President Hakainde Hichilema has tasked relevant authorities to enforce measures that will recover public resources paid for undelivered goods and services to the government.
President Hichilema said that it is unacceptable that contracts worth about K12 billion were signed for feeder roads and some contractors were given down payments but no works have been done, adding that over $63-million was also paid for two projects which were never delivered.
Officially opening a Procurement meeting for Ministers and Permanent Secretaries in Lusaka today, the President said the meeting is aimed at encouraging officers to move in and get back the money.
The Head of State said public service procurement is a key tenet to public governance hence needs to be adhered to at all times.
He lamented that public procurement officers, Permanent Secretaries, and Ministers became suppliers of public services to the government at inflated prices.
The President asked the Ministers and Permanent Secretaries to help restore order in the public procurement process and avoid being found on the wrong side of the law.
He revealed that some Ministers are already under pressure from businesses that have survived on government contracts hence encouraging them to be strong because they risk being flashed out.
President Hichilema also stated that Zambia stands no chance of reconstructing the economy if systems that collapsed are not worked on.
He said public expenditure, procurement of fertilizer, fuel, infrastructures like roads, and general procurement have been the major hindrance to economic development and need urgent attention.
President Hichilema said Zambians voted for employment, health, education, and opportunities which will work with enhanced trade and investments by sorting out challenges.
And Acting Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa said the public service needs serious transformation to promote effectiveness, humility, and inclusiveness as part of delivering targets by the new dawn administration.
Mr. Kangwa said a series of four meetings focused on managing results for Permanent Secretaries and decentralization policy implementation among others have been lined up.
He said none of the four meetings is attracting allowances for participants except for 9 Provincial Ministers and Permanent Secretaries for their accommodation and meals.
And in a vote of thanks dubbed “Knowledge is Power,” Justice Minister Mulambo Haimbe said the meeting will empower participants with tools to do the right thing in delivering to the masses.
He said attaining necessary procurement tools by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries is key for them as gatekeepers of public resources.
And Auditor General Dick Sichembe in his presentation of the 2020 Report said weaknesses such as unplanned procurement, awarding contracts to bidders who did not have the capacity to deliver, failure to obtain clearance from his office, and signing of contracts by unauthorized persons among others were discovered.
This guy has clearly failed. Hh has not done a single thing apart from singing the same old songs he sung whilst in opposition. You are now president. You thought leading was a walk in the park. You have now realised that you have no plans for the people and you are now pointing fingers to divert attention. Be a man hh!!!!!
Even now it’s happening. Mistake we make is that we look at people like PSs as the perpetrators. Mostly the people involved in this fraud are the Juniors who do the buying or purchasing. Because the PS is either too busy or too lazy to make physical check on whether s delivery has been completed, he will just sign whatever paperwork is required. That’s why KK emphasis was on people’s life styles. The never ending shortage of drugs in hospitals is partly due to the same style… the Head of the hospital is too busy to check on how medicines are being disbursed.
HH is showing us the leaking bucket but unfortunately he’s expecting the same people who created the leaks to do the patch work. They will drive you round the bend. Trying to turn unprofessional people to professional overnight is wishful thinking. You need to recruit from outside the box. Tap in to your ready made professionals from the diaspora. You just need to meet some of their standards, same way you get expatriates.
@1- KAIZAR: Please shut up, you are one of the beneficiaries. This is why you are writing the Nonsense. Do you think it’s normal what you PF guys did? HH or whoever the President is, we want the public funds recovered. We can’t continue tolerating the looting of Taxpayers money, Yet we have a lot of people suffering. Sometimes, don’t write things and eat what you stole quietly. We are SICK and TIRED OF YOUR STUPIDITY, you PF guys.
The reason for all this is the blatant disregard of the auditor general’s report… these are huge sums to be paid for nothing…
And US$50 million to one of your Ministers Chushi Kasanda and also can you explain your source of wealth while you’re at it…people have lost confidence in you Mr HH because of your selective prosecution…and why are you trying to take over Parliament with your nonsensical and corrupt nullifications
Mr President you are in a working meeting with servants who want to become rich without taking a product or service to the market. The same people are busy creating proxies for inflated BOQs. Welcome Mr President I know you won’t allow them to steal and already we have $50 million fertilizer inflated, and you are not acting. You are dealing with very slimy and slippery Mafiosos.
Our President needs good advisors, he speaks as if he is still in opposition. Too much talking but less results.
Mr. President allow me to remind you that colossal corruption was recorded under President Mwanawasa who claimed to fight plunderers. While his hands were busy on President FTJ’s neck, the bureaucracy were busy inflating prices. Install systems to watch the bureaucracy, look at mansions and estates they have accumulated when salaries for top civil servants averages around K15,000.
Civil servants work hard if you tempted to steal please leave.
WHY DIDN’T THIS CORRUPTION FIGHT START WITH PRIVATIZATION ERA……………..Just like the Police reversed cases back to 2016 ?………..beats me!
We are very much aware people are thinking we are taking too long to cage these thugs. But please bare with us just a little while because this time once arrested just know your case is tight and you are gone. All government agencies are working together : ZRA, POLICE, ACC, DEC and FIC. If we do not have enough evidence of stealing and an un-explained accumulation of wealth we know you did not submit a return for the fake company.
Catch 22
The Prince you know you cannot say that to my face because your face would get blown up. If I stole or committed any criminal offence why am I not charged? Do you see why I say that you and your party upnd are politically persecuting those that oppose you? You won’t last longer than a term. Even that president of yours knows this.
The President’s Quote:
“ He revealed that some Ministers are already under pressure from businesses that have survived on government contracts hence encouraging them to be strong because they risk being flashed out. “
** Why should ministers be under pressure from businesses that swindled the nation on government contracts. If anything it’s these businesses that should now be under pressure.** HH, are you telling us your ministers are not good & strong enough to hold offices and exercise due diligence to bring forward these bandits. Just round up the bandits who swindled the nation from undelivered projects. You are making too many speeches without results. So no surprise that you want to grant immunity to bandits – some of these are past big UPND funders.
HH should realise that democracy and rule of law in Africa can not be the same that in the western world.
He should get tips from Kagame on how to sort out thieves and corrupt elements.
Kiddie gloves will not work on this hard core of thieves.
There is every chance that citizens will get fed up of the same song by HH, and in 4.5 years, they will vote for someone else that can really truly fight corruption.
If PF are elected in 2026, HH better relocate to Panama, otherwise those thugs will finish him off for good.
Is DICK’s house located at Changwa Rd, Forest 47, going to be demolished too?
Beautiful houses built by cliques will be demolished by low-thinkers.
THE PRINCE # 4
You are stressing yourself all for nothing. Start using your intelligence and read between the lines…..
KAIZER ZULU is not even PF. He has not stolen from the government. He is just an INTERNET TROLLER who likes winding up people like you and others
fall into his trap. He has managed to drive a lot people mad and crazy for nothing. He once often blogged as MUSHOTA.
He is not the real KAIZER ZULU who was a Political Advisor to President Lungu….. Just chill-out and don’t end up having high blood pressure for nothing. ……
THE PRINCE #4
Sadly this fake KAIZER ZULU has managed to drive a lot of you mad and crazy all for nothing, this include boggers
like TARINO ORANGE and others who keep responding to him while he seats and looks at all of you as his flocks of
f00ls who follow his comments. He has managed to get into your heads and you all fall for the trap.
The more you respond the more he drives you crazy….
I’m just wondering if this President has forgotten that he is the one holding the instruments of power of this nation, he should wake up and do the right thing, what he should know is that corruption is the nature all human beings if exposed to funds , like he was and he made it to be the richest person in Zambia.
How can he easily forget where he is coming from, UPND is just as corrupt as the clique of thieves from independence , down that line you will find him may be he has done more damage to the economy of this nation.
Set bailifs upon them………..
Some one signed some where , let the bailifs harass them……..
A NATION OF THIEVES THAT IS US
HOW TO START WHERE TO START ?
Zambia today if that hogwash helps you sleep at night then continue believing it. You are in denial. You can call me troll to make you and your party feel better but I will continue undertaking checks and balances. Just look at how your support is dwindling here on this site and in the country as a whole. Ba 1term party..fuseke
HH’s house is part of Forest 27 and HH get approval from the council to build his house….I doubt…when you point one finger at someone three fingers point at you
It’s politics as usual, contracts have terms that govern them. There are clauses that address failure to perform. Whom does Bally think he’s talking to? We aren’t kids. Nothing will come out of this. If any contractor is in violation of the terms just invoke what’s in the contract. The same applies to ECL, if he’s a thief lift his immunity and take him to court else we think that you’re just a joker seeking attention
This recovery should also include all those who participated in the privatization program of the 1990s when Zambia lost vital companies, mines for a song. That privatization gave birth to billionaires who seem to be acting clean today. So Mr President please include all those chaps who acted dishonestly during privatization and amassed massive wealth for themselves and recover public resources from them too.
With due respect I think from what the president has been saying as things stand.,I have not seen anything tangable come out. I don’t know who to trust now. We removed pf thinking upnd will do better but I think things are not as I expected. Now let’s see if anything will come out on the money on feeder roads. The other thing is look at the way they are forcing pipo to go for a vaccination. This shows how power begins to decieve pipo. I had total trust on this government but now no
KZ and your band of thieves, we are coming after you. How can you shameless take $63 million from tax payers and invest in a leather shop in Dubai? Shameless f@@l$!
Deja Vu – You have no clear understanding what the role of the PS is…you honestly think juniors can sign off on millions of kwacha of contracts?
This Illegal immigrant from Zimbabwe called Kaizar Zulu must realize that his killing, beating of Innocent Zambians can never be left unpunished. It is only a while ago that hé illegaly confiscated land which never belonged to him. Simply because hé belonged to illegal Cartel under Edgar Lungu. This lawless creature who suddenly became one of the richest Persons. This Inspite of his lower education and dubious profession from Chawama must reminded that Zambians are not stupid as hé thinks.
Meanwhile Kaizar Zulu need to schut his mouth
upnd is playing a very clean game, trust me dont think u went scotch free from your stealings…..they are doing hard work back ground checks and balances so when you go to court it will be airtight…..promise you, you wont come back on nolle or whatever you call it
If a minister is pressured by a businessman for a contract, he should just refuse and advise him to follow the normal process. No need to report to the BOSS: So and so has been forcing me to give him business” Suppose the BOSS says YEAH GIVE IT TO HIM what are you going to do? To me all these are lies either by the minister to impress the BOSS or THE BOSS to impress the nation.
HH should realise he is dealing not with mere thugs but Criminals. I agree with those saying he is too soft for these PF criminals – he needs to be brutal – that is why they are insulting and laughing at him everyday. Simply put the rule of law is just a song sung by politicians here in Africa.
HH will end up as a “all talk, no action” President. Too much talking with no action. You already know who the thieves are. Let the relevant authorities open investigations on them, and then move in to arrest them. prosecute them, confiscate their assets and throw their behinds in prison. This is what the Zambian people want to see and this is what they voted for. 100 days in office, by now we could’ve had lots of corruption cases going on in the courts. So go out there and get them thieves and robbers and do less talking. We need action!
The real fight for the graft of corruption is not to put the anticorruption office in your bedroom Mr. President, but to set them loose to investigate even the plunder of our national assets during the privatisation time during which time you were one of the king pins. How do you undervalue state assets and then turn around and purchase the same national assets. Then you put the ACC under your office, that is pure corruption. Mr HH you are not free untill you clear yourself from these allegations.