In January 2017, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Zambia – Prof. Mumba, had decided to buy himself a K1.13 million Toyota Prado VX under the guise of institutional privilege, claiming that it was his entitlement.
My argument then, in response to what I thought was a clear institutional absurdity, was that Prof. Mumba was/is not an institution in himself. Therefore, we could not and still cannot hold to ransom, the ability of a public institution to function in the name of rewarding institutional office holders. At the time, UNZA was failing to pay staff emoluments, retirees’ benefits, as well as failing to meet some of the basic academic environment requirements.
And my sentiments to revelations that the PF government, in the midst of an austerity program, have gone out to spend several thousands of US dollars on luxury 4 x 4 vehicles for high ranking civil servants; among them judiciary officers, are exactly the same.
This is nothing short of an institutional absurdity.
Also rumoured to be in line to receive these vehicles are some top PF party officials, although this remains unverified.
What is evident, however, is that looking at the opportunity cost associated with such extravagant, avoidable public spending, it is hardly surprising to note that real growth and development under the PF has not only been sluggish, but also selective; principally because public resources have often, and still continue to be applied for the benefit of only a very small group of people at the expense of the majority.
With close to 8 million Zambians living on the margins of possible every single day, with no guaranteed access to decent housing, water and sanitation, difficulties accessing affordable energy, health, education and other social amenities, it is a travesty and an insult to our collective intelligence for this PF government under President Edgar Lungu, to continue savaging our very thin public resources only for the benefit of their friends in high places.
As we continue having this discussion, each one of these vehicles is worth the entire CDF allocation to each Constituency, at over K1.4 million; money which most of our Constituencies have yet to receive from previous budget periods.
The PF must come clean on this issue and demonstrate the required and expected sobriety, and explain why they have continued down the path of reckless public spending while critical social services continue to suffer.
Is it not possible, to require public officials, if they so desire to be driving expensive vehicles, to get market loans from commercial banks the same way all other citizens do; and pay for these loans using their emoluments. We cannot expect the public, who are already out of their depths thanks to endless taxes under the PF, to continue SUBSIDIZING the expensive lifestyles of a few public officials.
We have to make it stop.
We have to make it stop now.
However, the process of making it stop means the PF must be shown the exit door.
What a bunch of irresponsible, conniving individuals.
By Anthony Bwalya – UPND Member and Aspiring Candidate for Kabushi.
I dont like PF but please lets have facts…dont show us Internet downloaded pictures….get facts don’t be like Watchdog otherwise PF will be hiding because people will stop believing you
This guy is writing good stuff, but chiikkala is sneezing on articles at end of it with “Kabushi nonsense”.
Go and kiss with Lusambo in Lusaka.
Just write, period. Wabe ithole.
@Nostradumus
unfortunately am only here on LT just for a few minutes i have to rush to work…was checking LT whilst having breakfast, i have to hit the road in a few minutes i dont have much time to be on LT and exchange insults with you..have a blessed week posting comments on Lusaka Times…thanks budy
Unfortunately Sir, I do not owe my government information. My government owes me, as it does you, facts around any situation. What you and I should be calling for is for the PF to come out and clarify the information I have given you. How will discrediting my write-up help you hold the PF accountable Sir?
@Anony….
Work well, I was also at LT at breakfastm I don’t read American news, I am at work, but I will not trade my life to these people we work for who never say “Thank You”.
I will be busy from Oct 1, packed with courses to make. Plus 5 company training before end of the year for these whites to be compliant…
I am a busy man, but well organised, I will make a good president soon.
Mr Anthony Bwalya sir if you are also a Politician then you are part of the problem….you all have same intentions….you act like saints when trying to get into office…but once elected you guys become hyenas…am talking about Politicians all over the world….unless you tell me you are a private citizen running your own business or you are gainfully employed otherwise you and PF draw draw…..same same
As for me am non partisan
Well said Anthony but even your own UPND party has never refused in parliament to cancel the motor vehicle allowance which MPs award themselves at a huge cost to the tax payer. Why is that? I’m on record for years now of always singing the same song regarding the way Govt as a whole including Parliament spend so much on luxury SUVs that some fellow commentators call me a broken record. I applaud your stance but see to it that your fellow UPND MPs also abandon their luxury SUVs for the sake of true development. Why can’t they use public transport? Are they not part of the community that voted for them? How can leaders address challenges with public transport when they never even user???
For P.F, useless Goon’s /Cadres this is unprecedented development.
LET THEIR RELATIVES SUFFER & EAT MUD!
Anonymous what facts are you looking for when the two eyes on you can see. Go to Zambia and see for yourself the large number of new GRZ vehicles flooding the streets of Zambia. Some things are public domain with written documentation you can request for it, this evidence nonsense you talking about is supposed to be investigated by your useless non functioning anti corruption. The watchdog maybe off sometimes but they’re right 90 percent of the time and they put in more work than your tax funded Anti-Corruption. Work up smell the coffee you don’t need a boatload of evidence to believe. You have a brain and eyes to put two and two together. This level of dullness will be our demise
This is a useless and disjointed ranting from a desperate wannabe MP. Remove Prof. Mumba or any Vice Chancellor of a Public University from your rantings. I believe that Prof. Mumba was recruited by the University Council and agreed to certain conditions of service – including a certain grade of official vehicle. It is not his calling, but the employment conditions agreed to by the University Council. You think you can employ people of high calibre under mediocre conditions? The financial state of the Institution has nothing to do with the agreed conditions of service that the employing entity agreed to. He is an executive officer entitled to executive conditions – do not compare this Office with political offices, these are separate issues and deal with them separately. Mr. Anthony…
Mr. Anthony Bwalya, I can assure you that with this scatter in debate, it will be very difficult for you to unseat Lusambo. It is annoying to note that even associations/unions within the Universities think that Executive Staff should not be enjoying their agreed conditions of service because the financial statuses of the Institutions are very bad – they can only do that by choice.
This is the challenge we seem to have in Africa – our inability to recognize that the institution must come first, even ahead of our so-called entitlements. If we allow UNZA or the economy to die because we have to honor “agreed upon conditions of service” with individuals, then one day we will wake up to no UNZA or economy.
We must first protect the integrity of our public institutions to function, then we can talk about entitlements to individuals.
Anthony – That is absolutely lame – if you pay peanuts, expect to employ monkeys, it is that simple. The conditions of service for a Vice Chancellor or any other executive officer in the public or the private sector are set. The financial status of the University will not improve because the Executive Officer is riding a bicycle to work. Avoid this socialist mentality and as an aspiring lawmaker, try to be consistent with policy – socialism has failed — even your party is not speaking that language.
Re: One Prof Chirwa of crushworthness fame vs Sata’s pf at ZR
The fact still remains that Constituencies haven’t received CDF for this year. MPs are waiting for mid-term gratuity. There’s still K700,000 CDF owing from previous allocations. Projects have stalled because there’s no money. PF comprises some of the most greedy leaders, they want everything for themselves. People come second. Even when they call you for national prayers they pay themselves hefty allowances.
Anthony Bwalya, aspiring Honourable, you may as well go further and condemn HH for having a fleet of luxury cars, eating caviar every day, flying first class, in general living in luxury when his people who voted for him overwhelmingly in 2016 are living in abject famine and, according to him, are on the verge of death.
Dont give me any crap about his wealth being personal, we are talking about the threatened death of human beings here, a matter of morality and empathy. According to HH himself and his party UPND, the people of Bweengwa and other areas are under threat of death.
You see, Mr Anthony Bwalya, aspiring Honourable, when you want to condemn or criticise dont be selective and dont be political, go the whole hog..
You see, UPND has no story to tell, it is just as bad and…
What you are referring to is private money. You have never heard me complain how the Pascals land in an expensive Chopper in Solwezi as they come to check on their mining investments. Private money is not a concern of mine, but public money will always attract my voice because it belongs to all of us, not just a few individuals Sir.
….
You see, UPND has no story to tell, it is just as bad and terrible as PF.
Aspiring Honourable, you may as well say that there should no State House when the majority of people are living in poverty, but then you know that HH is aspiring for the same house.
Well certain jobs attract certain conditions of service including a VX/GX or whatever that’s fine what worries me is when these so called senior official damage these expensive cars with impunity. We had one official on his way from east park mall in the wee hours crush his car under the influence no punishment not too long ago the deputy at the helm of the civil service flipped his 200,000 plus vehicle no punishment that’s the problem…..
I struggled to read passed “several thousands of USD” then I stopped reading at “rumored”. Mr Anthony Bwalya do you that you have to be nominated first to stand on the UPND ticket and already you slim chance with that name. Ask GBM.
I have a good friend of mine whose candidature was tossed out by the PF for Mayor of Lusaka, ahead of Miles. He is from the East. Do not speculate on the basis of adoption Sir.
What you are referring to is private money. You have never heard me complain how the Pascals land in an expensive Chopper in Solwezi as they come to check on their mining investments. Private money is not a concern of mine, but public money will always attract my voice because it belongs to all of us, not just a few individuals Sir.
My Brother these PF supporting dummies here have no common sense, corruption and nepotism has bewitched them.
Hopefully they learn from you a thing or two about morality and integrity.
Personally I have given up on them.
Anthony generally you have delivered good points but as the proverbial saying goes.. Remove first the plant in your own eyes before removing the speck in you leave neighbours eye..
By this I refer to your own UPND MPs that have never oppossed or refused to receive the huge allowances for the purchase of these super Luxury SUVs at astronomical cost to tax payers. Be frank and criticise this lack of empathy with the ordinary Zambian from all politicians including your own Party members.
Have a good day sir.
Correction due to auto correct issues…
Remove first the plank in your own eye before removing the speck of dust in your neighbour’s eye
Evidence?
Dude, look in the mirror if you want to see proof of these pf dummies
Meanwhile, just waiting to see the Zambian flag on Ethiopian Airlines worth $30m. Viva Pf, Viva sh1t.
Talk about a lack of priorities, Just when a lot of airlines are being bankrupted because of low profit margins, our genius Pf government decides to invest our scanty resources into the airline business.
Why are you worried, drug dealer Valden Findlay will give money to you all.
This is state capture
please dont be fooled by politicians
.Most of them its businesses and careers.They invested heavily in campaigns and you thought they were jokers? Its time to reap dividends for themselves and even girlfriends. They ate all the same.liars.UPND or PF its jist yhe same.They are there for money .period.
Every time the govt is caught napping, HH is always an escape goat. Govt is managing public funds and are accountable to the public while private investments is not accountable to the public. HH as an individual can help but it can never be at the same scale as govt. I find the comparison between the way the govt spends the money and HH as absurd. It shows lack of critical reasoning or are we just making fun of very serious issues? Like I always say, there is nothing under the sun which lasts forever. The day of reckoning is surely coming.