The FIC 2018 Report Exposes PF Theft Matrix
By Mapanza H Nkwilimba
The Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) has given Zambians a report on Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Trends in 2018. The Centre has done its part. It has laid bare the Patriotic Front (PF)’s theft matrix. What will Zambians do? Will we continue watching while our resources are being looted by a heartless minority? Where are the institutions created to uphold law and order and hold accountable officials that mismanage our resources? There must be a time when Zambians must say enough is enough. That time is now. The professional men and women in institutions such as the Zambia Police Service, Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC), and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) must pluck some courage and do the right thing for mother Zambia. The right thinking Zambians will fight with you.
The report is telling us that trends (developments, tendencies, inclinations) in the mismanagement of national resources by those entrusted with the responsibility of serving us are similar to those in previous years and have increased. “In 2017, the Centre disseminated reports involving suspicious financial transactions valued at ZMW4.5 billion, increasing to ZMW 6.1 billion in 2018”. This could mean one or two things: the FIC has done a great job of assessing more suspicious transactions, and a few people in the PF have grown bolder over the years and now they steal from Zambians with impunity. They are stealing more and more because they know citizens will do nothing. They have learnt that “Zambians forget easily”.
A whopping ZMW 4.9 billion is attributed to bribery and self-dealing / Conflict of Interest. What it means is that the colossal amount of money was stolen through inducing, enticing, buying off and paying off individuals or entities providing goods and services. It also means that PF functionaries or Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) took advantage of their positions in the suspicious financial transactions. The few bad eggs in the PF acted in their own interests rather than in the interests of the rest of Zambians who should have benefited from the resources if they were applied to areas such as agriculture, education, health, paying retirees and many other important sectors. A few people with self-interest have stolen from the majority of Zambians. They can afford to steal with impunity because they hired themselves through a fraudulent political process while we as shareholders watched helplessly.
The public procurement activities reported show how the few PF cadre plunder our resources. They have ensured that they alone are the beneficiaries of the national cake to the exclusion of the rest of Zambians. The Government procurement process is managed fraudulently. Some individuals managing the process are full of deceit. They are dishonest and deceptive. The end product is illegality. Illegality has become the hallmark of the PF kleptocracy. The kleptocrats are using the power they gave themselves through the 2016 elections to exploit the majority of Zambians and our natural resources in order to extend their personal wealth and political powers. The few have embezzled funds at the expense of 16 million Zambians. The corrupt politicians are using their political power to receive kickbacks, bribes, and special favors at the expense of the majority of Zambians. Is it any wonder that Zambia is now witnessing the use of political leverage to pass laws that enrich them and their constituents? The circumvention of the rule of law has become a norm.
The Report points out the manipulation of certain specifications during the procurement process. Do you remember the 42 by US$ 42 million fire tenders and the ambulances fiasco, just to mention two among many?
The Report points out the manipulation of certain specifications during the procurement process. Do you remember the 42 by US$ 42 million fire tenders and the ambulances fiasco, just to mention two among many? The PF has been manipulating some specifications “to disadvantage other bidders” so that only the PF cadre benefit from the process. In the process legitimate businesses are denied opportunities to participate in tendering for supply of goods and services. When legitimate businesses are crowded out there is loss of business that may result in inability to employ or pay workers. Since the PF cadre dubiously give each other contracts it is not surprising that “most contracts are not performed as per contractual obligation.” There are many stories out there of PF cadres that get contracts dubiously and they fail to complete projects because they have to pay some PF Government officials at district, provincial and national level for their perceived role in facilitating the award of contracts.
The Report gives detailed methods by which the PF laundered funds. The PF theft matrix includes use of PF connected Shell Corporate Vehicles, PF connected gate-keepers, and Domestic Financial institutions headed by PF cadres and sympathizers. Some PF cadres and their associates own companies that are not operational and have no known addresses. Some of these companies “were used to obtain contracts from Government institutions and launder(ed) proceeds of crime.” Some of them were awarded contracts before they were formed. Some of these companies “were used to conceal the identity of beneficial owners.” The whole rot is a PF affair.
The rosewood (mukula tree) saga points to the same PEP. While the cutting down of the endangered species is officially under a ban, PF connected individuals and their foreign accomplices continue to plunder the resource to enrich themselves at the expense of poor communities. Imagine what ZMW 2,156,000 or a fraction of it would have accomplished in Manyinga and Mufumbwe. Many children in the two districts walk long distances to school, sit under trees or learn in dilapidated shacks, health facilities and services are almost non-existent, among other challenges.
The FIC Report for 2018 has shown Zambians that the PF is at the center of looting our resources. The big question will we continue to watch them loot at the expense of more than 16 million Zambians?
The big question will we continue to watch them loot at the expense of more than 16 million Zambians?
The big answer is No. At some point Zambians need to act and say to the selfish: enough is enough.
Job 13:13
The President has told us, ubomba mwibala, alila mwibala. Lungu has encouraged the corruption and theft.
We’re with you on this one bululu.
Since the report came out, most of us downloaded and read it.
It is just a “trend report” full of untested data.
We are told the “unredacted” report has made rounds at the DEC and ACC. Once folks there finish their work, we expect indictments. Then trials, then acquitos, then nolle prose quis or convictions.
You don’t actually score before you kick the ball. Let rules of engagement and due process take root.
All those black boxes mentioned in the FIC report 2018 are nothing but innocent “kleptomaniacs” until proven guilty by our able courts of law.
Too much vibe pa Zambia. No wonder you don’t arrest situations.
Nonsense article.
“The big question will we continue to watch them loot at the expense of more than 16 million Zambians?”
Who’s we and who’s them?
Do you even know what is supposed to be done or rather what is being done about it?
Zambians deserve what they have got in state house. Like their friends in South Africa, Zambians have learning challenges and have no common sense. Before Zuma was elected he had a vast cloud hanging over his head, corruption and rape. Despite overwhelming indicators pointing to his unsuitability for top job, he was ushered into office. In Zambia Lungu came with a similar baggage having stolen money from a client. This knowledge didn’t alarm the Zambians. Perhaps they hoped he would be more responsible when he became president. Very naive!! He didn’t waste to time in reverting to type. Within a year his wealth ballooned from R2M to over R23M. You don’t even need the FIC to tell you the PF govt is 100% rotten to the core. If Zambians continue in their lethargic mode the plunder will…
Mapanza H Nkwilimba, kuwayayefye
And what is this good article for?
Even Parliament is dis-functional now, they formed another thing NDF which yields nothing. MPs like just like any citizen, do NOTHING. A National Assembly speaker resorted to go back to school, he has plenty of time and government pays for him.
Send those letters to Ms. Inonge Wina, maybe she can use them. We are tired of these.
The big question will we continue to watch them loott at the expense of more than 16 million Zambians?
The answer is in 2021 Election results!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wafafa wina Azalila……………
Are you sure the Zambian Police, DEC, ACC and Courts are not doing anything about any of the cases highlighted in the FIC 2018 report?
Are you sure the movement of moneys in the FIC report has no explanation? Are you sure its a guilty, guilty verdict on all those mentions?
Take heart, we are all alarmed by the spectacular go tell it on the mountain report.
We are all interested parties.
You are not the only one perplexed by this supposed thieving call.
The author makes some valid points, just that some have been misrepresented.
The thing about FIC trends report is it’s objective, it doesn’t name names which is what would truly jeopardize investigations – if they are any ongoing.
Regime change by slander is a failed plot, badaala. Just convince us how you will take the country forward with sound policies and ideas. Very s.t.u.p.id and baseless article!!
Useless educated population ……
It is so difficult to curb this sort of thing because the general population is into it too. When you pay for Express services at most government departments someone will come out to offer you EXPRESS on top of EXPRESS. See what we are talking about? It needs a really good eye and a steady hand to weed out this nonsense. I am still praying for someone who does not care for a second term in office to occupy all the offices of political leadership. Then we will begin to go somewhere.
I think we need to have a look at the Anticorruption, DEC or whatever act. We have got provisions for express court for drunken driving. Why cant we have the same for corruption. Corruption cases take years, to an extent that the accused take advantage of election periods to influence the electorate to favour their preferred candidates. We need express courts for corruption cases. Enough is enough.
We need a pro-FIC political party.
Recovery of ?stolen funds should be the patriots is really what is important.The FIC has done its part comrades.
So long as we dont sort out the governance issues …how Directors of these secruity wings are appointed they will continue to steal as we have given the President too much power…he is basically holding all the contracts of those Directors in his hands like they are his help.
Pharaoh’s braggadocio says he is perplexed by the report but he sounds like one of the people inprecated in the report he sounds like guilty is he not one of these ministers stealing like mad.
This FIC report does not pick government officials only. Even you if you in the past you withdraw or deposit money more than the limit you name is there. So when commenting you should not limit discussion to Ministers only even general public is involved. I wonder why educated people can sink so low and fail to debate issues objectively. When they PEP even those in opposition belong to PEP.
Yes you are right but PEPs being public officials ie Ministers and PSs are the ones causing construction project’s values to be inflated that in turn is passed on to everyone including your great grandchildren.
We Zambians are just useless people with very big mouths and little action. Nothing will change and that is just the way it is. Things will never be same. Better we all shout up and turn a blind eye. There is no creditable opposition party in Zambia fact be told. All are the same
Bwana the FIC report does not align the report to PF as the culprits, no.it’s directed to stake holders, the GRZ and the Nation. The facts have been misrepresented in your article. You article is suggesting that the FIC report is pointing at PF as the offenders.
@GMS. Thank you for getting the big picture. This country needs more people like you.
The credibility of the said FIC is being doubted;looks academic. Why come up with such analysis and try to incite and excite people? Zambians, let us be patriotic and react to true reports not such.
There’s a detailed report with names and even plot numbers on the desk of HE Edgar Chagwa Lungu,its been there since last year,he hasn’t read it,he read the trend report in the public domain without names!!!
The picture , the thief is even smiling…
This is the ‘DUNUNA REVERSE’ you voted for in 2011 so do not complain. Reverse means walking backwards.
Iwe Mapanza H Nkwilimba, the government in power is PF but that is not to say that all thieves, fraudsters, corrupters, money launderers etc bad eggs mentioned in the FIC report are PF. When you see the names a large number are actually trib.als. Whuch means that if yrib.als came to power it would be a seamless changeover from PF thieves to Trib.al thieves.
Just looking at the author made me conclude his intentions as a trib.al before I could even read it.
The trouble with trib.als is that they don’t speak honestly, it is always with the overarching objective of propelling Trib.al Hacks to power, not knowing that Trib.al is not electable. Since when did you expact Muna Ndulo or Hansungule pass a politically honest comment? No wonder the country is struggling to develop.
When your president does not even attempt or bother denying that he is a corrupt thief…..
…….just know every civil servant in the land does not mind being labelled as such
Monkey see boss do monkey do…….
There you go Zambians, with all the red flags about Lungu but you still went ahead and voted for him. it’s like hiring Pamela Gondwe to be your accountant despite you knowing she stole $400,000. Don’t be shocked when she runs away with all your money. It’s the same thing here, expecting Lungu not to steal when he was even convicted for it. Now out of desperation, you think everyone is the same when it’s your wrong choices. Sata and Mwanawasa must be turning in their graves looking at their predecessor take a different route, by allowing corruption to flourish without condemning it. The country is going to get worse until the people realize that it’s them who will be losing out while the embezzlers get better, healthier and greedier.
It is always important to get the facts right.
Firstly, had ECL been a convict, the Constitution would have automatically disqualified him from standing for office of President. Quite clearly, he was never convicted of any offence as he has stood and been elected twice as President
Secondly, ECL was never even disbarred as has been suggested in some circles. As I understand it, the legal profession never allows a disbarred lawyer to return to practice law. ECL was a practicing lawyer ( also holding ministerial position(s) ) at the time of his election to the office of President.
@Jean bonheur
ECL got back his practicing licence when he became Minister of Justice. He was disbarred for stealing client’s money. That is history that cannot be changed.
Zambians are just waiting to change government in 2021.The wind of change is in the air.We don’t care whoever comes into power as long as PF is given the red card
We are going to get everything done at night or day time…. Zambians are ready now.Kulila in sand.
Just look at the Author “Mapanza H Nkwilimba”,a tonga and stop reading the above trash!!!THOSE ARE KAINDE SOLDIERS!!
The fake corruption acusations wont take HH to state house-never!!!99.9% tongas are behind Kainde…..how that benefit them-only a devil knows!!!
We all dont support corruption.But please lets deal with facts when talking about corruption.Currently our opposition parties only message is about corruption-BORING!!!
Swine
Aah, just realised the masks are worn by trib.al cadres… so have I missed a message in this trib.al’s article?
Don’t worry, this topic is beyond your intelligence.
Wait for topics on HH, maybe you can haul some insults at him then.
Ba Sakala Nyongo mwacilamo bamambala imwe.
FIC or no FIC report, it is obvious the PF government, starting with Lungu down to his minions, are stealing with impunity. Their accumulated wealth and riches are disproportionate to their official income package. That in itself is evidence enough that they are corrupt numskulls.
Of course the s!lly and docile Zambians would support and argue endlessly on political party lines, and do nothing about it. The corrupt politicians know this and that’s why they are stealing with no fear. We needed patriotic citizens who will prioritize and value the future of the country over party squabbles to rise and reclaim the country.