Reuters reports that Zambia should show that it is taking measures to fight corruption to unlock donor aid and investments that have been withheld due to graft concerns, the British High Commissioner to the country said on Tuesday.
Britain, Finland, Ireland and Sweden withheld nearly $34 million in aid to Zambia’s social welfare and education sectors in September last year because of concern over financial mismanagement.
Outgoing British High Commissioner to Zambia Fergus Cochrane-Dyet, whose term finishes at the end of August, told reporters that Britain was concerned about the persistent corruption reports in Zambia.
“As I depart with a sense of unease about the direction this country is taking, let me be frank about the UK’s concerns (about corruption),” said Cochrane-Dyet.
“Corruption … (deprives) Zambians of life-saving government resources,” Cochrane-Dyet said.
The British diplomat added that Zambia should examine how its debt soared to unsustainable levels after creditors, including Britain, wrote off the country’s debt in 2005.
And Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services Dora Siliya responded on twitter as: “The fact that outgoing British High Commissioner Dyet can speak freely even as he leaves Zambia is a sign of the freedom of expression upheld dearly by Zambians, which extends to freedom of the media,”
“After three political party changes and six presidents, democracy has taken root.”
The fact that outgoing British High Commissioner Dyet can speak freely even as he leaves Zambia is a sign of the freedom of expression upheld dearly by Zambians which extends to freedom of the Media. After 3 political party changes and 6 presidents, democracy has taken root.
— Hon. Dora Siliya, MP (@Dora_Siliya) August 27, 2019
Bwana Fergus Cochrane-Dyet ,on 24th july 2019 this president Lungu blamed the opposition and some Civil Society Organizations for branding his administration as corrupt.
1.The fight against Corruption is obviously none negotiable but one need not climb the mountain to be seen to work against the vice.
2. Bwana British HC, donor aid should not be the premise upon which we should show Britain or Finland or Norway or UK or Sweden that we’re fighting corruption. It is a moral issue. Thus it’s immoral for you to suggest donor aid to Zambia in that manner.
3. To develop, Zambia need not be living on alms from other countries including the aforementioned. Yet we need a corrupt free society.
4. Corruption is everywhere, don’t preach to us that there is absolutely no form of corruption in Britain or Finland or Norway or UK or Sweden Governments.
5. Suggesting donor aid is a form of corruption in and around itself. You know? Strings attached and dependance…
…syndrome. I hate donations.
6. You need not be outgoing to speak against perceived corruption in your service mission. You sound like some of our politicians who speak ill of their party when they are actually out’a Government.
I thank you.
Look here, its very clear that corruption has become endemic in the country. It has been made the norm, so much so that people are even boasting about accumilating wealth through corruption.
What most people dont realise is that we are destroying our country. I dont understand how people are busy supporting or defending PF when it clear as daylight that they are corrupt. How can you justify their attitude towards FIC? And the 42 for 42? What about the 48 houses? And the minister who is still serving but was flagged by FIC for having unexplained 6million dollars and 17million in his accounts?
Freinds, lets be patriotic and call a spade a spade. PF is rotten. Just because some of you benefit from these politicians must not make you shut your eyes to evil.
Trouble in Zambia is to believe only people in PF are corrupt. Corruption is wide spread in all parties in Zambia. The fight will be difficult to win because any corrupt person fired is welcome in the opposition. Clearly if the opposition win, the same corrupt people will bounce back.
Some opposition parties have presidents who directly benefited from corrupt activities. Can anyone show me which party has no corrupt people in.
Let corruption fight target all Zambians and not PF alone, otherwise we will be voting out corrupt people and replace them with even more corrupt people.
@John Chinena, you are so simplistic in your moronic reasoning. It is PF controlling all Agencies supposed to be fighting corruption. Now even the Chief Justice and several judges are acquiring land in suspect circumstances. Who shall save Zambia because clearly Edgar Lungu is a failure with no vision.
PF should listen and act on what the international community, the opposition parties and the Zambian people are saying. Today, Zambia is known best for plunder and no respect for the rule of law.
Edgar, can you please hold a press briefing when you get back from gallivanting. It’s time you addressed some of the issues highlighted in various reports that are still in you pending tray in your office. Just spend 1 week in your office alone and you will realise how your so called advisors and alleged friends have duped you.
ECL, be a President for Zambians and other nationals in this beautiful country please.
God bless Zambia.
This is why Dambisa Moyo argues in her book, Dead Aid, that African aid is not working. Our Moyo was born here and educated in Zambia until UNZA closed during an attempted coup, whereupon she won a scholarship to the US. In this book she offers an “African view of Africa’s economic problems”. She argues that the receipt of concessional loans is a curse encouraging corruption and conflict, and that what poor countries need is not multi-party democracy but “a decisive benevolent dictator”. My view is that a lot of money has been pumped in in African countries and nothing has changed. A benevolent dictator that comes to mind is Paul Kagame and our own Michael Sata, MHSRP.
@ Obatala, pls regulate your language. There is no demeaning word in my contribution. If you have good points state them without demeaning others.
You have not answered my question. Which party has no corrupt people in in Zambia? All parties have them. The answer therefore is beyond mere replacing corrupt people with another group of corrupt people. That is my point if you missed it.
What we need is to bring systems in place that will curb this vice. Any government coming on board will simply use the current system to their advantage. Are you not worried that Zambian politicians only talk about corruption when they leave government. When in government they keep quite.
Problem is the system and not just the party in power. Someone told me they cannot talk when in government…
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That type of talk is for Mushota nyio. You can’t be original in your life dimwit?
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For those who care to understand the rationale behind Donor Aid. DonorXit is just fine yet be need to fight corruption no doubt about it.
Quotes
1. “Foreign aid must be viewed as an investment, not an expense…but when foreign aid is carefully guided and targeted at a specific issue, it can and must be effective.”– U.S. Representative Kay Granger (R-TX), Huffington Post, June 2011
“Foreign aid is important. If it’s done right, it spreads America’s influence around the world in a positive way.”– U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), July 2011 online Town Hall session.
I told you guys and that lazy lungu that only way to get aid now is by legalizing homosexuality. The western world will.not pump money into countries that are backward and abuse gay people. Even my boyfriend Callum thinks zambians can’t read between the lines.
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It corruption living for donations day in day out. No wonder Zambia has failed to awaken.
We need to live in a donation free Zambia so we can have the audacity, the balls to rise and shine.
No donation and donor aid please. No corruption too.
“I have said it before but it bears repeating: Aid is not a gift. The United States provides foreign assistance because it serves OUR interests.”– U.S. Representative Howard Berman (D-CA), September 8, 2011
It seems that other parts of the world ought to be concerned about what we think of them instead of what they think of us. After all, we’re feeding most of them, and whenever they start rejecting 25 cents of each dollar of foreign aid money that we send to them, then I’ll be concerned about their attitude toward us.George Wallace.
For American foreign aid to become more effective, it must embrace the power of partnerships, access the transformative nature of free enterprise, and leverage the abundant resources that can come from the private sector Mitt Romney
How does an entire High Commissioner get swayed by Hakainde’s blogs at Zambian Witch Doctor? Visit the ACC, DEC and see what cases have been reported and what evidence they come with.
Africa no longer needs donor aid in this modern era. Ask Dambisa Moyo
Am happy the High Commissioner has “educated” us on what diplomats do. I hope our diplomats take a leaf. Indeed after 3 prime Ministers it looks like Brexit will finally take root in England.
The Gay Jay has come out of the closet finally. No wonder he’s such a bitter quack. Gay Jay needs the touch of a woman to come back to normal.
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The PF came on the national scene lying they were “allergic to corruption” but ended up ramping up corruption and getting addicted to it.
That’s what happens when you put these people in power…another term and we will be no different from Zaire (DRC)
…now they’ll label the diplomat a upnd cadre.
Here we go again, agents sent to keep us at bay. We don’t want your donations! We would rather trade our way out of poverty with serious partners not imperialists. Sort out your Brexit mess first before you open your mouth.
Your flag says you live in the uk. If this is correct than you are the biggest hypocrit. Fool.
The man has certainly been a controversial figure, not befitting a diplomat. No wonder he was unceremoniously ‘evicted’ from Malawi. One needs to watch what one says about a former COLONY.
Personally I can’t wait to see the back of this person, really. Probably this guy fantasizes that we are still in colonial times..? Hopefully his replacement will be a breath of fresh air..
High Commissioner, please just leave our beatiful country. Johnson Boris doesnt have faith in you. Go and and focus on BREXIT, a bigger problem in your country which apparently has brought misery and confusion in UK. If this BREXIT confusion was in an African country you could have labelled Africa as backward and corrupt but there you are, its in October
Fergus, we know our government is corrupt however, you are not qualified to preach corruption to us because it’s your ancestors who introduced it on our continent. Even your statement stinks of corruption. You want our government to follow your orders in exchange to donations, why not trade? It’s because you know that beggars can’t be choosers. Sort out your corruption first before you start preaching.
Why are Zambians complaining when things are so rosy in the country? Maybe I should tell them about a confused country called Pfambia where everything goes topsy-turvy. I lived in that country for many years until I was deported to Zambia recently. In Pfambia the president and both his government and party officials don’t know what corruption and theft mean because they are always crying for someone to educate them on these matters. During a famine a few years ago the president was alerted to the situation but his initial response was ‘if there’s no cassava (their staple food) let them eat pasta. When he and his officials realised that the famine was a reality they could not wish away, they went in top gear blaming an innocent chief of village called Unprotected People’s Needs and…
Iwe cockroach diet just pack your rugs and leave us in peace, we do not need you and your country’s aid.
I think Africa should grow up and stand up to these backward colonizers who think we cannot survive without their stinking money. Kagame has set the pace, let us all follow through.
Before independence, the british stole money from our mines and took it to Southern Rhodesia to develop that country and RSA.
A carpenter will always blame his tools.
Why do we dispute facts? Is public media objective, its all about PF, when you see anything about opposition just know its something negative. PF cadres are driving vehicles that have no road tax, no fitness, no insurance, all you need is a PF sticker or chitenge. There is so much lawlessness and the police are just watching for fear of losing their jobs. PF are busy doing their party mobilization tours, opposition do the same, they will be arrested. Come on Zambia, do we really need someone to remind us of so many wrongs that we are seeing ourselves? Instead of disputing what the man has said, lets be ashamed that even outside have seen these wrongs. We can do better ba Zambia
Yes we do need to be reminded from time to time but the British are the wrong people to remind us. They have been on our continent for over 400 years, what good have they done? Other than divide and conquer?
Quote:
“I think a lot of the problem with foreign aid and things like that is you go in, give a bunch of stuff, and then it runs out. It’s about helping them learn how to continue to be sustainable and live”.
~Malcolm Brogdon
Shouldn’t we have been taught how to catch fish by now?
#IhateDonations
Let the British envoy go to his country in peace rather than for him to school us on corruption aligning it with their conditional aid. I get so irritated when I hear aid being given to us on condition that…………… Rabbish system.
Corruption is real. Corruption takes away donor funds. Much more, corruption diverts public revenue away from development projects into private hands. Furthermore, corruption scares FDI to the extent that job creation is below the capacity. With such a scenario, corruption is number one enemy of development and prosperity. It is better to provide evidence of successes in the fight against corruption or at least to promise to intensify the fight against corruption rather than to ridicule the official UK representative in the country. When Zambian taxpayers donations are swindled, it is mandatory to express concern or to withhold more aid. Take time to expose the poor and miserable to further hardship. Take time to acknowelde support from well wishers.
Please! Let this man go! clearly a stooge used to try and bring about regime change. No respect for the people that welcomed him to the country. Even the USA kicked out their British Ambassador for the same Holier than though attitude. Meanwhile their Government has been selling arms to Saudi Arabia that have been used on Yemen and has created the worst humanitarian crisis. Just go, who needs you we have the Americans and the Chinese. And please don’t come back to Africa it doesn’t want you.
Yes, I agree with Brook Benton who said, “the colour of my skin is said to be an awful sin” because how do you explain the fact that in America, the British Ambassador expressed his views about Donald Trump in secrecy but here the British High Commissioner expresses his views about ECL openly without fear of retribution.
There is no legitimacy crisis in the country. Harmonised elections were held when they were constitutionally due in August 2016 and produced winners in President Lungu and the ruling PF, getting the better of the main opposition UPND led by Mr Hichilema.Do facts matter? Apparently not for Mr Hichilema and his supporters who have chosen to believe in alternate reality in which he is the legitimate leader of the Republic.Sad to say, the outgoing high commissioner has reduced himself to a member of a cell of the opposition; this is shameful.Other diplomatic missions are more measured and carry themselves with dignity.
This country is sad.
The people of this forum are sad too
The High Commissioner has spoken very candidly. When white collar criminals want to steal they first suppress information. What I’ll request the in-coming High Commissioner is to publish their donations and other support to the public at regular intervals. Zambians don’t know that those living with HIV are supposed to be supported with provisions like food, education scholarships for themselves or their children, farm inputs etc and all paid for by, among others, British taxpayers. Zambians don’t see this money and are not aware so they can’t hold anybody accountable. So your concerns are genuine and those spurning you need to examine their consciences. They must be ashamed of themselves
Why can’t you look after your own? Why do have to appease the oppressors or let them do your dirty laundry? You should be wary of anyone pretending to give you free handouts. Perhaps we should consider making a donation of food to them to ease the Brexit burden.
@FutureZed, don’t talk about things you don’t know. At the moment the only medicine available at Government clinics and hospitals are ARVs sponsored by PEPFAR. Without people living with HIV could’ve had no hope for treatment. It’s not Edgar or Chitalu Chilufya providing those medicines. Even social cash transfer is not PF money, just eat like Dandy Crazy
And you think the solution is to go begging for aid? Your inferiority complex will not do you any good. Why do you think the British people voted to leave the EU? They take being in control of their affairs very seriously. We should determine our own destiny. You are too blinded by your political affiliation to point where you’ve stopped thinking.
FutureZed, The people on ARVs are not begging but they have been failed by their Government! If all your relatives can afford to buy their own medicine then you don’t live in Zambia. People are dying because they can’t afford coartem costing K35, how about ARVs which they need to take the rest of their lives? It’s you that isn’t thinking together with those that are stealing the same money. Medical Stores can’t account for ARVs worth millions of Kwacha and you say we can’t talk? I am not talking about British politics but Zambian corruption and reckless leadership! By the I am not a politician
True talk mr High Commission, our leaders in govt pay lip service to the fight against corruption while shielding perpetrators from prosecution n control all systems that provide justices to work against the just cause. The PF govt awaits its exit in 2021 when its top brass leadership shall pay heavily for their sins
The truth be told. When Mr M.C. Sata, MYSRIP, became President, he appointed his cabinet. He also appointed deputy ministers. In a very short space of time two of his deputy ministers bought two “rotten” vehicles as ambulances! Mr Sata swiftly fired the two. That is fighting corruption. When Mr Lungu took over as President, he NOT ONLY appointed but also elevated the two “ambulance” to full cabinet portfolios. Now, that is abetting corruption, ladies and gentlemen! If you care to check, the votes that gave Mr Sata the Presidency will show you Mr Sata beat HH and the UPND in so-called UPND strongholds! The issue is not TRIBE, BUT the message the candidate presents to the electorates. Just for control, my wife is Tonga and my dad was Lozi, mum was Tonga but we voted for Mr Sata! Do you…
So it’s because of people like you we are in such a big mess. He duped you with his message and you fell for it. I knew all along we are heading for disaster voting for sata. The seeds of destruction were sown during his 3 years. Who appointed chikwanda a failure as minister of finance. In whose term of office did Zambia aquire most of the debt. In whose term was the whole country being load shredded 8 hours a day and nobody was spared. In whose term did the dollar shift from 7 which mmd left to double which is 14. This killed the economy. If you are complaining about president lungu. Who anointed him and left him with the instruments of power. Brother I do not support upnd or hh. But at the time I new mmd was better and I think I was right. What do you think now? Was mmd better than pf?…
Spot on…we have a lot of vuvuzelas chanting slogans they don’t understand. Chiluba once said the Zambian people are too docile that he could rule for a hundred years.
Proverbs 22:7 sums up this debate.
The Prime Minister in England has successfully suspended parliament until after he has gotten his wish to leave the EU. He is aware that certain quarters are not keen to accept a no deal Brexit and so he has eliminated the democratic right of freedom of speech. We have enjoyed a long standing relationship with England but we are now concerned about the scare tactics employed to silence labor and other people from that land who would want to voice their concerns on Brexit. We also want the outgoing HC to know we are deeply concerned with the knife culture that first began with the may unemployed youth but is now spreading to schools. Lastly, we are saddened that the human right to NHS is being withdrawn because of the desire to put England first.
The fool was a campaign manager for an opposition party a few years back. Do you think that he can have kind words for those who won that election?
They had people in mind that they wanted to come and take over our industries as per the promise from the Satanist but Zambians rejected that. The bitterness by the outgoing High Commissioner Cockroach is therefore understandable.
Safe journey bitter assistant to the Satanist.
DYET/diet that relies on AID is poisonous.The undercurrent in all this rhetoric is about chinese influence in zambia. Now with brexit…the former so called colonies will be the target.