FORMER Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) commissioner general Criticles Mwansa has been named in the alleged irregular transactions in which the commission single-sourced projects worth over K230 billion (US$45 million and two million pounds) in favour of Cargo Scans and the Zambia Border Protection Company (ZBPC).
This was during the on-going hearing of the Kingsely Chanda ZRA commission of inquiry into the operations of the institution at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre. ZRA director of administration Tenthani Banda said the institution single-sourced after correspondence signed by Mr Mwansa addressed to the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) director Samuel Chibuye seeking authority to single-source on account that Cargo Scans had worked with the suppliers of the scans.
Mr Banda said the justification for single-sourcing was that Smith Detectors worked with Nuctech who supplied the scanners and were knowledgeable about the features of the scanners. Mr Chanda and his team dismissed the claim, saying there was no guarantee that no other firm in the world could run the scanners and expressed concern that the border facilities had been left in the hands of a foreign firm, which was a security risk.
Mr Banda told the commissioners that ZRA received guidance from ZPPA through a letter dated June 2, 2009 and that the letter was signed by director general Samuel Chibuye. The first contract was signed on December 12, 2008 and was for the procurement of railway cargo and vehicle inspection systems and three scanners while the second was single-sourced through a contract signed on April 24, 2009 for managing the scanners. Mr Banda said the institution proceeded to sign the contract after it received correspondence from former Ministry of Finance permanent secretary Emmanuel Ngulube that the contract had been authorised by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
When Mr Chanda wanted to know his opinion as regards the single-sourcing of firms to provide such a costly exercises, Mr Banda maintained he would not issue any opinions but insist on making reference only to what was contained in the documents in his possession. Public Private Partnership (PPP) director David Ndopu, who also appeared before the commission, said Cabinet ministers who sat as council members made directives which had to be implemented in disregard of the law.
“We were uncomfortable with the whole thing but we were directed by the council of ministers to single-source. Like I said that our role is to advise but you cannot push the Cabinet ministers. They will just say ‘look, you are wasting your time, we have already decided’. They were in a hurry to do certain things and that shows in the number of concessions they signed,” Mr Ndopu said. Mr Ndopu said ministers were overzealous and overused their powers while experts such as the PPP had no power in the deals. Mr Chanda said PPP had become meaningless because they opened up to irregularities, especially in the construction of the Kasumbalesa border post.
He said the customs and excise law was the only institution legally empowered to open and close borders and wondered why such a sensitive area could be handed over to a foreign private firm, which amounted to holding the country to ransom.
An insurance broker, Christopher Lukonde accused ZRA director of finance Kabaye Mwale of engaging in corruption and cancelled a contract that was signed in his favour in preference for a named firm that won the insurance deal without a proper explanation. Mr Mwale, however, denied the allegation and said ZRA always advertised its insurance business. He said he made his observations about the sharing of resources at 15 per cent for the Zambian Government while 85 per cent want to ZBPC.
President Michael Sata last month constituted a commission of inquiry on ZRA to establish the awarding of tenders by management, illegal activities in the collection of taxes and other matters incidental to the operations of ZRA. A trade consultant Gilbert Nkamba submitted that the decision to engage ZBPC was a security risk because foreign firms could not be trusted with a border of a nation. He claimed that he uncovered secret payroll between 2001 and 2006 where senior officials received gross salaries instead of net salaries.
[Times of Zambia]
let the law take its course when found waiting
First they said RB did it. Now they say Mwansa did it. Are you telling me that PF know nothing concrete about issues affecting Zambia? What a government!
learn to read my man before you open it!
Honest Zambia! u must be a bone head! U dont know that Testicles Mwansa was working with Rubeer?
Trial by media. We need to wait for a full report.
Ba Criticals yashani, i used to think you were a professional until i came to know your cadre mentality, manje muzachucha, na Cobra plus ili pa heat. Kaaya mwandi!!!
Tricky issues to comment on-ZRA may seem to have erorred but we should always know that servants can not prevail over masters….ZRA unless things change now it is at ramson in political hands,they controlled it and issued directives that servants(ZRA management) could not alter against it’s masters(MMD GOVT).
so it is actually RB and His former finished govt that should answer
The Commissio is receiving submissions. Bone head, where does the government come in/
Am waiting for the unveilings of all these things, in the min time, shhhhhhh.
We trust that the truth will come out as Zambians need a clean system but more significantly we need to create a system that self purifies itself.There is a lot of rot in Zambia especially in government set up and the pf govt should work and erradicate such malpractises.Sata probably knows most of these wrong doers.We wish him and his adminstration all the luck in this quest.2016 is not far away when we hope to put in place a truely Zambian adminstration with peoples wishes and aspirations at the fore.We need him to succeed but age and other factors are not on his side.Good luck in the clean up exercise.GOD BLESS ZAMBIA.
‘ZRA director of administration Tenthani Banda said the institution single-sourced after correspondence signed by Mr Mwansa addressed to the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA) director Samuel Chibuye seeking authority to single-source on account that Cargo Scans had worked with the suppliers of the scans’.
ZRA sought authority and it was granted. Why did the ZPPA authorise such a transaction if it was illegal? Samuel Chibuye and his team at ZPPA should be answerable for this and a lot more transactions that were authorised by ZPPA.
Looks like we could end up wasting more money with these commission of Inquiry and find nothing as things look.Mwansa asked for authority and it was given so what is the commission looking for. this may end up being another kachepa issue by PF.
Mwansa needs to be probed where did he get the Money to buy Mansa Hotel. Pa Zed chabe!
“authorised by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)” this is wrong it should have read “authorised by the Attorney General Chambers”
These guys at ZRA were being pressed hard by the politicians and they had no way out to start dancing to their master’s tunes. Just wait alot of worm cans are being opened up.
ZRA has very qualified Internal Auditors who are always presenting good auditing procedules on ZICA workshops. Why is their house not in order? The Head Internal audit should be questioned as well.
the truth will come out…..
And what kind of a stupid name is Criticles, wapya!!!!!!!!
Zambian leaders are just a joke.Imagine these errors where they trust anyone as long as he/she is foreign.No ownder we are always ruled by foregners.Recently he had an MP who is actually a refugee.Its a circus.Irresponsibility of this magnitude is beyond my comprehension
This country sucks!
Kingsley Chanda has no moral right to sit on this commision. He’ll go down as one of the worst corrupt senior ZRA official never to have been convicted. Soon someone will come and make submission to this commission which will embarass Kingsley. Everyone remembers the monthly cashings of the “FAST” depart of ZRA to Kingsley. We’re not stupid. Just like this foreigner, from Zimbabwe, the new PS for central province( Zumbunu) How was he dired at Mwani Border early last year? For forgery. He is supposed to be in jail today. Instead he’s the CEO of Central Province. Ni donchi kubeba for sure!
Kingsley Chanda has no moral right to sit on this commision. He’ll go down as one of the worst corrupt senior ZRA official never to have been convicted. Soon someone will come and make submission to this commission which will embarass Kingsley. Everyone remembers the monthly cashings of the “FAST” depart of ZRA to Kingsley. We’re not stupid. Just like this foreigner, from Zimbabwe, the new PS for central province( Zumbunu) How was he fired at Mwani Border early last year? For forgery. He is supposed to be in jail today. Instead he’s the CEO of Central Province. Ni donchi kubeba for sure!
As Zambians avail themselves to these findings the right thing PF govt can do is to press further action to recover stolen moneys and assets. Let ACC and courts bring justice to taxpayers money by repossessing all acquired assets from these individuals involved in frauds. The worry is selective justice that will be the same as past govts have done. Fraud cases that were left hanging will all end up in selective justice and there are many such as Kapoko scandals at the ministry of health, Dr Katele Kalumba with new addition findings will receive a chorus from PF simply as cases committed by MMD 1 & 2. Zambians want justice not blame game.
I think on this one the commission of inquiry should be careful.Mr Mwansa sought authority to single source the scanners.The people to blame are DPPs guys.I still feel Mwansa is a clean person.RB just wanted to use him for corruption.It was really had time for him under RB.So long as the ZRA remain under govt the commissioner will find difficult to make good decisions.Mwanawasa was not crazy to poach Mwansa from Belgium where he worked as one of directors of world customs.He was the right choice for the position if it were not for MMD to force him out of ZRA.He was really under pressure and was just forced to stand in Mwansabombwe by RB.We’ll wait and see but what i know is that Mr.Mwansa is clean.
If Criticles Mwansa operated within the rules, then this article is just being malicious. Based on this article it seems Mr Mwansa and ZRA acted with full knowledge of authorities outside ZRA. Indeed they could not proceed without being authorised.
Perhaps we should review current sourcing procedures to ensure single sourcing is outlawed. Where it is allowed, the circumstances must be explained. E.g you can explain why you buy your planes from Boeing and not Airbus.
When we used to shout on ant-hills that more money in our pockets you are the same chaps who used to ask us were the money would come from….Then Sata could tell you about your SANGWAPO …ba pomboztions speed up your investigatigations all those found wanting must pay back the cash quickly ,quickly…twila pela fye muma head lines,RB is worthy,Tandiwe cakuti no, move in, tupokeleniko kalusangu mukwangufyanya.
That Pemsec for Central Province was fired from ZRA last year for forgery,how is he a Pemsec today?
With a name like that, he shouldnt have been in that office in the first place
Yes Ba Criticals Mwansa, Prove your self innocent. Otherwise we will conclude the same welcome to my world ” I am a professional”. Zambia is a RIOT! I am grateful I was born there but the mediocrity continues to amaze me. Even if he was poached from belgium he could still would have remained a professional. In the worst case resign. Dont these guys have contracts?? I would not be bought by cheep cadres. The problem is Zambia is that we leave politics and govt to cadres and the smart stay away
Jail all them fools…time wasting talking all the time. There is another guy they should arrest….the head of NAPSA…how did this stupid fool amass so much wealth that he managed to buy 1000 plots in Mean Wood amounting to billions of kwacha??? How much do a civil servant earn a month to gross that kind of money….when my own sister has been dead without receiving her pension money. You know the thieves arrest them and then they can talk from a jail cell. Poor people with no money and support are languishing in filthy prisons for petty crimes and sometimes crimes they did not actually commit….? You are the Judge and before we know it….the next general elections will soon be here….and the mother fackers are gonna go free. Please Pres. Sata…..jail them jail them…please please.
Chriticles is a professional who should always be able to yes or no when appropriate without fear or favor. I would rather be morally right and comfortable in life than rich, immoral and a yes man to cadres and politicians. It will be interesting to hear what Kingsley will comment on chriticles especially that they are partners in crime and close to each other.
Ubomba mwibala alelya mwibala…isn’t he Bemba, thats what they believe in.
This commission of inquiries will take time for final conclusion to come.We are talking about a year or so at the expense of developments we wish to see.In the whole World i like Korea.There is no much wastage of taxpayers money.When you sign a legal document,you should also know the chances of going to jail or not are there.Once your signature appears on legal document you are done with the law.I think Korea has jailed two or three past Presidents on the corruption charges and abuse of National resources.We are eager to know the trueth about the findings.Let the Government set an example by sending these prominent people to jail because they were stealing from us as poor Zambians.Let the Government grab everything perceived to have acquired from abused resources.
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