Friday, March 29, 2024

President Hichilema demands changes in the Public Procurement Process by the time he is back from New York

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President Hakainde Hichilema has cautioned his administration against stealing government resources using the procurement system at the expense of the Zambian people.

The President urged that the procurement process should be done at a right price, right quality and that delivery must be timely to benefit the people of Zambia and the country at large.

“As a new administration, we should come up with efficient procurement measures that will facilitate timely delivery of material procured, with good quality and at a right price.

The Head of State has since directed Vice President Mutale Nalumango, Secretary to Cabinet Simon Miti, and ministers to ensure that specific measures are established to avoid wastage of public resources in the procurement of goods and services.

“So immediately Madam, your Honour, the Secretary to Cabinet, Ministers as I come back from New York I would like to find specific track measures that you would have made to adjust the procurement processes to allow these three principles to occur. I think that’s fair, I don’t think I’m asking for too much,” he stated.

The President added. “Madam Vice President I’m talking about working not to wait for these ceremonies every week but to move in right away to effect prudent control measures because every day we don’t do it, the taxpayers are losing money and it’s interfering with our capability to create jobs for our youths,” he stated.

And President Hichilema said he is aware of officials in the previous government who were procuring materials such as fertilizer at exorbitant prices when they could be purchased at an affordable price, a situation which should be condoned in the new administration.

The Head of State said this in Lusaka yesterday when he appointed and sworn in cabinet and provincial ministers as well as senior government officials.

Meanwhile, President Hakainde Hichilema yesterday sworn in the Minister of Green Economy and Environment Collins Nzovu and the Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise Elias Mubanga.

The President has also sworn in newly appointed provincial ministers and senior government officials at State House.

The provincial ministers that have been appointed and sworn in are Central Province Minister Credo Nanjuwa and Robert Lihefu for North Western Province, while the senior government officials include Principal Private Secretary to the President at State House Bradford Machila, State House Permanent Secretary Oliver Kalabo and Special Assistant to the President for Economic and Special Affairs Jito Kayumba.

Others are Special Assistant to the President for Project implementation and Monitoring Lawrence Mwananyanda, COVID-19 Advisor to the President Dr. Roma Chiyengi as well as Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment John Msimuko.

President Hichilema urged the sworn-in officials to embrace teamwork towards achieving a common agenda of serving the Zambian people.

The Head of State further directed the new team to get to work and serve the people and the country at large by improving their wellbeing.

“As a new government we ought to know that the people decided to see change and so we have to deliver change anchored on the growth of the economy, to provide food on the table and create jobs for the people,” he said.

And the Head of State observed that without bringing the COVID-19 under control, it will be difficult to realize the dream of economic growth.

He further stated that as he goes to attend the United Nation General Assembly, the issue of addressing COVID-19 will be on top of the agenda including other African Heads of States.

The President indicated that the COVID-19 Advisor to the President has since been appointed to play a critical role to drive the agenda of fighting the coronavirus.

“The COVID-19 Advisor to the President is a circumstantial appointment. We should not relent with adhering to the measures of mitigating coronavirus because if we do, the fourth wave will greatly affect us,” he said.

The President added.” The office of the Presidency will provide direct leadership to mitigate the coronavirus. We have a programme for markets where we sell food and public places, to protect lives,”

President Hichilema stated that members of the public will see a change as clusters of advisors will bring combined skills so that State House functions perform to the satisfaction of the people.

President Hichilema further advised State House officials to relate well with their counterparts in other ministries in order to effectively and efficiently serve the people of Zambia.

“State House is not a unit to make things happen. You should begin to work together and implement measures that will be of benefit for the people,” the President emphasised.

The Head of State also urged Ministers in newly created ministries to start working on a clear note especially also in terms of tender processes.

“And for you Ministers in the new ministries, start on a clear slate. Revise tender processes. The next time I come here I want to come and share with the people of Zambia measures taken to control tender procedures,” The President said.

President Hichilema also thanked Parliament for approving suggestions restructuring of ministries and creation of new ministries.

Meanwhile, Minister of Small and Medium Enterprise Elias Mubanga noted that with the policies and strategies for the new administration of growing the economy, the Ministry will start on a good note.

“I love the ways of the people of Zambia, their positive thinking to create a better Zambia. We will work together to make sure we rebuild the nation together,” he said.

And Minister for Green Economy and Environment, Collins Nzovu said the green economy cuts across all ministries and therefore his ministry will work with other ministries to develop the economy.

“I’m very excited about the ministry because the whole world, Zambia inclusive has realised that we have to maintain the eco system and other necessary areas needed for national development.

37 COMMENTS

  1. Well done HH for sealing the theft holes left behind by Lungu and his band of PF mercenaries who took Zambia to the brink of bankruptcy.

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  2. Looks like its just a continuation from PF to UPND…..HH just issuing threats 24/7…..now reality has finally downed on him….looks like even his Cabinet has already started stealing……just from what HH is saying…it looks like it’s now time for Reds to steal……I don’t see any difference….HH way too much barking…….hot air and just talk….voters are watching…..and most of the voters are already disappointed even Tarino Orange is not happy with this style of leadership….just barking everyday

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  3. HH is a man of empty talk…he thought governing was easy……HH is already making Lungu look like a saint…if elections were to be held today September 16th…HH would come 4th or 5th….People have already given up on him…..things are still expensive and no signs of prices going down…Cement,mealie meal,fuel and talk about free education and also job creation for the youths…..kikikikikiki Politicians sometimes they should tone down on fake promises

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    • Its jokers like this who do are clueless about the magnitude of the damage and think these things can be fixed in a month. It will require a minimum of three years for you to see any real improvement. For some of us who are priviledged to have gone to school to understand these things, we can educate you for free here. How can damage done in ten years be fixed in a month, what logic is that. Infact free education must be attainable in HHs second term

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  4. Now all we need is the arrest of Edgar China Lungu. He and his thieving cronies must be behind bars. Quickly. Don’t wait until they have hidden the stolen money, or have fled the country.

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  5. @Saulosi
    Get over it now m8 it appears your party is dead now
    we are moving forward , what you expecting cannot be done in a day the damage by lungu is immense
    time is needed

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  6. In the beginning I thought HH and his UPND minions would first focus on the economy and job creation for the youths….it turns out HH is just focusing on Lungu and paying back his Funders….Zambians made a very big mistake voting for HH…this man is clueless

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  7. #6  Saulosi
     September 16, 2021 At 6:40 am

    “In the beginning I thought HH and his UPND minions would first focus on the economy and job creation for the youths….it turns out HH is just focusing on Lungu and paying back his Funders….Zambians made a very big mistake voting for HH…this man is clueless….”

    How can you work with a rotten system ?

    That’s why PF failed……

    The foundation was rotten….

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  8. And there goes a man who used to talk about small government …COVID 19 advisor….like really….is HH being serious…. even UPND DIE HARDS LIKE TARINO ORANGE IS NOT HAPPY WITH ALL THESE FRIENDSHIP APPOINTMENTS….now voters understand why it took him so long to create a cabinet…he was just creating positions from his oval head….notice Mutinta has toned down on her dressing so she reads Saulosi’s comments on Lusaka Times

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  9. We now have a serious President in our country gone are the days of a useless man in State House who didnot care about GRZ resources being abused and was merely looking forward where he was going to spend the next weekend

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  10. If there was a time for a lifestyle audit for ministers and their families its now…some of these chaps will be procuring helicopters in 5 years time and stating that they were serious businessmen before they became ministers.

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  11. This will only change when you put in your own people in those offices, remember for now, you are still using borrowed people from the corrupt PF

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  12. I have never heard of someone congratulating someone for a mere pronouncement!
    You congratulate someone who has actually delivered on what they said. Politicians lie, make false promises. That is the nature of politics. So people will judge whether one has delivered or not. Talk is cheap. At this point, that’s just what it is, talk.

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  13. Systems are there but it’s the people who are supposed to adhere to them that are a problem. During my working days we kept on putting measures to curb corruption in the supply and purchasing sections but these people kept changing tactics. One of the things we put in place was to reward suppliers and contractors who reported buyers who asked for bribes. Nobody did and yet they would complain in bars about corruption in our system.

  14. It is great HH is giving his instructions to hurry up and wait for the next instruction.

    That said he can not expect the same incompetent officials to perform wonders. He must hire new resources and infuse them with really good GRZ officials to make things works. As is HH (and Lungu) is fishing from the same pond

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  15. @Issacher
    I have also noticed the same thing….just congratulating someone on pronouncements….but HH seems to be very dull….he’s getting excited on those “congratulations”….and he keeps on making pronouncements…..if you dig deeper you’ll will find out that the people congratulating him are actually PF Bandits who are still in government so that they can keep their
    jobs…..and 5 years will just end in Pronouncements and promises….and the people congratulating HH will pounce on him in 2026…..HH is a baby President ..he has no idea how to govern and he is also a thief like Lungu

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  16. Give him time, he is making the right noises so wait until after 100 days when the honeymoon is over. We are just wondering why he going all that far for bilatral trade talks leaving his neighbours across the road in the dark. Zambia did not sacrifice or put itself on the line during the liberation struggle so that our friends across the pond could come and enjoy the fruits of our struggle. Charity begins at home Mr President unless you have something to hide. This is beginning to look like a Trump Russia thing.

  17. 1. HH is right to raise this issue and I agree that public procurement has been a problem since the KK Regime. KK had fired a few ministers who used their wives and family members to acquire procurement contracts, because of Leadership Codes.

    One reason to this – is because political appointees and unqualified people have often been given Procurement & Project Management jobs instead of qualified professionals. As a result, people were registering and forming up companies and a week later they would bid and get contract to implement projects, provide services, supplies or materials needed for a project. So, they took on project, prior without knowledge and experience. That is a recipe for wasting money in government.

  18. 2. This also happens in developed nations. Former US Vice President Dick Cheney who was once the CEO of Halliburton gave contracts to his friends and cousin to reconstruct Iraq after killing Saddam Hussain.

    Back to Zambia. The government needs qualified and experienced Procurement & Project Management Professionals who understand:

    (1) Project Management
    (2) Project Life Cycles
    (3) Supply Chain Management
    (4) Accounts Receivable & Invoice Processing
    (5) Building Teams that stick to Time Scale Management, Deadlines and Quality Control
    (6) Centralised – Procurement & Supply Chain Technology .

  19. Today, Cloud Technologies makes it easy to get licences and run Procurement & Supply Chain Technologies at a minimum cost. But you need computers and internet access in government departments for those assigned to make this change. Else talk is cheap by the government.

    The Vice President cannot achieve this by the time HH return backs from the USA. It takes time to overhaul such objectives. However, the fact that HH has addressed the issue, it’s a ** Good Sign. This is where HH needs people who can provide him with * authentic assessments

  20. 4. Lastly, for example, the UK Government spends £288 billion a year on buying goods and services from external suppliers. But to achieve this they had to invest £1 Billion, 7 years ago, just to implement a Procurement & Supply Chain Technology and Training Staff. It took 2 years to implement.

    I am not comparing Zambia to UK. We have a small spending budget, but we can achieve this objective. All it take is to have the WILL TO DO IT. It cannot happen in weeks or months as HH has put it. It needs implementing technology, staff training and hire qualified people.

  21. Saulosi, how many undeserved contracts have you lost since your party was thumped and removed from power, your dear thieving, corrupt officers appointed through corrupt politically connected persons’ wings clipped?

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  22. Rome was not built in a day. There was so much damage that was done to this country by pf. It needs a cautious mind to correctly put things in order. When South Africa, for example, attained their freedom, the white apartheid era Director Generals were not immediately removed from their positions for continuity’s sake. There should be a sober systemic way of doing things. We have wings that are supposed to be watching over things, so there’s no reason to panic.

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  23. Bye to the US of A, Bally. Do not forget to wear your white gloves on your hands when meeting Sleepy Joe and other foreign dignitaries on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The white man’s “juju” is more potent than that of the African. Besides, it will give some “white” racists the opportunity to think ” look at who is greeting us with white gloves on his hands. He probably looks dirtier than we the “whites”. What is the problem with this African?”

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  24. @Gambito you probably new on Lusaka Times…cant recognize your style of writing…i know all bloggers on Lusaka Times and i do engage them sometimes but as for you i don’t have time to engage you and you probably 19 years old with access to K10 internet bundles

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  25. INDEPENDENT OBSERVER.

    Iwee mambala and makaka, stay in the UK and usa paying millions of taxes to queen Elizabeth, Sleepy Joe Biden and just continue your jet lifestyle, driving your mclaren benz, austin martins cars, and your ka london property investment portfilio. don’t worry we will turn zambia into heaven with our hh. you just got lucky making millions of dollars from bitcoin and working for goldman sachs making money from stupid investors. we know you, but we don’t just want to mention your name. people like you and that one the economist DAMBISO MOYO who is over rated and got voted to be among the top hundred influential women, are all sell-outs

  26. Director-General of Zambia Public Procurement Authority and all procurement officers in the public sector please take this seriously. Your performance has been found unsatisfactory but it seems u’re being given a second chance.

  27. Zambia Today @ 27

    1. Life is about making choices. We manifest what we think about. The greatest asset that God has given any man on planet earth is called the MIND. With the mind you can do anything. All it takes is to visualise, take *actions and see where it takes you. Because Imagination is where all creation starts. And the Universe is always available to answers your call. You just need to have clarity and clear intention in your head.

    As for you – if you remove all that turmoil in your *Heart & *Mind such as Negativity, Hate, Jealously, Bitterness and also Laziness, you will be shocked what you can do in your life and become a game changer.

  28. Zambia Today @27

    2. I know me & I manage me. Your insults cannot give me any discomfort because I am content and its really a total waste of energy. Your type has come to insult me over the years, but I have no time to reply with insults. Why? The English language or any language in the world has many words one can use to express themselves. Thus, without vulgar. The minute you show vulgar, you tell the world how small you mind is.

    It appears I am living in your head rent free. As you seem to spend your time researching on my profile. Yes, keep going. And what makes you think I am not a tax payer in Zambia.

    Have a wonderful day !!!

  29. Mr President you are too slow to fire permanent secretaries and head of parastatal companies. Always remember PF constition which recommends to appoint party carders as *parastatl CEO. So most of the parastatal companies runs by carders and they will make sure that you fail to govern, so that ichipani chibwele mu 2026. In beam we say ukwali insoke takwafwile abantu!

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