Chieftainess Mwenda of Mazabuka in Southern Province has described the financial scam in the Ministry of Health as a genocide against the people of Zambia.
The chieftainess told ZANIS in Mazabuka today that the K10 billion scam unearthed by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) was just a tip of the ice berg.
The traditional ruler said all culprits involved in the scam should face justice to serve as a warning to would-be plunderers.
She also urged the ACC to extend its investigations to Mazabuka where health workers are calling for investigations into alleged financial scandals at the district health office.
Chieftainess Mwenda said it is painful to learn that an individual can steal K 10 billion when most health services have deteriorated especially in her chiefdom.
She urged state security agencies not to treat suspects with kids gloves but ensure the law visits them.
Health workers in Mazabuka have since called on the government to send auditors to look into the books of accounts following alleged financial irregularities in which senior managers and programme offices paid themselves un authorised salary advances.
The health workers also called on the auditors to extend the investigations to the illegal payment of subsistence allowances paid to officers who did not spend nights during the cholera outbreak.
The workers who did not want to be named said funds released by the Centre for Infectious Disease for Research in Zambia was allegedly being abused.
ZANIS
It cannot be gainsaid that some people in private and public institutions have been and are stealing national resources including money. We all know it – some are our relatives and close friends. This is not a thing to be proud of as a country. But we seem to like it and we are afraid to face the truth. We only use the truth when someone has fallen out of our favour.
We know that all the evidence is there to arrest them for stealing public resources. Lands has records on the land they own, road traffic has the records of vehicles they own, the council has records of houses, shops and property they own and pacro has the records of companies they own. There are other organisations that have records of their transactions.
All this information can be simply entered into a database to…
cont’
All this information can be simply entered into a database to query who owns what, when, where, and how many.
We need a national database on property in our country – UNZA computer science can do this in no time. This database can be used by ACC, DEC, police, the church etc to query irregularities in ownership. Surely we do not need political wind to query irregularities. This is a cause for justice and fairplay. If we do this there will be definitely schools, hospitals, roads etc even in the rural areas. It is not a curse to live in rural areas.
Dear bloggers lets fight for the national database coz we need to know who owns what in our rich country. VIVA national database
The scam is surely is a disgrace to the country especially for the ruling party. The culprits must be reprimanded and not protected.
All ministries ought to be investigated.. in my opinion the individuals involved in this scandal may have just fallen out of favor with certain officials and thus it led to their down fall..coz really “stealing” is happening in most of our ministries to say the least. For instance the man who had 7 vehicles confiscated from his “7 girlfriends” was probably sharing them with other officials…the whole sharing thing just didn’t work out with his fellow plunderers i suppose-some one wanted to get the better of him…greed, jealousy etc This might sound shallow but you know what, you’d be surprised what goes on in peoples minds. such is life.
#2 I happen to be in IT and I must say that claims that UNZA student can do this in no time is false. There are other issues involved if you need to build a distributed database can can be made available national wide. It’s a complex undertaking . Connectivity in Zambia is still a challenge and major bottleneck.
Having said that, I think this is more of a political problem than technology. Even without a DB you can find out who owns what. KK did it well without even computers. We should be able to do even better.
Nine Chale, what Database query has brought out is important. I’d be careful not to conclude that it is MMD who are in the forefront in corruption. Just as it would I be wrong to think all robberies in Lsk & CB are engineered by PF since these provinces are PF grounds, therefore the chances of a criminal being a PF is high. What we need is a sober mind, one which does not align any criminal activity to a party, tribe, race or creed. A criminal should be viewed as an enemy of the entire nation. Period. The K10bn in question was not going to only affect people of Lusaka alone but even those in Chongwe, or Mpatamato, Chambeshi etc.
War must be declared on all criminals & enemies of Zambia & whistleblowing should be the norm
Peter “Tsotsi” Juma, I would like to differ with you. What connectivity problems do banks face if I can withdraw money from any bank? The similar principle can be employed even with what #2 is referring to. What would be difficult to connect city council to ministry of lands to Zambia Police and to hospitals? I am not a computer expert but I think it can be done, we just fear that it will close up on our clandestine motives.
Mwenda kabotu aawa ba-Chief Mwenda. The news of the reported corruption is worrying, but we are on a good track. I believe that the pace we have as Zambians now in the fight against corruption throught exposure will culminate into something great in future.
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Taking LT blogging to another level for the betterment of all Zambians.
If RB is Serious with governance,the entire minstry of health needs to be restructuerd.Because it seems corruption there is deep rooted.
Whistle blowers’ legislation must be introduced in Zed and there is no telling how much more financial filth lies covered in many GRZ ministries. Do it expeditiously.
Kamunyama how do you know Database query is right in all that?
Basically, I’m not against any computerised methods of fighting crime but I have my own personal reasons for not trusting the system…For instance, what gurantee is there that someone will not manipulate the data for dubious purposes? I also know of some high profile crime syndicates in Europe who specialise in stealing data.
I want to know if Dr simon miti is going to be investigated in connection with the 10 billion scum.iam bothered and iam outrightly convinced that this man is connected because of how he differed with auditor general annie chifungula when she wanted to audit the ministry as well as the PAC headed by luena MP charles milupi when he appeared before the commitee.the man was very uncoperative and hostile.Levy was my man but somehow iam getting disappointed when i see the cushion he used to provide to the likes of DR miti it reminds me of one kashiwa bulaya.
Nine Chale, what I was pointing out in your post was the issue of picking out the “ruling party” regarding the scam. And that is why I said we do not need to attribute such scam to any particular group because doing so will just lead to stigma and misguided interevntions to curb the scam. Regarding database, I was merely not agreeing with Peter Tsotsi on saying Zambia’s connectivity is a problem and that was rather not near any concrete reason not to have a database. Yes people are hacking databases but should that be a reason of not having one? How are banks in Zambia able to maintain their databases? Will it be so harmful to have the same for hospitals, the police, ministry of lands and councils?
This is not fair at all,how do you still 10billion from a ministry which is struggling to meet petients needs sure.
#1, 2 Database Query….you are 1000% right. I personally have been thinking about the same for the last one month. Such a data base can be better managed if we also decentralise our governance and then just link the DBs. This would even widen the tax base for the govt. Lets do a proper proposal mwana maybe we can present a paper to GRZ and other stake holders and see how other thinkers can panel beat it……lets link up! now that what I call sensible blooging!
#5 Peter Sosi Juma….Bro I think you missed Batabase’s point..he/she did not say a Unza student but UNZA computer science…asumably the dept. This would be a good move to involve the varsity into real time developmental issues. On your concern about connectivity in Zambia, may I draw your attention to the fact that in Zambia today, ALL provincial capitals and most other towns have ATMs from which you can do banking activities 24/7 am sure that takes conectivity yeah!
Engine BBuloko, Nalikwipwishepo pali Wala Wala, you did not give me an answer. Any idea where he could be?.
We want to see what UNZA can offer on database issue. Database query sounds like a patriot! Zambia will surely be saved. Good sunday blogging
Computer wizards here is a chance for you to help the country
WHEN CHIEFS SPEAK OUT THEN THE GAME IS HEATING UP. LETS ALL SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE ABASH PLUNDERERS
#17 Kamunyama…… you crack my ribs man! wala wala ka!!!! lol! those were the days….. my presence on LT of late is eratic…..we sure should chat up one day. But what your take on the topic? I think Zambia should seriously decentralise. If people want power, we can maintain a central political system but all other operations should be dentralised.
No 1, if you stood for election to Plot1, I would attempt to vote more than once to see you through. You are what Zambia needs under the present circumstances. People in government offices seem not to understand simple finance management and the tools it requires to track and monitor inflows and outflows.
It boggles my mind when I recall that under Chiluba, his government had the Best Brains to ever be in a Cabinet. There were Professors, Consultants in various fields, Finance experts, State Counsels, Mining Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Sandhurst Graduates, you name it, they were all there. And At Plot 1, the Advisors were also all of enviable Academic and Professional excellency.
But what did we get?? Massive Looting which has continued up to today and is even getting worse.
Spot on chieftainess. Database is a good idea but the problem we have is that, the people in power are technologically challenged. They cant even let us put the proposal on the table. Out of topic i once attended a court hearing on a mini BOZ plunderer. The defence sakwiba sikota told the magistrate the accused received an e-mail. Gee his lord didnt know what an e-mail was. Saki asked for the case to be adjourned so the lord could research on the word e-mail. Hav u noticed that 95% of the working class in zambia do not have work e-mail address? Lets get rid of the oldies or we convince them on database.
#22 Kwathukummawa…you are spot on about Chiluba’s cabinent and how it let us down. Do you know what proves? …..if the blind drive a car, even the people with eyes will perish! Bembas say, “isabi lyamila kumutwe ukobola” Levy was the most educated president we have ever had so far and his perfomance showed. Thats why I get worried with some of the candidates being supported…..nuff said!
Engine Bbuloko, well on decentralisation I also think that is the way to go. Well the point is that we are million of years behind in terms of decentralisation. One reason could be that Lusaka is scared to lose the privilege of abuse if we went decentralisation. Another thing is that we need to decide whether within decentralisation we are talking of devolution. May be that is what Lusaka does not want. Decentralisation would even help do away FRA through which we are losing money. We can let social welfare ministry to do such things because they would be the right ones who know really the beneficiaries are for the fertiliser they distribute. The same goes for the grading or tarring of roads which should be left to councils and not the RDA.
Engine Bbuloko, well on decentralisation I also think that is the way to go. Well the point is that we are million of years behind in terms of decentralisation. One reason could be that Lusaka is scared to lose the privilege of abuse if we went decentralisation. Another thing is that we need to decide whether within decentralisation we are talking of devolution. May be that is what Lusaka does not want. Decentralisation would even help do away with FRA through which we are losing money. We can let social welfare ministry to do such things because they would be the right ones to know who the real beneficiaries are for the fertiliser FRA distributes. The same goes for the grading or tarring of roads which should be left to councils and not the RDA.
Shuwa, this is a very serious issue.
I am sure they are not acting fast because a lot of big fishes are involved, you don’t steal K10b and no one is noticing.
Just build more prisons. And because they were just too busy stealing, they forgot to build modern prisons, lock them all…….
No. 16, will you please stop misleading people. UNZA could have the capacity to do all that but there are problems there which are still revolving on tribal politics, pettyness, jelousy, infighting for small positions that all the energies are drawn to that by seemingly educated people. SHAME!!!
the chap shud be arrested without bail!!!
Hoops1
Cool. lets arrest
This definately Sad news for all Zambians at Home and abroad,let me not leave out those in Prison, Hospitals etc. It is even sad that we delay to detect such evil and retrogressive vices that aims at nothing but bringing down our already struggling economy. Who is responsible for checks and balances within our systems?
The civil service has to definately be checked to its fullest limits. The 10B is just an iceberg.We need to uproot the whole lot or else the luxury Tatinic will Sink. Junior administrative civil servants owe big mansions in Lusaka and around Zambia (famous Chalala). It is of course a good idea but were are they getting resources from?. They own companies and NGOs and award themselves or their relatives abnomally quoted government tenders. PACRO/ZRA wake up and help the Zamb
A COMMINSION OF INQUIRY SHOULD BE SET.ALL WHO HAVE BEEN IN GOVERNMENT FROM 1991 SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED-WHETHER THEY ARE NOW IN UNIP,UPND,PF,MMD,FDD E.TC.THE AUDITOR GENERAL’S OFFICE SHOULD BE MADE MORE EFFICIENT AND AN AUDIT OF ALL GOVERNMENT WINGS SHOULD BE STARTED.TWACHULA BAKABWALALA!!
I agree with Ichinsika. Let those who ahve moved to other ministries be invetigated. Check out the guy who is now in Ministry of Education accounts.