JUSTICE Minister Sebastian Zulu has asked top leaders in the previous government to stop issuing negative statements about the Zamtel Commission of Inquiry findings as some of them allegedly benefited alot from the proceeds from the privatisation of the telecommunications company.

Mr Zulu has revealed that a well-known law firm owned by one of the top MMD officials allegedly benefited over K190 million from the Zamtel privatization exercise.

The minister, who described the sale of Zamtel as “fraud and economic sabotage” said at a Press briefing in Lusaka yesterday that it was unfair that former MMD top officials who benefited were now in the forefront condemning the outcome of the inquiry without shame.

“Let these named MMD top officials declare interest in the Zamtel sale because a law firm received K190 million from Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) for unknown services.

These findings were not stage-managed, whoever is saying this is just trying to cover up something,” the minister said.And a team of experts hired by the commission of inquiry to do a thorough research on the sale of Zamtel and its assets discovered that ZDA had a suspense account in which legal fees were paid with all supporting documents.

And justice Minister Sebastian Zulu disclosed that LAP GREEN is externalising its capital following the recent inquiry into the privatisation of the telecommunication company.

And Chairperson of the technical committee constituted to inquire into the sale of Zamtel, Dimple Ranchhod says George Kunda and Company legal firm was paid 190 million kwacha during the procurement of the ZAMTEL deal.

Mrs Ranchhod says the revelation on the payment of the same funds to the legal firm was discovered at the Zambia development Agency -ZDA-

She also divulged that RP capital did not evaluate ZAMTEL assets.

The K190 million payment to the legal law firm allegedly had no supporting documents.Chairperson of the experts committee, Dimple Ranchhod, said upon questioning the ZDA chief accountant on the K190 million paid to one of the top officials in the MMD, it was discovered that the money was allegedly not paid for legal services but for unspecified services.

“ZDA failed to show the committee any documentation supporting the payment of the K190 million to a named legal firm,” Mr Ranchhod said.

[pullquote]“Let these named MMD top officials declare interest in the Zamtel sale because a law firm received K190 million from Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) for unknown services.[/pullquote]

Meanwhile, Citizens Forum executive director Simon Kabanda has said it is irresponsible for former vice-president George Kunda to claim that the findings were stage-managed when the commission of inquiry was just confirming earlier findings by the Dennis Chirwa-led rribunal.

Mr Kabanda also called for the immediate reversal of the 75 per cent sale of Zamtel to Libya’s LAP Green given the irregularities that had come to the fore.

Mr Kabanda said in Lusaka yesterday that the irregular and fraudulent manner that Zamtel was sold had already been observed by civil society organisations which petitioned the matter before the tribunal.

He said it was clear from the onset that there were some irregularities in the manner that the former government of the MMD undertook the privatisation of Zamtel.

“It is surprising that George Kunda could come out this way because the issues coming out now are not new. You will recall that the civil society organisations had taken this matter to a tribunal and a lot of irregularities were found, only that then Communications and Transport minister Dora Siliya was being shielded by the former government,” Mr Kabanda said.

[Times of Zambia]

Transparency International says corruption is getting worse in Southern Africa adding that the number of people paying bribes for public services was increasing.

The report focuses on Zambia and five other African countries.

The new survey from Transparency International, which was released this morning in Berlin Germany, shows the police are seen as most corrupt.

The report revealed that 56 percent of all those who come in contact with public service providers were asked to pay a bribe in the past year.

The survey also found that across the region 62 per cent of people believe corruption has become worse in the past three years.

Daily Lives and Corruption, Public Opinion in Southern Africa surveyed more than 6,000 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe between 2010 and 2011.

“Governments must wake up to the fact that people will not tolerate corruption any more and start reforming weak institutions, particular the police. People have a right to feel that they are protected by the police and not harassed,” said Chantal Uwimana, Regional Director for Africa and the Middle East at Transparency International.

The report found that people in all six countries named the police as the most corrupt service provider of the nine featured in the survey and that most bribes were paid to the police.

The results showed some regional differences. In four out of the six countries people reported paying bribes to speed up services but in South Africa and the DRC more bribes were paid to avoid problems with the authorities.

In five of the six countries people trusted the government more than non-governmental organisations, the media, international organisations or the private sector to fight corruption. In Malawi, however, non-governmental organisations were trusted just as much as the government.

Judges have hundred days in which to decide on the record number of election petition cases that followed the September, 20th polls.

To this effect the Chief justice, Ernest Sakala has urged the men and women of the bar to expeditiously dispose off the cases.

Justice Sakala, who described the record, petitions as unprecedented, appealed to the judges, to treat the cases with utmost urgency.

And Justice Sakala has proposed for the relocation of certain petitions to their areas of origin to cut on costs.

He said this when he officially opened a meeting for all high court judges to brain storm on the election petitions.

The meeting is under the theme Disposal of election petitions within the statutory period.

[MUVITV]

ALLIANCE for Democracy and Development (ADD) president Charles Milupi?has called for investigations to establish who was involved in?awarding the K80 billion contract to local politician, Ben Mwila, which?Government has now terminated.

Mr Milupi said if it was established that non-professionals were?involved in the process, Zambians should be informed about the?necessary steps to be taken in order to redress this.?He also urged politicians running businesses to keep away from?engaging is such ventures.?

Minister of Transport, Communications, Works and Supply Yamfwa Mukanga?announced on Tuesday that the Government had terminated the contract?awarded by the previous administration to Mr Mwila’s company, Wade?Adams Piling, for non-performance.?

Mr Mwila’s firm received an advance payment of K11.5 billion but only?11 per cent of the work was done after more than 10 months after moving on?site.
The contract was signed on December 3, 2010.?Mr Milupi said the PF administration had every right to recover the?money where irregularities were noticed instead of letting the money?be abused.

He said the Landless Corner-Mumbwa Road was very important for the?people of Western, North-western and Northern parts of the country.?

Mr Milupi said government should not use patronage to award tenders?and that politics should be divorced from professional works such as?tenders.?

The ADD leader said professionals should be allowed to adjudicate on?matters about contracts so as to ensure quality works and that the?Government should not be blamed for taking corrective measures on such?matters.?

He said should the investigations reveal that there were underhand?methods employed in awarding the Mumbwa-Landless corner road contract,?those responsible should be made to account for their actions.?

Mr Milupi said value for money, specifications and timely delivery of?jobs should not be compromised because Zambians were in a hurry to?develop.?

Mr Mukanga had said on Tuesday that Government was “very serious?about correcting all irregular transactions” and would therefore not?allow Mr Mwila’s company, Wade Adams Piling to do any more work on?the 65 Kilometre stretch.?Road Development Agency (RDA) Head of Public Relations, Loyce Saili,?also confirmed the termination of the contract in a separate interview?and that efforts were underway to recover the money.

The contract awarded to Mr Mwila, who is National Democratic Focus?president, provided for the upgrading of the gravel road to bituminous?standards but nothing had been done so far apart from grading.?

The contract was divided into two, with China Hainan being awarded the?upgrading of K50 kilometrEs of the stretch on the Mumbwa side. China?Hainan has performed to expectations with 40 kilometres so far tarred.

[Times of Zambia]