GOVERNMENT through the Ministry of Home Affairs has handed over 45 buses and 44 Power Generators to the Zambia Correctional Service Command in Kabwe of Central Province.
Speaking during the official hand over ceremony held at the Mukobeko Maximum Correctional facility, Home Affairs Minister Hon. Stephen Kampyongo said that President Edgar Chagwa Lungu wants to see a modernized and better equipped correctional service.
Hon. Kampyongo said since time immemorial the Zambia Correctional Service has been one of the departments that had been lagging behind in terms of modernized tools of work.
“Government has thought to procure these buses as a way of trying to cushion the Transportation challenge that has for a long time terrorized the Zambia Correctional service, as you may recall just last year alone in 2019 the Correctional service recorded two road traffic accidents involving both officers and inmates some of whom unfortunately lost their lives, and so it is against backgrounds like such that we have been able to procure these staff buses that we are handing over” Hon Kampyongo said.
Hon Kampyongo said that the 45 buses are part of the long-awaited vehicle consignment which the government had contracted Polytech a Chinese Company to supply.
“The Correctional Service is yet to receive 44 twin cabs, 20 tractors, 15 ambulances, 4 combine harvesters, and 3 bulldozers,” he said.
He said that as per contractual obligation Polytech is meant to supply 146 vehicles to the Zambia Correctional Service, stating that the correctional service so far received among others 7,000 combat boots, 5,000 rain coats, 3,000 riot kits, 5,000 brown shoes, and 500 black staff shoes.
“The Zambia Correctional Service has also received 5,000 t-shirts, 500 weather coats, 5,000 green Jerseys, 42,000 inmate uniforms and 44 Power Generators meant to boost the operation of the correctional services countrywide,” Hon Kampyongo said.
And on his part, Zambia Correctional Service Deputy Commissioner-General Lloyd Chilundika thanked President Edgar Lungu and his Government for Prioritising the needs of the officers and inmates in the Correctional service.
Commissioner Chilundika urged his officers to ensure that they guard jealously and maintain the condition of the Buses and other assorted items that have been delivered.
“Honourable as you return please go and Convey our gratitude and total loyalty to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia our Commander in Chief,” Mr. Chilundika said.
Good move. What is the total coast of this consignment and the source of money?
Is it a loan from Chinese government looking at our financial position? Ilet’s guard it
Jealously as it looks like big chunk from our coffers.
That’s the interesting thing ……firstly I don’t recall this tender being published in the media as required and also since the 42 for 42 grz has been very cagey releasing the data on costs of certain Government purchases such as these. Minister is just mentioning quantities and no cost
I hope we will no longer be seeing prisoners transported in open trucks.its disgusting, inhumane and horrific.
Are you on course to let prisoners vote in 2021 ????????
Always on a scheme….
Hopefully, with such a large order provision of spare parts for a period of time was included in the deal. Because maintenance (and that means having easy access to spear parts) is key for any equipment or vehicle to last longer. Otherwise these buses will be limping within a year and at the scrapyard within four to five years.
It’s a good thing but lets hope it’s not a campaign strategy for prisoners to vote and it should also be extended to other sectors like Agriculture,fisheries and ZNS.
@Teaecher:
coast and cost are very different words;
I do not know whether you are a Teacher or Teaecher, help us please.
Lets wait for the cost of these things you will hear at one bus is $500,000 and one generator is $1000,000. My country is cursed when it comes to telling the truth.
Bazakamba ma haters bazalema. Great work from the hard working pf government who put country first. Funny thing is the ones criticising and complaining are those abroad who don’t even pay any taxes here..Please take many seats. Kz
If you will afford fuel for those Generators, they can take 100 lts of fuel/ hour at full load
Good move Chimpyongo. You corrupt PF leaders and cadres will need good transportation when you will going to court next year after losing elections. You better start working on the prison cells as well.
We could have procured sturdy buses that are well elevated wirh suspension and bodies that can cope with our terrain more especially that prisoners sometimes have to feried to farms! And then,why generators when we should be investing more in solar?? JUST TO ENSURE KICKBACKS!??
KZ, CZ U ARE PART AND PARCEL OF THE CORRUPTION. WHEN,WE HAVE A BIG FINANCIAL CRISIS U GO AND BUY THOSE FOR WHAT? ADDING MORE KONGOLE
Great work mr kapyongo on behalf of govt, kz i like the way you handed your haters yestaday,coment after coment you deserve my respect
Utter disgusting at how unashamedly PF government shows its inability to prioritise national matters. Zambians know very well difficulties and challenges the prisons services face. After all, its PF government that has been imprisoning Zambians and their relatives out of political expediency. Yet to date, those who were gassing innocent Zambians are freely roaming the streets with a few in detention. So, the prisons services do require transport for them to manage the institution fit for its purpose BUT not the type of buses we are being shown, generators whose given reason is modernised tools for work. Sheer ignorance meant to impress simple minds and naive PF cadres like Kaizer, the Zambian abuser. Prisons services need different types of transport to suit their needs. Generators not…
Generators not needed in big number because we need to manage environment and reduce pollution, we need smart power generating gadgets and methods. All these donations from China will be ramped up as a national debt. Priorities are wrong and foresight is absent. Beggars being cheated with poor, wrong and defective facilities that will not add efficiency and civility to prisons in Zambia.
Good move, long overdue. its nice to note that the government has taken heed of our concerns, remember how the nation cried out when we had reports of 20 prisoners being involved in an accident in which they were bundled in a toyota hilux.
Good move!
But, and its unfortunate that we have to add a but, why wasnst this advertised in public tender? Once more, the lack of transparency makes us wonder who was stealing the money in this transaction.
It is difficult to simply praise the PF without having questions.
Just the mere mention of the name Kampyongo …gives you reasons why the figure is not mentioned. ..its probably $2million per cheap chink bus and $1million per generator. Why not just get solar systems ….another overpriced loan we will have to pay off to the Chinks.
Those congratulating This on the fact some prisoners died in an accident should ask them selves if China , where these coaches are from , transports it’s prisoners in luxury coaches like those shown ???
KZ
Ati those complaining don’t pay Zambian taxes ??
It is because of your PF corruption and mismanagement that the economy is rotten and we have to send extra financial support to loved ones back home , is why we complain.
I thot the issue at hand is Covid-19, the whole minister hasnt done anything towards fighting the pandemic, other than making announcements. The priorities are: Covid-19, Zesco, Water, Servicing EU bonds, Human rights etc. I wud prefer any headlines making big news shd be aimed at atleast addresaing these five(5). As usual PF, always out touch with reality & always irrelevant. I dont blame them, i wanna see the person that voted for this irrelevance.
Very good move, let him also consider Lusaka as well especially with the sale of Central and Kamwala prisons, the service will need more transport and equipment to cope up with the Lusaka congestion as they ferry remandees from Mwembeshi to the courts in Lusaka. Life is quite hard in the Prisons Service, and now the new houses have brought in another challenge. Some seniors are clinging to both the new and old house. The story is that their vitumwa have refused to move to new houses. Mamama! Zambia the Christian nation! Can the PS tour the houses to see who’s accommodated where and who’s not? There’s a lot of intimidation of juniors, and there are even unjustified transfers just because of houses
Are these busses for staff or for prisoners?
“The Zambia Correctional Service has also received 5,000 t-shirts, 500 weather coats, 5,000 green Jerseys, 42,000 inmate uniforms and 44 Power Generators meant to boost the operation of the correctional services countrywide,” Hon Kampyongo said.
Surely how can you develop a country when you boost other countries economies …are you telling us IDC’s company cant make 42,000 prison uniforms using local sourced cotton?
This is awful reporting …no stating the cost of this deal, no mention of further details of this company…am sure this company has also acquired the land they have sold in Kamwala and the other prisons.
All these generators will end up in IG and his commissioners farms and they need diesel to run what stupidity and waste of resources
Tarino
PF are useless , they should have insisted to have those uniforms made in Zambia.
Ohhhh I forgot we are still waiting for lungu to open mulugushi textiles as promised , or waiting another promise to open when we are nearer 2021
Spaka – In the US these are the jobs the give to local companies 42,000 garment is a lot of jobs created but we know the real reason is that this deal is grossly inflated..dont be surprised if one cheap bus is costing $500,000
This is why are like John Magufuli of Tanzania…he would never tolerate this nonsense at the expense of his country’s manufacturing sector…I mean a Prison garment is one of the simplest garment to make as it doesnt have a collar or buttons. When I tell people we have no president in Zambia you think I am joking…just imagine what this deal would do for Kabwe town – 7,000 combat boots, 5,000 rain coats, 3,000 riot kits, 5,000 brown shoes, and 500 black staff shoes…to add insult Kampyongo goes and puts 15 ambulances on top as if they didnt just waste $280,000 on each one at MOH..these are heartless corrupt people happy to write loans with no conscience on who will payback.
Tarino Orange – This regime is incapable to make anything, not even chitenge material. They dotted the country with solar power grinding mills to reduce the price of mealie meal, not even a single bag has ever been produced from these cheap solar mills. What we await is the money to be revealed stolen from these fake investments.
MunaDekhane
Lungu and PF paid $250 million for 2000 solar mills , less than 500 were delivered ……
Only to find the same solar mills are capable of milling only 8 25kg bags
on a very good day….
The Patriot, you are a good marker. I meant cost. G bless U