The controversy surrounding the $6.8 million procurement scandal at Zambia’s Ministry of Health has exposed glaring vulnerabilities in the governance of public resources under the UPND administration. At the center of the storm is Professor Christopher Simoonga, the former Permanent Secretary for Administration, whose role in the tender process for HIV/AIDS prevention programs has been called into question by a scathing Global Fund audit. The scandal has left many questioning the integrity of the Ministry’s procurement processes and the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
According to the Global Fund audit report, dated July 29, 2024, the Ministry of Health’s handling of a $13.4 million grant for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) HIV/AIDS prevention activities was marred by conflict of interest and procedural irregularities. Chreso Ministries, a faith-based organization closely associated with Chreso University where Professor Simoonga previously served as Vice Chancellor emerged as the top bidder through a selective tendering process. The audit revealed that despite declaring a conflict of interest, Professor Simoonga actively chaired the procurement proceedings and influenced the formulation of the evaluation committee.
The Global Fund’s objections were swift and unambiguous. It refused to approve the tender award to Chreso Ministries, citing concerns over inadequate public advertisement of the tender and the exclusion of other qualified NGOs. These lapses raised red flags about the fairness and transparency of the procurement process, casting a shadow over the Ministry’s credibility.
The fallout from the audit was immediate. Secretary to Cabinet Felix Nkulukusa removed Professor Simoonga from his position as Controlling Officer, appointing Dr. Kennedy Lishimpi in his stead. This move was seen as a damage-control measure aimed at appeasing the Global Fund and restoring donor confidence in Zambia’s health sector governance.
However, the UPND government’s handling of the situation has come under fire from critics who accuse it of failing to establish robust oversight mechanisms to prevent such scandals. The scandal underscores a broader governance crisis within the Ministry of Health, which has already faced scrutiny over allegations of financial mismanagement and lack of accountability.
Reacting to the allegations, Professor Simoonga has denied any wrongdoing, dismissing the claims as politically motivated and baseless. on a Kalemba facebook post ( click here), he insisted that he had no ties to Chreso Ministries or the contentious $6.8 million contract. “I have never taken a single ngwee from any government process,” he declared, asserting that the tender process was canceled after the Global Fund raised objections to its limited advertisement.
Professor Simoonga’s defense hinges on the distinction between Zambia’s procurement laws and the Global Fund’s expectations. He argued that the selective tendering process followed by the Ministry was permissible under the Zambia Public Procurement Act but ran afoul of the Global Fund’s broader participation requirements. “This is an issue of local law versus donor expectations,” he said, accusing the Global Fund of failing to provide clear guidelines on procurement standards.
The former Permanent Secretary also sought to clarify his decision to declare a conflict of interest, stating that it was a moral choice rather than a legal obligation. “I declared my interest and recused myself from the process to avoid any doubts,” he explained. Despite these assurances, the audit’s findings indicate that he continued to exert influence over the proceedings, a contradiction that critics say undermines his credibility.
The scandal has also exposed deeper fissures within the UPND administration, with some stakeholders alleging political interference and competing interests in the allocation of donor funds. Professor Simoonga attributed the controversy to power struggles among NGOs vying for control of Global Fund grants, describing the accusations as part of a broader campaign to discredit him and his record.
For the UPND government, the implications of this scandal extend far beyond the Ministry of Health. The Global Fund audit has cast a spotlight on systemic weaknesses in Zambia’s procurement processes, raising questions about the administration’s ability to manage donor resources effectively. With donor confidence hanging in the balance, the government faces mounting pressure to address the gaps identified in the audit and implement meaningful reforms to prevent future scandals.
The opposition has seized on the controversy as evidence of the UPND’s failure to deliver on its promises of transparency and good governance. Critics argue that the administration’s response to the scandal has been reactive rather than proactive, leaving the public to wonder whether deeper systemic issues are being overlooked.
At the heart of the matter is the need for a robust framework to ensure the integrity of procurement processes and safeguard public resources. The Global Fund’s recommendations to reconstitute the procurement committee and strengthen conflict-of-interest protocols offer a roadmap for reform, but their implementation will require political will and sustained effort.
As the dust settles, the $6.8 million scandal serves as a stark reminder of the stakes involved in managing donor resources in a country grappling with health challenges and economic constraints. For the UPND government, the challenge is clear: it must restore public trust and donor confidence by demonstrating a genuine commitment to transparency, accountability, and good governance.
Whether this scandal will serve as a catalyst for meaningful change or become another footnote in Zambia’s troubled history of public sector mismanagement remains to be seen. For now, the public and Zambia’s development partners are watching closely, demanding answers and accountability from a government that promised to set a new standard for governance.
Sources: Diggers and Kalemba
Donners I hear have withdrawn support for our FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION.
What is wrong at Ministry of Health? Ministers and Permanent Secretaries get accused of Non compliance of dipping in the peoples funds. It was at the Ministry of health that an HR officer aquired properties suspected to be proceeds of crime. Will LIFUMA clean up the mess?
He can’t be arrested because Minister Masebo is involved or what?
Then, just kill him, hooo sorry there is no death sentence in Zambia.
Zambia is a Christian nation.
It’s the Same script. With different actors
“Donors”….I think you mean. And not those that have put on clothes.
The PS is a Presidential appointee. So is the president denying this audit?
Sanga vomele….it will be zalewa after zalewa, then somebody will say I talked to him, they are just lying, instead of letting investigative wings do their work
The dealings at the Ministry of Health have been suspect since that days of Kapoko. I do not see how the UPND Government takes all the blame when those mentioned in the scam have been working for the Ministry of Health before UPND came into office
How can he deny it if audit has confirmed.
Just find ways to recover as donors funding
Stoppage will be a big loss.
“….The Global Fund audit has cast a spotlight on systemic weaknesses in Zambia’s procurement processes, raising questions about the administration’s ability to manage donor resources effectively….”
We are a nation of theives………
Most Zambians working in GRZ , 70% , are theives……
Everyone seems to be looking for nidyeko……
We have a long way to go to address this through education……….
Forwadee 2031……..
So you purged thieves from government only to replace them with looters.
Spaka just admit that your party is not better than the previous one…. you are dealing with the same oranges although from a different tree.
Minstryof Health is the most heavily donor- funded government agency in Zambia and like Smoonga has alluded,there are great struggles amongst NGOs vying for control of Global Funds.All competitors are at daggers- drawn.Simonga has been asked to step aside to pave way for investigations.I am sure it will turn out to be a none issue like that of the Kakubo guy
Deja Vu
Just wait for the true report, don’t get too excited…….
Forwardee 2031
“We are a nation of thieves” you say. Take note you said nation. If it’s a nation of thieves this should be reflected in the police cells and prisons. There shouldn’t be only one tribe behind bars- unless the police and the president are one eyed. They can only see thievessel from Northern province
2026 – Nothing will get me to wake up from my sleep on a rate public holiday.
Soon you will see Chresso University boast a $5m new campus. Watch this space.
My elder brother bought a brand new Fiat 127. A few days later he was summoned by SiTET (equivalent to FIC) to explain how he could afford such a property….he explained with evidence, he gotten a lone from Barclays Bank as down payment to get that car on hire purchase from Duly Motors.
KK did not allow government employees including ministers to run personal business because of what he called the animal in man…..
,,, Alright his ministers ended in destitution but that was the vindictive Frederick Chiluba didn’t want to compensate them KK included. There’s too much competition to outdo each on who has the biggest house, the best car etc. People don’t want accept their status.
@Spaka at what true report? An audit is a true report. Simonga is conflicted. He now being investigated if the facts that he suggests are infact factual. Hence the audit suggesting “the need to tighten regulation and laws” and close such loop holes.
If I was the state. Get a tamplet of the regulations that “US federal employees” have and see if how you can apply it to our laws. Again, the lag and political will among our legislators is very low. An example is the Current PAC chairman Mwambazi. Wasnt he found in a similar situ wherein he was getting order thru his companies from government. How then can he be objective and ensure that misappropriation of state funds is stopped?
How will ensure that public servants are not investigated and prosecuted? Simonga is just a tip of the ice burg of the culture of collusion in the public service and public servants has assets beyond their capacity. How do they sustain payments for those assets? The corruption fight is still in its infancy and it needs leaders who will keep it up beyond HH. HH is only scratching the surface and maybe not be as effective as he would like to be because of the interests to perpetuate the “status quo”. The scurge needs to be dealt with before it becomes as endemic as the problem is in South Africa and Nigeria. Where in the leaders are the biggest faciliators of the acts
@Deja vu while I appreciate your point of view. We need to strike a balance between allowing people to achieve their personal potential (as in develeoping their human ability and talent) and dealing with waywardness and criminality. KKs methods worked in that era. Draconian ideas as Mmembe suggests wont work. He is naive and just want to be in power for the sake of power and establish a “leadership class” based on nepotism and cronism and without merit. Just like his cohort Sishuwa.
We would like the corruption fight to be done based on laws, regulations, and policies but those should not stiffle development and innovation.
# Spaka this was revealed in audit so what report are talking about…. the one Hamasaka will doctor?
Why are we not seeing people going to prison over these scandals.
The thieves are not Bemba
Prosecution after effective investigation takes time. Until you are involved in the process and how the process is created to ensure that the rights of both parties are protected and upheld, the facts speak to the crime objectively. Criminal prosecution seems lengthy. Listening to HH, he seems to have learnt and listened to why the Mwanawasa corruption prosecution had flaws. Expensive and had short comings such that we failed to appreciate and start the scurge if not perpetuated the same crime at a level that is worse. People are jailed so that crime is a deterant. If not then it comes a sharaid…joke. So I feel your frustration ba Razor.
Lets remember that the current perception is that HH is prosecuting. No! He has said this is the law, lets apply it. Institutions need to do what they were set up to do. Otherwise what purpose do they serve? Those that fail to uphold the law fail us. That is the reason PF was voted out. The UK doesnt have a formal constitution. How come institutions have up held the law? Why has that nation prospered? Why do people run there and its citizens have a decent standard of living? The law, policies and institution. HH is tell us the important of a reset in our prespective. Development can never take place amdist confusion or war. Those suggesting otherwise seek to detract hold back prosperity and thrive for their own self gain. They dont care about you or Zambia.
Should not HH being President have to answer about this ? he cant let his minions accuse eachother
and we get nowhere ?
Ba Tikki let remember that we need to practice good goverance and uphold the rule of law. Each institution in the government structure has a function. It may not be effect as the audit suggest. In short it is telling us where our laws, regulations and policies are flawed.
Now are those who are supposed to deal with the culprit dealing with them? Are we also addressing the problem. The loophole? Too often instead of dealing with the problem, we wait for the President to initiate the process and then complain that he has too much power. Where are our legislators? What are they doing where are our public servants to whom this flaw is directed? To me the Minister of Health….question mark….education and health recieve the highest donor support for the needs of Zambians. But criminals seems to get away with alot in those two ministries. Where is law efforcement? Are they part of the problem?
“Each institution in the government structure has a function”
Thats something that’s remembered only when authority is being challenged. It is resorted to only as a defense. Why is the president allowed to appoint all the permanent secretaries when there’s an institution called the civil service commission whose function this should be? Why does the president appoint judges?
Why does he appoint the police chief? Why does he appoint the ZNBC DG? When he appoints all the “problems” he is in fact saying he will
deal with the problem.
So “we wait for the President to initiate the process and then complain that he has too much power.”
We are justified to complain that way. The president hasnt been given these powers. He usurped them after seeing we the citizens were sleeping
When noone chllended him it became his prerogative. Once we have a true Democrat for president these appointments will be rectified and be subjected to a democratic process
Where is the report? The latest Zambia report I can find on the Global Fund website is the COVID scam by PF in 2020. Thanks in advance for indicating the publication source of the story
Great point. Our Journalist deny us the ability to learn and evaulate the facts. Instead just spoon feeding us. .
Instead even a link I think if Journalists are failing the communication department of the #Globalfund would do us a favor with a “blurp press statement and a link to the report”. Or else hardworking Kawana Thabo issue a statement with a link to the facts/report or is it Mweetwa? You promised us transparency. Bane is this so hard to deliver so that demagogs dont sway the narrative? Life is not a straightline. Lets appreciate UPNDs shortcomings and their efforts. When you speak of non contentious issues to drive development. Amending laws, policies and regulations such as this. Where abuse seems apparent but a collective effort for delivers is important. Stop the politiking ba opposition. If the perp is a criminal prosecute. Follow the money
Am even surprised that people are surprised….i have said this over a million times ALL POLITICIANS ARE CRIMINALS
Yes most of these politicians ni mbava
Report them to the police if you have the facts. But reckless broadswips at people is unfair.
Think its important that if we want change. Deal with the problem objectively. Simonga is a PS. Not a polticians and he is a public servant. Lets make that distinction. If he is a criminal let the investigation quickly take place. People need to fear public funds. Too much willy nelly pa ndalama za boma.
So deep down their hearts both UPND and PF officials know that they’re just in Politics to loot and bankrupt the country…nothing else…FIGHTING CORRUPTION AND AGAIN STEALING THE SAME RECOVERED MONEY…GENUIS….Faith Musonda’s 65 million vanished in thin air…
Where is local civil society organizations in the health sector led by CHAZ and others. This is not the fight or last time. We all know the Kapoko scandal plus more. It’s not about donors but locals to address the abuse and bad governance. I have followed PS and saddened by this news and I hope we are learning and uprooting this repeat across the Civil service in Zambia. How shall we explain our crusade for missing the Health Sustainable Development Goals
LT HOW MANY DAYS DO WE HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THE SAME POSTS
IS ZAMBIA THAT DULL ???
Stale news, Zambian journalism
It’s very lazy journalism of Diggers, LT is just reposting something essentially.
Journalist must learn what is the difference between these things because it’s VERY IMPORTANT:
1. A scandal
2. A rumour
3. An allegation
4. A lie
5. A story
6. An audit
Health and hygiene department seems not hygiene at all.
Proceeds of crime ,theft ,looting,corruption and even slavery all get toxic and cursed in the end. That’s why in the USA the slavery states in the south are still the poorest, unhealthiest and least educated to date.
Copy and paste that curse to this Zambia of today.
#Jetta Bulenge…. I am not suggesting that we go the KK way. All I am trying to say is that because of what we’re seeing now KK had to restrict his ministers. So how do we make people do their duties honestly? Even the institutions like the ACC, the courts etc which are supposed to protect our people are not exempt from the scourge.
There’s no leadership code to guide them. Only the law, but law enforcers are scared of anyone in government office. If each minister had a job description we would all have something to measure their activity on but as it is they can spend 8 hours gallivanting about looking for deals and come back to sit for ten minutes in office and Noone will know what they haven’t done
Now Kawana with his makobo fish mouth has come up with unconvincing explanations. Isn’t it Mweetwa who is supposed to explain.