA to Zambia than Esther & her security detail.
Zambians can be so petty . when the first lady travels ,, she has a standard complement of staff that travel with her. A cook yes, bedroom attendant, secretary , security men ( police) and some others I may not know. This is standard whether she is going to shangombo or america. So stop being petty and be glad she solicited fire truct that will benefit Zambians.
7 police officers , a waiter , a cleaner, 2 journalists ??
You must be thinking of Mrs trump , Zambia is not as rich as the USA badala…
Gunduzani, come on! All these members in the entourage for an event that will take no more than an hour?? And they are away for two weeks??? This is not about Zambians being petty but having oversight and interrogating how our money is being used – in this case being misused!!
This is the kind of thinking that will ensure that this country never progresses
Amos Chanda, you insult our intelligence. Do you mean cleaners and cooks and bedroom attendants and waiters are all going to asses these fire trucks? Amos you are skating on thin ice here. We want proof of how much the donars are paying and how much of our tax money is put in. And why two weeks? are they still manufacturing these fire trucks. The money being used on thise huge deligation is enough to pay a specialist for our hospitals.
This so called Amos is advisor to President, no wonder we are where we are. I wouldn’t even allow him to clean my car.
“Mr. Chanda said government officials on her delegation have been tasked to assess if the trucks are in conformity with Zambian standards.” What happens if the trucks do not conform to the said Zambian standards? Also remember the English saying that you do not look a gift horse in the mouth… I Amos is trying to justify the unjustifiable!
Amos Chanda is a criminal , just remember you time will come when you will be an ordinary citizen and you will account for your deeds. You are paid to lie, why didn’t the people “ who donated” the fire truck asses if the trucks were suitable for Zambian terrain, is it sensible to send 25 people to go and assess? Zambia will never develop because of people like Amis who are selfish and o my acxumukating wealth fir themselves .
This explanation from Amos is ridiculous and does not hold water at all! Why didn’t the donor send technical specification for professional adjudication? Suppose the delegation travels to USA and they find the spec does not comply with Zambian standards, then what after all the travel expenses? Would it not have been prudent for the donors freight the engines to Zambia and have the presentation ceremony done in Zambia with donors represented by Ambassador Foote? This reckless misapplication of resources is a sign of thoughtlessness by those in leadership. This should prick the conscience of Mrs. Lungu herself. But then she does not pay any tax and can’t appreciate our pain at the abuse of our meagre resources.
Esther can travel to the USA on a private visit and do her shopping. Why do people want to leave State House as criminals. We shall have no mercy not even on the accomplice being the wife.
ESTER LUNGU FOUNDATION MY FOOT, ON WHOSE COST IS SHE TRAVELLING WITH THAT USELESS DELEGATION OF TWENTY FIVE. WHY CANT THAT MONEY BE PUT TO GOOD USE LIKE IMPROVING AT LEAST A WARD IN UTH. SO IF SHE DOES NOT GO THE FIRE TENDERS WILL NOT COME?. GOD HAVE MERCY.
And if found unsuitable, is she going to reject them, given that they are donations? In any case, the donation seems to be misdirected, why not donate to Government directly?
The US is complicit to this economic sabotage by the Lungu family against the impoverished Zambians. Someone going to the US to do important things may have a challenge but they are in a rush to give visas for a corruption-stinking undertaking. The Zambians don’t need such kind of gifts that will make us poorer. Fire engines are not a priority here. Despicable!
Mr Chanda explained that officials in Mrs Lungu’s 25-member delegation to the United States are going to assess if the trucks conform to Zambian standards.????
IS IT POSSIBLE FOR USA TO HAVE FIRE ENGINES INFERIOR TO OUR BELOVED AND FAMOUS $ 42 MILLION
SCANIA FIRE TRUCKS??? I FEEL THAT IS AN INSULT TO THE DONORS.